Dear GDUI Members and Friends,
If you haven’t already, it’s time to vote! We are now in the middle of the week which GDUI has set aside to provide our members the opportunity to vote in our 2018 elections. If you haven’t cast your ballot yet, we are hoping we can persuade you to do so, either today, or during the rest of this voting week, which will end at 11:59 EDT on Sunday, June 3.
Your unique individual Voter I.D. Number arrived in your e-mail in box, or on a post card in your postal mailbox late last week. You can locate the e-mail message by searching for, “GDUI Ballot.” If you’ve been a member of GDUI since April 5, you should have received that initial e-mail message, and if you haven’t voted yet, it’s likely that you received another e-mail message yesterday, reminding you to vote, and including, once again, your individual voter identification number, as well as the link for voting online, the phone number to call for casting your ballot via touch tone, and an additional number to call if you would like to dictate your votes to a live VoteNow assistant
Do you need a reminder about our candidates or the positions which they are seeking to fill? Visit our 2018 Elections Information Page here: https://guidedogusersinc.org/gdui-2018-elections-news/.
GDUI is pleased to make our election process universally available to all members who joined or renewed by the Date of Record (required by the DC Not-for-Profit Code). We are proud that our system is accessible for all our members, and, like you, we look forward to a successful conclusion to election week for 2018!
Vote today! It’s easy! It’s quick! It’s accessible! And, it’s essential!
Thank you again to Pauline Lamontagne, Chair of our GDUI 2018 Nominations Committee, and to the committee members, and to all of you for participating in our democracy by casting your votes.
The May 19, 2018 GDUI Board Meeting recording is available here:
Drop Box:
Send Space:
https://www.sendspace.com/file/0vq503
Play back number:
712-432-1085
Access code: 919245 followed by the pound (#) key.
We were so pleased and appreciative of the time that Tony Stephens, ACB’s Director of Advocacy and Governmental Relations, spent at the beginning of our board meeting to talk about the U. S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rule Making (ANPRM),for the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which had been released earlier that week, as well as proposed legislation in the House, where a bill has already passed, and the Senate, which has yet to bring a bill up for voting, regarding access for guide dogs, service animals, and so-called emotional support animals on transportation and in other public venues. If you missed Tony’s informative remarks and the discussion which ensued, we urge you to take advantage of the available meeting recording to listen and learn. Thanks again, Tony! We are so pleased to be working closely with ACB and others to make sure that revised regulations meet our needs and reinforce our hard-won civil rights.
More about the ANPRM:
The Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Traveling By Air with Service Animals can be found HERE: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOT-OST-2018-0068-0001.
In this ANPRM, the Department solicits comment on:
* Treating psychiatric service animals similar to other service animals;
* Distinguishing between emotional support animals and other service animals;
* Requiring emotional support animals to travel in pet carriers for the duration of the flight;
* Limiting the species of service animals and emotional support animals that airlines are required to transport;
* Limiting the number of service animals/emotional support animals required to be transported per passenger;
* Requiring service animal and emotional support animal users confirm that their animal has been trained to behave in a public setting;
* Requiring service animals and emotional support animals have a harness, leash, or other tether with narrow exceptions;
* Limiting the size of emotional support animals or other service animals that travel in the cabin and the potential impact of such a limitation;
* Prohibiting airlines from requiring a veterinary health form or immunization record from service animal users without an individualized assessment that the animal would pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others or would cause a significant disruption in the aircraft cabin; and
* No longer holding U.S. airlines responsible if a passenger traveling under the U.S. carrier’s code is only allowed to travel with a service dog on a flight operated by its foreign code share partner.
You may download the ANPRM here: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=DOT-OST-2018-0068-0001.
The U.S Department of Transportation stated the ANPRM “is intended to address the significant concerns raised by individuals with disabilities, other members of the public, airlines, flight attendants, airports and other stakeholders regarding service animals on aircraft. The Department recognizes the integral role that service animals play in the lives of many individuals with disabilities and wants to ensure seamless access to air transportation for individuals with disabilities while also helping to deter the fraudulent use of animals not qualified as service animals.”
GDUI will be working closely with ACB and other disability advocacy organizations to evaluate the proposed regulations and assure that any proposed changes will protect our rights to travel, unburdened by excess bureaucracy or obtrusive requirements, with our guide dogs. Please stay in touch and remain informed about this important issue. We will be letting all of you know how you can participate in this important advocacy during coming weeks.
GDUI/ACB Convention News! It’s time to register!
Convention registration opened on Tuesday, May 15th. You can register online at https://acbconvention.org/ or by telephone by calling 800.866.3242. When you call, you will be asked to provide your name, telephone number, time zone, and the best time to reach you. ACB’s telephone registration cadre does make phone calls evenings and weekends.
For the first time this year, professionals can earn Continuing Education Credits when attending certain specific seminars and presentations.
During the 2018 American Council of the Blind Conference and Convention in St. Louis, Missouri, rehabilitation teachers and counselors, teachers of the visually impaired, low vision therapists, orientation and mobility specialists, and other professionals have opportunities to earn continuing education credits (CECs).
CEC eligible sessions are held June 30 through July 4. Credits are available for a wide range of specialized programs, workshops, seminars, and other events presented by ACB committees, special-interest affiliates, and representatives from government agencies and private industry. Subjects addressed include technology, transition, vocational goals, health issues, orientation and mobility, self-advocacy, braille, low vision issues, and more.
For details on the 50 sessions and events offering continuing education credits visit: https://acbconvention.org/?p=30.
Will you need a Wheelchair or a scooter while visiting the ACB/GDUI Convention? Contact
Provider Plus, Inc.
7748 Watson
St. Louis, MO 63119
314.961.8500
Weekly rate for scooters is $125.00,
Manual wheelchairs are $60.00 per week.
There is an additional $50 delivery and pick-up fee.
Hotel Accommodations for Convention Week
Many who are still firming up their plans for attending convention were dismayed to learn earlier this week that the Union Station (convention) Hotel has already booked every single room for convention week. Fortunately, ACB Convention Coordinator, Janet Dickelman announced that another close-by hotel is available for convention attendees. Here is Janet’s message:
“The Drewery Inn (a block from Union Station hotel) has rooms available for $109 per night. I know this is higher than Union Station however the room includes complimentary breakfast and happy hours. Also for those of you who are driving parking at Drewery Inn is $9.00 per day. Unfortunately they do not have rooms available until Sunday, July 1st. Please let me know if you are interested.
I need your name, phone number and arrival and departure dates. If you have an existing reservation with Union Station do not cancel it with the hotel. Let me know and I’ll assign the room to someone else. Again please please, please do not cancel or make any changes to existing Union Station reservations.”
Janet’s e-mail address is:mailto:janet.dickelman@gmail.com .
It sounds like we’re going to have a huge group of people and dogs attending our convention! Don’t miss the fun! Make your plans to attend the GDUI convention, beginning on July1 and concluding with our fabulous annual awards luncheon on Independence Day, July 4! For more information on the GDUI Convention, visit our web site here: https://guidedogusersinc.org/2018-gdui-convention/.
And, don’t forget about Moe! He’s still looking for a post-convention home! Call GDUI’s toll free number 866.799.8436 and purchase raffle tickets from Sarah, or go online and use PayPal to buy your tickets here: https://guidedogusersinc.org/shop/.Raffle tickets are 3 for $5.00 or 7 for $10. All of the dollars that tickets for Moe bring in will assist GDUI in covering convention costs and advocating on behalf of guide dog users in coming months. Please be generous and thank you for joining the growing number of our members and friends who purchase raffle tickets in the hope of bringing home our beautiful nearly life-size plush yellow labbie named Moe, wearing his own harness, and just waiting to join you and your own guide dog at home!
Thank you all for your friendship and support.
Sincerely,
Penny Reeder, President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
mailto:President@GuideDogUsersInc.org
Deanna Noriega, First Vice President
Guide Dog Users, Inc.
mailto:vp1@GuideDogUsersInc.org
GDUI: https://www.guidedogusersinc.org/
Call us, toll-free, at 866.799.8436
Like, visit us, and join our Facebook Group : https://www.facebook.com/GDUInc
Follow us at Twitter: @GDUInc
Enjoy the GDUI Juno Report on ACB Radio Mainstream, at8:00 p.m., EDT, every Friday of every month, here: http://www.acbradio.org/mainstream.
Download or subscribe to the GDUI Juno Report pod cast here: http://acbradio.org/gdr.xml
Or search for the GDUI Juno Report on ITunes or ACBLink. .
Support GDUI when you use this link to shop at Amazon.com: http://smile.amazon.com/ch/52-1871119.
SUPPORT GUIDE DOG USERS, INC GROUP #999969764 when you purchase candles and other decorative items from the Yankee Candle Store here: https://www.yankeecandlefundraising.com/store.htm.
To join the GDUI-Announce List, visit this link: http://www.acblists.org/mailman/listinfo/gdui-announce
To subscribe to the GDUI Chat list, visit this link: gduichatlist-subscribe@guidedogusersinc.org
To subscribe to the (members only) GDUI Business list, visit this link:
businesslist-subscribe@guidedogusersinc.org
A recording of each GDUI announcement is available here: 773.572.6301. Enter the password, 1972. The recording will remain available until it is replaced by a recording of the next GDUI Announcement. Please share this information with friends who may not have access to the internet. Thank you. We look forward to sharing information with all of our GDUI members and friends.