[Nyagdu] Report and Plans for the convention

Mon Jun 8 17:06:44 UTC 2009

Hi.  It is my understand, and Marion, please correct me, that there will be 
efforts made to tape some or all of it.  I don't know the status of that 
discussion.  marion, please answer.  thanks.  (smile).
Margo and Arrow
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "cheryl echevarria" <cherylandmaxx at hotmail.com>
To: "New York Association of Guide Dog Users" <nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 7:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Nyagdu] Report and Plans for the convention


>I am wondering if someone can tape the meeting a both the board meeting and 
>the NAGDU member meeting at national, I will not be attending and would 
>like to hear everything that is done. I don't know if we can do this or 
>not.
>
> Cheryl Echevarria
>  ----- Original Message ----- 
>  From: Margo and Arrow<mailto:margo.downey at verizon.net>
>  To: New York Association of Guide Dog Users<mailto:nyagdu at nfbnet.org>
>  Sent: Sunday, June 07, 2009 9:06 PM
>  Subject: [Nyagdu] Report and Plans for the convention
>
>
>  Hi, everyone.
>
>  We need to start making plans for our state convention luncheon.  Any 
> ideas for speakers or activities?
>
>  Also, I need to give a Nyagdu report at the Nagdu meeting in Detroit. 
> I'd like for people to email me what has happened in their areas as far as 
> advocacy efforts, issues that need to be dealt with, etc.  next year, if 
> I'm elected President again, I'd like to see two legislative things occur 
> or begin to occur.  This year, we had a full agenda as far as legislation 
> is concerned on the state level.  I'd like to get the wording stricken 
> that states that we can be asked for I D cards to prove our animals are 
> service animals.  This is in direct violation of the ADA.  I'm hoping we 
> can get it stricken before someone feels they need to file a complaint 
> with the Department of Justice.
>
>  Also, a resolution will possibly be passed at this national convention 
> stating that laws regarding guide dogs need to have criminal provisions in 
> them.  It's my understanding that we supposedly cannot get our new York 
> guide dog laws criminalized.  To that I say the following:  I lived in 
> Louisiana in the early 1980's with a guide dog.  Every day when I went 
> into a business, I wondered if I'd be told to leave.  This was in new 
> orleans and other places and I was not the only individual dealing with 
> these negative attitudes.  In Louisiana, it was said NFB could not get 
> strong criminalization passed, but, ladies and gentlemen, we did and we 
> did it rather quickly.  Our White Cane law was at that time one of the 
> strongest pieces of legislation in the United States as far as penalties 
> go.  So, in spite of what has been told to us, I am not convinced.  If the 
> resolution passes at National convention, that is like policy and I do 
> hope we will conform to that policy and begin to criminalize
> our service animal laws.  To add to my understanding of why we supposedly 
> cannot criminalize our guide dog laws, let me also add that Louisiana also 
> has many rural areas and those folks didn't know about guide dogs and 
> didn't care much and we were told those legislators would not help us, 
> but, many actually did.
>
>  A Model Constitution for State Divisions of Nagdu has been written and 
> has been endorsed by Nagdu, by Joanne Wilson who is Director of Affiliate 
> Action, and by president Marc Maurer.  In fact, it's my understanding that 
> president Maurer modified some of the wording.  We'll need to vote on 
> adopting it as our Constitution by amending our present Constitution as 
> needed, so that it conforms with Nagdu's Constitution.  As of now, anyone 
> who is a member of Nyagdu is automatically a member of Nagdu and of the 
> NFB of New York and of the NFB.  I have not received the Model 
> Constitution yet and I'll send it out for members' perusal and will also 
> send a copy to our State president, Carl Jacobsen.  This is a model 
> constitution, so, we might adopt it as is by inserting wording into our 
> constitution and some may not pertain to us.  Again, we haven't received 
> it yet but we'll need to take a look at it.  We can also take another look 
> at our present Constitution to determine what to do.
>
>  I'd like to have a conference call in July after our National Convention. 
> Please let me know about dates in July that would be a problem.  Would 
> august be better?
>
>  In the meantime, let me know about goings-on in your areas and send in 
> ideas for state convention activities and/or  workshops and/or speakers.
>
>  thanks, everyone.
>
>  Margo Downey, president, Nyagdu
>  margo.downey at verizon.net<mailto:margo.downey at verizon.net>
>  (716)886-0567
>
>
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