[Nyagdu] November 24 Conrference Call Report

[cheryl echevarria]

Margo, we need to get our chapter presidents more involved with our 
teleconferences and the board of directors.  Do you as a division president 
send monthly or when we do something like the teleconference a report to 
Carl.

Talk care.

Cheryl Echevarria
Treasurer
National Federation of the Blind Greater Long Island Chapter.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Margo and Elmo" <margo.downey at verizon.net>
To: "New York Association of Guide Dog Users" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 7:18 PM
Subject: [Nyagdu] November 24 Conrference Call Report


> Hi, Friends. We held a conference call November 24 at 8 p.m.  The 
> Attendees were:  Margo Downey, Cheryl Echavaria, Joyce Carrico, Julie 
> Phillipson, and for a little while, marion Gwizdala, president of Nagdu.
>
> We discussed the membership and dues structure of NAGDU and its divisions. 
> Joanne Wilson, Afficliate  Action Directory at our National NFB office, 
> has reminded all of us that when we belong to a state division, we also 
> belong to the National division and we're all connected.  the ad hoc 
> committee studying our dues structure and I'm one of the members of that 
> committee has recommended to the NAGDU Board  that each member of each 
> state division would have five dollars sent to NAGDU.  Some states may 
> have to change their dues structures. We were encouraged to go to the 
> NAGDU Board meeting on Sunday, November 30, 2008 at 8 p.m. to hear about 
> and to speak to this proposal.  The conference call phone number is: 
> 641-715-3300 and the code is 560908 and press the pound sign.  We were 
> also encouraged to find fund-raising ideas.
>
> We feel the email list is more active and id going well.
>
> We've discussed everyone ordering the brochures concerning wht you meet a 
> guide dog team from our National office of NFB.  We had also talked about 
> where to place these brochures.  it was suggested last evening that we 
> also place them with retailers and businesses in malls, in shopping 
> centers, etc.
>
> We need more members--to find more members.  I will write an outline of a 
> letter to be sent to chapter Presidents and to our State NFB board members 
> to help us find more guide dog users.
>
> We talked about fund-raising.  Julie suggested that we fund-raise at dog 
> shows.  Cheryl talked about Mimi's Pupcakes and we'd like Daryl from that 
> business to attend a conference call in January or February.  We could 
> sell these treats at bazaars, dog shows and through other means.
>
> We discussed the ADA law and state law concerning I D cards.  We talked 
> about the ADA trumping the state law if the state law is more restrictive 
> and vice versa.  We need to try to get the part of our state access law 
> stricken that states that someone can ask to see an I D card to prove the 
> animal is a service animal.  The ADA is less restrictive in that the 
> Justice Department has determined that an I D card cannot be asked for. 
> so, our state law is in violation of Federal law at this point.  one card 
> we can use in getting this done is to state that people could file 
> complaints with theDepartment of Justice because they were asked to 
> produce an I D card.
>
> We also discussed investigating a guide dog incident reported to us before 
> going into full action.  for example, the case in Buffalo concerning 
> Children's Hospital has ended because the person who experienced the 
> incident blew it out of proportion.  However, we are now training hospital 
> security guards and hopefully soon will be training police.  So, there was 
> a good ending anyway.  The incident was investigated further before full 
> action was taken and that was a good thing.
>
> We felt it was a productive conference call and hope more people can join 
> us during subsequent calls.
>
> There will be another call this Saturday at 8 p.m. for anyone who did or 
> did not attend yesterday's call.
>
> If the other attendees recall something I didn't report, please mention 
> it. Thanks.
>
> Margoa nd Elmo
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