[nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions

[Laurel]

Hi Jeanine, sorry if I mispelled your name,

I have a question. You said that GDF graduates about 100 guide dogs,
but that they also graduate some other service dog type teams? What
does that mean? Do you all help people get dogs that do other things
as well as guide like guide dogs that work with people in wheel
chairs? Or do you issue dogs that aren't guides but perform other
tasks like wheel chair, hearing, etc. I know some schools work with
people who need guides and wheel chair guides, or the deaf blind etc,
but I have never learned much about GDF's work in this area so I am
curious.
Thanks,
Laurel and Stockard

On 4/22/12, Jenine Stanley <jeninems at wowway.com> wrote:
> Julie,
>
>
> Let me give you a little more info on the exhibiting factors that lead to
> GDF decisions anyway regarding conventions.
>
> We have not had a booth at the ACB convention for many years. The primary
> reason is that their exhibit hall hours are much longer over a longer span
> of time than at NFB and we simply do not have the staff to man a booth and
> take part in the activities of the guide dog affiliate, GDUI, which demand
> volunteers from te schools to help with various events.
>
> I'm the GDUI Program Chair this year so I can say things about them. <grin>
>
> We do, however, hope to have a booth at the NFB convention even though the
> cost is more, primarily because we like how the exhibit hall is organized
> and run and that this is an audience we have been neglecting for some time.
> As you see from my earlier note, that's paid off in the number of people
> referred to us through NFB and NAGDU.
>
> I personally like the dedicated exhibit hall times at NFB as it gives me
> time to attend the NAGDU functions without having to worry about a booth and
> as I'm the one responsible for said booth, that matters a lot. <grin>
>
> The ACB exhibit hall is very crowded all week, which is fine but again, we
> find that we reach more people by walking around, talking to people, helping
> them with various things around the hotel, etc.
>
> We also have found fewer graduates attending ACB conventions, especially
> when held in western states. Some day this balance may swing again, but I
> really think that having different strategies for each type of convention,
> even the state ones, is important. As long as people know how and where to
> find us, That's what really matters.
>
> Jenine Stanley
> jeninems at wowway.com
> http://www.twitter.com/jeninems
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J.
> Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 6:10 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] GDF and NAGDU conventions
>
> I have been to both NFB and ACB national conventions.  At the NFB
> conventions I have been to there are generally a handful of the guide dog
> program reps there.  It is usually the larger schools, unless the convention
> is geographically very close to a smaller program's main offices.  When I
> was at the ACB national convention last year, I think there was a booth in
> the exhibit hall for just about every program available.  There were
> definitely many more than at the NFB conventions.
>
> So I asked myself why this might be?  On the surface it might look like
> there is more agreement with ACB so that's why more of the programs attend
> that convention.  But I don't think so.  I think a larger percentage of
> blind people at the ACB conventions are interested in working with a guide
> dog.  If you only have so many advertising dollars, it makes sense to use
> them where you are going to get the most out of them.
>
> I've talked with a lot of program representatives over the years.  I can
> honestly say that what we talked about wasn't much different based on
> whether I was at one of the NFB conventions or the ACB convention I
> attended.   The guide dog program employees talk about dogs, dog
> training and what they have to offer.  After all the guide dog programs
> are businesses.   They are providing trained dogs to blind people, not
> entering into philosophical debates.
>
> Sure I do think that there are employees within the various guide dog
> programs that are NFB or ACB members and promote their personal beliefs
> purposefully or incidentally through their employment, but I do not think
> that any of the guide dog programs as a whole favors one organization over
> another.
>
> JMHO
> Julie
>
>
>
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