ALL GAUL
IS DIVIDED IN THREE PARTS... SO IS SDP..
THERE
IS OUR "MISSION" OF DONATING SERVICE DOGS--
THE COMMUNITY WITH DAILY DOGGIE AND MAIL CALL, ----AND THEN .THE "ROAD
TRIPS"
REPORTING
THE
ROAD TRIP- THIS IS WHERE WE ( JUDY MARA AND I) TAKE BENTLEY SIZZLE AND ANYTHING
ELSE LOGICAL TO ASSISTED LIVING, NURSING HOMES, COLLEGES, SCHOOLS OR
WHATEVER.-- WE WERE VERY INFORMAL ABOUT DROPPING IN THESE PLACES- AND THEY
LOVED US- THE POOR PEOPLE IN THESE "HOMES" HAVE LITTLE
ENTERTAinment- so we are very welcome-- the problem was... we did not
blow our own horn with cummings- who like local involvement. i felt we
lost the last grant because we were talking about nationwide promotion of danes
as serv ice dogs... notes from cummings said as much.. so i have redone
the process and started keeping exact track of who and where- before
holidays we were trying for 2 or 3 a week to bolster up this spread sheet for
presentation to cummings.. in hopes of more grants.
there are
not really any direct expenses to the road trip- i own the car and , the dogs,
and judy and mara are volunteers.
***
mail call
and daily doggie for teh camera community..AND THEIR CONTINUED INTEREST
the
CONSTANT COMMENT openings of teh dd are in teh high 950's- continues to
grow very slowly-
thank
heavens teh chicken bricks have sold out again...
this
continued interest is held together by the explore cameras and mail call...
theRE ARE
NO EXACT EXPENSES ON SDP FOR THOSE CAMERAS ( THEY HAVE GIVEN
US 150K/YEAR- WE DO NOT APPLY FOR IT-IT IS AT THEIR OPTION-- THEY DO LIKE
THE ATTENTION OUR PUPS AND GENERAL ACTIVITY GET,) OUR NUMBERS THERE GROW
SLOWLY- WITH 500 TO 700 WATCHING MAIL CALL MOST NIGHTS -OR 1400- DURING
WHELPING.
WHICH
BRINGS US TO SERVICE DOGS- OUR PRIMARY MISSION. THE DOGS ARE PERFECT--
NOT A PROBLEM THERE....
IN
PULLING NUMBERS TOGETHER FOR GRANT WRITING, OUR BALLOONING TOTAL BUDGET
IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE OUTCOME.
I DO
THINK THE TOTAL BOARD HAS THE RIGHT TO QUESTION THAT- AND I - THO NOT A VOTING
MEMBER OF THE BOARD... HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO OUR DONATING
SUPPORTERS TO TRY AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
I IGNORED
IT FOR A WHILE- MICROMANAGING IS NOT MY STYLE-- AND IMPOSSIBLE TO DO AROUND
HERE WHERE INSTANTANEOUS REACTIONS TO ANIMALS AND SITUATIONS ON THE
FARM CAN NOT POSSIBLY BE ANTICIPATED AND _"MANAGED" -
ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO I REALIZED WE WERE RACING OFF THE
PROVERBIAL CLIFF AND STARTED TO REALLY STUDY PARTS OF OUR OPERATION.
FOR
EXAMPLE....MY FIRST BATTLE.....- KEEPING THE KITCHEN FLOOR STEAM CLEANED
IS WONDERFUL BUT NOT IF THAT MEANS YOU PUT PUPPIES "OUT OF THE
WAY"- OUR PRIMARY IS THE PUPPIES- THERE SHOULD BE
NO "OUT OF THE WAY" ----YOU GIVE TTHEM ATTENTION -- SPOON FEED,
PLAY WITH THEM - AND WHEN THEY NAP, YOU WASH THE FLOOR.
OUR CONCEPT
OF THE PERFECTLY RUN KENNEL ORGANIZATION AND THE KEEPING OF RECORDS DEMANDED BY
OUR BEING ACCREDITED BY THE ASSISTANCE DOGS INTERNATIONAL HAS -- IN MY OPINION-
OVER SHADOWED THE EXACT ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS TO THE DOG.
THAT MAY
OR MAY NOT BE AN ANSWER TO THE MAJOR PROBLEM FACING SDP. BUT IT CERTAINLY
SHOULD BE ON THE MINDS OF ANYONE WHO GETS A PAYCHECK FROM SDP.
I STAND
BY THAT STATEMENT.
BETWEEN
MY SOMEWHAT OBTUSE ARGUEMENTIVE NATURE AND CHOICE OF WORDS- NONE OF
WHICH I DENY, THE ENTIRE TOPIC HAS BEEN CENTERED AROUND
PERSONALITIES AND EXTREMELY MINOR DETAILS.
I WOULD
VERY MUCH LIKE TO HAVE SUGGESTIONS... ON PAPER.. AS TO OPERATIONAL
IMPROVEMENTS WHICH I WILL READ BEFORE THE FULL BOARD NEXT WEEK.
