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Submitted By Sheila Styron Hello friends and members of GDUC. As I write to you this time around, the holidays are here with Thanksgiving already behind us and the rest almost upon us. So I hope you and yours are enjoying them with all the good stuff taking precedence over the stress and commercialism that can sometimes detract from the positive aspects if we let things get out of hand. It's sort of like when we allow ourselves to pass along stress to our canine partners. So take the Alpha role, and have some real fun! When I last wrote one of these messages, I informed you that I would not be seeking re-election as GDUC's president. Well, even though I did not actively seek it, I am still it, and I promise you I will do my best to fulfill my duties for the next two years. I would like to thank Abby Vincent for her service to GDUC as secretary over the past four years and congratulate Jerry Arakawa, GDUC board member who was elected secretary at our fall meeting. I would also like to thank Linda Chung for her service as a director on our board over the past year and welcome two newly elected directors, Shirley Manning and Gina McGaughey. Gina is from Alameda, up in the bay area. Gina really helped me out last summer at the GDUI convention, taking notes at meetings and selling GDUC merchandise. Shirley Manning was one of our featured guest speakers last April at Guide Dog Day, where she eloquently told her personal story and expressed the trauma handlers experience as the result of unwanted interference and attacks by uncontrolled pet dogs. You will hear Shirley's moving presentation in the winter edition of Pawtracks. Our fall convention was a success in many ways. Just prior to it, I received the wonderful news that a donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, wished to contribute $10,000 to GDUC's upcoming video project, "SAFE TRAVEL FOR WORKING TEAMS: ENFORCE THE LAW," which is in the process of being produced as you read this message. GDUC is eternally grateful for this gift and extends its most heartfelt thanks to the donor and everyone else who has helped and is continuing to help with this very important project for educating animal control and law enforcement. Along those lines, GDUC had the pleasure of seeing another one of its resolutions, Promoting Safe Travel For Visually Impaired People, unanimously passed at the Sunday business meeting. Also at our fall convention, we had the most wonderful experience with the Los Angeles Southwest Guide Dog Raisers, which is a very long winded way of saying a hard working dedicated bunch of puppy raisers who really came through for GDUC this fall. We were looking as usual to hire a cleanup company to enhance our convention dog relief experience. Not being able to locate one in the area, I called Pat Whitehead, the group's leader, for advice. The GDB puppy raising club agreed to take on our little project for a donation of $250, but before the weekend was over, we had puppy raisers cleaning up poop, helping out at our booth, running microphones at our meeting and you name it. To top it all off, they wouldn't even accept our donation. L.A. Southwest Guide Dog Raisers, you're the best of the best! At our Saturday morning program, GDUC had the honor of five guide dog schools, two from the East coast, participating in our panel discussion, "Choosing a Guide Dog School". C.J. Daniel from Guide Dogs of the Desert International was our luncheon speaker. If you have ever wondered about the differences between the various training programs, you missed a great opportunity to ask all the questions you ever wanted to know the answers to. Then at lunch, C.J. told us how the Desert is transforming itself into a provider of both guide and service dogs. Another exciting bit of news on the horizon is that the same Honorable Assemblywoman, Fran Pavley, who was one of our guests of honor at Guide Dog Day last year and who chose Liz Morosco as "Woman of the Year," is seriously considering authoring stronger legislation on behalf of guide dogs in California. Cross your fingers, and be ready to come lobby your representatives next spring up in Sacramento at Guide Dog Day at the Capital, which is tentatively set for April 14, 2004. A new editor for Forward has still not been appointed, and once again, I would like to thank Dave Foster for his many years of service as well as encourage anyone who is interested in the position to please contact GDUC. I also encourage all of you to consider ways you would like to become more involved with GDUC. An organization is only as effective as its members make it, and GDUC needs you! So seriously, please think about this and take action by contacting me or any other board members with your ideas and suggestions. GDUC must elect a new president in less than two years, and if you get involved now, it could be you writing this column and reporting all these exciting activities to the membership. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of Forward. |
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Guide dogs and the dream training team may be coming to a center near you. Submitted by Abby Vincent Last September 21 to October 4, I participated in the first-ever community training sponsored by Guide Dogs for the Blind. Based at the Foundation for the Junior Blind, the training meant that four students in the Southern California area could get successor dogs right in their own neighborhoods. I received another yellow lab, but she's brown, almost like a Golden. She's about the same size as Mills, my first guide, walks slowly, is patient and easy-going. We spent the first two days getting acquainted with the dorms, dining room, and, the newly-blinded adults in the Davidson Program for Independence who shared the facilities with us. After a few Juno walks around the campus, we were, at last, introduced to our new guide dogs. I have an additional challenge, along with being partially sighted. I have peripheral neuropathy. It varies, but sometimes I'm not at all sure there is anything between my knees and the ground. The first few days, walking with Wickie was anything but a dance. By the fourth day, things were looking up. I tend to lean towards the right when I walk, and Wickie would go with me. I worked on this, and finally she'd keep to her line of travel. There were four students and three instructors. Almost all of the time, there was one instructor for each student. Our basic route was the Third Street Mall in Santa Monica, a pedestrian-friendly place with outdoor restaurants to get around, strolling musicians, and on Saturday, a Farmers' Market. Unfortunately this is the market that gained national attention when a man drove his car through the Farmers' Market, killing and injuring several people. Just for variety, we walked on the Venice boardwalk. It goes along the ocean, is flat and easy to just hold on and walk. There are people selling crafts playing instruments, and holding forth about whatever. There are always people walking their dogs. Great for talking and people-watching. There were two fast walkers and two slow walkers in the group, so it was easy to plan routes that would please everyone. We went on the Los Angeles red line subway, where we learned that the dogs wouldn't walk us off the platform. Then we boarded a few buses. We went to malls twice, inside the mall and outside on the promenade, where we visited Starbucks. GDB has a facility in Topanga Canyon. There we did country walks and introduced our dogs to Community run. It was so funny to see them romp and play and chase each other, and then come when we called them. That was also our introduction to the food reward. I really like that because it encourages the dogs to actually make contact with us when we do recalls. Another very helpful exercise was the visit to our home areas. We got to take the dogs on leash all around the house. I also introduced Wickie to the yard where she'll be relieving and playing with the kong and triple tug ring. I walked to my two bus stops and took bus trips to the mall and the Senior Center. Both routes have audible pedestrian signals with easy to find push buttons, and big street crossings. Wickie proved she is a city dog with initiative and ability to learn patterns quickly. On our final day, we were treated to lunch at Camp Bloomfield, a facility out in the country that FJB owns. Graduation was at the Campfire Circle. To get there, you take a trail through the woods. There are a few rough spots, so we used an electric golf cart to get there. The dogs didn't fit on the side floor, so they got to sit on the seats. Joan Corbit came for the celebration and to do the exit interviews. My puppy raiser family came, and they were delightful. Wickie went nuts when she saw them. It is obvious they put lots of love into this dog. They have some photos they'll send me. The three instructors responsible for this first and very successful pilot project were Keith Tomlinson, Todd Jurek and Adam Wascow. Keith is also the school rep for Southern California. Much of the idea for community training, as well as the work, came from him. After the two-week training was over, he continued to refine my work with Wickie. Two weeks is a bit accelerated for me. We just have to get Wickie's and my gait coordinated, and work on curbing her youthful exuberance. She can get pretty excited. For our solo debut, Wickie and I went to an animal blessing. She fell in love with another lessee. After the service, I walked a few blocks for lunch with four other people. I had to settle her down a bit, but she did fine. That was a tough test. It was Main Street in the Ocean Park area of Santa Monica... lots of dogs, hippie shops, and activity. By now, the staff at guide dogs has, no doubt, reviewed all of our training experiences, and hopefully, they will plan more community trainings. The obvious advantage for me was the individual attention and the introduction to places where we continued to work after the training was over. Stay tuned for more from GDB, and maybe some other schools, about community training. |
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Dog tags ring, are you listenin'? Smell that tree? That's my fragrance. In the meadow dad will build a snowman, Straight from me to the fence-post, |
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Submitted by Jane Brackman Be a friend to those who are advocating guide dog use civil rights issues such as, but not limited to, fair housing, accessibility issues, emergency preparedness, vicious dog attacks, dispute resolutions and employment. These words are being added to the California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind strategic plan, the general overview that serves as a blueprint for the Board's activities for the next few years. The strategic planning committee includes not only members of the board, but representatives from the schools, and your constituency user group. We¹ll be discussing the strategic plan as well as our five-year plan at the next meeting. As a Member of the board, I'm inviting guide dog users to attend our Thursday, March 11, meeting to be held in the vicinity of GDD, so we can get some input from you about some exciting things that affect all of us. (details to be announced) |
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Visit GDUC's website, GDU-CAL.org, where you will find a new link listing all the qualifications for California Guide Dog Instructor of the Year along with the names of all the previous winners of GDUC's prestigious award. Come check it out, and vote for your favorite instructor! |
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Author unknown You've seen those fitness ads on TV promising amazing results from all sorts of contraptions. Well, there's no need to invest in fancy equipment. If you have (or can borrow) a dog, you have everything you need to get in shape now. The following exercises can be done anywhere, anytime. Inner Thighs: Place the dog's favorite toy between thighs. Press tighter than the dog can pull. Do not attempt bare legged - dogs that favor shortcuts to success will just dig the toy out. You could be damaged. Upper Body Strength: Lift the dog - off the couch, off the bed, out of the flowerbed. Repeat, repeat, and repeat. As the dog ages, this exercise is reversed - onto the couch, onto the bed, into the car and so on. Balance and Coordination, Exercise 1: Remove your puppy from unsuitable tight places. If they're too small for him, they're certainly too small for you. Do it anyway! Balance and Coordination, Exercise 2: Practice not falling when your dog bounds across the full length of the room, sails through the air, and slams both front paws into the back of your knees. Balance and Coordination, Exercise 3: (for use with multiple dogs) Remove all dogs from lap and answer the phone before it stops ringing. Balance and Coordination, Exercise 4: (alternate) For older dogs, attempt to cross a room without tripping over the dog. Get off your couch without crushing any part of a sleeping elderly dog. Upper Arms: Throw the ball. Throw the squeaky toy. Throw the Frisbee. Repeat until nauseous. Upper Arms: (alternate) Tug the rope. Tug the pull toy. Tug the sock. Repeat until your shoulder is dislocated or the dog gives up (we all know which comes first). Hand Coordination: Remove foreign object from dog's locked jaw. This exercise is especially popular with puppy owners. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Remember, this is a timed exercise. Movements must be quick and precise (think concert pianist) to prevent trips to the vet, which only offer the minimal exercise benefit of jaw firming clenches. Calves: After the dog has worn out the rest of your body, hang a circular toy on your ankle and let the dog tug while you tug back. WARNING: This is feasible only for those with strong bones and small dogs. Have you taken your calcium supplement today? Calves: (alternate) Run after dog - pick any reason, there are plenty. Dogs of any size can be used for this exercise. Greyhounds are inadvisable. Neck Muscles: Attempt to outmaneuver the canine tongue headed for your ear, mouth, or eyeball. This is a lifelong fitness program. A dog is never too old or too feeble to "kiss" you when you least expect it. |
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Fall, 2003 convention, Advocacy, and much more The theme of the Fall, 2003 convention was advocacy, but we were also treated to several life-enrichment experiences, showing us once again the many different kinds of endeavors you can pursue when you're blind. Thursday evening's CCB Board meeting covered business as usual in its typical thorough manner. CCB is in good financial shape, committees are making a difference. A new brochure and video are in the works, and innovative approaches are helping make more money for CCB through the very successful car donation program, which generates so much funding for our organization. For more details, be sure and read the complete report in The Blind Californian. The Friday afternoon session opened with Kaleidoscope, the eclectic vocal group from Braille Institute. They have a repertoire that goes from classical, to pop, to gospel, and, as Duke Ellington might say, "They got that swing." On a more serious note, Anthony Donaldson of Kaiser Permanente presented his company's efforts to make all aspects of the Kaiser experience more accessible to patients who are blind. They are looking at all their medical information, their handbook of patients' rights, even how to get around the building. After his presentation, both at this session and an earlier one, there were many members who said they weren't delivering on their promises. Back to enrichment, Kathy Wolfe, instructor at Braille Institute in Los Angeles, gave us a fascinating look at how art history can be made interesting and accessible to students who are blind. She is half way through their first course. The class has been approved for Community College level credit. There are lectures about trends in art that affected all levels of thought and culture, as well as tactile examples. Next, Mr. Lars Focke, kick boxing and personal fitness instructor, demonstrated how yet another sport is accessible and doable by blind athletes, or even those who seek stress relief or fitness. To make it even more inviting, he assured us that no one kicks you back. After special activities and dinner, the general session resumed with the credentials report and then the President's message. Jeff Thom recognized several members for their accomplishments outside of CCB activities. Politically and economically, these are challenging times. His remarks offered much hope for the future and praise of the accomplishments of CCB during his first year in office. Busy and rewarding was the way he described his opportunity to serve CCB. He pointed out that most chapters gained membership this year. We also have record attendance at this fall's convention. Some of our accomplishments are: Training people on APS, preventing cuts in library programs for the blind, maintaining vending facilities in military bases for vendors who are blind, promoting voting rights/access, and insuring that access technology is accessible in CSU system. He wanted us to be sure the new governor doesn't reduce services for us. We still need accessible cell phones, affordable housing, and access to technology for public school students. We were treated to an informative and motivating talk by Melanie Brunson. Melanie grew up in the Whittier area, but is now working as the legislative advocate in the ACB office. She brought us up to date on the reauthorization of IDEA, rehab, and transportation. We are also working on video description on movies and TV. We all need to contact our state and federal legislators to let them know of our concerns. Keep current by using the information number at the ACB office, news notes, the Internet, and the Braille Forum. Berl Colley, President of Washington State Council of the Blind, reminded us that it wasn't too long ago that we were wards of the state. Now, no one is going to take care of us, and so we have the responsibility to keep on advocating for each other and ourselves. The slate of officers presented by the nominating committee was accepted. The only changes being Martin Jones leaving the board and GDUC's own Jerry Arakawa becoming the newest member. Congratulations, Jerry! The third session, held Saturday afternoon, began with a presentation by Carol McCarl, editor of "Dialogue" magazine. She told us the history of "Blind Skills", an organization founded in order to share ideas and techniques of living with blindness. She encourages people to submit articles to "Dialogue", especially personal stories. Earlier in the convention, she helped lead a writers' workshop. Back to politics, Catherine Campizi, Director of Rehabilitation, spoke about the status of the new Division for the Blind. The progress of the Division is held back by uncertainty about the budget and the Schwarzenegger administration. There were two presentations on innovations in ophthalmology. One was the chip implantation experiments at the Doheny Eye Institute. The other was a presentation with many charts about how alternative techniques such as acupuncture and herbs can improve vision. The final speaker of the afternoon was ACB's Melanie Brunson. She spoke about efforts at ACB to improve access to cruises for blind people. Much of the efforts were about applying access rules to ships registered outside of the US. For more on any of these topics, go to the CCB web site and follow the links to archived speeches. The highlight of the CCB Saturday evening banquet was Lynn Manning's one-man show, "Weights," a hard-hitting account of his entry into the world of the blind. Lynn was a visual artist and now uses his formidable talents in new ways through his work as a successful author and performer. At Sunday morning's business meeting, highlights were as follows. A constitutional amendment was passed to make disintegrated chapter members CCB members at large. If a chapter has less than 10 members for two consecutive years, chapter status is revoked. The treasurer informed us that CCB currently has funds of $1,676,545 available to assist with its important work. Passed resolutions included: 2003B1, Safe Travel for Blind and Visually impaired People introduced by GDUC, 2003B2: Accessible Cellular Phones, 2003B3: which commends the Office of Services for the Blind and calls on the governor to allow them to continue, 2003B4: having to do with recruiting cooking teachers for the Orientation Center for the Blind, 3003B7: Accessible labels for medical prescriptions, 2003B8: giving priority to blind California vendors in bidding process, 2003B9: Commending the work of Dr. Catherine Campisi, and 2003B10: Urging the DMV to provide appropriate services to the blind, including assistance filling out forms. Dan Kysor's legislative report followed and the information can be read in greater detail in The Blind Californian. It was reported that the senior blind committee has produced an informative brochure, and Jean Lozano reported that the fight continues for accessible traffic improvements for the visually impaired and the banning of the Segway. Mitch Pomerantz is serving on a Los Angeles mayoral task force dealing with the Segway. Our spring convention will take place April 15 through 18 at Fremont Hilton Hotel in Fremont, California. So please join us there. |
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[NOTE: Area codes may have changed since this list was compiled, so you may wish to check them out.] Eye Dog Foundation Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation Inc. Freedom Guide Dogs Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. Guide Dogs for the Blind (Oregon Campus) Guide Dogs of America Guide Dogs of the Desert, Inc. Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Inc. Kansas Specialty Dog Service Leader Dogs for the Blind, Inc. Pilot Dogs, Inc. The Seeing Eye, Inc. Southeastern Guide Dogs, Inc. Southwest Guide Dog Foundation Upstate Guide Dog Association Inc. |
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Sheila Styron, President Ann Kysor, Vice President Jerry Arakawa, Secretary Dan Kysor, Treasurer Shirley Manning, Director Gina McGaughey, Director Melita Waters, Immediate Past President |
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