[nagdu] National Convention--my opinion

Wed Jul 10 12:43:34 UTC 2013

I think you worded that perfectly Cindy... we do need to be mindful of
others' feelings and those of our guides. That's why I was so shocked
to see people just leaving messes for others to clean up. Like I said,
Miss Valla was not excluded from having accidents, trust me, she had a
couple so I know good and well how it goes. I was just sad to see
hotel staff having to get on hands and knees to clean up after others
who didn't stick around to at least say "hey, we had an accident
here." I mean, if we're wanting to be mindful of feelings, we have to
take into consideration that those who had to clean up have feelings
too. :)
I think having a cost affiliated with use of park areas would
definitely be a good idea. that coupled with donations should be more
than a drop in the bucket towards covering the cost of park areas for
next year and the years to come.
Marion, I'd be happy to join the call on the 14th! Also, I agree, we
need to let our dogs decompress more often when in such a stressful
situation. I was an exhibitor this year and after seeing Val get so
stressed out that she had an accident, I made it a point to let her
play as often as I could between exhibit times. Too bad we couldn't
have a doggie playhouse at convention. ;)

On 7/10/13, Sheila Leigland <sleigland at bresnan.net> wrote:
> hi, cindy I kknow you are right. We need to be careful of the feelings
> of others and the feelings of our dogs while at convention.I also
> enenjoyed convention but was glad to get home. Tres slept a long long time.
> On 7/10/2013 6:00 AM, Cindy Ray wrote:
>> The acoustic in that lobby with all of the marble and such did amplify the
>> noise, no question about it. But every year we all have the same
>> complaints because it is what it is. It would be nice if each and every
>> one of us there could think how we are feeling and imagine that all others
>> are feeling the same way; then if we had compassion for the others feeling
>> as we do. But as we are human, and as frustrations occur, this can't
>> always be the case. I enjoyed the convention; I'm glad to be home from
>> it.
>>
>> CL
>>
>> On Jul 10, 2013, at 6:28 AM, Sheila Leigland <sleigland at bresnan.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> it was much less stressful for both Tres and I as well as Harold and
>>> Sampson to wait for the elevator. For me the noise level was over the
>>> top. My hearing aides amplify everything. Tres and sampson did very well.
>>> We were very pleased.
>>> On 7/9/2013 5:58 PM, Danielle Antoine wrote:
>>>> Buddy,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Ahahahahaha! So right I knew there was something I wanted to add to
>>>> Dar's message! It's unforgettable the mad rush to elevators. I learned
>>>> to hang back a few minutes. I've been to national once with a cane and
>>>> once with my guide. At that first, someone actuallly lost there cane
>>>> down the elevator shaft because of this. When I went with my dog
>>>> guide, I remember having to remind folks trying to sandwich me in
>>>> while waiting for said elevators that I have a dog with me. He handled
>>>> it all well like we were working in New York! Only thing is he
>>>> wouldn't park with the other pups so I had to find a quiet off-limits
>>>> area. Has anyone else notived this with there dogs?
>>>>
>>>> trying to catch an elevator right after general sessions or the
>>>> banquet, a sight to behold and an experience to be had!
>>>>
>>>> How about we start a thread: You know you're at an NFB convention when:
>>>>
>>>> Danielle and eden, who are glad to be back after a long absence
>>>>
>>>> On 7/9/13, Larry D. Keeler <lkeeler at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>> Yes, Cindy they do. I regularly talk to a good friend of mine who says
>>>>> they
>>>>>
>>>>> charge something like $25 for every dog handler. I here its supposed to
>>>>> be a
>>>>>
>>>>> donation but I am really not sure. Maybe are ACB readers can clarify
>>>>> that
>>>>> for us.
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Cindy Ray" <cindyray at gmail.com>
>>>>> To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
>>>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 5:27 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Does the ACB charge for the dog users to have the privilege of having
>>>>>> relief areas. Also, there was more than one relief area, yes? I
>>>>>> thought
>>>>>> they used wood chips, not sand.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cindy
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Jul 9, 2013, at 2:55 PM, "Margo and Arrow"
>>>>>> <margo.downey at verizon.net>
>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi, Danielle.  I know what you mean by the topics you raised.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> A C B uses a company or two whose only job is to deal with relief
>>>>>>> areas.
>>>>>>> I'd like for Nagdu to figure out how to do the same thing.  I
>>>>>>> apprecaite
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> work our national Center does to ensure adequate relief areas, but,
>>>>>>> I'd
>>>>>>> like
>>>>>>> to see a company who does this type of work do this type of work for
>>>>>>> us.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Margo and Arrow
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Danielle
>>>>>>> A.
>>>>>>> Creapeau
>>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2013 3:47 PM
>>>>>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>>>>>> Subject: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It was awesome meeting some of you at convention last week. Valla and
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> didn't attend Monday night's NAGDU meeting because she got snapped at
>>>>>>> by
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> not
>>>>>>> 1 but 2 dogs. I'm the first to admit that she did distract on these
>>>>>>> other
>>>>>>> dogs but I corrected and we were almost past them when they jumped
>>>>>>> out
>>>>>>> from
>>>>>>> under their handlers' chairs and tried to come at her. Needless to
>>>>>>> say,
>>>>>>> she
>>>>>>> was way too wound up to go anywhere after that.
>>>>>>> Anyway, I noticed a lot of things during the week that shocked me,
>>>>>>> made
>>>>>>> me
>>>>>>> think and made me very happy. First of all, I'll say that this was
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> first
>>>>>>> convention so I don't know if some of these things are commonplace
>>>>>>> at
>>>>>>> convention or not. I was sort of shocked by the size of the park
>>>>>>> area
>>>>>>> for
>>>>>>> the dogs. It was about the size of a single parking space and from
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> understand, there were a couple hundred dogs in attendance. I felt
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> this
>>>>>>> was way too small of a space for all those dogs. Not to mention that
>>>>>>> it's
>>>>>>> filled with sand which gets pretty sludgy with waste and rain water.
>>>>>>> Valla
>>>>>>> wouldn't set foot in the box and I didn't blame her. As I understand
>>>>>>> it,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> White Cane fund takes care of the park areas and I also am aware that
>>>>>>> it
>>>>>>> costs money to set up these relief areas. Is there anything that we
>>>>>>> as a
>>>>>>> division can be doing to make the area bigger or cleaner?
>>>>>>> Furthermore,
>>>>>>> as
>>>>>>> the week went on, I noticed a lot of accidents near the escalators
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> were
>>>>>>> just left behind for someone else to clean up. Valla had her
>>>>>>> accidents
>>>>>>> as
>>>>>>> well; I'm not saying that they don't happen but I thought we were
>>>>>>> supposed
>>>>>>> to try to clean them up and tell someone from the hotel staff about
>>>>>>> it.
>>>>>>> I
>>>>>>> know that these were near escalators but I feel like that's no
>>>>>>> excuse.
>>>>>>> If
>>>>>>> you're at the bottom of the escalator when it happens, step aside
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> let
>>>>>>> people through but don't just walk away.
>>>>>>> That being said, I'm sure there were plenty of handlers who did stand
>>>>>>> by
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> messes and did their best to clean them up.
>>>>>>> I was really surprised by the amount of people who were on phones,
>>>>>>> eating,
>>>>>>> talking or goofing off while working their dogs too. again, not
>>>>>>> trying
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> imply that these things don't happen but it was frustrating when
>>>>>>> someone
>>>>>>> else was too busy doing something else while his or her dog
>>>>>>> distracted
>>>>>>> on
>>>>>>> other people or dogs.
>>>>>>> I did, however, meet a whole bunch of people who genuinely inspired
>>>>>>> me
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>> the bonds they have with their dogs and the way they worked as a
>>>>>>> team.
>>>>>>> Valla
>>>>>>> and I just met in October of 2012 so we're still feeling each other
>>>>>>> out.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It
>>>>>>> was just amazing to see teams that flow together so beautifully.
>>>>>>> anyway, that's just my take on the week. Hope everyone's having a
>>>>>>> good
>>>>>>> Tuesday.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
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