[nfbmi-talk] Michigan Guide Dog Users Committe

Larry D. Keeler lkeeler at comcast.net
Tue Oct 23 23:14:22 UTC 2012


This is a recap of our meeting on Friday, October 19, 2112. Registration was at 6-30 P.M.  Meeting was called to order at 7 P.M.  Introductions, Margo Downey, From the national board of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, and as she reminded us, a proud divission of the National Federation of the Blind!  Larry Keeler, Secretary-Treasurer of the Ann Arbor chapter, Bob Rehahn, President of the Wayne County chapter.  Also, Willaim Vandervest, Lansing chapter, Karen Evans, Lansing-Wayne chapters and President Posonts girlfriend, Mary Wurtzel, State Treasurer.Lansing chapter and Cynthia Cross, Wayne County chapter.  Guests, Richard and Jack who actually wandered in from another meeting.  Parnell, State President South Carolina affilliate and guest speaker at the convention. And, lastly, President, Larry Posont, Michigan state President!  Next, Larry Keeler spoke about the importance of keepping our reliefe area clean and if probblems arose who you could get help from.  Then, Margo read the letter from Marion Gwizdala our nagdu President welcoming and endorsing our efforts to becoming another one of a part of this proud division of the National Federation of the Blind.  Parnell who snuck in and whom I didn't at first recognize spoke for a minute about how he thaught this was a great thing happening.  We the34n held elections.  Larry Keeler was elected Chairman, Bob Rehahn, Vice Chair, Cynthia Cross, Secretary and Karen Evans, Treasurer.  Topics were braught up for future discusssion such as accessibility, Family interactions with your dogs, Researching and changing parts of the State statute especially where it requires ID.  We then set up are first 4 goals.  These are, Set up a list serve for our state, Do monthly conference calls iether in nagdu's or the state chatrooms.  Next,  advertising our existance both within NFB and also outside of our organization to gain more members.  Finally, Education.  This basically will involbve everything dog such as all of the above mentioned issues plus the most important issue we aggreed is the education of guide dog users!  Which means to say that even we, the users sometimes aren't of what are rights really are and what the different schools have in there contracts snd so forth.  President Posont spoke for a little while mostly on the state of our state programs and the meeting was adjourned at 9-18 P.M.  Saturday at 3-30 P.M.  Larry Keeler and Margo Downey presented the proceedings of the Michigan Guide Users Committee to our general assembly.  During this time President Marions letter was read again and we were well accepted by the rest of the convention!  Even with a few barks from the audience!  Other observations.  Some folks claim they didn't get adgendas.  They say they didn't know about the meeting.  Others had conflicting meetings.  I observed at least 11 guide dog teams at work at our convention!  And, have talked to at least 6 other folks who were interested in our committee!  Those of you who missed our meeting can still get in touch and be part of are effort!  My name and number have already been posted So call or emil me and I'm sure there will be a place for you!  Special thanks to Marion Guizdala, Margo Downey, Larry Posont and the rest of the nagdu board for believing and supporting our committee!  Oh, Yah!! Also to are chapter President, Terri Wilcox and her husband and Vice President, Nicholas Wilcox for getting me involved in the first place!  May there be many more happy years of hard and exciting work to come!  Larry D Keeler, Chairman, Michigan Guide Dog Users Committee. 
Intelligence is always claimed but rarely proven!


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