[NAGDU] Glad to be on this list!

Wed Jan 22 21:26:24 UTC 2025

Hey Sidney,

Awesome! I've lived here around a year and a half. I came from south
Carolina to Indiana (what a weather change but I was prepared since I used
to live in New York).
In class at The Seeing Eye, I forgot to mention, you have the option of
doing clicker training. I highly recommend it. The clicker and gentle
leader you will receive are great tools to have when needed.
Keep us updated on your journey and join us on FaceBook too if you'd like.
Christina

On Sat, Jan 18, 2025 at 3:49 PM Sidney Horn via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> Hello,
> Christina that's so great that you're also studying social work as well.
> And hey, having those breaks is good, especially if you think that it's an
> overload. I've been to Indianapolis many times, in fact I'm an hour outside
> of Tera Haut.
> Kelly: Wow. It definitely sounds like you've been working guides for a
> while now. You said you went to Guide Dog Foundation, right? Have you
> always gone to Guide Dog Foundation?
> Tracie: That's totally understandable about liking Uber more. I do not
> have an Uber where I live. Just paira-transit. In my college town, though,
> there's Uber, Taxi, and paira-transit.
> Sidney
>
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> ________________________________
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Tracy Carcione via
> NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2025 6:41:27 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users' <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: carcione at access.net <carcione at access.net>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Glad to be on this list!
>
> Hi Sidney.
> I prefer Uber to a taxi.  I haven't tried Lyft.  I got denials with the
> taxi service in my town, and it takes them maybe 30 minutes to come if they
> know I'm just going somewhere local.  It's not worth the bother to them.
> Uber comes in a few minutes, and costs less.
> I don’t use Paratransit.  They have a lot of rules about when I have to
> call, and they may or may not go directly to where I'm going.  I'd rather
> pay Uber whenever I decide I want to go somewhere.  Or take the bus, or
> walk to the train, or just plain walk, if it's not more than a mile or two.
>
> And, if you're curious, my dog is Igloo, a male yellow lab/golden cross,
> and it was just our third anniversary.
> Tracy
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Sidney Horn via NAGDU
> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2025 5:56 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Sidney Horn <sidneyh05 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Glad to be on this list!
>
> Hi Tracy!
> I am from Illinois and will be attending Southern Illinois University
> Edwardsville.
> It'll be interesting / super exciting that's for sure! So many people that
> I know, all my family and friends are being extremely supportive of me
> getting a guide dog, which I'm happy about.
> Do you prefer taxi over Uber or Lift? Just curious. Like if you had to use
> one or the other, do you have a preference?
> Sidney
>
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> ________________________________
> From: Sidney Horn <sidneyh05 at gmail.com>
> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2025 4:52:57 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Christina Moore <moorechristina107 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Glad to be on this list!
>
> Hi!
> Thanks so much! I actually attend the Illinois School for the Visually
> Impaired, and I graduated high school in 2023. I've been taking some
> community college classes for a while. I'm currently taking 4 classes this
> semester (3 online and 1 in-person.) Before this semester, each semester
> ever since fall of 2023, I was taking 1 per semester because admin here
> were worried about me possibly getting too stressed with my Isvi classes on
> top of any Extracurriculars I’d like to do and then my college classes.
> I went to public school for almost all of my life, and came to the school
> for the blind as a junior. I also attended private school for 2 years as
> well, and I'll just tell you, the workload at the school for the blind is
> no where near the workload I had in public and even private school. They
> really don't give much work at all.
> Did you like The Seeing Eye? What's your dog's name? :-) I've heard / read
> nothing but positive things on The Seeing Eye. I'm going to attend Southern
> Illinois University Edwardsville in the fall. I also applied at Illinois
> State this past fall and got accepted.
> I have toured both colleges twice and have looked into transportation in
> the Edwardsville area. They have paira-transit, Uber, and a Taxi as well.
> Thanks for replying and nice to meet you!
> Sidney
>
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
>
>
> Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
> ________________________________
> From: NAGDU <nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org> on behalf of Christina Moore via
> NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Thursday, January 16, 2025 4:40:22 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users <
> nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Christina Moore <moorechristina107 at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [NAGDU] Glad to be on this list!
>
> Hey Sidney,
>
> Welcome to the list and congrats on graduating high school and entering
> college. You will have a lot of transitions at this time in your life so it
> might be worth considering waiting until the summer after your freshman
> year to get the dog. I only say this because some people have found it
> challenging to navigate all the newness of college along with a guide dog
> all at once a bit daunting. Not to say it can't be done, many have forged
> this path ahead of you so it is doable. I waited until between my sophomore
> and junior years at college to go get my dog. I applied to The Seeing Eye
> in the middle of my sophomore year and got my dog that summer. By then I
> knew my college really really well and since that was most of where I'd be
> spending the first two-years of our partnership, I figured it was the right
> time for me. Everything worked out for me with my dog and I at college. It
> was great having that environment to work with a dog in and being able to
> have so much freedom and movement was so smooth. Those first few steps with
> your new guide will be so amazing, for me they were anyways, you're feeling
> excited and nervous all at once but eventually things click over time and
> wow, it's awesome!!
> That being said, yes we all probably can tell you denial stories either
> from our own experiences or those of others we've come-across. I live in a
> relatively small town and don't use the Uber or Lyft here because I have a
> roommate that can drive, Medicaid covers transportation to medical
> appointments and I can take our bus for free so I just do either of those
> things if I need to. I have had denials in the past though where I used to
> live in South Carolina and I'd say they happen in both populous and
> not-so-populous locations. It all depends on the drivers you get I think
> and their aversion towards dogs or blind people (as we all know, a cane
> user can get denied too). It is a risk we take by having these dogs but I
> wouldn't trade my dog for better Uber or Lyft any day; I'd rather have her
> and use the free bus or other means of travel over them denying me. Plus
> they are expensive services anyways. If you've n to yet (though I'm
> assuming you have) I'd say research what is available in the town where
> your school is transportation-wise. If they offer paratransit, sign up if
> you can once you are there and see about their hours and if that'd be
> suitable for you. If not, many people find taxis better options than Lyft
> or Uber in these cases.
> I am sending you encouragement and kindness from the midwest and hope we
> can help with any other questions or concerns about dog ownership you might
> have.
> Christina
>
> On Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 5:23 PM Sidney Horn via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi!
> > My name is Sidney, and I'm 19-years-old. I decided to join this list
> > because ever since late August, into September, I've been doing tons
> > of research on guide dogs. I even talked to some friends about them
> > and my Mom told me since I am going off to college next year at a
> > university, to reconsider the idea of having one. Now my parents
> > weren't trying to push me by any means, but they at least wanted me to
> do some more looking into it.
> > Starting in September, I initiated an application with The Seeing Eye.
> > I quickly got a response from them, filled out the paperwork, got my
> > letter of recommendations sent in from certain people, and then had my
> > interview with their manager with admissions in October.
> > I had a juno walk and interview with one of their instructors back in
> > December. His name is Chris Mattoon.
> > I did also look into other schools as well, like Guide Dogs for the
> > Blind and GDF Guide Dog Foundation.) While yes, I did like their
> > programs, I wanted to stick with Seeing Eye. They are the oldest
> > school, they were quick to respond and get me in, and they definitely
> > seem like they know what their doing.
> > As for the other schools, they had extremely long wait lists, and I'll
> > be starting at a university in the fall of this year actually.
> > I've watched lots of videos and read up on lots of things about guide
> > dogs. While they're furry little fluffy guides, they also make
> > wonderful companions, and that is just what I need with going off to
> college.
> > On the flip side, though, I have definitely heard lots about rideshare
> > denials... I'm in a Facebook group called Guide Dog Handlers Network.
> > I joined to hear about others experiences, pros, cons, concerns, ETC.
> > I have 2 dogs at home, but they're just pet dogs. Not working dogs. I
> > do realize and understand there's a major difference there.
> > How have all of your experiences been with your dogs? I feel like
> > denials can happen anywhere, but it seems like you see them more often
> > in a bigger city. Is that right?
> > Sidney
> >
> > Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef>
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