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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span style='color:#1F497D'>Hi Merry, <o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>I accept your apology. I realize that there is a problem when blind people with service animals are denied access to transportation. I suppose I was trying to gather information. I probably asked the wrong question. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Gloria Mills Hicks TR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>3708 W. Bay to Bay Blvd.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Tampa FL 33629<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>813 837-1100<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Cell: 813 340-9754<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> NFBF-Tampa [mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Merry Schoch via NFBF-Tampa<br><b>Sent:</b> Monday, August 28, 2017 9:14 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List'<br><b>Cc:</b> Merry Schoch<br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-Tampa] apology<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dear Chapter Members,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Since I publically offended Gloria, I would like to publically apologize to her for offending her. If I offended any other members who were present at our chapter meeting, I sincerely apologize to you all. Over the past several months, and intensively over the past few weeks Sherrill, Marion, and I have been working on the denials of guide dog users. In many of our conversations, We have come against some of the same language that was spoken at our meeting. My words were reactive and I apologize for those who I have offended.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>With that being said, I believe it is important that we who have faced discrimination due to our mobility choice as well as those that currenly use guide dogs discuss the importance of continued education to those who are unaware of the laws that exist to protect our rights. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>With warm regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Merry<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> NFBF-Tampa [<a href="mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org">mailto:nfbf-tampa-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Marion Gwizdala via NFBF-Tampa<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, August 27, 2017 6:37 PM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Florida Tampa Chapter List<br><b>Cc:</b> Marion Gwizdala<br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-Tampa] October 15 Event<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear All,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I have more information about the October 15 event to share with you. The event will begin with a walk supported by the Treasure Island Police Department to raise awareness to pedestrian issues on the island. It is not specifically a White Cane Safety Day event, as many other groups of interested pedestrians will take part. The walk will begin at the Treasure Island Recreation Center, about one mile north of the St. Petersburg Lions Beach House where it will end. Once at the beach house, they will have beer and bar-b-q as a fund raiser for the Guide Dog Foundation.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Merry and I have discussed this event and have some issues with it. Our first issue is that it is not specifically blindness related and I believe this lessens the impact of the day set aside to raise awareness of this issue among drivers. The law concerning blind pedestrians is different than that for other pedestrians, so I think our concerns will be lost<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Though I am a consumer of the Guide Dog Foundation and have been asked to participate in this event by providing some music and a prewsentation about guide dog user access, I do not believe the NFB should support any guide dog training program. If individuals within the organization would like to do so, that is their prerogative.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I believe it would be more worthwhile for us to invest in conducting our own White Cane Safety Day event rather than supporting one over which we do not have control over the message and activities. We have discussed an event in Lykes Gaslight Park and I will look into it more on Monday.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fraternally yours,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marion Gwizdala<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>