[nagdu] National Convention--my opinion

Wed Jul 10 23:22:50 UTC 2013

Julie,
	I like your idea of having a teleconference call a couple weeks
prior to convention to discuss some protocol. One initiative I would like to
see is a mentoring program for new guide dog users attending convention. As
a member of the board, please don't let us forget about this next year!

F
Fraternally yours,
Marion

-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
Sent: Wednesday, July 10, 2013 3:00 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] National Convention--my opinion

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

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