[nagdu] National Convention--my opinion

Wed Jul 10 18:59:38 UTC 2013

Hi all,

This is a very good discussion.  I think there are many things that
dog handelers could do to make the convention experience easier for
them and their dogs.  I think we should have a conference call next
year when it comes closer to the convention.  During this call a few
experienced guide dog user conventioners could give tips to people
wanting to learn about bringing their dogs to convention or people who
have brought their dogs but still want to gather tips.  Just an
idea...

It was great to meet many of you at the nagdu meetings, and I am sorry
I didn't get to meet all of you.

As for the relief areas, I could not say it better than Aleeha.  I
think we should do everything short of requiring a fee.  Yes, ACB does
that, but as I understand it, everyone must pay the fee, not only the
guide dog users.  I think we should strongly encourage people to pay,
even suggest an amount, and put it on our registration fee, but I
think it's wrong to force people to pay to bring their dogs.

I am looking forward to the call on Sunday.  Talk to many of you then.

On 7/10/13, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
> OK, here's the deal. If we care about our organization and keeping it
> solvent, or helping to, and if we know that it is a rather large expense to
> care for those relief areas, we should long to pay a fee. This fee says
> nothing about the allowance of our dogs' presence. Where you are employed,
> there are usually not more than ten dogs, and that would be high. Here we
> are talking 200-400. People who exhibit have to pay for the exhibit hall,
> and they pay high fees for that. People with kids have to pay for childcare,
> and there are time limits as to when the kids can be picked up, or rather
> must be picked up. Canes don't need to be relieved. Our registration is
> pretty low as conferences go. The one day Rehabilitation Conference put on
> by NBPCB was $85. That's more registration than we pay for the week, but if
> you longed to go, you had to pay it. If you enrolled after June 15, it was
> $100. So if it is unjust for us to care for the relief areas, then what
> about if they charged everyone in the organization $25 or $30 above what the
> current registration fee is? Then no one would have to feel he/she was being
> being penalyzed for bringing the dog.
>
> CL
>
> On Jul 10, 2013, at 12:59 PM, Aleeha Dudley <blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>> I do not agree with the required fee for the relief areas. If you have a
>> required fee, that would be going against everything We stand for. Our
>> dogs are supposed to go with us everywhere, without the hindrance of any
>> extra fees that  anyone else would incur on the same day or at the same
>> time. Those with canes do not have to pay an extra fee, so, I think it
>> makes sense to ask for donations, but not to require them. If we start
>> requiring them  for the relief areas, are employers  may also start doing
>> the same things so that we can have a relief area.  This does not make
>> sense to me, though I do not mean to offend anyone by my statements. I say
>> that is the same for us as it would be for any other organization that we
>> might become a part of, including our work, or other activities. We should
>> have the same rights as any other person, and should not have to pay any
>> extra fees, just so our dogs can come with us. I think requiring fees is
>> asking for trouble. People will not relieve their dogs in the relief
>> areas, or they will relieve them, but not clean up after them  or do any
>> number of other things that could damage the hotel property. Also, this
>> could greatly affect people's perceptions of the Nfb's view on guidedogs,
>> a viewwhich we are just now starting to change among the general public.
>> Just my thoughts.
>>
>>
>> Aleeha Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On Jul 10, 2013, at 1:14 PM, Cindy Ray <cindyray at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Margo, I think if we pay a fee that is a required one, and if we don't
>>> have the folks to adequately care for it, we need to hire some company.
>>> It is a huge issue to have that material hauled from Maryland. I wonder
>>> why they don't do it that way anyway? I really hadn't thought much of
>>> this.
>>>
>>> CL
>>>
>>> On Jul 10, 2013, at 12:06 PM, "Margo and Arrow"
>>> <margo.downey at verizon.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I think it should be a required charge.  Also, you know, we can learn
>>>> from
>>>> other organizations and I hope we don't get into the thing of not doing
>>>> something because A C B or some other organization does it.  I still
>>>> would
>>>> like to see a company that does this type of work do the work instead of
>>>> the
>>>> National Center.
>>>>
>>>> Margo and Arrow
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael
>>>> Hingson
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 11:36 AM
>>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion
>>>>
>>>> The NFB does pay for the relief area.  As I said, I think a voluntary
>>>> fee
>>>> option on the pre registration form and an option for people who
>>>> register at
>>>> the convention would be good.  What we need to do is to make this whole
>>>> thing more visible to all members.
>>>>
>>>> Not to copy or anything, but the ACB has this option on its
>>>> registration
>>>> forms.  It does work.
>>>>
>>>> I will not comment much on making this a requirement except to say that
>>>> at
>>>> the convention people charge for all kinds of things.  It is reasonable
>>>> to
>>>> consider asking guide dog users to help defray the relief area costs.
>>>> Also,
>>>> non guide dog users may wish to help.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Michael Hingson
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 08:20 AM
>>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion I hear what you
>>>> are
>>>> saying Julie, but would the National Convention pay for it out of its
>>>> funds?
>>>> Darla & Handsome Huck
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 10:01 AM
>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion
>>>>
>>>> Isn't requiring guide dog users to pay a fee for a service or
>>>> participating
>>>> in an event against our beliefs as an organization?
>>>>
>>>> I've always felt that NAGDU  was opposed to charging guide dog users
>>>> fees
>>>> based on their choice to use a guide dog.  I don't know about the
>>>> legality
>>>> of doing this in this particular situation, but if the hotel did it,
>>>> there
>>>> would be a giant fuss about it.  If we wouldn't put up with it from the
>>>> hotel, why would we impose it on ourselves?  I'm not trying to start
>>>> anything, but it seems like a contradiction to me.
>>>>
>>>> Julie
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
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-- 
Julie McG
National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National
Federation of the Blind performing arts division secretary,
Missouri Association of Guide dog Users President,
and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life."
John 3:16