PINE TREE GUIDE DOG USERS
(PTGDU)
WHAT'S NEW?
- The next PTGDU meeting will be held telephonically on Saturday, February 4, 2012, from 10:00am to 12:00 noon. This is an open call to all members and guests. A call-in number will be posted soon. For more information, or to request an Agenda item to be added to the Agenda, please contact Pauline Lamontagne at nera2@myfairpoint.net.
- A copy of the PTGDU membership application
form (in RTF format) is now available for download.
- Useful Information For Air Travelers With A Guide Dog: Air Travel Advice
for Guide Dog Handlers, a document originally issued by the GDUI Legislative Committee in
December, 2010, was recently updated. The updated version of that document now appears in the
GUIDE DOG INFORMATION AND RESOURCES section of this website.
What To Expect If You're Blind Or
Visually Impaired And Use A Service Dog, a complementary document
issued by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in
November, 2010 also appears there.
- A new page, Disability.Gov
Resources, has been added to the PTGDU website.
On that page, you'll find an overview of and links to the different
sections of a Federal government website that provides links to
thousands of resources for people with disabilities.
- PTGDU president Pauline Lamontagne reports on her January 2010
Caribbean cruise and offers practical advice for first-time guide dog
team cruisers. You can read Pauline's story,
"First
Time Cruising With A Guide Dog" as well as many other stories
and articles in the "Our
Stories" section of this web site.
- Bobbi LaChance, a PTGDU member, tells of her presentation about
guide dogs to students of the Poland Springs Academy. You can read
Bobbi's story, "What
To Do On A Rainy Day" as well as many other stories and
articles in the "Our Stories"
section of this web site.
- Hope Paulos, a PTGDU member, recently completed a half marathon in
Florida. Listen to Hope’s
interview discussing the event on the ACB Radio program
"Blind Like Me" in the "Our
Stories" section of this web site.
- Sue Martin adds to the collection of PTGDU members' growing number
of articles about their guides in
"Beverly
Crosses the Rainbow Bridge", an article about the passing of
her third guide.
- PTGDU member Anja Geleney joins the ranks of members who contribute
stories about their guide dogs. Read "From
Cane to Guide Dog" in our Stories section.
- Information about accommodations for service animals at Fenway Park
as well as State of Maine sales tax exemptions has been posted in the
GUIDE
DOG INFORMATION AND RESOURCES section of this web site.
- The current PTGDU Board of Directors:
- President - Pauline Lamontagne
- 1st Vice President - Lynn Duplessis
- 2nd Vice President - Gilbert Whitmore
- 2 year Board Member - Patti Sarchi
- 2 year Board Member - Ferne Davenport
- 1 year Board Member - Cheryl Peabody
- 1 year Board Member - Lynne Mason-Courtney
- Treasurer - Anne Poland
- Secretary - Bruce Prindall
OUR ORGANIZATION
Pine Tree Guide Dog Users (PTGDU) is a nonprofit organization whose
purpose is to promote the well-being of dog guide users in Maine. Founded
in 1997 with some financial support from the American Council of the Blind
of Maine and a lot of energy and hard work from our founding members,
PTGDU includes folks who are dog guide handlers, folks who raise puppies
destined to become dog guides, and folks who are interested in working
dogs of all kinds.
Pine Tree Guide Dog Users is an affiliate of the American
Council of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind of Maine, and
of the Guide Dog Users, Inc.
OUR MEETINGS
The Pine Tree Guide Dog Users hold quarterly meetings in various
locations in Maine. Meetings are scheduled on the first Saturday of
February, May, August, and November. Meetings generally consist of a
luncheon with a guest speaker followed by a business meeting. All members
of PTGDU are encouraged to attend our meetings. If you have an issue that
you would like to discuss, please contact our President, Pauline
Lamontagne, at nera2@myfairpoint.net.
OUR MEMBERS
Our members come from throughout the State of Maine and their dog
guides have trained at a number of the many dog guide schools located in
the United States. Here are some of the schools at which our PTGDU members
have trained:
OUR STORIES
So, what's it like to work and live with a dog guide? Read the
writings
of some of our members and others on this subject.
GUIDE DOG INFORMATION AND RESOURCES
Find links to all sorts of information about
guide dogs on this page.
DISABILITY.GOV RESOURCES
Find links to all sorts of information about
resources for people with disabilities on this page.
PTGDU MERCHANDISE
|
|
Show off the Pine Tree Guide Dog Users (PTGDU) logo!
Our yellow lab in harness printed over the state of Maine looks
great on our high quality tee's and sweat shirts! PTGDU T-shirts
are 100% pre-shrunk cotton:
Adult sizes $15 (S, M, L, XL); Childrens size $13 (M, L)
PTGDU Sweat shirts are heavy duty 50% cotton-50% polyester:
Available in adult sizes only $25 (M, L, XL)
(All prices include shipping and handling)
To order, send check or money order to:
Ferne Davenport
P.O. Box 267
Rockland, ME 04841
For additional information, send
Ferne an email. |
PUPPY RAISERS
If you live in Maine and are interested in raising a puppy destined to
become a guide dog, you can contact Pat Webber at 207-338-5520 or
pbwbbr@gmail.com.
WEBSITE INFORMATION
The space for the PTGDU website is generously donated by the good folks
at Downeast.Net.
This website is designed to be accessible to users of assistive
technologies such as screen readers and screen magnifiers, to persons who
use dial-up modems, and to persons who use older technologies. The website
does this by trying to comply with the World Wide Web Consortium's Web
Accessibility Guidelines. If you experience any problems with the use of
this website or if you have recommendations for additions or corrections
to its content, please contact Lynn Duplessis at
lyndup@roadrunner.com.
This web page revised 7/2/2011.