Consumer Events
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Guide Dog Camp a great success
Fourteen guide dogs and their handlers converged on Taupo for the 2008 Guide Dog Camp from 25 to 27 July.
North Island guide dog handlers aged 23 to 84 came to network, swap information and have fun together, and the wide age gap was no problem!
"I admit that I was the oldest one there, but they never made me feel like Granny in the corner," says 84-year-old guide dog handler Moya Badham.
"It was just people being people."
Moya says the highlight of the camp was getting to know other vision-impaired people who use guide dogs, which handlers don't get to do very often.
"Just being with everybody was the highlight. Mixing in with other people and learning tips and easier ways to do things - the camaraderie was excellent."
The camp was organised by the Guide Dog Society NZ Inc in collaboration with the Foundation.
"The camp was designed as a bit of fun for guide dogs and their handlers, because you don't get to do things like massage and agility courses in day to day life," says Helena Tuteao, President of the Guide Dog Society.
"But at the same time, those fun things are about enhancing the bond between the guide dog and the handler."
Highlights included sessions on massage therapy for dogs by Jacinda Calder, Animal Care Tutor from the Eastern Institute of Technology, an agility course, a walk around the lake and a dog competition with categories like waggiest tail, best overall condition, and most vocal.
Staff from the RNZFB's Guide Dog Services were also on hand to give tips on first aid for canines, grooming and developments in veterinary care.
Simon Higgs, Department Manager Regional Guide Dog Mobility Instructors, says "The
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Guide Dog Society did a great job of organising the weekend. We were more than happy to be involved and look forward to partaking in another event in the future."
The Guide Dog Society NZ Inc works to provide peer support for guide dog handlers and advocacy on guide dog related issues.
NZ View (Vision Impaired Empowering Women) Inc
Early this year, one of our members who lives on Auckland's North Shore contacted our Executive seeking permission to set up an Area Group on the North Shore. NZ View are pleased to advise that after an inaugural meeting was held, the North Shore View Area Group was officially established.
We have also been approached by a group of vision-impaired ladies in the Hawkes Bay with the proposal to form another Area Group.
Watch this space for further developments.
Meantime, we have been working towards our biennial conference/AGM by calling for remits, nominations for officers and collating registration forms.
Retina NZ update
Three members of Retina NZ attended the Retina International conference in July in Helsinki, Finland. They will report back to the Retina NZ Annual Conference and AGM on Saturday 27 September 2008 in central Hamilton at 10:15 am. The new constitution will also be presented at this meeting. Additional information about overseas research into treatments will be in the next newsletter.
Retina NZ supports individuals (and their families or friends) with Macular Degeneration, Retinitis Pigmentosa, Retinal Detachments and other rare retinal dystrophies.
Retina NZ's new postal address is PO Box 2232, Raumati Beach 5255. The website address is www.retina.org.nz . For further information or to make contact with Retina NZ please ring 0800 233 833 or email secretary@retina.org.nz
SEYFF news
SEYFF has been doing heaps over the past few months. There have been workshops ranging from drugs and alcohol abuse to airplane safety, and we even held a live-in weekend focusing on life skills. All participants have really enjoyed the experience so far. The good news is that there's much more! If you would like to know what's up, tune into our TIS option (5-6 from the main menu) or log onto www.bebo.com/s-e-y-f-f. Many thanks to our supporters.