[NAGDU] Seeing Eye

Sun Mar 24 05:39:39 UTC 2024

Hi Danielle,

Carla was there when I went in October 2022.  I always looked forward to
talking with her every morning coming back from breakfast.

*Suzette May*
*PS139.13 at gmail.com <PS139.13 at gmail.com>*
*512-564-0152*

On Sat, Mar 23, 2024 at 2:52 AM Danielle Ledet via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Is Carla from housekeeping still there?
>
> On 3/19/2024 9:36 AM, Sunshine via NAGDU wrote:
> > Yes, Buddy, that is correct. Paula Pursley was at the school for many
> years. Pauline Alexander worked with Judy and she promoted to Judy’s
> position when Judy retired.
> >   Sunshine and Velvet
> >
> >
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone 12 Pro
> >
> >> On Mar 18, 2024, at 9:42 AM, Buddy Brannan via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> Pauline Alexander was someone else. She retired just a few years ago,
> I wnt to say around 2012. She ws in admissions, but she wasn’t the Paula
> they’re talking about.
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV, WRVB670 - Erie, PA
> >> Email: buddy at brannan.name
> >> Mobile: (814) 431-0962
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Mar 18, 2024, at 9:16 AM, Leslie Hamric via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I think her name was Pauline Alexander.
> >>> Leslie Hamric
> >>> Cello and Braille Music Teacher
> >>>
> >>>>> On Mar 17, 2024, at 10:02 PM, Cindy Ray via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
> >>>> I actually liked her. She did remind me of a housemother though.
> >>>>
> >>>> Cindy Lou Ray
> >>>> Sent from my iPhone
> >>>>
> >>>>> On Mar 17, 2024, at 9:22 PM, Al Sten-Clanton via NAGDU <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I remember Paula.  I think she was the first person I spoke with at
> The Seeing Eye.  I thought of her as too formal or too old-fashioned or
> something in that vein, but I don't remember having any real conflict with
> her.  I forget exactly when she retired, but when I heard, I did a fairly
> rare thing for me:  I got her number from Directory Assistance and called
> to wish her well.  I just thought she deserved it.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Bob Whitstock retired in 1992, if memory served.  I wish I'd call
> him as well.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Al
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>>> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Vanessa Lowery
> via NAGDU
> >>>>> Sent: Thursday, March 14, 2024 2:33 PM
> >>>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> >>>>> Cc: Vanessa Lowery <val4dogs at gmail.com>
> >>>>> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Seeing Eye
> >>>>>
> >>>>> I never met more Frank, but my best friend in North Carolina (my
> home state) did get to meet him. Did Krokus was there when I was in
> training with my first dog in 1982. So was Dan Booke pronounced Booker). I
> never worked with Roger Taylor in class. Nor did I do so with Gary Matoon.
> But I did get to know both of them. Gary was a hoot, and I must confess, I
> never was one of the victims of a Roger Taylor prank, but I'm sure that he
> could be quite ingenious about it. An and then there was absolutely sweet,
> gracious ROBERT Woodstock. What a gentleman. and David Loux. And for us
> dinosaurs, how many of you remember the person on the housekeeping staff,
> zilla husbands. She had the most wonderful laugh, so we would all do
> anything to get her to laugh. And then there was Paul Parsley, the school
> mom! You either loved her or hated her, but you grew to respect her.
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Vanessa and the zoo
> >>>>> Sent from my iPhone
> >>>>>
> >>>>>>> On Mar 14, 2024, at 1:57 PM, 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.
> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>>>>
> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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> >>>>>>> om
> >>>>>>>
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