[NAGDU] Seeing Eye

Thu Mar 14 18:23:09 UTC 2024

2013, my class was in the dolce hotel while The Seeing Eye campus was being gutted and put back together. So the last time I had seen the inside of that building was in 2004. Along comes 2023. Some things were the same, but yes, the stairwells that lead from the basement to the main floor and from the main floor to the second floor are laid out differently. I adjusted to the changes from the main floor to the second floor pretty quickly. But where I got hopelessly lost at times in the beginning was down in the basement. From 1982 until the present, every time I was in class on campus, the location of the exercise room the grooming room the laundry room and the tech center changed. So each time, I had to learn the basement all over again. But yeah, the rooms are absolutely luxurious, and I loved the fact that we had a small refrigerator. Mine definitely got used. As the folks in the Midwest would say (there are two options), sweet (option one) or cool beans (second option).

Vanessa and the zoo  
Sent from my iPhone

> On Mar 14, 2024, at 2:17 PM, Joy via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> Hi Jessica,
> 
> So, the school was on Washington Valley Road. The building was not laid out the same. I think that you probably remember the circular stairs that went from the first to the second level at the campus. New fire code requirements made it so that the stairs had to be closed in. That's why today you have a door coming in the end of the hall and you had a flight of stair up and another down next to each other. The gate is thill at the top of the stairs going to the basement. Also, of course the rooms are more like hotel rooms, as you know, you have a pass key to get into you room and you have a single room with a dresser, desk, bed and fridge.
> 
> I did enjoy having a roommate. If I remember correctly, I had two roommates over the years. I still communicate with my first roommate but I've lost contact with Connie.
> 
> I love the play area outside where you can take your dog to play fetch. Vicky will play fetch for hours so it was a good stress releaser for us.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jessica Sears via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 11:04 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Jessica Sears <jlsears86 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye
> 
> Hello,
> 
> Wow. Love it. In 1976 were they located at the same place? Was the bldg laid out the same? Did you like having roommates? I think I would've loved that part but I am chatty. I also love how they just seem to respect us as independent blind people also. That is the vibe I atleast received. So blessed I went and Jane was my instructor.
> Jess
> 
>> On Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 11:57 AM Joy via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> 
>> Hi Jessica,
>> 
>> My first class was in 1976. I didn't meet Mr. Frank. I did meet Mr.
>> Crocus and Mr. Debeta. Of course, I also got to know Mr. Gary Mattoon.
>> Please forgive my spelling in the names. Mr. Mattoon trained my second
>> dog Zenith but Lucas Franc trained Zenith and I together. Lucas used
>> to call him Atoshi.
>> 
>> Mr. Roger Taylor my first trainer with Vicki (my first Vicki) was a
>> story teller. Since my dad was also a story teller I was right at
>> home. He was also a practical joker. He once swopped the harness of a
>> 1 hundred pound shepherd for a 40 pound shepherd during dinner. In
>> those days, I can't remember if we still do this, we hung our dogs'
>> harness on the back of our chair during dinner when we first started
>> using them because they were stiff and hadn't yet gotten enough
>> softening by the saddle soap. Anyway, the man who used the larger
>> shepherd was a very tall man from Louisiana and he has the wonderful
>> slow southern accent. The woman who had been matched with the smaller
>> shepherd, and my roommate, was a smaller woman from Canada. When we got up to leave after dinner and began to put on our dogs'
>> harnesses I can still hear Joe say "something sure is wrong here
>> because there's no way this is gonna fit on my dog."
>> 
>> In those days everyone was called by their last names. It was to
>> maintain an atmosphere of respect.
>> 
>> Once when I was walking down the street with Vicki a man came up to me
>> and told me that he was with the police and  wondered if I had a
>> license to operate my dog. I sputtered for a while and then asked "do you know Mr.
>> Roger Taylor?". The man started laughing.
>> 
>> There are some things which have changed and become more modern at The
>> Seeing Eye, but, to me, the one thing that remains the same is the
>> emphasis on quality of breeding and training of dogs. In my
>> experience, if you come with an attitude that you want to learn how to
>> work with your new partner and ask lots of questions you end up with a
>> partner who will work with you for years. There are going to be some
>> partnerships which don't work, but I believe that it is the minority
>> of the partnership. Of course, that isn't much comfort if you are the one experiencing the issue at the time.
>> 
>> Also, in 2005 I collapsed with a burst aneurism in my brain and was in
>> intensive care for a month and then in rehab for another month before
>> I came home. My husband called The Seeing Eye and got advice as to
>> what to do to help Belle adjust to the new situation. The support was
>> incredible.  I was not aware of anything for about a month but my
>> husband had the support that he needed. Once I began to recover The
>> Seeing Eye was there to support Belle and I as we began to work together again.
>> 
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jessica Sears via
>> NAGDU
>> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 6:54 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Jessica Sears <jlsears86 at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye
>> 
>> I am so fascinated by old Seeing Eye stories we are sharing. I would
>> love to hear more from people on how things really have changed from
>> early 80's to now. I wonder if anyone is here that met the real Morris?
>> Jess
>> 
>> On Thu, Mar 14, 2024 at 12:49 AM Suzette May via NAGDU
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Everyone,
>>> 
>>> I went to The Seeing Eye in September/October of 2022 for my guide,
>>> a large, long, male Sable German Shepherd named Boden.  I had Lukas
>>> Franck as my instructor and Joan Markey was our class manager.  
>>> Anyone remember the high school route? Well, Lukas was quite fond of
>>> that one and I think I did that beast about 3 or 4 times. They
>>> haven't had that as a route for years but we did it.  I think that
>>> thing was uphill both ways.  It sure felt like it.
>>> 
>>> As far as retirements go,  I know Lukas retired at the end of September.
>>> Lee Johnson retired earlier in 2023, I think. I was sad to hear Jeff
>>> McMullen retired. Joan Markey started at The Seeing Eye within a few
>>> years of Lukas so that might happen in a year or two.
>>> 
>>> Nice to see all the different schools on here.  It's interesting
>>> hearing everyones stories.
>>> 
>>> *Suzette May*
>>> *PS139.13 at gmail.com <PS139.13 at gmail.com>*
>>> *512-564-0152*
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> On Wed, Mar 13, 2024 at 1:00 PM Julie A. Orozco via NAGDU <
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> wrote:
>>> 
>>>> Hi everyone,
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Thank you for all the comments about Seeing Eye. It is great to
>>>> know I
>>> will
>>>> have an excellent class manager who will answer questions and
>>>> listen to concerns. I'll tell a little more of my story below in
>>>> case more reassurances are forth coming.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I retired my second dog in the fall of 2021 shortly before my
>>>> daughter
>>> was
>>>> born. I did not complete the application process for my third dog
>>>> for a while after that because well, motherhood. So I haven't
>>>> worked a dog in almost 2 and a half years, which is the longest
>>>> I've gone without the harness in my hand since 2008. I only had to
>>>> wait like 5 months between
>>> my
>>>> first and second dogs.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> My life has changed completely in the last several years. I am a
>>>> mom of a toddler now, and I feel like I need a unicorn of a dog. I
>>>> live outside of Washington DC and take the metro a lot, walk a
>>>> ton, and definitely deal with plenty of chaos and crowds. But I
>>>> need a dog that will be gentle and forgiving of my toddler and
>>>> tolerant of young children in general, since
>>> it
>>>> looks like we'll be taking her to day care on a daily basis.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I am so nervous. Not only do I feel like I'm looking for a dog
>>>> that might not exist, but I also fear a mismatch. I know everyone
>>>> has them, but I haven't had one yet. My first two dogs were great
>>>> matches, and my second dog in particular was an amazing worker and
>>>> could pretty much read my mind.
>>> So,
>>>> I'm not sure I can get that level of awesome in a dog again. The
>>>> Seeing
>>> Eye
>>>> is a new school for me, and although I've seen great dogs come out
>>>> of there, I'm still nervous. I will be spending three weeks away
>>>> from my family to
>>> do
>>>> this, and I want that time to count.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> There is truly nothing like working a dog though. Even with the
>>>> rideshare denials and the airline forms, I have to do it. I have
>>>> to try and do my best to make it work. I do plan on asking lots of
>>>> questions when I'm there,
>>> and
>>>> I'm not shy. So hopefully that will help.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> I'm so glad there are so many happy Seeing Eye graduates on this list.
>>>> Hearing about your experiences is definitely helping. So thank
>>>> you, and thanks for reading.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> Julie
>>>> 
>>>> Julie A. Orozco J.D.
>>>> 
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> 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/ps139.13%40gmail.
>>>> com
>>>> 
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> 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/jlsears86%40gmail
>>> .c
>>> om
>>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/joy.relton%40icloud
>> .com
>> 
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 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/jlsears86%40gmail.c
>> om
>> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/joy.relton%40icloud.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 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/val4dogs%40gmail.com