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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Please
circulate the following message as widely as appropriate.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FOR IMMEDIATE USE<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">FROM: National Association of Guide Dog
Users, National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">RELEASE DATE: September 13, 2017<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">TO: All Media<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">CONTACT: Marion Gwizdala, President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <a
href="mailto:President@nagdu.org" moz-do-not-send="true">President@nagdu.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> (813) 626-2789<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center" align="center">Leading
Guide Dog Users’ Membership & Advocacy Organization
Releases New Mobile App<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> When the National
Association of Guide Dog Users (NAGDU), a strong & proud
division of the National Federation of the Blind (NFB),
launched the NAGDU Guide & Service Animal Advocacy &
Information mobile app in September 2014, it was hailed as an
innovative ambitious project. This mobile app was the first to
compile all the relevant state and federal service animal laws
in the United States, along with associated guidance articles
to help service animal users and businesses alike understand
their rights and responsibilities. Over the past three years,
this mobile app has been downloaded by nearly 5,000 iOS users
and has been helpful in resolving numerous access issues
across the country! <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">Now, with the
advent of iOS 11 and with the input from hundreds of users,
the National Association of Guide Dog Users is excited to
announce the release of version 2.0 of the NAGDU Guide &
Service Dog advocacy & Information mobile app for iOS and,
by the end of September, its Android version. Here is what you
will find in version 2.0:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Updated information on
each state statute<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The laws for each of
the Canadian provinces <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The ability to download
the app from the Canadian app store<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The complete
regulations concerning service animals from the U.S.
Department of Justice <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Specific guidance for
industries of concern to service dog users <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Frequently Asked
Questions to help these industries understand their rights
& responsibilities<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A direct email button
to get more specific guidance & offer suggestions<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A direct telephone
connection to speak with a trained advocate<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->A more dynamic app with
frequent updates<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="mso-list:Ignore">·<span
style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->An Android version by
September 30<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:"Times
New Roman","serif"">“Those of us who use
service dogs experience discrimination more frequently than
most are aware,” says Marion Gwizdala, a guide dog user who
serves as the NAGDU president. “We believe this new app will
help guide & other service dog users better advocate for
themselves, while providing accurate information to the
general public and places of public accommodation so that
instances of discrimination are resolved quickly and
amicably!”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"
style="margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This incredible app is provided absolutely
free as a public service by the National Association of Guide
Dog Users and was created with the generous support of Aaron
Cannon, a blind Software Accessibility Engineer and member of
NAGDU. We also extend a special word of thanks to Michigan
State University’s Animal Legal & Historical Center for
the use of their legal research and information on state and
provincial laws. Before this announcement was even released,
the app had been downloaded more than 1400 times! To download
your free copy of this awesome mobile app, simply go to the
App Store and type “NAGDU” in the search field; it’s that
easy! Once you download the app, please browse through the
information and send us your feedback. You can do this
directly from the app by using the “send an email” feature. We
look forward to hearing from you and working with you to raze
the expectations of the blind in the United States so we can
live the lives we want!<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">For more information about
the National Association of Guide Dog Users or the National
Federation of the blind, please visit the following websites:<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">National Association of
Guide Dog Users (NAGDU)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><a href="http://nagdu.org"
moz-do-not-send="true">http://nagdu.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">National Federation of the
Blind (NFB)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><a href="http://nfb.org"
moz-do-not-send="true">http://nfb.org</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">About NAGDU<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""> The
National Association of Guide dog Users is the nation’s
leading membership and advocacy organization for blind
people who use guide dogs. NAGDU is a strong and proud
division of the National Federation of the Blind. <a
name="OLE_LINK14" moz-do-not-send="true"></a><a
name="OLE_LINK15" moz-do-not-send="true"></a>NAGDU
conducts public awareness campaigns on issues of guide dog
use, provides advocacy support for guide dog handlers who
face discrimination, supports sound policy and effective
legislation to protect the rights of guide dog users, offers
educational programs to school and civic organizations, and
functions as an integral part of the National Federation of
the Blind. For more information about the National
Association of Guide Dog Users and to support our work, you
can visit our website at <</span><a
href="http://www.nagdu.org/" moz-do-not-send="true"><span
style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">HTTP://WWW.NAGDU.ORG</span></a>>,
<span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">send an email message to
<</span><a href="mailto:Info@NAGDU.ORG"
moz-do-not-send="true"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">Info@NAGDU.ORG</span></a>>,
or call (813) 626-2789.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="Notes" style="line-height:normal;text-autospace:none"><a
name="OLE_LINK1" moz-do-not-send="true"></a><a
name="OLE_LINK2" moz-do-not-send="true"></a><b><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif"">About the National
Federation of the Blind</span></b><b><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Notes" style="line-height:normal;text-autospace:none"><b><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""> The National
Federation of the Blind is the oldest and largest
organization of the blind in the United States. The NFB
knows that blindness is not the characteristic that
defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people because low expectations
create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You
can live the life you want! Blindness is not what holds
you back. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="Notes" style="line-height:normal;text-autospace:none"><b><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""> The Federation
provides scholarships to blind students; support for those
who are blind or losing their eyesight; advocacy for the
blind facing discrimination; and educational programs for
the general public on topics of blindness. The NFB is not
an organization that speaks on behalf of the blind; we are
the blind speaking for ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information about the National
Federation of the Blind or to support our work, please visit
<<a href="http://nfb.org" moz-do-not-send="true">http://nfb.org</a>>
or call (410) 659-9314.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial
Black","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Marion Gwizdala, President<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Association of Guide Dog Users
Inc. (NAGDU)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">National Federation of the Blind<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">(813) 626-2789<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:President@NAGDU.ORG"
moz-do-not-send="true">President@NAGDU.ORG</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The National Federation of the Blind knows
that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or
your future. Every day we raise expectations because low
expectations create barriers between blind people and our
dreams. You can live the life you want! Blindness is not what
holds you back.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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