The Board of Directors of Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) is asking GDUI members to vote for the following positions:
One Interim Secretary (term ending in 2022)
One Interim Director (term ending in 2022)
Two Director Seats (term ending in 2024)
The candidates for these positions are:
Secretary:
Cynthia Hawkins, from Florida (Incumbent)
Directors:
Cheryl McNeil Fisher, from New York
Jessie L. Rayl, from West Virginia
Jane Carona, from Maryland
Olivia Norman, from Washington DC
The 2021 GDUI Elections will commence Saturday, May 29, 2021 12:01 AM (EDT) and conclude on Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:59 PM (EDT).
GDUI members who have paid their dues by the record date of April 9, 2021 are eligible to vote in this election. Each member has one vote.
GDUI must receive the votes of fifteen percent of the members entitled to vote in this election, or at least fifty-seven votes, for this election to be valid.
The two open director positions will be filled by the two candidates who receive the largest and second-largest number of votes for director.
The Interim Director position will be filled by the candidate receiving the 3rd largest number of votes for director.
Voting System
Again, this year, VoteNow will be handling our election. GDUI members will have the option of voting either telephonically or online.
Your old voter ID number will no longer be valid. In a few weeks, members will receive new voter ID numbers, either by e-mail or postcard directly from VoteNow. Please watch your inboxes and mailboxes for this important information. No one else at GDUI will have access to your personal ID number so, if you misplace that new number, you may call a designated person at VoteNow to retrieve that information. You will also receive the number for telephonic voting and the link to the online ballot.
GDUI will hold two membership forums to interview the candidates running in this election. The first one will be held on Thursday, May 6, 2021 beginning at 7:30 P. M. (EDT) and the second will be held on Saturday, May 15, 2021 beginning at 1:00 P. M. (EDT).
Below are your invitations to each of the Candidate Forums.
Guide Dog Users, Inc. is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: GDUI 2021 Candidates Forum 1
Time: May 6, 2021 07:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
GDUI has elected to proceed under Section 29.405.20(f) of the Nonprofit Code. If a member who is entitled to vote on these matters wishes to communicate with the membership about the subject matter of the vote, the member should contact the Nominations Chair.
GDUI must receive the votes of fifteen percent of the members entitled to vote in this election, or at least fifty-seven votes, for this election to be valid. A proposed Bylaw amendment will be adopted if there is an affirmative vote from 2/3rds of the members voting. Below are the two Proposed Bylaw amendments to be included in the 2021 Elections.
Bylaw proposal 1.: Clarification of the term “guide dog user” to include any current or former guide dog handler.
Proposed additions are within parentheses:
5.08: Eligibility for Board Service
(2) The President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President and a majority of the Board of Directors shall be (current or former) guide dog users.
4.02: Availability
Upon compliance with the requirements of ¶ 4.03 of these Bylaws, voting membership shall be available to all persons eighteen years of age or over who support the purposes of this Organization, provided however that at all times, the majority of the voting membership shall be blind or visually impaired persons who (are current or former guide dog users).
4.05: Affiliates
All affiliates of GDUI shall be organized in accordance with the following requirements:
(1) Any organization making application for affiliate status shall have no fewer than seven (7) members, the majority of whom shall be (current or former) guide dog users. Each affiliate organization shall maintain a majority of members who are (current or former guide dog) users.
RATIONALE:
Both current and former guide dog users have the experience necessary to empathize with the challenges of guide dog handling and guide dog teams.
Bylaw Proposal 2.: Revised Schedule of Annual Membership Meeting, Annual Election, and Tenure of Officers and Directors.
Current Language:
5.10: Election and Tenure
(3) May shall be the month of the annual election unless otherwise rescheduled by the Board of Directors.
(4) Except in cases where persons join the Board to fill vacancies, the term of service for all Officers, Directors, or Appointees shall begin at the close of the annual GDUI convention in the year of election and shall end at the close of the annual GDUI convention in the year that elects and qualifies their successors. In the extraordinary event the annual GDUI Convention does not occur, the aforementioned transition shall take place on July 15 in the year of election.
7.01: Annual Meeting
This Organization shall hold an annual meeting to conduct such business as may be required by the DC Nonprofit Code and for such other business as the membership may wish to have considered at such meeting. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Organization’s existence or affect any otherwise valid organizational acts.
Proposed Language:
5.10: Election and Tenure
(3) October shall be the month of the annual election unless otherwise rescheduled by the Board of Directors.
(4) Except in cases where persons join the Board to fill vacancies, the term of service for all Officers, Directors, or Appointees shall begin at the close of the fiscal year of election and shall end at the close of the fiscal year in which their successors are elected and qualified.
7.01: Annual Membership Meeting and Election
This Organization shall hold an annual Membership meeting during the month of October to review the status of the Organization, receive annual reports, conduct business as may be required by the DC Nonprofit Code, and other business. The Annual Membership Meeting shall immediately precede the Annual Election. Failure to hold an annual meeting does not invalidate the Organization’s existence or affect any otherwise valid organizational act.
Rationale:
Align GDUI’s elections and timing of Board terms with the organization’s fiscal year. Provide for a virtual meeting wherein members can receive an annual organizational update, with electronic elections occurring over several days following the end of the meeting. This will provide an organizational update to members closer to the end of GDUI’s fiscal year in a medium which is easier for members to attend, or review via recording.
Proviso:
Should proposed amendment 2 prevail, a transition process will be initiated to incorporate the new terms for Officers and Directors and the new month for elections. Effective 2022, all terms will be extended by five (5) months to December 31 of each Officer’s and Director’s respective term. For example, if one’s term expires in July of 2022, that term will be extended by five (5) months to December 31 of 2022. Similarly, if one’s term expires in July of 2023, that term will be extended to December 31 of 2023, and so on.
The transition to an October Election preceded by an Annual Membership Meeting will occur in 2022.
Alas, my hope for March going out like a lamb has not come to fruition. Well, Spring is officially here so consistently warmer days should be ahead- no joke!
Turning to this issue…, there is a wide range of topics to keep you engaged- including, but not limited to, more audio description on HBO, an opportunity to give your input on autonomous vehicles, Webinars offered in April, words from GDUI’s President and more.
Sending cyber hugs and wags, Andrea and Mr. A
From the President: Hello GDUI members and friends!
Welcome to spring, nice weather and long walks with your guide dog!
It has been a challenging year dealing with the pandemic, isolation, lack of activity and keeping our guide dogs happy, healthy and keen on their training! Now we can grab the harness, leash and start traveling around again!
GDUI will be holding two candidate forums for members to meet the candidates before voting begins in May. The dates, time and Zoom information will be shared on the email lists.
The GDUI program committee is working hard on the 2021 virtual convention! A list of the programs will be announced shortly after the committee has finalized their schedule. I know for sure we will have the Guide Dog School Update! This is one of the favorite programs GDUI has each year. Don’t miss the update, it will be spectacular!
Please share with your fellow GDUI members your thoughts, adventures, traveling tips or anything you and your guide dog happen upon! You can post to the GDUI chat list; If you have a story, poem or a guide dog related article you want to have published in, “Paws for GDUI- News You Can Use” please send it to:
Lakota and I wish everyone very happy holidays and a wonderful spring!
Sarah Calhoun, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Announcement: (short notice) Audio Described Performance
Saturday, April 3 at 4 PM.
The American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) is presenting an of their live, online show, The Conjuror’s Club.
This multi-magician event is presented live, online, via Zoom. You don’t need any special equipment beyond a computer that is Zoom compatible. All description users will gather in one Zoom breakout room, where Cori Couture will provide description. Once you’ve booked your ticket, you will receive detailed instructions via email in the days leading up to the show.
Also, a recorded pre-show description will be available on the A.R.T. website toward the end of the week.
Tickets are $58 per Household, but to increase accessibility, a limited number of discounted tickets are available for $25 per household!
More About the Show… Join us for an intimate and interactive multi-magician experience, performed live nightly.
For the first time in 100 years, the secretive magic society, The Conjurors’ Club, pulls back the curtain for an interactive experience that redefines the face of modern magic. Take a front-row seat and immerse yourself in the arcane and mysterious with three different magicians. Physical distance can’t keep the amazing mind-reading, reality-bending illusions, and extraordinary transformations from reaching through the screen and directly into your home. As honorary members of the Club, you’ll receive your own secret package for use during your visit that is guaranteed to surprise and delight all of your senses—but you must promise to keep the secrets… (Visual details of the secret package and its contents will be included in the recorded pre-show description.)
Learn even more about the show, read reviews, and further explore the world of magic at:
Announcement: Dr. Nicholas Giudice and the VEMI Lab at the University of Maine are seeking input on their research to make autonomous vehicles (AVs) accessible and usable for blind and visually impaired people and older adults.
In their ‘AVs for all’ initiative, they will be conducting a range of studies, focus groups, and interviews and are seeking input, feedback, and guidance from blind and visually impaired folks on the research. This user-driven approach is critical to ensure that their work, and future AV development, is based on real needs and addresses actual concerns of blind and older adult end-users. As such, they invite you to become involved and hope you will consider signing up as a potential participant in their research.
If you are interested in participating in future research, you are invited to fill out the information intake survey at the URL below. Your data will be kept confidential and you will only be contacted when openings in experiments, focus groups, interviews, or other types of research become available in the future. We hope you make your voice heard and are willing to give your input. If interested, please fill out the voluntary intake survey at:
We are proud to present our next series of HumanWare Live webinars for the month of April. This month, it’s all about braille. Our experts, Andrew Flatres and Peter Tucic, will guide you through our Brailliant BI X series of braille displays and the benefits of using the BrailleNote Touch Plus for teaching blind students.
A discovery of our intelligent braille displays
Date: Tuesday, April 6th
Time: 8 PM (EST)
Intended for: Braille device users
During this webinar, you will gain an insight into product features and explore the software and hardware that set the new Brailliant BI 20X and the Brailliant BI 40X apart from any other stand-alone braille displays available today.
Teaching and monitoring the progress of students learning braille
Date: Thursday, April 8th
Time: 3 PM (EST)
ACVREP approved continuing education hour: 1 CE credit
Intended for: Teachers for the visually impaired, assistive technology specialists, parents, BrailleNote Touch Plus students and users.
This HumanWare Live webinar will focus on the Take Off Unified English Braille (UEB) curriculum that teachers can use to teach braille. Participants will learn how to use this free braille curriculum that is integrated into the BrailleNote Touch Plus via the Duxbury Learning Tables. Participants will then take a tour of the HumanWare Buddy App to learn how to track student progress through personalized and pre-determined lessons.
Announcement: Verizon Media Announces Media Donation for ACB and Other Disability Organizations
On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, Verizon Media announced that they will be donating $5 million in media to a number of disability organizations, including the American Council of the Blind (ACB). ACB is excited to further our mission driven brand and message through the generous support of Verizon Media. Along with other nonprofits committed to expanding opportunity and equality for individuals with disabilities, the advertising grant provided through Verizon Media will allow ACB to amplify the voices of persons with disabilities at a time when the hardships of social isolation born out of the global pandemic have reverberated throughout our community. We wish to thank Verizon Media for their continued support as ACB fosters voice, choice, and community for people who are blind and visually impaired. For more information, visit: https://tinyurl.com/2ev7juyu.
Announcement: ACB Quoted in WSJ Article on Accessible Currency
We thought you may find interesting an article published this Friday in the Wall Street Journal, which announced Britain’s newest tactile currency and reported on the U.S. Department of Treasury’s continued failure to provide accessible currency in the United States.
ACB’s own Executive Director Eric Bridges was quoted in the article, and we think it did an excellent job highlighting the issue we continue to struggle with in the U.S. as other countries move forward with recognizing the value in producing accessible currency for people who are blind and visually impaired.
We hope you, too, will enjoy the article, and please share through your own social networks if possible.
How do they do that? How do they audio describe a show?
Please pass along –
A unique opportunity for blind and low vision middle and high school students. Come and learn. For middle and high school students who are blind and low vision, learn a dance from the Nutcracker and the techniques to describe the dance.
Article: HBO Max Rolls Out Audio Described Content: Customers Who are Blind Will Notice Many New Features, With More on the Horizon
March 26, 2021 – Advocates for people who are blind applaud WarnerMedia’s first delivery date of significant upgrades in the landmark agreement signed last October by WarnerMedia; the American Council of the Blind (ACB); the Massachusetts-based Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB); and individual claimants Kim and Brian Charlson. These blind individuals and advocacy organizations were represented by Disability Rights Advocates (DRA), a national non-profit legal center, and Disability Law Center, the Protection & Advocacy agency for Massachusetts.
WarnerMedia has pledged to increase the accessibility of HBO Max, and in the first phase of delivering on that promise, the streaming platform rolls out major enhancements this week, including:
Nearly 1,500 hours of audio described content on Web and Mobile platforms including select HBO originals, Max Originals, Warner Bros films, and some acquired content. Audio description is a separate audio track that, when activated, provides a verbal description of visual elements on screen. For more on audio description, visit ACB’s Audio Description Project.
An Audio Description category will be prominently featured in the navigation menu. This prominent browse location will also increase awareness about the importance of audio description and accessibility.
Improvements to the accessibility of the HBO Max website and mobile applications for individuals who are blind or have low vision and use screen reader software to navigate and interact with digital content. Screen reader software enables people who are blind or have low vision to access online services by rendering the content displayed visually on the screen as large print, synthetic text-to-speech, or as digital braille on a braille display. Programming for compatibility with these types of assistive technologies is something website and app developers need to keep in mind.
Addition of articles to the HBO Max help site specifically supporting customers with disabilities, including detailed instructions on how to perform certain tasks that may be unclear for some users.
Training for HBO Max customer service specialists to help them better support customers with disabilities, including sensitivity training and training on assistive technology.
Providing 1,500 hours of audio described content is a major commitment to access for WarnerMedia. Select programming released in the launch with audio description includes His Dark Materials, Genera+ion, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Dunkirk, Euphoria, Love Life, Sesame Street and many more titles.
WarnerMedia will continue building on these improvements in the months and years to come. Later this year, HBO Max plans to make audio description available across all supported Internet-connected TVs. Furthermore, audio description is now being created for all new HBO and Max Original programming, and customers can expect 3,000 hours of described content to be available by the end of March 2022, doubling again to at least 6,000 hours in total by the end of March 2023.
In addition, over the next few months, accessibility of the HBO Max website, mobile apps, and applications for supported Internet-connected TVs will continue to be improved for individuals who are blind or have low vision and use screen reader software to navigate and interact with digital content. While screen reader users may still experience difficulties with setting up an account following this week’s updates, those problems should be resolved in coming months.
Dan Spoone, President of the American Council of the Blind, commented, “This process has been extremely positive, and will open many doors for individuals who are blind or visually impaired to both enjoy what HBO Max has to offer in terms of entertainment and education, while also allowing our community to share equally with family and friends in the truly universal pastime of viewing television and movies. By working together to bring thousands of additional hours of audio description content to HBO Max, along with the improved accessibility of the website, mobile apps, and smart TV interfaces, WarnerMedia and blind advocates are providing meaningful access to a significant aspect of our modern-day world.”
“At HBO Max, our goal is to let storytelling take center stage, and for each and every subscriber to be able to enjoy world-class content, regardless of how they access the platform,” said Sarah Lyons, Executive Vice President, Direct-to-Consumer Global Product Management. “This month’s initial accessibility improvements are only the first of many steps we plan on taking to improve the experience for all users. We encourage continual consumer feedback, as it is critical to evolving the product and supporting all of our valued customers.”
Staff Attorney Meredith Weaver of Disability Rights Advocates said, “We are excited to see the fruits of WarnerMedia’s investment in accessibility over the last year and are encouraged by their demonstrated commitment to creating an exceptional experience for all customers.”
Tatum A. Pritchard of the Disability Law Center, said, “WarnerMedia’s commitment to these improvements is a welcome and significant step towards greater accessibility for people who are blind or visually impaired to streaming content that serves as an important source of both entertainment and information for our society.”
Blindness community members are encouraged to reach out to HBO Max customer service representatives with feedback and questions. The HBO Max Help Center has been made accessible and all feedback about audio description and screen reader access will make its way to HBO Max’s accessibility team to guide them in prioritizing their work.
Contacts
Meredith Weaver, Staff Attorney, Disability Rights Advocates: 510-665-8644, mweaver@dralegal.org
Tatum A. Pritchard, Director of Litigation, Disability Law Center: 617-723-8455,
Kim Charlson, Immediate Past President, American Council of the Blind: 617-501-5752, kimcharlson@acb.org
Article: Exciting News!!
The Helen Keller National Center is excited to announce:
FeelingThrough, the first film ever to star a deafblind actor has made the OSCARS shortlist in the category of best live action short film! It went from 179 films to the top five!
FeelingThrough is written and directed by Doug Roland. Doug worked with HKNC to produce the film. If you have not seen it already we invite you to enjoy the short 18-minute film. It is captioned for persons interested. Just click to watch!
Finally, “Connecting the Dot” is a short documentary that shares the story behind the scenes, the filmmaking in progress and authenticates the partnership between Doug Roland and the Helen Keller National Center. We invite you to enjoy the documentary, the link and password are below. This film is also captioned.
Finally, more exciting news. Award winning actress and producer Marlee Matlin has partnered with Doug Roland to produce a feature length film of FeelingThrough. More to come on this exciting development. You can find fascinating interviews and discussion every Friday by viewing the FeelingThrough FaceBook page. https://www.facebook.com/feelingthrough
Sincerely,
Sarah Calhoun, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Andrea Giudice, Editor
Penny Reeder, Co-editor and GDUI Immediate Past President
Here in Connecticut, March has come in like a lion and, one can hope, will go out like a lamb. While the wind howls and the temperatures make me glad for a parka, there is a new issue of “Paws for GDUI- News You Can Use” to enjoy along with a cup of tea or cocoa. Yes, if you are from one of those hot places you can make it an ice tea or a frozen “hot” chocolate.
This month we have announcements, sometime sensitive, interesting articles, information about open GDUI board positions (last article) and words from our president.
Sending cyber hugs and wags, Andrea and Mr. A
From the President: Greetings GDUI members and friends!
I hope this newsletter finds you well! We have been thinking about our Texas members and friends, everyone across the country who have suffered a terrible snowy winter, lack of water and electric for several days to weeks. Hopefully, our friends have been able to recover and return to their day to day living.
We hope you and your four-legged loveable furry guide dog celebrated a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Our dogs love getting that extra treat or toy to join in on the human special events! Don’t forget March 17, Saint Patrick’s Day! Think green!
GDUI has a busy schedule on our calendar with elections, Membership renewal and the 2021 virtual convention! To keep up to date, please visit the GDUI website at www.guidedogusersinc.org
Please consider running for a position on the board of directors. This is a wonderful way to get involved, learn more about GDUI and be a part of keeping this organization terrific!
Coming up soon will be an announcement of several exciting fundraising events! They will be announced on GDUI email lists, social media platforms and of course, our website!
Spring is just around the corner and we can begin to plan those enjoyable long walks outside with our guide dogs as we soak up the sun, get exercise and breathe the fresh air!
Lakota and I hope you and your families and friends are well! Hopefully this year will not be as challenging as last year.
From our house to your house, Lakota and I wish you and your guide dog many happy tails and trails!
Sarah Calhoun, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Announcement: March 10, GDUI Community Call
Getting a Guide Dog During COVID-19: PM ET, PM PT, PM HT
Thinking about getting your first or successor guide dog but unsure whether now might be the best time because of COVID-19? Come hear from clients of several guide dog schools who will share their experiences of training with new guides in these most unique of times.
To download all or any of my titles. To make this guide dog related, my memoir, Follow Your Dog a Story of Love and Trust, is free.
I hope you come along for the word journey with me and share this link, it’s only free from March 7 until March 13, 2021.
#smashwords #ebookweek21
Ann Chiappetta, Author
Announcement: Patient Safety Week Webinar by En-Vision America
March 18, 2021 11 am PT/PM ET
What does it take to Make Change Happen??? Join us during Patient Safety Week for a conversation about advocating for medical error prevention and effective communication at the pharmacy counter. This will be a great opportunity for anyone who is planning a visit to the hospital, patient advocates, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, English as a second language advocates, and anyone working a grassroots legislation campaign looking for ideas and encouragement!
Register today! Registration gives you access to the webinar the day of the event and the recorded version and resources afterward.
For information about 100 years of AFB and our ongoing series of Centennial Conversations, visit: afb.org/100
Announcement: Hadley presents – Painting Blind with Artist John Bramblitt
Painting Blind
We are so excited to welcome world-renowned artist John Bramblitt to the podcast! In this episode, John shares how vision loss has shaped his painting and his life.
A downloadable transcript is available on our site, hadley.edu.
App will help visually impaired, seniors enjoy ride-sharing with self-driving cars
Self-driving cars will offer access to ride-sharing and ride-hailing with their suite of modern conveniences. However, many people with visual impairments who use these services rely on a human driver to safely locate their vehicle.
A research group led by the Virtual Environments and Multimodal Interaction Laboratory (VEMI Lab) at the University of Maine is developing a smartphone app that provides the navigational assistance needed for people with disabilities and seniors to enjoy ride-sharing and ride-hailing, collectively termed mobility-as-a-service, with the latest in automotive technology. The app, known as the Autonomous Vehicle Assistant (AVA), can also be used for standard vehicles operated by human drivers and enjoyed by everyone.
AVA will help users request, find and enter a vehicle using a multisensory interface that provides guidance through audio and haptic feedback and high-contrast visual cues. The Autonomous Vehicle Research Group (AVRG), a cross institutional collective led by VEMI lab with researchers from Northeastern University and Colby College, will leverage GPS technology, real-time computer vision via the smartphone camera and artificial intelligence to support the functions offered through the app.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $300,000 to AVRG for the AVA project through its Inclusive Design Challenge. The initiative sought proposals for design solutions that would help people with disabilities use autonomous vehicles for employment and essential services. AVRG was one of the semifinalists.
“This design challenge was exciting to us as it falls so squarely in our wheelhouse” says Nicholas Giudice, a professor of spatial Computing at UMaine. “We have worked in the areas of multimodal information access and navigation for visually impaired people and older adults for years, and have recently started a research program investigating human-vehicle collaborations for increasing the trustworthiness and accessibility of autonomous vehicles. This development project connects the dots by allowing us to bridge several areas of expertise to ensure that the technology of the future is ‘accessible for all.'”
Users will create a profile in AVA that reflects their needs and existing methods of navigation. The app will use the information from their profiles to find a suitable vehicle for transport, then determine whether one is available.
When the vehicle arrives, AVA will guide the user to it using the camera and augmented reality (AR), which provides an overlay of the environment using the smartphone by superimposing high-contrast lines over the image to highlight the path and verbal guidance, such as compass directions, street names, addresses and nearby landmarks. The app also will pinpoint environmental hazards, such as low-contrast curbs, by emphasizing them with contrasting lines and vibrating when users approach them. It will then help users find the door handle to enter the vehicle awaiting them.
“This is the first project of its kind in the country, and in combination with our other work in this area, we are addressing an end-to-end solution for AVs (autonomous vehicles) that will improve their accessibility for all,” says Giudice, chief research scientist at VEMI Lab and lead on the AVA project.
“Most work in this area only deals with sighted passengers, yet the under-represented driving populations we are supporting stand to benefit most from this technology and are one of the fastest growing demographics in the country.”
AVRG studies how autonomous vehicles can meet various accessibility needs. VEMI lab itself has explored tactics for improving consumer trust in this emerging technology.
AVA advances both groups’ endeavors by not only providing another means for people with visual impairments and other disabilities and seniors to access self-driving vehicles, but also increases their trust in them. The project also builds on a seed grant-funded, joint effort between UMaine and Northeastern University to improve accessibility, safety and situational awareness within the self-driving vehicle. Researchers from both universities aim to develop a new model of human-AI vehicle interaction to ensure people with visual impairments and seniors understand what the autonomous vehicle is doing and that it can sense, interpret and communicate with the passenger.
The app will offer modules that train users how to order and locate rides, particularly through mock pickup scenarios. Offering hands-on learning provides users confidence in themselves and the technology, according to researchers. It also gathers data AVRG can use during its iterative, ongoing development for AVA and its integration into autonomous vehicles.
“We are very excited about this opportunity to create accessible technology which will help the transition to fully autonomous vehicles for all. The freedom and independence of all travelers is imperative as we move forward,” says VEMI lab director Richard Corey.
VEMI Lab, co-founded by Corey and Giudice in 2008, explores different solutions for solving unmet challenges with technology. Prime areas of research and development pertain to self-driving vehicles, the design of bio-inspired tools to improve human-machine interaction and functionality, and new technology to improve environmental awareness, spatial learning and navigational wayfinding.
Article: Social distancing while blind takes dogged perseverance
Jake Koch works to socially distance during the pandemic with the help of a guide dog, white cane
Everyone has had to adapt at a rapid pace over the past year because of the COVID-19 crisis. Many adults are working from home while students school from home; many go-to pastimes are on pause and we’ve all had to learn to make masking and social distancing second nature.
But for those with visual impairment or blindness, social distancing is no easy task.
Jake Koch, Gresham resident and community outreach specialist for Guide Dogs for the Blind’s Boring campus, has experienced this first-hand. Even with his guide dog, Koch, who has bilateral microphthalmia — a physical disorder of the eyes, resulting in small, partially developed eyes, which renders him legally blind — Koch says he sometimes has to rely on other people to help him keep his distance.
“Apart from being a professional in the industry, I do also travel with a guide dog and am visually impaired myself,” Koch explained. Koch travels with a 6-year-old black lab named Forli. “Pretty quickly, I realized that (socially distancing would be a challenge). I’m an avid traveler. I travel both for work and for pleasure, whether it’s local, regional, national, so I’m out and about. I’m an extrovert. I enjoy being out and about in the city and around friends and in public places, so at first it was a bit overwhelming. (At first) nobody really knew anything about the novel coronavirus, including myself.”
What also became quickly and overwhelmingly apparent was that guide dogs would not be able to perceive all of the safety precautions humans have in place during the pandemic.
“In the past 10 months of traveling through public spaces, what I’ve learned is the dogs, unfortunately, don’t understand the concept of social distancing,” Koch said. “I think the primary reason for that, in my personal and professional opinion, is social distancing is a social construct; it’s a social norm. It’s not black and white; it’s not factual like a curb or a set of stairs that are really obvious (obstacles that signal) you need to stop here or you’re going to get hurt. The way a dog perceives social constructs is they go ‘what is the safest, easiest path of least resistance that I can get my handler and myself through the environment.'”
“Our guide dogs don’t understand directional arrows, signage and taped-off measurements to ensure social distancing, and our white canes don’t feel them,” added Dorianne Pollack, alumni board member for Guide Dogs for the Blind. “Unlike sighted people who have learned to navigate in a socially distanced world, we’ve been left to fend for ourselves.”
An added challenge that makes navigating social spaces during the pandemic even more difficult for those with visual impairment, is because everything has evolved so quickly, yet the ADA hasn’t been able to catch up. This has led to inconsistencies in markings and signs for distancing in public places like grocery stores and to Koch, seeking supplemental ways to better get around and safely.
“I’ve ended up taking a hybrid approach,” Koch said, explaining that he has been using both Forli and a white cane to navigate. While guide dogs see and avoid objects, white canes can help the user detect and avoid would-be obstacles and people. This way, Koch has the dog to get him to his destination and the cane helps him orient himself to other people.
“The average cane offers 4 to 5 feet of detectable space,” Koch explained. To achieve 6 feet of separation, he added, sometimes he will simply ask someone around him if he is distanced enough. He also always wears a mask for safety when he has to be in public places.
For the most part though, like many who are immunocompromised, have other conditions that make them at greater risk or are simply trying to help slow the spread, Koch has grown accustomed to using things like grocery delivery instead of shopping in the store. He has also taken to walking, when he can, to avoid public transportation where it is harder to make sure others are keeping their distance.
“The people moving around me is where it gets tricky,” Koch said.
In “normal” times, Koch says he typically gets quite a few people who come up to him and want to pet Forli, offer help or ask questions. Nowadays, while petting Forli is discouraged, Koch said: “Pandemic or not, if anybody wants to help, I appreciate people asking: ‘May I assist you?’ and self-identifying.”
Koch explains that while saying “How can I help you?” tends to sound somewhat ableist, implying the person with visual impairment needs help, asking “May I assist you?” is a more empowering offer of help.
Folks who wish to help someone with visual impairment in public spaces might be of assistance by kindly approaching the person and saying “I just wanted to inform you that you aren’t six feet away. May I help you?” Use specific directions such as “take two steps left” and never touch the person.
At Guide Dogs for the Blind, staff have worked very hard to ensure clients who must visit are safe and also offer guidance and assistance to their 2,200 graduates out navigating similar circumstances to Koch.
“We use video conferencing to help navigate people,” Koch explained. He added that Guide Dogs for the Blind has also partnered with the ‘Be My Eyes’ app, which offers assistance to those with visual impairment to do everyday things like reading labels and navigating.
“My normal is managing my blindness in a sighted world,” said Guide Dogs for the Blind client Bruce Gilmour. “However, COVID-19 has imposed big changes and adjustments to my normal. Aspects such as curbside pick-ups, online ordering, social distancing, language barriers, using touch to see in a no touch world, knowing where to stand appropriately at a transit stop, etc., have challenged my normal. Consequently, daily affairs developed around being independent and self-reliant have resulted in isolation, increased anxiety, and some really compromising scenarios where the public have lacked a complete sense of civility. Yes, indeed, we are all in this pandemic together which has put a lot of pressure on the nice values of normal like being kind, calm, and patient.”
“Change is hard for everybody,” Koch said. “Things changed very quickly. I think that’s what was very overwhelming. Be kind, be compassionate and offer assistance if it is needed. Also, feel free to step back or forward (from a person with visual impairment) to keep distance.”
Article: GDUI is SEEKING NOMINATIONS
GDUI 2021 Election Announcement
Do you know someone who has made significant contributions to dog guides and their handlers? Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) wants to hear from you.
Each year at its annual convention with the American Council of the Blind (ACB), GDUI recognizes three outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the lives of guide dog teams through their dedication, work, advocacy, and support. Each award is given to honor the individuals for which they are named, and to recognize the outstanding recipient of the year.
The Ethel Bender Award. This award is presented each year to honor a sighted person who has provided significant service to the cause of enhancing the well-being of the guide dog and handler community.
The Moffitt-Gleitz Award. The Moffitt-Gleitz Award is presented to a person who is blind and has significantly contributed to the well-being of the guide dog handling community, and who by his or her contributions, has earned the gratitude and recognition of Guide Dog Users, Inc.
The Lieberg-Metz Award. This award recognizes an individual who has advance the well-being of guide dog and handler teams through the writings or media presentations.
If you know someone whom you believe is deserving of such recognition, please submit your nomination to Margie Donovan, Awards Committee Chair at margie.donovan1@outlook.com, no later than April 1, 2021. Please put in the subject line “GDUI Award Nomination”. If you need assistance in writing your nomination, you may contact Margie as well.
Your nomination should include the following information:
The name of the award you are nominating for.
Give the person’s name and contact information that you wish to nominate, and the reason why you believe he/she is deserving of an award.
All nominations should be no more than 350 words.
Article: Announcing the GDUI 2021 Elections
Interested candidates should submit an application, resume and cover letter to the Nominations Committee Chair, Margie Donovan at elections@guidedogusersinc.org by the deadline of March 31, 2021
The 2021 GDUI Elections will commence on Saturday, May 29 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and run through Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
GDUI is seeking candidates for the following positions in our upcoming 2021 elections.
1 Interim Secretary ending in 2022
1 Interim Director ending in 2022
2 Director Seats (3-Year Term) ending in 2024
The two open director positions will be filled by the two candidates who receive the largest and second-largest number of votes for director. The Interim Director position will be filled by the candidate receiving the third-largest number of votes for director.
GDUI members in good standing are eligible to run for a position on the GDUI Board. Interested candidates should submit an application, resume and cover letter to the Nominations Committee Chair, Margie Donovan at elections@guidedogusersinc.org by the deadline of March 31, 2021.
The information supplied within the cover letter, application and resume will be shared with the GDUI members eligible to vote in this election.
GDUI members who have paid their dues by this year’s record date of April 9, 2021 will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.
GDUI is proud of our universally accessible voting system in which each member of GDUI is entitled to a voice in the election of our GDUI Board.
If you have not renewed your membership, now is the time to do so. An at-large membership in GDUI costs $25.00 per person per year. Dues may be paid online by going to https://guidedogusersinc.org/join/, by credit card by calling 1-866-799-8436 or by mailing your check to the above address and made payable to GDUI.
Important dates to remember:
In order to be eligible to vote in the 2021 GDUI election your 2021 GDUI dues must have been received on or before the record date of April 9, 2021.
We will hold two Candidate Forums prior to the election. Phone numbers for these calls will be publicized closer to the dates.
Candidate Forum 1. Thursday, May 6, 2021 7:30 p.m. EDT
Candidate Forum 2. Saturday, May 15, 2021 1:00 p.m. EDT
Between the dates of April 1, 2021 and April 15, 2021, we encourage members to submit questions for your candidates. Please submit your questions to the Nominations Chair, Margie Donovan at elections@guidedogusersinc.org and include “Candidates Forum” in the subject line of your message.
Election period: Saturday, May 29 12:01 a.m. EDT through Sunday, June 6, 2021 11:59 p.m. EDT
Amendments: Any questions relating to Constitutional Amendments should be sent to Maria Hansen at Byalaws@guidedogusersinc.org by March 15, 2021.
Application for Candidacy:
GDUI has three major responsibilities:
To promote the acceptance of guide dog teams by all agencies, employers, educational institutions, commercial establishments, and the general public;
To work for the expansion, standardization, and enforcement of legal provisions, both civil and criminal, governing the rights and responsibilities of guide dog users in the areas of public access, employment, housing, personal injury to dog and handler, transportation, and recreation; and
To work in cooperation with guide dog training providers by contributing constructive input concerning selection, training, health care, and accommodations for both canine and human students, and providing constructive suggestions that will improve the quality of the training experience.
With these goals in mind, please answer the following questions.
Date:
Position for which you wish to be a candidate:
Applicant’s Name:
Street Address:
City/State/zip code:
Phone numbers:
Home:
Cell:
E-mail Address:
Are you a guide dog user?
Describe your background (Educational, occupational and general experience).
Why do you wish to serve on the GDUI Board?
Which of your skills and experiences would most support Board activities? Please describe a time when a group of which you were a part accomplished its goal(s).
What caused the group to be successful? How did you contribute to this success?
The GDUI Board of Directors uses e-mail to communicate with one another. Are you able to communicate effectively using this medium and do you have access to e-mail?
The GDUI Board of Directors meets every other month by telephone. Meetings last from two to three hours. Other ad hoc telephonic meetings are sometimes called as well.
Board Members are often asked to chair and serve on committees and perform tasks on behalf of GDUI as directed by the officers and committee chairpersons. Will you be able to find time to perform the tasks described above?
Candidates, please note: Your cover letter, application and resume will be sent in its entirety to the GDUI members eligible to vote in this election.
GDUI Officer and Director Position Descriptions
All GDUI officers and Directors must:
Be willing and able to participate in regularly scheduled meetings and e-mail discussions.
Always act in a dignified manner and interact respectfully with fellow directors and Officers and agree to abide by GDUI’s current code of conduct for board members.
Work as a team member to maintain and protect GDUI and its mission.
Become well versed with GDUI’s By-Laws.
Respect the authority of the GDUI By-Laws and work within their guidance and the requirements of the GDUI Articles of Incorporation.
Be a collaborative participant in the democratic process–respecting the outcome of votes of the membership and votes of the board.
Possess sufficient computer skills to participate in e-mail work.
Be flexible for scheduling meeting times. (The GDUI Board meets by phone conference bi-monthly for two or more hours, with committee meetings or other special meetings scheduled separately.)
Responsibilities and criteria for GDUI Secretary Position
The GDUI Secretary must be willing and able to accept the legal, fiduciary and ethical responsibilities of an organizational secretary, in accordance with standard nonprofit practices and procedures.
The Secretary must:
Record (in document-form) meeting minutes for business meetings of the GDUI Board of Directors.
Arrange for the audio-recording of meetings if it is the secretary’s desire to take minutes from an audio-recording.
Possess thorough and quick note-taking skills in case an audio-recording of a meeting fails.
Have the ability to use notes, memory, and/or recordings to reproduce accurate accounts of meetings for minutes.
Use writing skills and discretion to summarize (or write in detail when appropriate) to create informative meeting minutes.
Submit drafts of meeting minutes in time frames which allow other board members to submit suggestions/corrections before a final draft is submitted for approval/ acceptance at the subsequent board meeting.
Send minutes and attachments to the Web Master for posting to the GDUI Web Site.
Assist GDUI by researching and reproducing content from previous minutes as is practical.
The secretary is expected to attend all board meetings. If the Secretary is unable to attend a board meeting, after informing the President, the Secretary will arrange for a competent recorder for the meeting which the Secretary will miss.
The Secretary may not miss three (3) or more meetings in any twelve month period without being excused.
Responsibilities and criteria for GDUI Board of Director position
Each member of the GDUI Board of Directors must be willing and able to accept the legal, fiduciary and ethical responsibilities of an organizational director, in accordance with standard nonprofit practices and procedures.
Board members are expected to attend all board meetings.
Members of the GDUI Board of Directors shall inform the President, in advance, if unable to attend a particular board meeting.
A GDUI board member shall not miss three (3) or more meetings in any twelve-month period without being excused.
A majority of Board members will be guide dog users.
GDUI Code of Ethics – revised June 20, 2017 Code of Ethics of Guide Dog Users, Inc. This board of directors code of ethics was adopted by the Guide Dog Users, Inc. Board of Directors on June 20, 2017.
Preamble:
Guide Dog Users, Inc., (hereinafter, “GDUI”) or “organization” is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization formed to promote, develop, educate, and otherwise further the guide dog team community as listed in its Articles of incorporation and bylaws. GDUI’s principal membership class consists of individuals and affiliates engaged in advocacy, legislative and civil rights. The business of the organization is managed under the direction of the GDUI board of directors. The board’s code of ethics serves as a code of conduct for organization volunteers in their capacity as board members. Code violations may result in sanctions imposed under the Procedures for Review of Board Member Conduct. The principles and requirements that comprise the code and procedures are based on and are designed to ensure full compliance by GDUI and its officers, directors, and volunteers with the fiduciary duties imposed on such individuals by Washington, D.C. non-profit code, the federal tax code’s prohibition on private inurement and private benefit, and other requirements of federal tax exemption, common law due process requirements, federal and state antitrust and unfair competition law, state tort law, and other legal precepts and prohibitions. At the same time, the code and procedures are not designed to supplant courts of law in the resolution of disputes within non-profits. Moreover, the checks and balances built into the code and procedures are designed to strike the proper balance between ensuring full compliance with the legal obligations described here and ensuring the integrity and efficacy of the code on the one hand and, on the other, the protection of board members, through the use of reasonable due process procedures, against patently false, malicious, or groundless accusations that could result in significant business or personal harm if not properly handled. Members of the board affirm their endorsement of the code and acknowledge their commitment to uphold its principles and obligations by accepting and retaining membership on the board.
Board of Directors Code of Ethics
Members of the board (including ex officio members of the board) shall at all times abide by and conform to the GDUI bylaws and the following code of conduct in their capacity as board members:
Each member of the board of directors will abide in all respects by the GDUI Members’ Code of Ethics and all other rules and regulations of the organization (including but not limited to the organization’s articles of incorporation and bylaws) and will ensure that their membership (or the membership of the entity for which they serve as officer, director, employee, or owner, as the case may be) in the organization remains in good standing at all times. Furthermore, each member of the board of directors will at all times obey all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and will provide or cause to provide the full cooperation of the organization when requested to do so by those institutions and their persons set in authority as are required to uphold the law.
Members of the board of directors will conduct the business affairs of the organization in good faith and with honesty, integrity, due diligence, and reasonable competence.
Except as the board of directors may otherwise require or as otherwise required by law or the organization’s bylaws, no board member or member subscribed to the Board list shall share, copy, reproduce, transmit, divulge or otherwise disclose any confidential information related to the affairs of the organization and each member of the board will uphold the strict confidentiality of all meetings and other deliberations and communications of the board of directors.
Members of the board of directors will exercise proper authority and good judgment in their dealings with organization members, suppliers, and the general public and will respond to the needs of the organization’s members in a responsible, respectful, and professional manner.
No member of the board of directors will use any information provided by the organization or acquired as a consequence of the board member’s service to the organization in any manner other than in furtherance of his or her board duties. Further, no member of the board of directors will misuse organization property or resources and will at all times keep the organization’s property secure and not allow any person not authorized by the board of directors to have or use such property.
Each member of the board of directors will use his or her best efforts to regularly participate in professional development activities and will perform his or her assigned duties in a professional and timely manner pursuant to the board’s direction and oversight.
Upon termination of service, a retiring board member will promptly return to the organization all documents, electronic and hard files, reference materials, and other property entrusted to the board member for the purpose of fulfilling his or her job responsibilities. Such return will not abrogate the retiring board member from his or her continuing obligations of confidentiality with respect to information acquired as a consequence of his or her tenure on the board of directors.
The board of directors dedicates itself to leading by example in serving the needs of the organization and its members and also in representing the interests and ideals of the guide dog user community at large.
No member of the board of directors shall persuade or attempt to persuade any employee of the organization to leave the employ of the organization or to become employed by any person or entity other than the organization. Furthermore, no member of the board of directors shall persuade or attempt to persuade any member, exhibitor, advertiser, sponsor, subscriber, supplier, contractor, or any other person or entity with an actual or potential relationship to or with the organization to terminate, curtail, or not enter into its relationship to or with the organization, or to in any way reduce the monetary or other benefits to the organization of such relationship.
The board of directors must act at all times in the best interests of the organization and not for personal or third-party gain or financial enrichment. When encountering potential conflicts of interest, board members will identify the conflict and, as required, remove themselves from all discussion and voting on the matter. Specifically, board members shall follow these guidelines: o Avoid placing (and avoid the appearance of placing) one’s own self-interest or any third-party interest above that of the organization; while the receipt of incidental personal or third-party benefit may necessarily flow from certain organization activities, such benefit must be merely incidental to the primary benefit to the organization and its purposes; o Do not abuse board membership by improperly using board membership or the organization’s volunteers, services, equipment, resources, or property for personal or third-party gain or pleasure; board members shall not represent to third parties that their authority as a board member extends any further than that which it actually extends; o Do not engage in any outside business, professional or other activities that would directly or indirectly materially adversely affect the organization; o Do not engage in or facilitate any discriminatory or harassing behavior directed toward organization staff, members, officers, directors, meeting attendees, exhibitors, advertisers, sponsors, suppliers, contractors, or others in the context of activities relating to the organization; o Do not solicit or accept gifts, gratuities, free trips, honoraria, personal property, or any other item of value from any person or entity as a direct or indirect inducement to provide special treatment to such donor with respect to matters pertaining to the organization without fully disclosing such items to the board of directors; and o Provide goods or services to the organization as a paid vendor to the organization only after full disclosure to, and advance approval by, the board, and pursuant to any related procedures adopted by the board.
Respectfully Submitted,
The GDUI Nominations Committee
Margie Donovan (Chair)
Robert Acosta
Dixie Sanderson
Sincerely,
Sarah Calhoun, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Andrea Giudice, Editor
Penny Reeder, Co-editor and GDUI Immediate Past President
Do you know someone who has made significant contributions to dog guides and their handlers? Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) wants to hear from you.
Each year at its annual convention with the American Council of the Blind (ACB), GDUI recognizes three outstanding individuals who have made significant contributions to the lives of guide dog teams through their dedication, work, advocacy, and support. Each award is given to honor the individuals for which they are named, and to recognize the outstanding recipient of the year.
The Ethel Bender Award. This award is presented each year to honor a sighted person who has provided significant service to the cause of enhancing the well-being of the guide dog and handler community.
The Moffitt-Gleitz Award. The Moffitt-Gleitz Award is presented to a person who is blind and has significantly contributed to the well-being of the guide dog handling community, and who by his or her contributions, has earned the gratitude and recognition of Guide Dog Users, Inc.
The Lieberg-Metz Award. This award recognizes an individual who has advance the well-being of guide dog and handler teams through the writings or media presentations.
If you know someone whom you believe is deserving of such recognition, please submit your nomination to Margie Donovan, Awards Committee Chair at margie.donovan1@outlook.com, no later than April 1, 2021. Please put in the subject line “GDUI Award Nomination”. If you need assistance in writing your nomination, you may contact Margie as well.
Your nomination should include the following information:
The name of the award you are nominating for.
Give the person’s name and contact information that you wish to nominate, and the reason why you believe he/she is deserving of an award.
Any proposed amendments to the GDUI Bylaws must be submitted to the Bylaws Committee by Wednesday, March 15 which is 75 days prior to the start of the 2021 election.
The 2021 GDUI Elections will commence on Saturday, May 29 at 12:01 a.m. EDT and run through Sunday, June 6, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. EDT.
GDUI is seeking candidates for the following positions in our upcoming 2021 elections.
1 Interim Secretary ending in 2022
1 Interim Director ending in 2022
2 Director Seats (3-Year Term) ending in 2024
The two open director positions will be filled by the two candidates who receive the largest and second-largest number of votes for director. The Interim Director position will be filled by the candidate receiving the third-largest number of votes for director.
GDUI members in good standing are eligible to run for a position on the GDUI Board. Interested candidates should submit an application, resume and cover letter to the Nominations Committee Chair, Margie Donovan at elections@guidedogusersinc.org by the deadline of March 31, 2021.
The information supplied within the cover letter, application and resume will be shared with the GDUI members eligible to vote in this election.
GDUI members who have paid their dues by this year’s record date of April 9, 2021 will be eligible to vote in the upcoming elections.
GDUI is proud of our universally accessible voting system in which each member of GDUI is entitled to a voice in the election of our GDUI Board.
If you have not renewed your membership, now is the time to do so. An at-large membership in GDUI costs $25.00 per person per year. Dues may be paid online by going to https://guidedogusersinc.org/join/, by credit card by calling 1-866-799-8436 or by mailing your check to the above address and made payable to GDUI.
Important dates to remember:
In order to be eligible to vote in the 2021 GDUI election your 2021 GDUI dues must have been received on or before the record date of April 9, 2021.
We will hold two Candidate Forums prior to the election. Phone numbers for these calls will be publicized closer to the dates.
Candidate Forum 1. Thursday, May 6, 2021 7:30 p.m. EDT
Candidate Forum 2. Saturday, May 15, 2021 1:00 p.m. EDT
Between the dates of April 1, 2021 and April 15, 2021, we encourage members to submit questions for your candidates. Please submit your questions to the Nominations Chair, Margie Donovan at elections@guidedogusersinc.org and include “Candidates Forum” in the subject line of your message.
Election period: Saturday, May 29 12:01 a.m. EDT through Sunday, June 6, 2021 11:59 p.m. EDT
Amendments: Any questions relating to Constitutional Amendments should be sent to Maria Hansen at Byalaws@guidedogusersinc.org by March 15, 2021.
Application for Candidacy:
GDUI has three major responsibilities:
To promote the acceptance of guide dog teams by all agencies, employers, educational institutions, commercial establishments, and the general public;
To work for the expansion, standardization, and enforcement of legal provisions, both civil and criminal, governing the rights and responsibilities of guide dog users in the areas of public access, employment, housing, personal injury to dog and handler, transportation, and recreation; and
To work in cooperation with guide dog training providers by contributing constructive input concerning selection, training, health care, and accommodations for both canine and human students, and providing constructive suggestions that will improve the quality of the training experience.
With these goals in mind, please answer the following questions.
Date:
Position for which you wish to be a candidate:
Applicant’s Name:
Street Address:
City/State/zip code:
Phone numbers:
Home:
Cell:
E-mail Address:
Are you a guide dog user?
Describe your background (Educational, occupational and general experience).
Why do you wish to serve on the GDUI Board?
Which of your skills and experiences would most support Board activities? Please describe a time when a group of which you were a part accomplished its goal(s).
What caused the group to be successful? How did you contribute to this success?
The GDUI Board of Directors uses e-mail to communicate with one another. Are you able to communicate effectively using this medium and do you have access to e-mail?
The GDUI Board of Directors meets every other month by telephone. Meetings last from two to three hours. Other ad hoc telephonic meetings are sometimes called as well.
Board Members are often asked to chair and serve on committees and perform tasks on behalf of GDUI as directed by the officers and committee chairpersons. Will you be able to find time to perform the tasks described above?
Candidates, please note: Your cover letter, application and resume will be sent in its entirety to the GDUI members eligible to vote in this election.
GDUI Officer and Director Position Descriptions
All GDUI officers and Directors must:
Be willing and able to participate in regularly scheduled meetings and e-mail discussions.
Always act in a dignified manner and interact respectfully with fellow directors and Officers and agree to abide by GDUI’s current code of conduct for board members.
Work as a team member to maintain and protect GDUI and its mission.
Become well versed with GDUI’s By-Laws.
Respect the authority of the GDUI By-Laws and work within their guidance and the requirements of the GDUI Articles of Incorporation.
Be a collaborative participant in the democratic process–respecting the outcome of votes of the membership and votes of the board.
Possess sufficient computer skills to participate in e-mail work.
Be flexible for scheduling meeting times. (The GDUI Board meets by phone conference bi-monthly for two or more hours, with committee meetings or other special meetings scheduled separately.)
Responsibilities and criteria for GDUI Secretary Position
The GDUI Secretary must be willing and able to accept the legal, fiduciary and ethical responsibilities of an organizational secretary, in accordance with standard nonprofit practices and procedures.
The Secretary must:
Record (in document-form) meeting minutes for business meetings of the GDUI Board of Directors.
Arrange for the audio-recording of meetings if it is the secretary’s desire to take minutes from an audio-recording.
Possess thorough and quick note-taking skills in case an audio-recording of a meeting fails.
Have the ability to use notes, memory, and/or recordings to reproduce accurate accounts of meetings for minutes.
Use writing skills and discretion to summarize (or write in detail when appropriate) to create informative meeting minutes.
Submit drafts of meeting minutes in time frames which allow other board members to submit suggestions/corrections before a final draft is submitted for approval/ acceptance at the subsequent board meeting.
Send minutes and attachments to the Web Master for posting to the GDUI Web Site.
Assist GDUI by researching and reproducing content from previous minutes as is practical.
The secretary is expected to attend all board meetings. If the Secretary is unable to attend a board meeting, after informing the President, the Secretary will arrange for a competent recorder for the meeting which the Secretary will miss.
The Secretary may not miss three (3) or more meetings in any twelve month period without being excused.
Responsibilities and criteria for GDUI Board of Director position
Each member of the GDUI Board of Directors must be willing and able to accept the legal, fiduciary and ethical responsibilities of an organizational director, in accordance with standard nonprofit practices and procedures.
Board members are expected to attend all board meetings.
Members of the GDUI Board of Directors shall inform the President, in advance, if unable to attend a particular board meeting.
A GDUI board member shall not miss three (3) or more meetings in any twelve month period without being excused.
A majority of Board members will be guide dog users.
GDUI Code of Ethics – revised June 20, 2017
Code of Ethics of Guide Dog Users, Inc. This board of directors code of ethics was adopted by the Guide Dog Users, Inc. Board of Directors on June 20, 2017.
Preamble
Guide Dog Users, Inc., (hereinafter, “GDUI”) or “organization” is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt organization formed to promote, develop, educate, and otherwise further the guide dog team community as listed in its Articles of incorporation and bylaws. GDUI’s principal membership class consists of individuals and affiliates engaged in advocacy, legislative and civil rights. The business of the organization is managed under the direction of the GDUI board of directors. The board’s code of ethics serves as a code of conduct for organization volunteers in their capacity as board members. Code violations may result in sanctions imposed under the Procedures for Review of Board Member Conduct. The principles and requirements that comprise the code and procedures are based on and are designed to ensure full compliance by GDUI and its officers, directors, and volunteers with the fiduciary duties imposed on such individuals by Washington, D.C. non-profit code, the federal tax code’s prohibition on private inurement and private benefit, and other requirements of federal tax exemption, common law due process requirements, federal and state antitrust and unfair competition law, state tort law, and other legal precepts and prohibitions. At the same time, the code and procedures are not designed to supplant courts of law in the resolution of disputes within non-profits. Moreover, the checks and balances built into the code and procedures are designed to strike the proper balance between ensuring full compliance with the legal obligations described here and ensuring the integrity and efficacy of the code on the one hand and, on the other, the protection of board members, through the use of reasonable due process procedures, against patently false, malicious, or groundless accusations that could result in significant business or personal harm if not properly handled. Members of the board affirm their endorsement of the code and acknowledge their commitment to uphold its principles and obligations by accepting and retaining membership on the board.
Board of Directors Code of Ethics
Members of the board (including ex officio members of the board) shall at all times abide by and conform to the GDUI bylaws and the following code of conduct in their capacity as board members:
1. Each member of the board of directors will abide in all respects by the GDUI Members’ Code of Ethics and all other rules and regulations of the organization (including but not limited to the organization’s articles of incorporation and bylaws) and will ensure that their membership (or the membership of the entity for which they serve as officer, director, employee, or owner, as the case may be) in the organization remains in good standing at all times. Furthermore, each member of the board of directors will at all times obey all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and will provide or cause to provide the full cooperation of the organization when requested to do so by those institutions and their persons set in authority as are required to uphold the law.
2. Members of the board of directors will conduct the business affairs of the organization in good faith and with honesty, integrity, due diligence, and reasonable competence.
3. Except as the board of directors may otherwise require or as otherwise required by law or the organization’s bylaws, no board member or member subscribed to the Board list shall share, copy, reproduce, transmit, divulge or otherwise disclose any confidential information related to the affairs of the organization and each member of the board will uphold the strict confidentiality of all meetings and other deliberations and communications of the board of directors.
4. Members of the board of directors will exercise proper authority and good judgment in their dealings with organization members, suppliers, and the general public and will respond to the needs of the organization’s members in a responsible, respectful, and professional manner.
5. No member of the board of directors will use any information provided by the organization or acquired as a consequence of the board member’s service to the organization in any manner other than in furtherance of his or her board duties. Further, no member of the board of directors will misuse organization property or resources and will at all times keep the organization’s property secure and not allow any person not authorized by the board of directors to have or use such property.
6. Each member of the board of directors will use his or her best efforts to regularly participate in professional development activities and will perform his or her assigned duties in a professional and timely manner pursuant to the board’s direction and oversight.
7. Upon termination of service, a retiring board member will promptly return to the organization all documents, electronic and hard files, reference materials, and other property entrusted to the board member for the purpose of fulfilling his or her job responsibilities. Such return will not abrogate the retiring board member from his or her continuing obligations of confidentiality with respect to information acquired as a consequence of his or her tenure on the board of directors.
8. The board of directors dedicates itself to leading by example in serving the needs of the organization and its members and also in representing the interests and ideals of the guide dog user community at large.
9. No member of the board of directors shall persuade or attempt to persuade any employee of the organization to leave the employ of the organization or to become employed by any person or entity other than the organization. Furthermore, no member of the board of directors shall persuade or attempt to persuade any member, exhibitor, advertiser, sponsor, subscriber, supplier, contractor, or any other person or entity with an actual or potential relationship to or with the organization to terminate, curtail, or not enter into its relationship to or with the organization, or to in any way reduce the monetary or other benefits to the organization of such relationship.
10. The board of directors must act at all times in the best interests of the organization and not for personal or third-party gain or financial enrichment. When encountering potential conflicts of interest, board members will identify the conflict and, as required, remove themselves from all discussion and voting on the matter. Specifically, board members shall follow these guidelines:
o Avoid placing (and avoid the appearance of placing) one’s own self-interest or any third-party interest above that of the organization; while the receipt of incidental personal or third-party benefit may necessarily flow from certain organization activities, such benefit must be merely incidental to the primary benefit to the organization and its purposes;
o Do not abuse board membership by improperly using board membership or the organization’s volunteers, services, equipment, resources, or property for personal or third-party gain or pleasure; board members shall not represent to third parties that their authority as a board member extends any further than that which it actually extends;
o Do not engage in any outside business, professional or other activities that would directly or indirectly materially adversely affect the organization;
o Do not engage in or facilitate any discriminatory or harassing behavior directed toward organization staff, members, officers, directors, meeting attendees, exhibitors, advertisers, sponsors, suppliers, contractors, or others in the context of activities relating to the organization;
o Do not solicit or accept gifts, gratuities, free trips, honoraria, personal property, or any other item of value from any person or entity as a direct or indirect inducement to provide special treatment to such donor with respect to matters pertaining to the organization without fully disclosing such items to the board of directors; and
o Provide goods or services to the organization as a paid vendor to the organization only after full disclosure to, and advance approval by, the board, and pursuant to any related procedures adopted by the board.
Hey friends! Check out our new Terri Lynn Fundraising Webstore at this link: GDUI Fundraiser
A portion of every sale goes to support the Special Concerns Committee of Guide Dog Users, Inc. which gives comfort to those who have lost their guide dogs — and you get delicious Gourmet Nuts, Dried Fruit and Fruit Mixes, Chocolates and Snacks delivered right to your door. Once on their website, click on “View All” to see their impressive complete inventory. Please shop and share to help Guide Dog Users, Inc raise money for this important cause!
If you have any problem accessing the website or ordering products you can contact Denise Weddle at 310-306-8149. She will be happy to help.
Here we are mostly through month one of 2021 and things may not seem all that different from the end of 2020, however, I feel rays of sunshine through the clouds. First, while not a perfect execution, vaccines are available. Next, within the first three weeks of this newly minted year 2 very cool things occurred. A palindromic date (12021) was followed immediately by the 21st day of the 21st year of the 21st century… I say that is good mojo! Speaking of good mojo, I have a personal story to share. It goes to the point that we never know how when or where a chance encounter, conversation, or comment will be the small pebble that makes a big ripple. A few years ago, I spent an afternoon with the mother-in-law of a dear friend. She, the mother-in-law, is from England, and, after acting as my sighted guide for an outing to a local coffee shop, upon returning to her home across the pond she made Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) her special charity. When she recently shared this with me, it brought tears to my eyes. I have always understood that sharing my experiences with others may increase awareness, however, this example is so personal and direct an illustration of such.
Now, read on for a message from our fabulous, lady president, interesting announcements and cool articles. Keep your leash loose and your shoulders back!
Sending cyber hugs and wags, Andrea and Mr. A
From the President: Hello GDUI members and friends!
I want to wish both two and four legged GDUI members and friends a very happy and healthy New Year!
We have already stepped into 2021; the Covid vaccine is being distributed and spring is just around the corner, giving us hope and encouragement that we may slowly regain a bit of normalcy one step at a time.
GDUI held an informative community call on revised Aircraft Carrier Access Act (ACAA), along with the two attestation forms developed by the Department of Transportation (DOT), traveling by air with a service animal. Other informative community calls are in the planning process. If you have any suggestions, or would like to get involved with a community call, please send me an email at: president@guidedogusersinc.org
This year GDUI will have a few director positions open to serve on the board of directors. Please consider volunteering- apply and help GDUI continue to grow! After all, this organization has grown to our current size through the actions and volunteerism of guide dog handlers like you injecting your personal experience, knowledge and voice in building GDUI to where it is today. New ideas, experiences and personalities will ensure GDUI continues to grow!
Please remember to renew your membership! You can either renew on line by visiting the GDUI website at:
Enter on “Join” and follow the directions. Or, you can call the GDUI office at:
(866) 799-8436
I sincerely thank everyone for your involvement in GDUI, your support and membership in forming this organization; making it a friendly and knowledgeable place for anyone to learn about the guide dog community. It is wonderful to be surrounded by friends who have the same interest in being partnered with a guide dog and the unique experiences we encounter. I extend my gratitude to everyone for taking the step of sharing your time and friendship with others across America, and around the world. Speaking openly and honestly of everything from the love and fondness you feel toward your guide to pick-up bags! Thank you for being a part of GDUI!
Valentine’s Day will be here in a few days and we can look forward to sharing friendship and love with those around us. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day, eat something sweet and share the celebration with others. Reaching out to someone may make a difference in uplifting their spirits!
From my house to yours, Warmest regards,
Sarah Calhoun & Lakota
GDUI President
Announcement: Starting February 4 – An Accessible Virtual Ballet Class
This February, Fall In Love With Dance!
All are Welcome to Join
Have you always wanted to take a ballet class but couldn’t find one that was accessible? Well, now is the time! MindsEye is proud to partner with Vitality in Motion to offer a virtual beginners’ ballet class with audio description! This is a fun and adaptive beginner ballet class for adults of all ages and abilities led by Vanessa Woods, owner of Vitality In Motion. Vanessa is a former professional dancer with the Saint Louis Ballet and brings her adaptive virtual ballet classes to adults across the country through her work with Vitality In Motion. Learn a new skill and have a fun workout, right from home, in this inclusive virtual ballet class. You will focus on learning the traditional arm and feet positions of ballet along with flowing steps and stretches all set to beautiful music. Ballet is great for posture, stretching, coordination, strengthening and can be an inspiring outlet to explore artistic movement of the body.
You can track your progression over four classes on Thursday evenings, February 4, 11, 18, and 25th from 6 to 6:30PM in the comfort of your own home via Zoom. A MindsEye audio describer who is knowledgeable in dance will provide open audio description to assist as needed. This four-session class is offered at no cost to individuals who are blind or visually impaired and their allies.
Important: Space is limited, so be sure to register here:
This free class is made possible through a grant from the Arts and Education Council Arts and Healing Initiative.
Announcement: From the Goddess of the ACB Convention…
Janet Dickelman
Dates and theme for the 2021 ACB virtual Conference and Convention
ACB – Better Together Wherever we are
July 16th through July 23rd.
Due to the timing of the 2021 Olympics, the Convention dates have been moved forward a week to enable convention attendees to enjoy the Primetime Olympics broadcasts in Audio Description.
Please feel free to contact Janet with any questions either via phone (651) 428-5059 or email
A new way to make Valentine’s day a “touching” holiday!
Get Ready for Valentine’s Day!
Don’t monkey around! This delightful print/braille card is a perfect way to tell your friends how special they are.
This year’s Valentine features a cute turtle telling his adorable chimp friend, “You’re chimply the best!” On the back of the card is a “braille decoder” to help friends and family read the message in braille.
The print/braille Valentines are the perfect way to promote braille among family, friends, and classmates.
20 print/braille Valentines plus envelopes: $12 Large Packs: 32 print/braille Valentines plus envelopes: $15
Announcement: More from NBP
Helping Teachers of the Visually Impaired
This has been a hard year for teachers, and we’re more aware than ever of the minimal resources both teachers and their students have access to. When it comes to teachers of blind or visually impaired students (TVIs), the lack of resources is even more apparent.
National Braille Press is looking to develop a new program that will provide braille resources directly to TVIs but we need your help to determine which resources are needed most!
We want to hear from:
TVIs
Orientation & Mobility Instructors
Paraprofessionals
Classroom Teachers
Anyone who works with blind or visually impaired students.
Your feedback is critical to helping us develop a new program! Please take the time to share your experience by completing this brief survey, and sharing it with others:
Photo Caption: The Lunar New Year tactile greeting card, a red and yellow Chinese lantern with the words Happy New Year in English and Braille
Are you ready to celebrate the first day of the new year? Lunar New Year that is.
Lunar New Year is the beginning of a calendar year where the months are cycles of the moon and is celebrated in many East and South Asian countries. In San Francisco, where LightHouse is headquartered, Lunar New Year has been celebrated by the Chinese American community since the 1860s. There are twelve Chinese Zodiac signs, each one being an animal. Each lunar year is assigned an animal in a repeating twelve-year cycle. This Lunar New Year, which falls on February 12 on the Gregorian calendar, is the Year of the Ox. The ox symbolizes attributes such as confidence and determination.
On the front is a Red Paper Lantern with red tassels, emblazoned in gold with the Chinese character “fu” (meaning good fortune). The card reads “Happy New Year” on the front, and “Wishing you happiness and good fortune” on the inside. The card is 5.5 by 8.5 inches and comes with an envelope.
Haven’t heard about the Holman Prize yet? Here’s more info.
Now in its fifth year, the Holman Prize for Blind Ambition annually awards up to $25,000 each to three blind people from around the world with incredible ideas that will shatter misconceptions about blindness worldwide. We are thrilled to announce this year that one of the $25,000 prizes is sponsored by one of our close partners, Waymo https://lighthouse-sf.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f40e17a83bbae60b5969a0798&id=46b1d40d93&e=d4dd5f649a>.
The Holman Prize named after James Holman, a blind 19th century explorer who is the most prolific private traveler of anyone, blind or sighted, before the era of modern transportation.
The only qualifications for the Holman Prize are that you must be blind (including legally blind and partially sighted) and that you must be 18 years old by October 1, 2021.
But if you’re not quite ready to upload your 90-second YouTube pitch and fill out the application, there’s no need to worry; applications close on March 14 at 11:59 pm Pacific.
Check out our Holman Prize frequently asked questions
From the Editor: This newsletter, LightHouse Lately, may be from an organization based in San Francisco, however, it contains treasures that are not so local! This weekly newsletter highlights upcoming LightHouse events and classes plus the latest trends in technology, advocacy and other issues of interest to our community.
The January episode of the GDUI Juno report is now airing on ACB Radio Mainstream, see schedule below.
This month we feature content from ACB’s Advocacy call regarding implementation of the newly adopted regulations on air travel and service animals. This informative presentation will bring you up to date with what is known about how airlines will implement the regulations. Stay tuned for more updates as well.
The GDUI Juno report airs on ACB Radio Mainstream on:
Thursdays— 4 and 7 AM/PM;
Sunday — 9PM;
Monday— 12AM, 9AM, and 12PM.
The podcast will be available mid-month. A direct link to the podcast feed is:
Ask Alexa or Siri to play the GDUI Juno report podcast. Note that for this to work on your I device, you must have apple Podcasts installed, but you do not have to be subscribed to listen.
Announcement: now available: A book by one of our members.
Fifty Years of Walking with Friends
by: DeAnna Quietwater Noriega
C 2021
In e-book and print from Amazon, Smashwords, and other online sellers. 271 pages in print.
Announcement: Very interesting research study seeking participants
I am a PhD researcher at the Queen Mary University of London. I am investigating and designing auditory overviews of routes for planning a journey for blind and visually impaired users. As part of my PhD research, I am conducting a web-based study to investigate the strategies behind route choices made by blind and visually impaired individuals when planning for a journey and also determining whether my system is useful for this. I would like to invite you to participate in my study. The study is completely online, with no physical contact at all. It will take approximately 2 to 2.5 hours and conducted over Zoom. There will be a £20 compensation for your time. An information sheet for the study is included as an attachment.
If you are interested in participating, please contact me at n.aziz@qmul.ac.uk
From the editor: I participated in this study and found the concept intriguing.
Article: AccessAbility Works
Kirk Adams, Leading the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Into Its Next 100 Years.
Friends, We are happy to report that there is another episode of AccessAbility Works—a podcast about the possibilities of accessibility for people with disabilities.
In this episode, titled Kirk Adams, Leading the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) Into Its Next 100 Years. You will meet someone who is not just an accomplished leader, but a trusted friend and colleague. Learn about his childhood growing up as a person who happened to be blind and how he adapted and overcame obstacles he confronted daily. Kirk also shares his plans for the AFB’s next 100 years.
AccessAbility Works is a podcast that advocates for authentic inclusion and digital equity —ensuring that organizations’ digital offerings, websites, mobile apps, and work environments are accessible and usable to people of all abilities. We are passionate about the importance of positioning Ability alongside Race, Gender, Orientation and Religion in both our social and corporate cultures. We discuss the value of true inclusion and how maximizing the full use and functionality of digital platforms and technologies makes good business sense.
Through interviews with thought leaders, advocates, and industry experts, we make the business case for digital equity and how it can be a win/win for corporate America in addition to just being the right thing to do.
If you have a topic of interest for the show or know someone you would like to see join us on AccessAbility Works, write us at podcast@MyBlindSpot.org. Don’t forget, you can download or subscribe to AccessAbility Works podcast wherever you get your podcasts, or you can go to https://myblindspot.org/accessabilityworks and listen there too.
Be sure to keep an ear out for our next podcast featuring the unstoppable Caroline Casey, if you’re not charmed by her lilting Irish accent, you’ll be inspired by her amazing story and drive to make the world more accessible for people of all abilities.
Article: Ice cream for dogs? Even pets are eating their pandemic feelings.
Ben & Jerry’s debuts super-premium ice cream treats for dogs
By: Laura Reiley
Jan. 15, 2021
(excerpted from
Ben & Jerry’s announced the debut of Doggie Desserts. Rosie’s Batch was named after precious, pup, Rosie, who lives with Sarah from Ben & Jerry’s consumer insights department.
We’ve reached peak pet. There’s really nowhere else to go. Animal shelters are out of dogs. Tech conventions are debuting cat exercise equipment and, more creepily, headless, robotic lap cats with very swishy tails.
How do we know we’ve planted our flag at the pinnacle of pet obsession? One of the best-known premium ice cream companies has gone to the dogs. Ben & Jerry’s this week announced the debut of Doggie Desserts: four-ounce cups of mostly nondairy frozen treats, one featuring pumpkin with cookies and another with peanut butter and pretzels. It’s nondairy because some dogs, like some people, don’t tolerate lactose well; the base is sunflower seed butter, the same as Ben & Jerry’s nondairy frozen confections for humans. And therein is the essence. During the pandemic, ice cream sales have surged. Over the 52 weeks ending Sept. 6, in-home ice cream expenditures were up 13.4 percent and unit sales increased by 8.4 percent, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI.
Creamy, frozen treats have provided succor during these difficult times. And we want man’s best friend to be right there with us on the couch, eating our feelings.
A spice boom has left manufacturers scrambling, and packaging materials can’t keep up
The urge to anthropomorphize and accessorize the animals we live with has gained steam. Between 2013 and 2019, pet stuff has been one of the fastest-growing spending categories, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Surveys. In 2013, we spent about the same on our pets ($57.8 billion) as we did on alcohol ($55.8 billion). By 2019, we spent $13.5 billion more on our pets than on alcohol: $90 billion to alcohol’s $76.5 billion. We also spent more than twice as much on our pets as we did on major appliances, fresh fruit or tobacco products that year. Spending on dog treats alone has jumped 44 percent from 2015 to 2020, with pet owners spending $5.5 billion on them last year, according to data firm Euromonitor.
This is not news to Ben & Jerry’s, and its parent company, Unilever, a titan in the ice cream business. (Its brands dominate the freezer aisle: Magnum, Breyers, Klondike, Talenti, Good Humor and Popsicle.) There have been ice creams for dogs in the past — Frosty Paws, Pooch Creamery, Dairy Queen offers a Pup Cup and Starbucks whips up Puppuccinos so you can watch them scoot the cup around the floor — but this represents the first nonhuman foray into the “super-premium” category. Lindsay Bumps, global marketing specialist for Ben & Jerry’s and a certified veterinary nurse, says the idea for the product surfaced last February, right before the pandemic reached the United States. We have too much beer (and soda, and seltzer), and not enough cans. “Treats are such a big category. I might go to the vet with my dog and he did so great I want to take him for a Pup Cup,” she said (companion: a French bulldog named Spock). “It normally takes about 12 months to launch a product, but we had to adjust our ways of working, because we all started working from home.” Nonetheless, the project entailed a flavor guru (her companion: a Great Pyrenees named Boone who prefers the pumpkin flavor), the innovation team, a nutrition consultant, a regulatory consultant and lengthy negotiations over flavors and size. Then there was the focus-grouping: According to Bumps, in ordinary times, the Ben & Jerry’s Vermont headquarters has an average of 40 “Canine to Fivers” on premise any given day. Still, these work-from-home dogs weighed in. Cat owners are restive now. What about us? According to Bumps, dogs have receptors for sweet like humans, while cats do not. Sweet feline folderol would be lost on them.
Bumps suggests trying the product out slowly on pooches, scooping a little into a bowl to see how it is digested. There are no verboten ingredients, such as chocolate or coffee, but it’s still a good idea to take it slow. She says more flavors will probably be added down the pike. The treats — offered in mini-cups or multipacks priced between $2.99 and $4.99 — will debut next week but won’t be located in the B & J section next to Cherry Garcia or Chunky Monkey. They will be in the frozen “novelties” section next to bars and ice cream sandwiches. Might a human eat them by mistake? “They are very clearly for dogs, with dog tags for the flavor names,” Bumps says, and the stories of the flavors’ namesakes, Ben & Jerry’s staff dogs Pontch and Rosie, on the back. But what if you accidentally grabbed a cup for yourself? “You can absolutely eat them. I’ve tried,” Bumps says. “They are delicious.”
From the Editor: Mr. A says he needs this for Valentine’s day, our anniversary, or simply just because!
Article: The American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project
Announces Call for Nominations for the Thirteenth Annual ADP Awards-2021
The Audio Description Project (ADP) is a wide-ranging audio description promotion and production initiative with goals that include-
– building advocacy on behalf of audio description;
– offering a range of educational resources and working to establish nationally acknowledged user-focused guidelines for quality description in its various genres as well as a professionally recognized certification program for audio describers;
– encouraging growth of audio description with an emphasis on the involvement of AD users/consumers, especially youth;
– disseminating information on audio description and provide general support for regional, state, and local forums;
– encouraging studies on audio description particularly with respect to its efficacy as a technique for conveying visual images and its impact on literacy for children and others.
We urge you to recognize someone who has contributed significantly to the growth of audio description. Submitting a nomination is easy! It’s a three-step process:
Winners announced during a plenary general session of the American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention in July 2021 (the 2021 Conference and Convention sessions will be held virtually via ZOOM and also broadcast on ACB Radio).
This year’s ADP Awards include a call for nominations in nine categories:
– Achievement in Audio Description – Media / Organizations
– Achievement in Audio Description – Media / Individuals
– Achievement in Audio Description – Performing Arts / Organizations
– Achievement in Audio Description – Performing Arts / Individuals
I know we hear it all the time, “where has the time gone?” or, “How can it already be the third week of December?” Well… perhaps we hear that all the time because it is true. So, Where and How?
I have been putting writing this message as I feel conflicted about how I want to characterize 2020. My immediate, unthought out, response is that 2020 can’t be behind Mr. A’s tale, kind of like a huge, stinky pile of “busy, busy”, fast enough! However, upon reflection, I don’t actually want all of 2020 to be scooped up in a pick-up bag and tossed, just much of it!
I find myself reluctant to write off this year completely. Along with the drastic changes, extreme social and physical isolation, guide work frustrations, and worry that are part and parcel of COVID-19 – along with deep abiding personal challenges and losses- 2020 has also presented some silver linings along with its heap of horrible! As Mr. A and I stride along the snowy sidewalks of our neighborhood- his tail wagging, the leash loose, and sun shining down on us- I choose to believe this moment in time is a harbinger of better things in 2021.
Speaking of better things, this issue is packed with great stuff: advice to puppies from grown guides, stories about a future guide, another about a newly minted team, a seasonal poem, a tribute to a guide, informative announcements and articles, and, of course we have the message from our awesome leader woman! Read on, we have it all! Wishing you sanity in a time of COVID Craziness! May 2021 be a year that doesn’t drive us to resort to single ply paper towels! Sending physically distant hugs and wags, Andrea and Mr. A
From the President: Hello GDUI members and friends!
Lakota and I want to wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday season! No matter what type of beliefs and celebrations you hold dear to your heart, we wish you an enjoyable and special time with your loved ones.
This past year has certainly been a time of challenges, leading us to live our lives differently than ever before. The Covid 19 virus has struck so many people, loss of lives and has tested each one of us in ways we never knew we could endure. My heart goes out to those who lost a family member, friend or both from this terrible virus.
During these past months as we had to be in isolation or quarantine, it has been a blessing to have our GDUI family and friends to chat and correspond with on guide dog related issues we encountered during this pandemic. I want to thank each one of you for supporting your fellow GDUI members and friends as we move forward to a, hopefully, better 2021!
GDUI will be developing a fun-filled, fantastic and worthwhile 2021 virtual convention! We wish we could meet in person, but knowing more people can attend the virtual convention is very exciting!
We are having a town hall meeting (details later in this issue) with the ACB advocacy committee to chat about the new final release from the Department of Transportation (DOT), on traveling by air with a service dog. We will talk about the two forms developed by DOT that airlines may have you complete prior to boarding the aircraft.
Other community calls are in development. If you have any suggestions, please email them to me at president@guidedogusersinc.org.
As 2020 draws to a close, please remember to renew your GDUI membership! Reminders will be sent out on the chat lists. You can renew your membership by visiting our website at:
Thank you for supporting this wonderful organization, guide dog schools and one another! Everyone is an important and valued member. My door is always open to chat or explore new avenues!
Again, we wish you a very happy holiday and a bright and healthy New Year!
Warmest regards,
Sarah Calhoun & Lakota
GDUI President
Announcement: Aforementioned community call.
The American Council of the Blind (ACB) and Guide Dog Users Inc., (GDUI) advocacy committees will be holding a joint community call to discuss the final release by the Department of Transportation (DOT) traveling by air with a service dog. We will discuss the revised Aircraft Carrier Access Act (ACAA), forms to be completed by the service dog handler prior to boarding the aircraft and more.
Please join us on Monday, January 4, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. EST. The call-in information will be shared several days prior to the call.
Additional information on the final release by DOT:
Executive Summary
This final rule defines a service animal as a dog, regardless of breed or type, that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit
of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. It allows airlines to recognize emotional support animals as pets, rather than service animals, and permits airlines to limit the number of service animals that one passenger can bring onboard an aircraft to two service animals.
The final rule also allows airlines to require passengers with a disability traveling with a service animal to complete and submit to the airline a form,
developed by DOT, attesting to the animal’s training and good behavior, and certifying the animal’s good health. For flight segments of eight hours or
more, the rule allows airlines to require passengers to complete and submit a DOT form attesting that the animal has the ability either not to relieve
itself on a long flight or to relieve itself in a sanitary manner. In addition, this final rule allows airlines to require a service animal user to provide
these forms up to 48 hours in advance of the date of travel if the passenger’s reservation was made prior to that time. As an alternative, airlines may
require a passenger with a disability seeking to travel with a service animal in the cabin to provide the forms at the passenger’s departure gate on the
date of travel. However, the final rule prohibits airlines from requiring that a passenger physically check-in at the airport solely on the basis that
the individual is traveling with a service animal, thus ensuring that service animal users are not prevented from enjoying the same convenience-related
benefits provided to other passengers, such as online and curbside check-in. Service animal users may use the online check-in process available to the general public.
To read the final rule as published in the federal registry go to:
Overview: This is a special embossed Braille edition of The Times’s Disabilities Act at 30 newsprint section. With more than two dozen articles and first-hand stories, this extra-accessible publication explores how the Americans With Disabilities Act has shaped modern life for people with disabilities in the 30 years since it was passed.
Announcement: Christmas Eve ACB Radio Press Release
This year, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), VITAC, and The Lumistella Company are proud to offer a special radio broadcast of the animated holiday special, “Elf Pets: A Fox Cub’s Christmas Tale,” on ACB Radio, to make holiday cheer more widely available to all this season. The Christmas Eve program will also feature a special audio described production of Rory Hoffman’s “The Twelve Days of Christmas”, a visit from Santa himself, and live phone calls from kids. The program will close with an historic airing of an audio described version of the 2015 White House holiday greeting including a tour of The White House at Christmas time.
“The holidays are a wonderful time for gathering with family,” said Dan Spoone, president of the American Council of the Blind. “And even if you can’t be together physically, we can all join each other in our respective homes and listen to the sounds of the season. We’re grateful to the creators of The Elf on the Shelf® series, musician Rory Hoffman, and VITAC for the chance to share audio described versions of classic holiday entertainment. And Santa will be with us, too! What could be better?”
“Elf Pets: A Fox Cub’s Christmas Tale” will air at 7 PM ET on December 24, 2020. The program
For more information about the Audio Description Project:
Contact Joel Snyder, PhD, Director, ACB’s Audio Description Project
202 467-5083 – jsnyder@acb.org
ACB Radio is a non-profit, internet-based, audio-only live stream. You can listen at
You can also listen via telephone by calling (518) 906-1820 and selecting number 4 for the ACB Radio Café.
Announcement: It’s Not the Holidays ’til the Angels Sing
If COVID has made it impossible for you to attend your usual holiday concerts, then this might be just the ticket. Here is a zoom concert that the Angel City Chorale put together.
“Our concert has been made accessible to be enjoyed by all! Closed captioning (CC) is available, and for our blind and visually impaired friends, we have supplied descriptions of the concert’s visual elements. These descriptions are available as either a plain text file or an audio file.”
Announcement: More audio description news
The American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project Announces Its Seventeenth AUDIO DESCRIPTION INSTITUTE
From the Editor: I have to admit, with tremendous sheepishness, that I had never visited the Audio Description Project website to learn more about what was there. I remedied this because of the above two announcements. What a Treat I was in for! I found information on why audio description is needed in commercials, listings of Christmas-themed videos from popular streaming services, audio described DVDs and Blu-ray discs, and so much more! Check it all out!
Announcement: About the Wreaths… from a satisfied customer
I wanted to let you, and the GDUI board, know that the Christmas Wreath fundraiser was a hit with everyone I ordered a wreath for. I think it is a good fundraising project, and a good gift idea. I ordered 5 for family and friends. My husband said he was impressed with the quality and attractiveness of the wreath.
I just wanted to let you all know the wreath was a hit in the Hill-Kennedy household. I hope you all decide to do the wreath fundraiser again next year. I’ll order more!
Thanks,
Merrilee
(Merrilee, and everyone who supported GDUI by purchasing Wreaths, thanks heaps and piles!!
Sarah, Penny and Andrea
Article: Raising a Future Guide Dog
Hadley learning expert Jessica Smith shares her experience raising a puppy that may eventually become a guide dog. She covers what she’s learned and things to consider if you’d like to volunteer to help out a guide dog school.
A downloadable transcript is available on our site: hadley.edu
Article: Tribute to a Guide
(Michael, the editing team here at Paws apologizes for not publishing this sooner, technical difficulties caused the delay)
Ann’s retired guide dog, Hansel C. Byington, crossed over the rainbow bridge today. The C, was for “Clanger” because he loved to take his food dish out of the doggie diner and clang it over almost anything, he could hit it against. Hansel was a good guide for Ann, but his life also excelled in some other areas. He was a great social worker.
Ann was paired with Hansel in 2010 when he was at the age of two years. He had a lot of puppy left in him, but eventually he grew up to be a responsible guide. He was a gentle and loving dog, not only to us, but to others as well. We will provide some examples of this.
We have a friend, Angel, who has spent most Christmas days with us over many years. In 2012, Angel said she did not think she could come for Christmas, because one of her little dogs had just had puppies, and they were very young. They were not thriving yet, and she did not think she should leave them and the mother alone. We invited her to bundle the little mother dog and tiny puppies up and bring them with her. We were not sure how Hansel would react to this, but we thought we could keep them separated if necessary.
It was absolutely not necessary. Hansel was curious when they all arrived, but he ran up, looked in the basket once they were unbundled, and suddenly became very, very sweet and gentle. The little mother dog sensed his good will and did not try to get him to get away. She let him admire, and I believe, even nuzzle the puppies. Also, when Hansel and Ann came back from guide dog school at KSDS, we still had Ann’s retired guide dog, Cleo, living with us as well.
Cleo lived to be 15, so Hansel and she had several years together. Cleo had some medical problems, and needed our help sometimes, but she seemed happy and not ready to leave this world until the age of 15. When Cleo needed our help, particularly in the morning before we had gotten up, Hansel would bark to get us to come and help Cleo. When Cleo did finally die, later that day, Hansel sat stock still in front of Cleo’s doggie diner for over an hour seemingly in meditation. We think that perhaps their spirits were communicating.
In 2013, Michael’s cousin O.C. (Chip) king moved into the Byington’s big purple house with them. Chip was an over the road truck driver, but a medical incident had caused him to be off of the road. Chip had a rehabilitation process to go through, and Hansel immediately sensed Chip’s need. He was loving and supportive, and Chip and he used to go for long walks together. Hansel started sleeping with Chip in his room. Ann was still using Hansel as a guide, but she was developing a rather severe hearing impairment which did not allow her to travel as independently as she used to.
Hansel seemed to substitute the tasks that Ann no longer was asking him to do with the goal of helping Chip recover his health in order to get back behind the wheel of an 18 wheeler. Chip was able to return to truck driving about a year and a half later in 2014, and moved out of the big purple house. There is no doubt, however, that Hansel contributed significantly to his recovery. Chip was killed in 2019 due to a trucking accident, not related to the medical problem which caused him to be off of the road for a while. He was delivering emergency supplies to hurricane victims in North Carolina at the time. Chip died doing what he loved to do, and Hansel deserves much of the credit for helping Chip be able to get back to his beloved profession of truck driving.
Shortly after Chip left the Byington’s big, purple house, Ann and Michael invited a member of their church, Gary Dashnaw to rent part of their big, purple house. Gary was a single gentleman who had some medical issues. He had had to leave his long-time job as a hospital intake worker because of these difficulties, and shortly after that, his car was stolen, he was assaulted by the car thief, and these things had further impacted both his physical and mental health. He had been living in a terrible apartment, and he was very depressed.
Hansel immediately seemed to understand Gary’s needs. He forced Gary back out of his shell, and Gary and Hansel started spending time at the local Topeka Bark Park. By this time Ann was losing quite a bit more hearing. She still benefitted from Hansel’s services as a guide. But she was not getting out and traveling as much as she used to, so Hansel had some additional time to offer to Gary. Gary thrived and was able to return to part time employment, and to a very full and active life.
Again, Ann and Michael are not sure that they could have helped Gary without Hansel. He really took the lead in Gary’s recovery. Gary died of effects of pancreatitis in 2017, but there is no doubt that Hansel allowed him to live a full and active life during his last three years. Hansel continued to be a very full and supportive part of Ann and Michael’s lives, and Ann still benefitted from his guide work some through the first part of 2018. In mid-2016, however, Hansel was diagnosed as having the beginnings of lymphoma cancer.
The vet said he could continue to be active, but said that, on average, dogs with this diagnosis, made at this stage of the disease, usually lived about another two years. The vet recommended no aggressive treatment. By the time of the diagnosis, Hansel was eight years of age, and this prediction would have allowed him to live to around 10 years. Hansel outstripped the vet’s prediction, however. He was just a few days past the age of 12 upon his death.
We believe that part of the reason that Hansel was able to put the cancer into partial remission, and live an additional two years past what was predicted, was his love for Ann and Michael. Through Ann’s life, she has worked with six guide dogs. The loss of each has of course been very difficult. This one is perhaps the most difficult though, because, at age 72, and with a fairly severe hearing impairment, as well as total blindness, Ann does not have plans to train with a seventh guide dog. Hansel was more than a friend, not only to the two of us, but to others who became important and loved by us. He helped those others, and us, in more ways emotionally than we can ever define. The one comfort that we have with this loss, and that was not present for the loss of the other guide dogs is that we know that Chip and Gary will again get to commune with their buddy, Hansel.
Hansel C. Byington, February 12, 2008—March 4, 2020
Article: How to Train a Raiser
(Please know that this is shared in good fun, all of us, guides and handlers alike, have the upmost respect, gratitude and awe for the stupendous, amazing, astounding, astonishing, extraordinary, and remarkable job you do in shaping and transforming little wiggly pups in to mature, confident, well-mannered dogs!)
Ok Puppies, your mission is to train your raiser to the best of your ability. Here are a few suggestions to get you off to a good start.
“Puppy eyes” These are the first and foremost of your assets. You will use them first thing off the puppy truck to “hook” your raiser and you will use them often afterward. Practice “the look”. Use it early. Use it often.
“Puppy breath” This is the second thing raisers can’t resist. It only lasts a short while, so take full advantage of it. It won’t be long before your raiser is saying,”eww!” to your kisses. Early training in enticing hugs is essential.
“The Grab and Run” This is a game where you grab something (preferably something forbidden, like a shoe) and run with it. Your raiser should be fast enough to quickly step on your dragline. However, for first time raisers this is a real challenge. Even experienced raisers have to relearn this skill. It is your job to give them enough practice that they stay in top form.
“The Disappearing Food Act” In this game, it is your job to eat your meal as quickly as possible. Pushing your food bowl around the room at the same time is particularly helpful. Your raiser is sure to assume you are “starving”. It won’t be long before he/she is telling the club leader that you need more food.
“You Expect Me to Eat That?” This is just the opposite of the previous idea. This time after you have been given the “OK” to eat, you just sit and stare at the bowl. I know this is hard, but the results are well worth it. Both of these ideas make sure your raiser is keeping a good eye on you.
“You Want to Do WHAT to My Nails” Raisers think it is their job to keep your nails as short as possible. It is your job to be as wiggly as you can. This helps teach your raiser patience. This also works well with ear cleaning, tooth brushing and grooming.
“The Pull and Lag” I know this sounds contradictory, but that is the idea. In this training session you alternately switch between lunging ahead and lagging behind. It will eventually get you a correction, but it is sure to keep your raiser on his/her toes. This is important in training a good raiser.
“I Can’t Hear You!” This lesson can be lots of fun. When given a command, just pretend you didn’t hear it. An inexperienced raiser will often repeat the command several times until you comply. It is your job to teach your raiser to only tell you something only one time. Once they start to get the hang of this you can gradually
increase your obedience response.
“The Perfect Puppy” This one has to be my favorite exercise. When you are old enough to go out, always be “the perfect puppy” on outings. In combination with your good looks, this polite behavior always invites comments from the adoring public. It is great publicity for all of us Guide Dogs and the boost of confidence makes your raiser work even harder.
So, puppies, as you go out on your journey to becoming a Guide Dog, use these basic principles to train your raiser. Your program depends on you to make sure your raiser is properly educated. Enjoy your family and keep up the good work!
Article: This poem, like the proverbial fruit cake, has been passed around- year after year, guide handler to puppy raiser to instructor, and from inbox to inbox, – many times, however, it is simply that good, and that unstoppable! *smile*
‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Copyright C 1996 Jenine Stanley
‘Twas the night before Christmas and the kennels were still,
with most dogs now asleep having eaten their fill.
The Labradors sprawled out, quite snug in their beds,
while visions of ANYTHING edible danced in their heads.
And the Goldens and Shepherds curled up on the floor,
some twitched in their sleep and some even did snore.
The dog food was stacked in the feed room with care,
in hopes that a trainer soon would be there.
On the window ledge, one of the kennel cats lay,
surveying the lawn at the end of this day.
Something was different, that little cat knew.
Tonight something would happen, it had to be true.
For that day as the workers had left to go home,
They’d wished Merry Christmas! before starting to roam.
The dogs had noticed it to during this past week’s walks,
the trainers seemed just that much happier and eager to talk.
In the mall where they worked through the maze of people and stores,
there were decorations and music and distractions galore!
Most dogs pranced along without worry or fear,
but some balked at the man on the sleigh and those fake looking deer.
The cat was almost asleep when he first heard the sound,
a whoosh through the air and a jingle around.
It reminded him of a dog’s collar when the animal shook,
but this sound kept on growing. He’d better go look.
From the ceiling there came a faint sort of thunk,
as the kennel cat climbed to the highest pile of junk.
Once before people had worked on the roof,
and come down through the trap door to a chorus of “Woooof!”
But the dogs still were quiet, all sleeping so sound,
as this man dressed in red made his way right on down.
He patted the cat as he climbed past his spot,
then made his way right to the trainers’ coffee pot.
A shepherd sat up, not fully awake,
then a Golden followed her with a mighty loud shake.
That did it! All the dogs sprang to life with loud noise.
In spite of the din, the old man kept his poise.
He filled the pot full and it started to brew,
then he pulled up a chair and took in the view.
Dogs all around him, so carefully bred,
he knew well their jobs, the blind people they led.
Some had stopped barking and looked at him now,
while others delighted in their own deafening howl.
Laying a finger in front of his lips,
the jolly old man silenced the excitable yips.
“You all may not know me, but I’m Santa Claus,”
the old man smiled and took a short pause,
While he filled up his mug with hot liquid and cream,
“I’ve always wanted to stop here. It’s been one of my dreams.”
The cat had climbed down and was exploring Santa’s sack.
“Yes, little kitty, that’s an empty pack.”
Santa smiled as he drank and looked at those eyes,
deep brown ones and gold ones held wide in surprise.
Some of these dogs, he’d seen just last year,
He’d seen the effects of a pup on the tree,
but now they were here at the school, just waiting to be.
“I didn’t bring you presents or bones just to chew.
I’ll tell you something better, what you are going to do.”
“You all will work hard and the trainers will share,
both praise and correction, gentle and fair.”
“You’ll go lots of places and face big scary things.
You’ll ride buses and subways and hear fire sirens ring.”
“Cars will drive at you but you will stand strong,
not moving into danger, not moving toward wrong.”
“And then just when you think that this trainer’s the best,
the kindest, and funnest person, toss away all the rest,”
“That trainer will begin to ignore you and give you away,
handing your leash over despite your dismay.
“Now the person who pets you and feeds you will be
a blind person. That’s a person who can’t see.”
” This man or this woman may see just a tad,
but their view’s missing parts or the focus is bad.”
“So you, well trained dogs, will act as their eyes.
You will work as a team and discover the size”
“Of this great world we live in, because you will go
a million new places with this person, you know.”
Santa sipped at his coffee and looked over the brood,
knowing what he had to say next might sound kind of rude.
“Not all of you will make it and become canine guides.
Your time here isn’t wasted though. You won’t be cast aside.”
“Some of you will be drug dogs and some will find bombs.
Some will become pets in a home with a dad and a mom.”
“All these things are important. People wait on long lists,
to receive such good dogs as you, the school folks insist.”
The last drop of coffee had gone into his cup
as Santa turned, smiling at each wide-eyed pup.
“The best gift of all is to give something back.
That’s why there’s nothing for you all inside of my pack.”
Draining his mug, Santa went to each pen,
and petted and scratched each dog again and again.
“Now next year and many more years after that,
you all will give gifts wherever you’re at.”
“You might lick a hand that’s had a bad day,
Or notice a car and step out of the way.”
“You might help catch a crook or discover some loot,
Or just bring some joy to a tired old man in a funny red suit.”
“Your master will love you and treat you with care.
In return, your training and trust will always be there.”
After the last dog had been petted and soothed,
Santa put away the coffee pot and made ready to move.
Up the ladder he rose to the door high above,
with a smile and a wave as he slipped on his gloves.
And all the dog ears were pricked as he disappeared out of sight.
“merry Christmas to all, and to all a Good Night!”
Article: (Shared by the DisabilityGrapeVine)
Sarah, Penny and I- personally and on behalf of GDUI- thank the Disability Grapevine for keeping us so well informed and so often being the voice of reason & transparency that saves our sanity!
Dogs trained to detect people infected with COVID-19 – by sniffing their armpits
MAISONS-ALFORT, France – While a vaccine for the coronavirus will help stop the pandemic’s spread, finding everyone who may be carrying the virus is still an issue. Luckily, man’s best friend is now on the case. Researchers in France are helping to specially train dogs to detect people infected with COVID-19 – by sniffing their armpits.
A new study that has seen pilot programs spring up around the world has
discovered that dogs can sniff out coronavirus in the sweat of humans. Thanks to their famously acute sense of smell, dogs have been rooting out drugs, explosives, and even successfully picking up diseases like cancer for years. A team of French scientists have now shown man’s best friend can also help save lives during the pandemic by spotting the virus.
The French scientists are now showing how our furry friends can also help save lives during the pandemic by spotting virus clues. An early experiment suggested canines could be between 75 and 100 percent effective at detecting the disease with their noses.
Dogs paw-trolling airports for COVID?
The technique has already been piloted in several countries including the UEA, Lebanon, Finland, Australia, and elsewhere. Travelers may already have seen the specially trained dogs at some airports, but researchers are still trying to prove, without a doubt, that dogs can pick up the scent before the method is fully adopted. The team behind the study hope their findings will mean dogs could help with COVID aid in parts of the world without the infrastructure for expensive mass testing programs. The loveable animals could be used anywhere however, with the hope that invasive nasal swabs could be replaced by a simple sweat sample taken from the armpit for a dog to sniff.
Mass testing alternative?
Professor Dominique Grandjean, from the National Veterinary School of Alfort in France, says the dogs could check a large number of people in a short period of time. “The results are good and I’m happy, really happy,” Grandjean says in a statement, per SWNS. “It is a success technically and scientifically and it’s surprising because we didn’t know what we were going to have as results.” During the study, which started in March, the researchers recruited six dogs previously trained to sniff out bombs, colon cancer, or were used in search and rescue missions and re-trained to detect COVID-19. They then collected sweat samples from 177 people (95 with COVID-19 and 82 without) and then placed the samples inside cones for the dogs to sniff. In trials, the dogs successfully picked out the infected sweat when examining a line-up of mock and negative samples. Although the published study is just a “proof of concept” and cannot be taken as absolute proof, Professor Grandjean and his team have now carried out further studies to validate their results and have more planned in 2021. They have also issued a “practical guide” to other academics to help others in their research and are building up a set of “international training standards” for dogs.
“We have been validated by the World Health Organization and they have given us a bit of money which is good. “Probably the country which is the most advanced now is the UAE, where they have dogs in three international airports. They are deploying some mobile units to go to the villages and to the people that might be more exposed to the virus,” the professor explains. “For us here the idea was, of course, the airports but I can imagine a small city having a couple of dogs and just saying to the population ‘you can be tested whenever you want.’ You just come and put a swab under your armpit and give that to the dog and he will tell you yes or no. The dogs would be able to do that very quickly on a large number of people.” Grandjean adds that dogs could also be used where people are reluctant to have uncomfortable nasal swab tests. “We have been working with lots of countries. I think we have 20 countries working for us. It’s amazing, really amazing,” Professor Grandjean concludes.
Sincerely,
Sarah Calhoun, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Andrea Giudice, Editor
Paws for GDUI News You Can Use
Penny Reeder, Co-editor and GDUI Immediate Past President
From our house to your house, Lakota and I want to wish you, your furry four legged faithful pups, family and friends a very enjoyable, happy and healthy holiday! Whether you visit in person or by a telephone call, reaching out and connecting with others is the best gift of all.
This year has been quite a difficult year dealing with COVID-19. We have had to stay home, limit our travel, unable to congregate with others, which not only has put a strain on us, but our guide dogs as well.
We have been challenged like no other time in our life, but it has not stopped our creativity, inspirations and opportunity as we developed new ways to interact with our guide dogs, keeping their minds and spirit in tip top shape.
GDUI offers several avenues to interact with fellow guide dog handlers and supporters through our chat lists, website, “Paws, News You Can Use” newsletter and upcoming community calls!
We are planning several community calls through our Zoom platform offering a time to share your thoughts, tips and tricks related to guide dogs, schools and more! GDUI will have guest speakers from various areas within the guide dog community!
If you have any suggestions for a community call or would like to submit an article for Paws, please let us know by sending an email to:
As this year comes to an end and we ready ourselves to welcome 2021, my wish and hope for you, our GDUI family and friends throughout the world, is to regain our sense of security, normal living, ability to interact with others face to face, travel, good health and Peace for all.
We wish everyone a bright and healthy holiday season and New Year!
Sarah Calhoun & Lakota
GDUI President
Article: Canine COVID-19 humor
The Puzzle
By Enzo (about the author: Enzo is a 68 pound German Shepherd dog from The Seeing Eye Inc.)
Humans are such a puzzle.
They do many things confusing.
My lady wears a muzzle.
It is not at all amusing.
Each time we go out the door,
Does she fear she might bite someone?
She never wore one before.
We walk, but we don’t have much fun.
Other folks wear muzzles, too.
Perhaps they know showing their teeth,
Is quite a rude thing to do.
Muzzles might hide smiles beneath
Article: WHEN A GUIDE DOG CAN’T LEAD
By: Deb Trevin
I am congenitally, totally blind. When I was five, I went to the Kentucky School for the Blind in Louisville. Along with the usual subjects, we learned skills such as traveling with a cane, writing braille and alternative methods for accomplishing daily tasks. Although I was a competent cane traveler, I felt insecure and unnatural using the cane.
At age 20, I went to The Seeing Eye facility in Morristown, NJ and was introduced to Darla. She was an 18-month old black lab who seemed more mature than I.
The first time I picked up the harness and said, “Darla, Forward,” I felt like I was flying! This must be what it’s like to travel when you can see where you are going. I entered a magical world of mutual trust and interdependence as I learned to walk by Darla’s side, following her subtle movements as she guided me around obstacles.
The seasons of my life were marked by the succession of my dogs. Darla was with me when I got my first job; Coquette as I began Bible College and Twyla when I graduated. Rita was with me when I learned of my husband’s illness, through his death and into my journey to Seminary.
With one year of seminary remaining, I learned that dear, gentle Rita had lung cancer. In spite of the diagnosis, she worked until the day before her death. We only had seven years together. How could this be the end?
On a cold January day in 2013, I opened my heart to Suzy, a petite black lab/golden mix with enough spunk, curiosity, and vitality for two dogs her size. She bounced into my life and has been a speed walker ever since.
To challenge her intelligence, I must provide lots of play and games. Because she is so eager, play often means that I hide and she must stay sitting until she hears, “Suzy, come.” She races to “find” me and gets a piece of kibble as a reward.
I am a Presbyterian Pastoral Candidate. When we greet people following a church service, Suzy takes this quite seriously. She leans forward so that she can be the first to welcome her friends. Her eagerness multiplies as she sees people whose cars we have ridden in as this could mean an adventure.
This time of social isolation has been stressful for my social butterfly. She knows my schedule—which night is choir practice, which afternoon means we attend our writers’ group, Sunday mornings when we leave home early for take-out breakfast followed by praise band and choir practice before church begins.
Suzy knows the sound of the truck which picks us up on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. She jumps onto the back seat and vigorously licks the faces of the couple in the front seat.
No doubt, she is wondering what has changed the way we do things. Now, when we go for a walk, Suzy doesn’t understand why people back away from her when she gets close to them on the sidewalk. The directive that we should stay six feet apart means nothing to her. The few times we have gone into a grocery store, she ignores the arrows on the floor which are meaningless to her, and which I can’t see. We have one friend who still comes over every two weeks or so to read mail. Suzy proudly greets her at the door with her favorite bone as if to ask, “Did you come over to play with me? Bet you can’t get my bone.”
I’d been planning to attend two significant conferences this summer, just as we did last summer. As I learned that one had been changed to a virtual event and the other cancelled for the year, I thought of how Suzy thrives in an environment where there is always something to do and people to see.
Dog guides are intended to help those who are blind to be more active and involved with the community around us. Social distancing and sheltering in place are contrary to their nature and training.
It is my responsibility to find ways to keep Suzy alert and ready to work. This sometimes means extra obedience practice, extra walks, more play, and extra cuddle time so that she stays secure and optimistic.
I stay worry-free and focused on the time when COVID-19 will be behind us, knowing that Suzy depends entirely on me for her sense of well-being and contentment.
So far, I’ve managed to keep her from engaging in regressive bad doggy behavior, such as chewing things that don’t belong to her and stealing food. This indicates that she is not overly stressed and that I’m keeping her occupied at a time when there is little guide work for her to do.
During this time of uncertainty when Suzy can’t work to her full potential, I wonder what she is feeling. This has me recall her biggest emotional upset. She was significantly distressed when we moved from Kentucky to Delaware. With several people coming and going, stacks of boxes reaching over my head with narrow aisles between them, Suzy couldn’t find a place of her own. It took me a few days to shift our belongings so that I could set up her “house.” Suzy calmed noticeably when she could surround herself with her favorite blanket and toys.
Even though my guide dog has the stress of not being able to lead me during this time of COVID-19 regulations, at least she is able to get a good night’s sleep. I smile as I hear my girl breathing deeply on the foot of my bed.