Meet Our Officers

Meet our newly-elected officers, Tweetie ford (First vice President), Brianna Murray (Second Vice President), Audrey Gunter (President) and Laurel Jean Walden (Secretary/Treasurer).

Tweetie with her guide Yvonne, is a native Charlestonian, a graduate of North Charleston High School, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina. In addition to her work in the medical field, Tweetie served actively as a church musician until health issues forced her to retire. She lost her sight later in life due to complications brought on by a stroke, and was matched with her first guide dog, Heidi in 2004. Heidi tragically passed away suddenly and Tweetie was matched with her second guide Yvonne in 2010. Tweetie and Horace, her husband of 42 years, served actively within the blindness community here in Charleston until Horace passed away in 2012. A devout Christian, Tweetie continues to serve her God and her community.

Brianna has been a friend of Dixie Land GDU, long before she was matched with her guide Lacy in 2011. We especially appreciate her expertise when it comes to learning new computer and cell phone technology. As of this writing, Brianna is the only blind student to be accepted to the Charleston School of the Arts, where she graduated with honors as a violin major. She is currently a junior at Winthrop in Rock Hill, SC, pursuing a major in psychology and a minor in English.

Also a native of Charleston, Audrey Gunter, pictured here with her current guide Jessie, was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa and declared legally blind at age nineteen. She was told to get herself a cup and some pencils because she had nothing else to look forward to. Audrey received her ABA with honors in 1975. She retired in 2001 as the Director of the MUSC Department of Transportation. A pillar of the blindness community, Audrey is a Past President of both the Lowcountry Chapter and the State American Council of the Blind in South Carolina. She has served on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Disability Resources Center, the Board of Directors of Guide Dog Users, Inc. and the Board Graduate Committee of Southeastern Guide Dog School (where she was matched with her first guide Zack and her current guide Jessie). Her book "Zack's Tales, Travels of a Guide Dog" can be purchased here. She founded the Southeast Regional Top Dog Workshop in 2006. In 2011, she was commissioned as a Stephen Minister at Grace United Methodist Church in Charleston, where she currently serves as an active member.

Although Laurel Jean is an avid cane user and takes pride in honing her skills with the long, white cane, she wholeheartedly supports those who choose to use a guide dog as their means to personal mobility and independence. In addition to taking care of the administrative duties for our organization, Laurel brings to the team her knowledge of Braille, technology, independent travel, and her life experience of twenty-five years in professional music ministry. Laurel has been blind since birth, and has a special enthusiasm for reaching out to blind youth. Her latest CD, “Celebrate With Laurel Jean,” featres a special tribute to guide dogs and their handlers, “The Blessing of Your Love,” which was debuted earlier this year at Top Dog, Savannah. You can hear samples and purchase the CD, here.

We invite you to check back regularly to learn more about the Dixie Land Guide Team, our membership and activities. Thanks for your ongoing prayers and support!

 

Meet Dixie Lander, Ann Humphries!

Meet Dixie Lander, Ann Humphries and her guide, Brego! Ann learned about us thru Top Dog Charleston, 2010, where she met with representatives of various guide dog schools. She applied to Southeastern Guide Dogs and she and Brego were matched.

Ann lives in Columbia, SC with Kirk, her husband of 34 years. Since Ann and Brego were matched, they stay very busy and active. Thru Richland County, she has helped organize hiking trips which foster active lifestyle. She says, "Brego is very much a part of the fun!" In addition, they have appeared before the Richland County Council in favor of approving library funding, and are part of their "Vote for Our Library Team."

Ann serves on the advisory board of the South Carolina Library for the Blind, and continues to be an ambassador for Southeastern, Brego's alma mater.

The Dixie Land Guide Team is always proud to feature our members as they make a difference in their communities, and the community at large, as part of our "Paws 2 Educate" and "Keeping Families Focused" initiatives.

Check back often to learn more about these initiatives, and how you can be a part of the team!

 

Second Sight Medical Products Announces New Technology

Below is an article that may be of interest to some of our viewers. The posting of this article does not indicate an endorsement by Dixie Land Guide Dog Users. Please refer to the link within this article for more information.

FDA Approval of Argus II

Thank you for your interest in the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis made by Second Sight Medical Products.

Our device received FDA approval for commercial sale in the United States February 14, 2013. We have been commercially available in Europe for over one year and have approximately 22 commercial patients in Italy, Germany and Saudi Arabia. During our clinical trials we implanted an addition 32 subjects who still have our device as well.

The device has been approved for candidates who have the following conditions:
• Adults age 25 or older with Retinitis Pigmentosa (this is the only diagnosis currently approved for our device). We will be working with the FDA on the approval of additional diagnosis pertaining to retinal degeneration in the future.
• Bare light or No light perception in both eyes (If the patient has no residual light perception, then evidence of intact inner layer retina function must be confirmed).
• Previous history of use form vision.
• Aphakic or pseudophakic (if the patient is phakic prior to the implant, the natural lens will be removed during the implant procedure).
• Patients who are willing and able to receive the recommended post-implant clinical follow-up, device fitting and visual rehabilitation.

The device will be available in limited locations in 2013.
• The following cities will have centers opening in July 2013 (should be ready to accept patients for screening sometime in July-August 2013). San Francisco-CA, Los Angeles-CA, Dallas-TX, Atlanta-GA, Miami-FL, Nashville-TN, Raleigh-NC, Baltimore-MD, Philadelphia-PA, Cleveland-OH, Ann Arbor, MI and Chicago-IL.

The Surgery

• An implant is attached via a silicone band to the eyeball, a small incision is made to the eye and an electrode array is tacked to the retina. The incision is closed and there is no indication outside the body of an implant.
• The surgery is done either via a one night hospital stay or as an outpatient procedure depending on the surgeon’s considerations, this will be discussed during the initial testing with the hospital. General Anesthesia (you will not be awake) is used for the surgery.
• As with any surgical procedure or implantable device there are risks, please discuss with your implanting physician directly.

How it works

• Our website illustrates how the device delivers sight via our implant. Please visit our site, here.

Costs:

• We are currently working with CMS to obtain a procedure code for our device that will allow reimbursement for Medicare. We have preliminary codes for both in and outpatient procedures and are awaiting further instructions and clarification from Medicare.

Spring and Summer Highlights

Our president, Audrey Gunter, talks with Lowcountry Boy Scouts at this year’s Spring Rally as part of our “Paws 2 Educate” Initiative. We Dixie Land Guide Dog Users believe that the key to a better understanding of the blindness community among the community at large lies in our creating a positive presence within that community. As young people learn to drive, they are taught that blind pedestrians have the right of way, but they are often not taught how to identify a blind pedestrian. This gathering of the Lowcountry Boy Scouts provided a wonderful opportunity for us to share this information with over one hundred future drivers! We also assisted the boys in earning their merit badges for Disabilities Awareness.

As the summer began, we gathered at Francis Marion Square for an afternoon of music, fellowship, food and art appreciation. This gathering was part of our “Keeping Families Focused” initiative. Local Artist Danita Cole gave Dixie Landers, our families and guests the opportunity to create our own unique tactile art using melted bees wax of different colors with a variety of objects and cutout shapes. Lunch was provided, thanks to the sponsorship of Retina Consultants of Charleston.

We were honored by several guests who accepted our invitation to attend this event. Here, our Secretary/Treasurer Laurel Jean talks with Shelby, one of our “outa sight” youth, and Pastor Dave Andrus, Director of St. Louis, Missouri’s Lutheran Blind Mission. Pastor Dave was visiting Charleston to help start a Christian outreach center for the blind here in the Lowcountry.

We were also honored to have in attendance Miss Nia Green, president of our local chapter of the National Federation of the Blind.

Here, Laurel Jean poses with Pastor Ed Grant of Calvary Lutheran Church, Charleston, SC and Pastor Dave Andrus, Lutheran Blind Mission, St. Louis, MO. Dixie Landers have been actively participating in the beginning of the Friends of Bartimaeus Christian Outreach Center for the Blind, one of over 60 such outreach centers throughout the United States. Our thanks to everyone at Calvary Lutheran Church for serving as the host site and supporting church for this unique ministry!

Our Vice President, Taylor Jones Stebbins, demonstrates accessible technology to Living History Summer Day Campers, showing them how he can play computer games as they do. The games are sound-based and allow him to use his keyboard with speech and Braille output to navigate them.

Dixie Land’s “Paws 2 Educate” Initiative played an active role in two summer day camps this year. Our thanks to Miss De with the ASPCA along with Miss Patti Smith and the City of Charleston, for making us part of their summer camp schedules!

People rarely get to see a guide dog out of harness. Here, fellow Dixie Lander Brianna Murray allows her guide to take a break during one of our visits to the ASPCA Summer Bark Camp.

Also at Bark Camp, Laurel Jean introduces day campers to Braille, helping them to write their names and showing them the Braille alphabet.

Back at the Living History Day Camp, Audrey and Brianna talk about guide dogs and answer questions.

Laurel shares more about Braille literacy by reading to the campers. As the children tell “Miss Laurel” about the pictures in the book and she reads to them, important lessons are learned about how the blind and the sighted can work together.

Laurel demonstrates the “sighted guide technique,” the proper way to assist and walk with someone who does not see.

Taylor demonstrates the proper use of a long, white cane.

Brianna and Lacy take a break and enjoy spending time with children after a special Worship service at Rehobeth United Methodist Church, McBeth, SC.

Our thanks to the folks at Rehobeth for scheduling Music By Laurel Jean and making her invited Dixie Land guests feel so welcome! The fall schedule already has our “paws to the pavement.” Watch for more highlights like these! Thanks for your ongoing support!

 

Top Dog 2013 registration information.

TOP DOG Registration Now Open

The Southeast Regional Top dog workshop, January 11-13, 2013 is coming to the Hostess City, Savannah, Georgia, and registration is now open.

Georgia Guide Dog Users, DixieLand Guide Dog Users and Guide Dog Users of Florida will welcome guide dog handlers, puppy raisers and many dogs and puppies from the Southeast and around the country to the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Gateway Conference Center at 17 Gateway Blvd. East in Savannah for three days of workshops, exhibits, fine Southern food and hospitality, an optional city tour, and the chance to visit with old friends and to make new ones.

The complete schedule of events will be circulated in advance; what follows are program highlights:
A Top Dog tradition, the Blessing of the Guide Dogs
A panel discussion on current advocacy issues for guide dog handlers
A veterinarian speaking on the basics, ears, teeth and flea prevention
An interactive session on peak experiences with our dogs
An optional Red Cross certification course in canine first aid
A banquet speaker who will inspire us with her story

Online registration is available at the website, http://topdogworkshop.org/ or by phone and through the mail. The registration phone number for registrar Sally Benjamin is (850) 588-9070. The registration cost for Top Dog 2013 is $25.00 per person.

When you register you will be able to choose two lunch and two dinner meals priced very affordably and you may opt for a Friday afternoon tour of Savannah’s historic district for a cost of $25.00.

Room rates at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Gateway will be $89.00 per night, plus 13% sales tax. These conference rates will apply from Thursday, January 10, 2013 through Sunday January 13, 2013, as well as three nights prior to and following the event. If you choose to, you could stay as many as nine nights at the special event rate. Up to four people can share these comfortably-sized rooms and a hot breakfast is included in the room rate. Located off of exit 94 from I95, the hotel is just 15 miles from the Savannah International Airport and a similar distance from both the Amtrak and Greyhound stations. It is located approximately 18 miles from Savannah’s downtown and historic district.

Make reservations at the Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites by calling the hotel directly at 912-925-2700, making certain to mention group code GGD (Good Good Dog). The event is also listed under the name of Georgia Guide Dog Users. The deadline for registration and hotel reservations is December 11, 2012. Make your plans now to come to Savannah in January 2013. See y’all here.

For further event information or for exhibitors or registration forms, send emails to, <2013topdog@gmail.com>

Marj Schneider, Event Coordinator