[Nyagdu] Hello NYAGDU

[Heather Bird]

                Hello guide dog handlers across New York State. I said at
the state convention that I wanted to help revitalize our division at the
state level. So, One of the first things I want to do is get this list more
active. Can everyone subscribed to this email list please reply all to this
message and post a quick message to the list to let us know that you are
still here? If you respond to my request, I am not above bribery. I will
take the names of everyone who does this by February 15th, and I will
randomly draw one and you will get an item from On The Go guide and service
dog supplies worth a minimum of $10, or a site credit if I can purchase a
gift certificate, again, for at least $10. So please reply with your name,
your dog’s name, breed, age, school at which it was trained, or if you owner
trained, your position with NYAGDU if you have one, and one funny guide dog
anecdote. If I get at least 12 respondents, then I will give a second
similar prize to whoever tells the funniest guide dog story. Hint, hint, if
we don’t even have a dozen list subscribers, get other guide dog handlers or
other NFB members who support the rights of guide dog handlers to subscribe
to the list and introduce themselves. PS, make my day, break my wallet,
everyone who gets someone new to subscribe will get their name a second time
in the drawing, and if we can get our subscribership up to 18 people, I will
give out a third prize. So, let’s get cracking.

 

Heather Bird,

President, NYAGDU, Rochester Chapter President, NFBNY,

Ilsa,

Black and Tan German Shepherd Dog,

3 years old,

The Seeing Eye,

My previous guide dog Frieda once got excited when I clapped my hands to
make a point in a presentation I was giving to my sociology class. She
jumped up on me and her front paws pulled down the neckline of my shirt,
causing me to flash a whole lecture hall of around 100 students. My shirt
was a blue and purple tye-dye design and a stretchy fabric, the bra I had
on, which thankfully stayed where it belonged, happened to be blue, pink,
and purple lace, not something I planned. While I was getting my shirt and
my shepherd under control, a very gay, very sweet guy in my class commented
“Oh, no worries honey, that is so fabulous, your bra coordinates perfectly
with that blouse, you go girl.” The whole class lost it, and Frieda did a
happy dance, thinking she was so hilarious, and the professor took that
opportunity to launch a 30 minute discussion on the sociological meaning of
clothing to reinforce or challenge classic and evolving gender roles.

 

There are my stats and my funny story, let’s have some list activity.

Heather Bird

"They came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't
a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I
wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a
Protestant.

Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up." -
Martin Niemöller

In our diverse society we must never fail to speak up in the face of Human
Rights violations lest we be the next targets of such violations.