[nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions

[Tina Thomas]

Hello- I'm not Janine, but to answer your question: (GDUI) stands for Guide
Dog Users Incorporated. 
Tina and D.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Janice Toothman
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 7:53 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions

Jenine,
What does GDUI stand for?
Janice

On 4/22/2012 6:40 PM, Jenine Stanley wrote:
> Julie,
>
>
> Let me give you a little more info on the exhibiting factors that lead 
> to GDF decisions anyway regarding conventions.
>
> We have not had a booth at the ACB convention for many years. The 
> primary reason is that their exhibit hall hours are much longer over a 
> longer span of time than at NFB and we simply do not have the staff to 
> man a booth and take part in the activities of the guide dog 
> affiliate, GDUI, which demand volunteers from te schools to help with
various events.
>
> I'm the GDUI Program Chair this year so I can say things about 
> them.<grin>
>
> We do, however, hope to have a booth at the NFB convention even though 
> the cost is more, primarily because we like how the exhibit hall is 
> organized and run and that this is an audience we have been neglecting for
some time.
> As you see from my earlier note, that's paid off in the number of 
> people referred to us through NFB and NAGDU.
>
> I personally like the dedicated exhibit hall times at NFB as it gives 
> me time to attend the NAGDU functions without having to worry about a 
> booth and as I'm the one responsible for said booth, that matters a 
> lot.<grin>
>
> The ACB exhibit hall is very crowded all week, which is fine but 
> again, we find that we reach more people by walking around, talking to 
> people, helping them with various things around the hotel, etc.
>
> We also have found fewer graduates attending ACB conventions, 
> especially when held in western states. Some day this balance may 
> swing again, but I really think that having different strategies for 
> each type of convention, even the state ones, is important. As long as 
> people know how and where to find us, That's what really matters.
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf Of Julie J.
> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 6:10 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions
>
> I have been to both NFB and ACB national conventions.  At the NFB 
> conventions I have been to there are generally a handful of the guide 
> dog program reps there.  It is usually the larger schools, unless the 
> convention is geographically very close to a smaller program's main 
> offices.  When I was at the ACB national convention last year, I think 
> there was a booth in the exhibit hall for just about every program 
> available.  There were definitely many more than at the NFB conventions.
>
> So I asked myself why this might be?  On the surface it might look 
> like there is more agreement with ACB so that's why more of the 
> programs attend that convention.  But I don't think so.  I think a 
> larger percentage of blind people at the ACB conventions are 
> interested in working with a guide dog.  If you only have so many 
> advertising dollars, it makes sense to use them where you are going to get
the most out of them.
>
> I've talked with a lot of program representatives over the years.  I 
> can honestly say that what we talked about wasn't much different based 
> on whether I was at one of the NFB conventions or the ACB convention I
> attended.   The guide dog program employees talk about dogs, dog
> training and what they have to offer.  After all the guide dog programs
> are businesses.   They are providing trained dogs to blind people, not
> entering into philosophical debates.
>
> Sure I do think that there are employees within the various guide dog 
> programs that are NFB or ACB members and promote their personal 
> beliefs purposefully or incidentally through their employment, but I 
> do not think that any of the guide dog programs as a whole favors one 
> organization over another.
>
> JMHO
> Julie
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/jeninems%40wowway.c
> om
> -----
> No virus found in this message.
> Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> Version: 10.0.1424 / Virus Database: 2411/4951 - Release Date: 
> 04/21/12
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/janice.toothman%40v
> erizon.net
>
>

_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/tinadt%40sbcglobal.net