Helping at no cost to purchase seeing eye dogs for the blind

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ve3...@gmail.com

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Aug 26, 2022, 10:51:42 AM8/26/22
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Hi Everybody,

 

A friend of mine here at the Meadows of Aurora is totally blind.

 

He has a mission, that I help him with, and that is to collect the tabs from pop cans and beer cans to purchase seeing eye dogs for the blind.

 

I have been collecting thousands of tabs from friends and relatives and now I would like to ask members of YRARC and COARC if they could also help with this mission and save tabs and have friends and relatives do the same.  It won’t cost anyone one cent!

 

When you have saved a few hundred or so, you can let me know and I will make arrangements with you to pick them up.

 

It is a mission that won’t cost you a cent, and you will help a lot of blind people.

 

They are in great need at this time as there is a shortage of dogs available.  Anything you can do to help would be appreciated.

 

Thank you,

 

Don Matthews – ve3...@gmail.com

 

 

csm...@cogeco.ca

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Aug 26, 2022, 11:27:46 AM8/26/22
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Don,

 

First, thank you for raising awareness of these valuable animals, and the programs which train both dogs and handlers.

I know your heart is in the right place, and your friend is trying to help too.

 

But, as a fellow person who is blind, I have reservations about how this actually works and some suggestions on how people can help more directly and make more of an impact.

 

Some googling suggests that the cost to breed, raise and train a guide dog is approximately $50,000 US.

This includes several weeks of in-person training for the dog and handler, as well as on-going support throughout the life of the dog.

 

Let’s look at some more numbers, only estimates.

 

A pound of aluminum was worth about $0.89 US in 2020.

 

To keep the math simple, about 1,200 pop can tabs weighs a pound.

 

I may be wrong, but it appears that the cost of one guide dog is going to be almost $70 million pop can tabs.

 

You mention that people don’t have to donate a cent, just their tabs. But instead, why not donate the cost of that case of pop, beer, or dare I say one Baofeng HT, to any of the following charities? Surely they can put your money to use more directly rather than spend it moving boxes of can tabs around.

You mention you are willing to come and pick up the tabs, presumably driving. Why not donate the money you would otherwise spend on gas instead, again, directly to a guide dog school?

 

Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides

 

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind

 

Support CNIB Guide Dogs

 

And those are just Canadian programs. Many people travel to guide dog schools in the US to receive their dog, usually funded by the Lions or other rotarians.

 

If money is an issue, volunteer to be a puppy raiser for any of the above programs. Doing so, helps socialize a future guide dog. (Sorry, but you have to give the puppy back afterward.)

 

True, these pop can tab programs which have been around for decades now help raise awareness, but so does simply talking about whichever charity the tabs are being collected to support. Spread the word. Hold a bake sale or other fundraising initiative at your children’s school.

 

Heck, instead of drinking sugary soda, why not donate the cost of one dentist visit to a guide dog charity, Easter Seals to buy a wheelchair for a child, etc.?

 

https://www.torontomike.com/2010/11/reality_check_pop_can_tabs_wor/

 

is an older article, but raises many of the same points.

 

Chris

 

Patrick

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Aug 26, 2022, 1:29:42 PM8/26/22
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yah Chris it's unfortunately the same as "food bank" collections, makes you feel like you're doing something but it's really one of the most inefficient ways to do anything.  If you just give either the guide dog charities or the food banks cash value instead of products collected they'll easily get 2-3x as much benefit.

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ve3...@gmail.com

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Aug 26, 2022, 1:35:41 PM8/26/22
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All I know, it is working with my blind friend!  Please don’t kill it.

 

73 Don – ve3ixj

Patrick

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Aug 26, 2022, 4:20:17 PM8/26/22
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Would never want to kill it Don, just pointing out fundraising efficiencies are better with other means of support (especially with gas prices the way they are).  What charity does he work with?  Sounds like some people would be interested in supporting it directly.

p

Anthony Rospo

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Aug 26, 2022, 6:31:34 PM8/26/22
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Hey Don 
Good on you to help your friend, I’ll ask people at work to pitch in, I remember I did this once as a kid it was a lot of work…  hey just a question if I can get scrap aluminum from work will that help the cause?

Thanks 
Anthony 

Sent from my iPhone

On Aug 26, 2022, at 1:35 PM, ve3...@gmail.com wrote:



csm...@cogeco.ca

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Aug 26, 2022, 8:08:54 PM8/26/22
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Apparently it is also good to give food banks cash because they have deals with the grocery chains to buy food at a discount. So, your money goes further.

 

 

 

From: Patrick <win...@winston1.net>

Sent: August 26, 2022 1:29 PM
To: YRARC Google GROUP <yrarc...@yrarc.org>

csm...@cogeco.ca

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Aug 26, 2022, 8:10:30 PM8/26/22
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From: ve3...@gmail.com <ve3...@gmail.com>
Sent: August 26, 2022 1:36 PM
To: yrarc...@yrarc.org
Subject: RE: [yrarc.group] Helping at no cost to purchase seeing eye dogs for the blind

 

All I know, it is working with my blind friend!  Please don’t kill it.

 

Nobody is saying he isn’t doing a good thing or that his intentions aren’t great. I was only questioning the economics of collecting tiny bits of aluminum, rather than donating to actual guide dog programs.

 

csm...@cogeco.ca

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Aug 26, 2022, 8:23:37 PM8/26/22
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Hey Don 

I can get scrap aluminum from work will that help the cause?

You’d think we would raise more donating the entire can…

Perhaps that is harder to recycle/resell though

ve3...@gmail.com

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Aug 27, 2022, 9:22:53 AM8/27/22
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Hi Patrick,

 

Not sure.  I am not concerned about the cost of picking them up as I can usually arrange some mutual time and place that is going to happen anyway.  The timing is not of concern either.

ve3...@gmail.com

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Aug 27, 2022, 9:28:58 AM8/27/22
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Hi Anthony,

 

Thanks for the pitch in.  I am sure my friend David living here in a condo wouldn’t have room for scrap aluminum.  Being  blind, he also has to rely on others for transportation.

 

We do have another lady here at the Meadows who collects pop cans, beer cans, and booze bottles for another charity in South America, but I have all I can handle just collecting them here at the Meadows for her.

 

When you get a load of tabs, please let me know and I will arrange pick up.

 

73, Don – ve3ixj

ve3...@gmail.com

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Aug 27, 2022, 9:33:57 AM8/27/22
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Thanks for the suggestion, but we would have no room to deal with it here at the Meadows of Aurora.  The tabs don’t take much room and my blind friend seems to think this is the best way.

 

73, Don – ve3ixj

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