[nfb-db] Special Needs Program at Guiding Eyes

Thu Mar 13 00:57:19 UTC 2014

Hi Janet,
I want to say welcome to the NFB DB list.  My name is Janice Toothman.  
I am the NFB/DB Division Secretary.  I live in Maryland. I belong to the 
Sligo Creek Chapter.  I met your husband at our first committee meeting 
in Maryland this past November.  I was sorry that you could not attend.  
I hope that you would reconsider a guide dog.  Rox, Marsha and I all 
have a guide dog.
Janice
On 3/6/2014 2:21 PM, sandboxxx at aol.com wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Janet Sand here -- I've  found this discussion very interesting. My 
> experiences in these areas are kind of old and possibly out of date, 
> so I didn't want to speak up too quickly.
>
> Cynthia Ingriham is worth her weight in gold. If she thinks you're a 
> good fit for HKNC, she's probably right. I spent eight and a half 
> months at HKNC in 1998 (I told you this was old info!) based on her 
> recommendation and she's been very helpful to me on a number of 
> occasions since. HKNC was a breath of fresh air for me since all my 
> communication and coping needs were fully and individually 
> accommodated. I learned many different types of skills there to help 
> me with my rapidly declining hearing and vision. Going back to college 
> was one of my goals, and I learned how to be not only a successful 
> student but was able to handle the classroom situation with ease.
>
> I got a guide dog from Guiding Eyes for the Blind on Long Island in 
> 2006. At that time they had limited experience with students with 
> combined hearing and vision loss. My partnership with the guide dog 
> was unsuccessful after working with her for a year but I don't blame 
> the school for that. Among other things, I wasn't emotionally ready 
> for a guide dog and I don't think her personality was strong enough to 
> handle mine. Fortunately, after I returned her she was placed with a 
> severely autistic five year old boy and they were a wonderful fit. If 
> I were to try another guide dog I would go to Leader Dogs for the 
> Blind in Rochester, Michigan. They have many years of experience with 
> combined hearing and vision loss clients and have a special deaf blind 
> program with, I believe, several clients in each class. I know several 
> hearing and nonhearing (signing) people who got their dogs there and 
> continue to get their dogs from there.
>
> It sounds like you have a good handle on your needs and options -- 
> good luck!
>
> Janet
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janice Toothman <janice.toothman at verizon.net>
> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Mon, Mar 3, 2014 9:34 am
> Subject: Re: [nfb-db] Special Needs Program at Guiding Eyes
>
>
>
>
> Hi Marsha,
>
> I really appreciate that information as well.  Cynthia Ingraham wants me
>
> to go to HKNC and this certainly relieves some concerns that I have.
>
> Janice
>
> On 3/1/2014 7:27 PM, Marsha Drenth wrote:
>
> > Danielle,
>
> > I am currently a student at HKNC. I am working my third guide from GDF.
>
> > No HK does not force annyone to use a cane. Your O&M instructor might
>
> recommend that you sharpen your cane skills, but they will also not force you to
>
> use your dog. Your dog can do anything and everything with you. There are
>
> several staff that have guides, and currently several students who have guides.
>
> Its a friendly guide dog place.
>
> > Lots of the staff love dogs, and when I am busy with classes, they will take
>
> the pup out to the dog run. They have a dog run that is fenced in. All of the
>
> pups love it.
>
> > Your dog will get plenty of work, my pup loves the amount of work she gets on
>
> a daily bases, but also loves it went she gets a day off.
>
> > If you want to ask any questions, since I am currently at the center, please
>
> ask away.
>
> > When do you think you will be able to go to HKNC?
>
> >
>
> >
>
> > Marsha drenth
>
> > Sent with my IPhone
>
> >
>
> >> On Mar 1, 2014, at 7:12 PM, Danielle Burton <danielleburton94 at gmail.com  <mailto:danielleburton94 at gmail.com>>
>
> wrote:
>
> >>
>
> >> Thank you, Darlene. I have been accepted in the Special Needs Program at
>
> Guiding Eyes and I am waiting on them to find a match for me. The reason I was
>
> asking about HKNC about guide dogs is that some training centers require to use
>
> a cane during the day regardless if you have a dog or not. i was wondering if
>
> this was the case at HKNC?
>
> >>
>
> >> Sent from my iPhone
>
> >>
>
> >>> On Mar 1, 2014, at 6:58 PM, "Darlene Laibl-Crowe" <dlaiblcrowe at att.net  <mailto:dlaiblcrowe at att.net>>
>
> wrote:
>
> >>>
>
> >>> Hello, Danielle.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> This is Darlene and I am Hard of Hearing and Blind.  I received a special
>
> >>> needs guide from Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind in Smithtown, NY last
>
> >>> September.  She is trained to not only guide me but to alert me of hearing
>
> >>> needs if I don't have my hearing aids on.  For example, the door knocking,
>
> >>> doorbell, phone ringing and much more.  GDF has trained several dogs for
>
> >>> various Deaf-Blind individuals.  One such person is named Bopin and he is
>
> >>> profoundly deaf and blind and does not speak.  He relies solely on sign
>
> >>> language fopr communication.  He got a guide dog from GDF.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> I applied for the dog last July and was accepted the following month.  You
>
> >>> can visit their website atwww.guidedog.org  <http://www.guidedog.org>.  You can also give them a call
>
> >>> and they will be happy to answer any questions that you might have.  They
>
> >>> also provide transportation costs.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> I love my new dog and she is amazing at everything that she does. To answer
>
> >>> your question about HKNC, they have an area for your to relieve your guide
>
> >>> and you wlll be responsible for your guide.  I was there in 2011 for eight
>
> >>> months.  For the first six months I had my guide dog (I retired him in
>
> >>> August 2012).  HKNC has many classes and will asses you for your specific
>
> >>> needs and determine what and which classes you will need.  One of those
>
> >>> classes will be Orientation and Mobility, those instructors are well-trained
>
> >>> to understand white cane training and guide dog training.  If you want to
>
> >>> ask more questions, please feel free to ask and I will be happy to answer.
>
> >>> If I don't know the answer I will do my best to find out or refer you to the
>
> >>> person or organization.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> However, I would encourage you to contact your HKNC representative and ask
>
> >>> your questions so that your information is current and reliable.  As I said,
>
> >>> at HKNC everyone is trained according to their specific needs so what
>
> >>> training one receives will not necessarily be the one you will receive.
>
> >>>
>
> >>> Good luck!
>
> >>> (smile)
>
> >>> Darlene
>
> >>>
>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
>
> >>> From: nfb-db [mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db-bounces at nfbnet.org?>] On Behalf Of Danielle Burton
>
> >>> Sent: Saturday, March 01, 2014 6:46 PM
>
> >>> To: NFB Deaf-Blind Division Mailing List
>
> >>> Subject: [nfb-db] Special Needs Program at Guiding Eyes
>
> >>>
>
> >>>
>
> >>>
>
> >>> Hi, everyone. I have a question. Has any of you guys received a Special
>
> >>> Needs dog from Guiding Eyes for the blind? If so what were your experiences
>
> >>> there? Also, how long did you have to wait for a dog? I am waiting on a
>
> >>> match right now. My last question is how are guide dogs handled at HKNC if
>
> >>> you go for training?
>
> >>> Sent from my iPhone
>
> >>> _______________________________________________
>
> >>> nfb-db mailing list
>
> >>>nfb-db at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db at nfbnet.org>  
>
> >>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org  
>
> >>>
>
> >>>
>
> >>> _______________________________________________
>
> >>> nfb-db mailing list
>
> >>>nfb-db at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db at nfbnet.org>  
>
> >>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org  
>
> >> _______________________________________________
>
> >> nfb-db mailing list
>
> >>nfb-db at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db at nfbnet.org>  
>
> >>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org  
>
> > _______________________________________________
>
> > nfb-db mailing list
>
> >nfb-db at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db at nfbnet.org>  
>
> >http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org  
>
> >
>
>   
>
>   
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> nfb-db mailing list
>
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org  <mailto:nfb-db at nfbnet.org>  
>
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org  
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-db mailing list
> nfb-db at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-db_nfbnet.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfb-db_nfbnet.org/attachments/20140312/8e113b49/attachment.html>