Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Taking the Lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hoener with my co-host Leslie Hoskins and Timothy Kunio is here with us in person
Leslie: on campus Leader Dogs for the Blind campus. Here you are. Timothy.
Timothy: Yeah. Never been in this room before. Didn't know it existed.
This, you had been hiding this from me for years.
Leslie: We probably remodeled since you've been here, honestly. Yeah. This is the whole new executive suite, is that what we call this?
Christina: Yeah. This didn't exist. When you were here? Well, I feel special now.
Leslie: Yeah. Wow. It's classy, right? Yeah, it is. It's actually a really great recording room.
We don't record on campus often, but when we can it's super convenient. Yeah. And this is a nice, uh, quiet space.
Timothy: Yeah. This is cozy. I, all I need is a blinky and a pillow. I can take a nap. There
Leslie: you go. Well, welcome. I'm glad you feel right at home.
Timothy: Yeah.
Leslie: But 2026, here we are. Uh, we have to start off the year also just by saying Happy New Year to everybody.
Thanks for staying with us here. Um, but we have to talk about, Christina, you got married last fall and we haven't even had a chance. I know. To talk [00:01:00] about it.
Christina: I know. 'cause I was gone for so long. We've gotten a lot
Leslie: of questions from listeners who wanna know. How did it go? Did it meet all of your expectations?
Are you heavily married?
Christina: I am still happily married. Fantastic. Good job, Johnny. Good job. Yes, and it was the most perfect day. Uh, you know, people are always like, these are things I would regret for my wedding. There's not one thing, the only thing actually is I wish I got more sleep, but that is normal the night before with everything going on.
But it was perfect. The most perfect day venue, everybody was there and. There was a lot of emotions and tears. Happy tears, not sad tears. Mm-hmm. Um, so. Yeah, it was perfect.
Timothy: Yeah, Cheryl saw the pictures of it. She was just amazed at how gorgeous it was. So congratulations, and you and John. Thank you.
Leslie: Yeah, I was fortunate to attend and it was absolutely beautiful.
It was stunning. It was lovely. It was also perfectly organized, but you would expect Christina behind all of it. Yeah. Yeah. Every little detail [00:02:00] was thought of and it was so much fun to attend, but also it was very unique. It was very, you and Johnny, it was very special. Thank you. It was very intimate. Thank you.
It was just such a nice day to celebrate.
Christina: I had a lot of surprises and you guys know I'm an open book. Mm-hmm. So that was really hard to keep surprises, uh, because I did like a little audio message before I walked on the aisle, of course. Mm-hmm. And then, uh, surprised my mom and I redid her dress for the reception.
So that was a really. Hard secret to keep, to not be like, oh yeah, my, uh, second dress or your dress. Yeah, because I stole it from my parents' house. So yeah, lots of little secrets that were really
Leslie: hard to keep. The, uh, program was like a newspaper and it had like little trivia and games and crosswords and it was super, super cute.
So it kept you busy while you were waiting for things to start. And then you had little cocktails to, um, sly and Duke, which was really cute. Personalized. Yeah. Sly and Duke, they each had their own cocktail.
Timothy: Aw.
Leslie: Yeah. So that was fun. That's a little thing. It was fantastic. But I'm glad to hear you were still happily married.
We'll keep checking in throughout the [00:03:00] year. Yes. Um, but it was, it was beautiful. So congratulations. Thank
Timothy: you. I'm sorry I could not make it. I was on the road for Lear Dog that weekend,
Leslie: so I know. Always with the excuses. Yeah. Well, oh my gosh. Well I see who comes first. It's fine. Kidding.
Timothy: So, uh, leader Dog always comes first.
So yeah,
Leslie: that is continuous. I think the only times you have not been here to record or do something like Christina's wedding is you are on the road for Leader Dogs. So that checks out.
Timothy: I'm, I'm literally on a plane going somewhere doing it, so, yeah.
Leslie: Yes. Well, thank you and we're excited to start off another fantastic year with a fantastic guest with us today.
Is somebody who's a colleague of mine and we're just really excited to hear about this experience or story. Yes.
Christina: Garrett Waldi is a certified orientation and mobility specialist here at Leader Dog. He has over five years of experience. He graduated from Western Michigan University with his master's in orientation and mobility and is a Marine Corps veteran.
So thank you for your service, Garrett. First of all,
Garrett: thank you [00:04:00] for your support and thanks for having me on the, uh, podcast. It's a, it's a pleasure to be here.
Timothy: Yeah, Garrett, it's really, really good to hear. And again, thank you for your service. And, uh, Garrett and I have been having a pretty good three or four for four or five days together.
Uh, he's been doing my refresher course here at Leader Dog, and he is a great o and m instructor.
Christina: Yeah. So Timothy, what is a refresher course?
Timothy: Well, I mean, it's for anybody like me who has a guy dog, and. You don't know if the dog's getting caught towards the end of their career or if I feel like I'm not comfortable with my cane anymore because I haven't used it 'cause of glacier and stuff.
I come up here and I put in an application and go through the same process a little bit and come and fine tune my skills with my cane. And right now I was very nervous coming here Monday and about three or four days later I've got a smile on my face because now I'm getting my confidence back because I thought I lost it.
And, uh, Garrett has helped me. It's so much this week and I really appreciate. Appreciate you doing a good job with, for me, Garrett. Well,
Garrett: thank you. I'm, I'm blushing over here. Timothy, I had a quick question, [00:05:00] uh, for you. You mentioned you're nervous. What, what was it that you were most nervous about, would you say?
My, my nervous was
Timothy: crossing streets and, uh. My vision has gotten much worse in the past seven years. And, uh, at the time when I came for my first o and m, Leslie,
Leslie: I was wondering if you were gonna talk about me all about Garrett all of a sudden. I'm kidding.
Timothy: You'll always be number one, Leslie. I'm the special guest.
Yeah, that's true. That's true.
Leslie: Uh,
Timothy: my vision's gotten worse. And of course when you come to Leader Dog, you're gonna use what you got. And, uh, I had some better vision then and now it's when I go outside, it's just basically just nothing. Blur blurriness. So, uh, I always was nervous about crossing streets and I was worried about my cane.
And, uh, if glacier should happen to retire next couple of years, I want to be able to, for during that buffer, if it, how long it takes to can be another dog that I can use my cane properly.
Leslie: Before we dive in too much into the week that you guys are having, because we wanna know all of the details. Uh, but Garrett, we have to learn a little bit more about you.
So you're an [00:06:00] OM specialist. Yeah. You're a Marine Corps veteran. Uh, but how did you get into this field? And, and what about, what, why did you wanna join Leader Dogs specifically?
Garrett: Yeah, a good question. Um. So my undergrad was in exercise science and I knew I wanted to do something in rehab. I just didn't know what, so, um, my first thought was physical therapy or occupational therapy.
So, yeah, that's, that's kind of my first thing that I started to, to pursue right after exercise science. But, you know, it just. Honestly, too much schooling was the fair. No, that's fair. I, uh, coming from the, the Marine Corps, um, you could probably guess I didn't love school. Yeah. So, um. I was kind of lost for a little bit, um, for probably six months or so after I graduated.
And I had a family friend that was an orientation mobility instructor, and I got to go with her on some lessons. And I thought, how cool is this? Like I don't have to sit at a desk all day or anything. I get to be [00:07:00] out in a, an ever changing environment and meet all these new, um, awesome people on a day-to-day basis.
And, uh. So right from there, I put in my application to Western Michigan and I knew it was a, a year course, like accelerated program. Mm-hmm. So I, I loved that. Uh, less school, well, not less school, but you know, it's accelerated, right? Yeah. Same amount and within a year instead of two years. Yeah. And then I worked for the state for about five months state services here in Michigan.
And I seen during, it was kind of in the heat of COVID, I saw, um. The job opening at Leader Dog and I did my practicum here while I was in, in school. Um, and for those listening to practicum is like, um, it's, it's about 20 hours or 25 hours of just observation that you do as a student. Um, and I got to do mine at Leader Dog, so I kinda learned how you guys run things here and stuff, and I really loved.
Um, the week long program, the consistent orientation and mobility training, and, uh, [00:08:00] most importantly, the, the freedom as an instructor to do whatever you want on lessons. So, uh, that really appealed to me. And yeah, the, the rest is history. I applied and. Apparently you guys liked me enough to hire me, and here you
Leslie: are and you've been fantastic.
Addition to the team. We love having you, and you are so creative and you make everything very personalized to your clients, which all instructors do. But Garrett, we always hear from your clients that you. Had a unique, uh, perspective on it. And like you said, there's a lot of creativity and a lot of freedom in what we do here at Leader Dog.
While it's a structured week, there is so much that can be done during each of those days. So this week specifically, you've been partnered with Timothy, so the two of you are working collaboratively together. I'll let either one of you start, but how's the week been going? It's, we should tell everybody that it's midweek.
Yes. It is not a midweek midweek of training.
Timothy: Well, I have seen parts of Rochester Hills I didn't have there at. Opportunity to go to. And so I asked, uh, I asked, uh, Garrett, I said, what kind of training am I doing? 'cause [00:09:00] this is, you know, way different than when I came here seven years ago. Mm-hmm. To go with you, Leslie.
'cause uh, they're different. They are different. And, um, he said basically you're, you're in the, uh, what's it called? The, uh,
Garrett: I, you, you had asked me if, if this was like, uh, more advanced, advanced training. You were asking if you di were dipping your toes in the advanced, I'm, I'd say this is pretty advanced.
Yeah. So
Timothy: I'm using my technology that I have, which is, which is great. I'm glad Leader Dog lets me have the ability to use technology while I'm doing this. And, um, I'm using my meta, I'm using my Apple, uh, phone and I'm using my Victor Reader trek. Mm.
Leslie: And
Timothy: now I have a system that blow, I mean, it blows me away.
I think it even blow him away. Mm-hmm. When he, 'cause I go. When I was using the metal ray band looking for something, he was, oh my gosh. So, uh, he's learning from me and I'm learning from him. So we're, we're both growing in the who we are for Leader Dog right now.
Leslie: So you're using your Meta Ray bands, your Victor Reader track and your phone?
Timothy: [00:10:00] My phone, my, what we do is we use the GPS on the phone.
Leslie: Okay.
Timothy: And, uh, before we left, uh, downtown, he said, now your apple will probably be about 30 feet short or long. So, um, what the, what I do with the Victor Reader track, it tells me about the intersections that's coming up. Mm-hmm. You know, it does. Which I kind of like having that.
Yeah. And then when I, then when it tells me, I'm at the, um, where it says, you revived where you're at. I know we're not. So I tell a, uh, meta Go live, ai. And then I'm scanning asking where, what am I looking at?
Leslie: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: And they'll say, am is it the, uh, say Bake 45? And I was not there, so I went 30 feet. I saw Bake 45.
I said, do you see Bake 45? She says, yes. And there's two umbrellas in front of the sign. So she's giving me, there's, there's something in front of me. That could be a hazard.
Leslie: Yeah. So
Timothy: we worked around it and we went right to the door.
Leslie: That's so cool. Yeah,
Timothy: so I mean, it's great. I wish somebody could put all three all in once.
Yes. One big device. [00:11:00] And, uh, it, it was just phenomenal. It's great and I'm, I can't believe how great it is now.
Christina: Yeah, it is so cool. All of the different technologies that are out there now and you're using a combination of them and it's really cool that you're able to use it here 'cause those are the things you're gonna go home and use as well in your home environments.
But I do have to ask, you went to Bakehouse 46, they have really good, uh, bakery items. Yeah. Did you get anything?
Garrett: Yeah, we didn't have time to get, no, we didn't. We had to get to work.
Leslie: Well, I probably, I probably would've made sure there was time just saying we had
Garrett: other things to do. Okay, fine. I was honestly so in awe about how the, uh, those meta glasses were able to tell you what was in front of you and, um, you know, that behind them was the destination.
I was pretty impressed. Yes.
Leslie: That's. Incredible information, right, that you wouldn't get elsewhere. I also wanna describe the Victor Reader. Track is an accessible GPS device. Uh, for [00:12:00] anybody who doesn't know what that is, it's made by Humanware and, uh, it's a handheld device, so th. A lot of times people will use the handhelds GPS device because, you know, battery or, um, phone battery dies, or not having data or different things like that.
So to combine the Victory Reader track with the meta AI plus a phone, that's incredible. It is. '
Timothy: cause I mean, I'm going down and the, the phone says you're gonna take a right.
Leslie: Mm-hmm. And
Timothy: then all of a sudden, the Victor Res track says you're going to cross First Street.
Leslie: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: And I keep going and going and going.
And then when we get where at the, the, the, the Met Ray Bands kick in. And what a combination. And I think our, tonight we've, we put all three together and I'm just blown away what we did. It was just, I was, was I not grinning?
Garrett: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: Yeah.
Garrett: You were grinning. Yeah. It was, it was just, it was phenomenal. I, I'm usually standing behind you, but I could see it from the, could see the wrinkles coming all the way around there.
Yeah. So, yeah. Good.
Leslie: So Garrett, now when you're working with people, so many people are bringing different technologies with them. A lot of people are using, you know, apps on [00:13:00] their phones, all these meta ray, eyeglasses, whatever. Mm-hmm. Oakley, RayBan, whatever you want band. But meta, basically meta AI has had a huge impact.
Are you seeing more and more of this weekly as people are coming in?
Garrett: Yes. My, the past three weeks clients have came in with the, the RayBan meta glasses. Mm-hmm. Definitely more and more. Um, every week and just, yeah, technology in general. People are coming in with more and more stuff. It's so hard. I was telling Timothy it's so hard as an instructor to keep up with it all.
Yeah, yeah. Um, and you just do your best. I was telling him that I learned just as much from the clients using the tech. Um, as I do from like trying to Google stuff and
Timothy: yeah,
Garrett: it's amazing.
Timothy: Affordability is really bad and I mean, it's really important for somebody who's in disability is getting a disability check or whatever.
Yeah. And wasn't quite about the medical assets. It's affordable. It is. And, and, and all the other, the other two pieces of equipment is, it's somewhat but. You know, the iPhones are not cheap and [00:14:00] Right. Yeah. Neither is the Victor Reader trick.
Leslie: Some people have been able to write off the meta AI glasses for, for insurance too.
I've heard, which is great
Timothy: if you use 'em for medical. I can see why.
Leslie: Yeah.
Timothy: Mm-hmm.
Leslie: So many benefits. And the nice thing too, about our week, right, and I'm sure you see this all the time, is that every week is completely individualized. So if somebody does come and they don't have the tack or they don't wanna be using the tack.
Or if they're just not ready to use the tech, right? Like we can individualize the whole week. And there are some times, and, and maybe you can talk to this, that we're not ready for tech, right? Mm-hmm. Like we have to have a strong foundational skills before you can always, uh, insert that.
Garrett: Yeah. I was just, uh.
Timothy and I were in a coffee shop today, and I was just telling him that, that this is more advanced because you're using, you know, there's so much input going into your brain. You've, like, he was saying there's three devices talking to 'em, and the cane is also talking to 'em in a, in a tactile way. So, um, it takes a lot of processing and you want the cane skills to [00:15:00] be very autonomous.
Uh, by the time you start to introduce these. Different technologies and, and stuff like that. Because if you're trying to focus on too much stuff at once, then you're gonna miss things that might make you walk out into a street or, yeah. Yeah. And something like
Christina: that. We all know technology can fail. Mm-hmm.
Garrett: Yeah. We can.
Timothy: Yeah, very true. So you
Christina: have to be able to navigate without it.
Timothy: Yeah. And, and with the mid or rig bands, I, I don't have it on the volume. I still hear traffic, I still hear, carry conversations on and stuff. I'm just waiting for an alert 'cause it comes through them. So, um, it, it was just. It. I wish, I wish I could just, it, I, it was great.
I just can't, I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning right now. Yeah. Yeah.
Leslie: So what have, uh. But in the challenges so far with this week, it sounds like you guys have had an incredible week thus far. Mm-hmm. I know we still have two more days left, but what has been the biggest challenge or maybe biggest surprise for either of you, I guess?
Timothy: Well, I mean, there was some things that I forgot. I hate to say that last I, I'll tell you, I'll
Leslie: [00:16:00] allow it.
Timothy: I know, but, but it brought back what I was supposed to be doing and it was great that I still had it. I didn't have nothing to really worry about. There was nothing to be nervous about. I would like to tell everybody you need to come and get a report for Refresher Glacier is here with me, okay?
And if I came here and I wasn't too good, maybe a little problems with my cane leader. Dog is not gonna take your dog away. Bring your dog. If you don't wanna bring your dog, that's fine, but they're not gonna take your dog away. Do not be scared of it. You need to be safe because what I've learned this week, like I always tell everybody I'm still gonna cross the streets with glacier.
And what he has done, Garrett, he's refreshed me, have how new ideas, new things I'm gonna be using just like you did. And so you, some of it you apply with the dog crossing [00:17:00] streets and stuff like that. So don't be scared to come back for a refresher. I recommend this for everybody, even you if you want the technology or not.
I travel a lot for Leader Dog. I love the technology. Now I feel secure. I can walk out of a hotel in Seattle and go somewhere now. Yeah, and oh my gosh. What I got now it's, it's amazing.
Leslie: Yeah. Eight years. I mean, eight years. A lot changes, right? Yes. You have changed. You've expressed it. Your vision has changed quite a bit.
Also, the environment has changed, right? Mm-hmm. Oh my gosh. We're seeing roundabouts and different technology apps have changed. Oh my gosh. So many things have changed, and it's always a good idea to come in for a refresher. I was just talking to somebody earlier today and talking about how we want to be here for.
People's lifespan, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm. Whatever it is that changes, um, in your world or just the world in general. We are here to be that resource.
Timothy: That's why I always say family. You're a family when you're at Leader Dog. Mm-hmm. We don't one [00:18:00] and done it is we'll be here as long as you need us. Mm-hmm. And nothing changes.
And the people may change, but the goal. Does not.
Christina: Yeah. And Timothy, you just got a little emotional about all of this, and I know you were nervous to come for, you know, someone who isn't, um, doesn't have low vision or isn't blind, how would you describe that feeling to them of like what this program has done and coming back here has done for you?
Timothy: Well, just coming back, um, I get to, you know. Get the questions outta my mind. Can I still do this with a cane? I'm a bad boy. I've not used my cane as much as I'm supposed
Leslie: to be,
Timothy: and I, I suggest everybody bare minimum once every two weeks. But you do need to use that cane once a week and, uh, it's been phenomenal.
And I'm here with five other people. And me coming back here and everybody knows I travel a lot for Leader Dog. Mm-hmm. And speak on behalf of [00:19:00] Leader Dog. I get to see six more clients or five more clients here.
Leslie: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: And it rejuvenates me because I am raising money for them to be able to come here. It gives me a sense of purpose and it re, I know what I'm doing is working and I'm making money, so if I wanna help everybody I can.
Leslie: Yeah.
Timothy: If I get a thousand, I'd be, I want more to come here. If we miss one, I would be upset. And so it just gives me a purpose and I appreciate everybody here that works here, and I appreciate everybody says hello, Timothy, I mean mm-hmm. I'm. Everybody here cares about everybody.
Leslie: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: Like I heard, when you come to the leader dog, you're not a statistic.
You, you are Timothy Kunio, you're Karen, you're whoever we are. We have been left so much sometimes in, in the world, we're cast aside side. [00:20:00] And to come somewhere where you're somebody. It means so much to me and I know we're changing lives here. What other reason do I need to keep on going for Leader Dog?
Just to know that we're changing somebody's life. I'll get on a plane, I'll go anywhere, and that's why I do it. I do for our all our clients.
Leslie: Oh, thank you. And we really couldn't do it without you spreading the message and helping raise the funds, right? Yeah. To be able to provide these services, uh, completely free of cost to our clients.
If
Timothy: it's not Leader Dog, who's it going to be?
Leslie: Well, that is a great topic in a conversation that we are actively collaborating with. I know,
Timothy: I know. You know how I am about Leader Dog. Yeah. All the
Leslie: agencies in this. Dates and other organizations, um, because there is so much work to be done and it is really exciting to be a part of such an amazing organization, but a bigger just field in general.
It's, it's very exciting. Well, it's
Timothy: like we, we got a client here that goes to another school. I went to a school, she's here to get her o and m. Mm-hmm. [00:21:00] We all collaborate with other organizations. There's nothing wrong with that. We're on the same team. We have the same goal. We want to change somebody's life.
Leslie: Mm-hmm.
Timothy: And every, we don't, we just want you to get your service that you need. No. No matter if it's here or wherever. Absolutely. So take care of you, get the service that you need. And have a happy life. Don't let this disease or the blindness control you. You control it. And that's my goal in my life. I'm gonna control this.
Leslie: I love that. That's fantastic. And you've got, you're here helping you now, and you've still got two more days. Yeah. What trouble will we Yeah. Will we be getting into like, well, he,
Timothy: he, he's been what's
Leslie: on the docket. He's
Timothy: been really testing me and I appreciate the test. I mean, so, uh, he, he's let me use my technology and I'm having a blast.
So he, you have to ask him what he's got up for me. 'cause he says something about something that candy in an addict attic tomorrow. Candy An attic. That, uh,
Garrett: yeah.
Leslie: Well, I do a question. [00:22:00]
Garrett: Yeah. Um, so yeah, ba it's an attic. It's got candy in it, and we're gonna go try to find it tomorrow. It's, uh, it's a little secret of mine.
Leslie: Okay. I'm gonna have to follow up with this after. We have to do a part too at the end of the week. I
Garrett: don't wanna any secrets away. Oh. Um, it's a, it's a local, um, shop here that they, you know, candy store. Yeah. Don't give too much away.
Leslie: I mean, you might have future clients listening Right now. It's, it's
Garrett: just a really fun location.
Um, that. Challenges people to find it just navigational wise. Um, so yeah, it'll be fun. He's kind of curious to have the meta ragan, you know,
Timothy: and I, I'm, when I, when I say, uh, Hey, you, I don't wanna say it too loud. Yeah. Somebody might be watching, um, and, and I, and I try to say, find the door or whatever, and then we're working around random if finds the door or whatever.
And, uh. So he says tomorrow's gonna be a big challenge 'cause it can be confusing. So I'm gonna have to figure it out probably tomorrow. So,
Christina: yeah.
Timothy: Mm-hmm.
Christina: Yeah. I can't always rely on that technology. [00:23:00] Yeah, I know
Timothy: technology, I mean, just the battery goes out, you're in trouble. So, yeah. Mm-hmm.
Leslie: That's a hundred percent true.
But see
Timothy: that's, that's what's good if, if all my technology wants goes tomorrow, I know the basics. I've got that confidence that, hey, if it did go, yeah. I mean, I didn't use my technology until, I think yesterday or yesterday afternoon. Yesterday. Yeah. So the first two days. Yeah, I didn't use technology.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So, and then, then we brought it into it. So I started off here with no technology, so we can get the basics down. Hey, you're doing okay. Let's add some technology. Can I add some technology to it? Sure.
Leslie: Yeah.
Timothy: And we have done that. And I appreciate that Leader dog says Yeah. 'cause it's, it's gonna be a part of my life.
Christina: Yeah. Mm-hmm. And Timothy, I will say. I have seen your smile just grow from Monday night. We went to dinner and that was your first day here. I'm sure. It was just a lot going on and then talking to you yesterday. At the end of the day, you just couldn't stop smiling, and so that is. So great to [00:24:00] see, to see just that change in you.
Timothy: Well, it, it was great when I first came and was with Leslie for my first o and m training. Yeah, it was great. Leslie.
Christina: I love it. Now you're like, it's okay, Leslie. He say
Leslie: that time
Timothy: and so then when I got Glacier, of course it's a great three weeks. It's great. Yeah. But now I've got Leslie's training, I've got Glacier and I've got Garrett.
Garrett. It brought me a little bit further than Leslie. She only had a, you know, a certain amount of time. She only had, we started small. Yeah. A couple of days. We, we started small and we worked our way out.
Leslie: Yeah. But
Timothy: Garrett, I was already at a certain place. 100%.
Leslie: Yeah.
Timothy: So Garrett had, uh, he already had a great place to start.
We just have to tune that thing. Yeah. And he'd tuned me really
Garrett: pretty good. Yeah. I, I, I had the, the pleasure of working off of all of Leslie's work. Yeah. Yeah. No, keep
Leslie: going guys. I, it, it
Garrett: was a good foundation.
Timothy: I'm
Christina: not an instructor. You guys are killing, don't [00:25:00] fight over anything but Timothy. You've had three different instructors here at Leader Dog, so you have the knowledge from three different people.
What is that like?
Timothy: I mean,
Christina: whose voice do you hear?
Timothy: Well, now I got one. He's on top of my head, so That's fair. That's right, that's what I heard about that. Oh yeah. He's, no, he's, we said what? You're gonna be riding my back now Back. Yeah. So he's a pain in my back. So, yeah. Okay. Uh, I don't have any, well, I do have a favorite, but, um, I love all three.
It's me and
Christina: I'm not even an instructor. Yeah, I know.
Timothy: Yeah. You're a mess. Uh, everybody, everybody has changed my life. All three have changed my life. And they're all special to me.
Leslie: And it's so great to get different perspectives and different instruction because Right. What I teach might not work here. Or the OR or we've also talked about eight years, right?
So many things have changed, but also Garrett might see something that I don't see and might have a really great solution to it and that's okay. Right? It's, [00:26:00] as an instructor, I love to go and observe other instructors 'cause I can always learn something or take some of their language. This new travel attic with candy.
I'm so intrigued, right? Yeah. Mm-hmm. That's an environment I haven't traveled in, so we can all just continuously learn from each other. I think it's fantastic that you're working with somebody else, um, to have a new voice and a new perspective on things. I think it's good.
Timothy: So, Garrett, what, what's it like when a client teaches you something?
I mean, I, I'm sure you've had some clients blow you away a little bit on some stuff.
Garrett: Yeah. Um, it happens all the time. Uh, that, that, and that's part of like why I love this job is just meeting people. And, and learning from them. Learning about, you know, what they do, what they used to do, their life experiences.
I mean, it's been great. And like this week with you, the, the meta ray bands, you taught me about the, how it has the, what is it called? The meta ai? Yeah, yeah. The AI where it actually speaks back to you and gives you information about what's in front of you and where the doors are and stuff. Um. [00:27:00] My last clients didn't even know that their Ray bands did that, and I didn't have the knowledge that it did that.
So now I do. So from here forward I can, I can spread the word of that, but yeah, it's, it's awesome Learning. Learning from clients is, like I said, one of the best things about this job. For sure.
Leslie: Mm-hmm. So, Garrett, as you're thinking about like your five years at Leader Dog, which is crazy. Mm-hmm. Right? It's gone by super fast.
What are some of the biggest challenges? That you think clients are, are experiencing right now?
Garrett: Hmm, that's a good question. Specifically at Leader Dog or you mean like outside? Yeah. The clients that we've been
Leslie: working with or that we see here
Garrett: mm-hmm.
Leslie: Are, are typical clients.
Garrett: Well, I mean, service delivery is always an issue for people.
Mm-hmm. Um. Like trying to get state services and it's no, um, I'm not throwing any shade to state services. They've got a huge caseload and only so much time to work with. And, um, it's all about money [00:28:00] obviously. So it's, it's tough out there. But, um, that's probably the number one factor. And then kind of specifically for Leader Dog, I would say, um, the application process can be pretty daunting for a lot of people, which we're definitely working diligently to.
Um. Uh, make that a lot easier and, and more accessible for, for people to apply. Um. Yeah. I would say those two things
Leslie: I think that's
Garrett: put together. Yeah,
Leslie: those are great examples, like in the field, industry-wise, like get the access to services or qualifying for services or all of those things that we hear repeatedly.
But yeah, specifically at Leader Dog. Mm-hmm. We are definitely taking some steps towards a. Making our application process a little bit easier and more digestible. It can be overwhelming. Yeah. And every piece when you look at it is so important on our end, but at the same time, right, if a client can't get through the application, then that's one more barrier to receiving services to being an independent traveler.
So, mm-hmm. Uh, those are some fantastic examples. So guys, we're [00:29:00] wrapping up. Any final thoughts as you think about the next two days? Uh, Garrett, thank you so much for mm-hmm. Picking up where I left off with my, yeah, my Timothy here. I'm so glad you guys are working together and it sounds like doing such really, really cool things.
I wish I could come hang out with you guys for a couple days. Um, but any last thoughts?
Timothy: I mean, I appreciate everybody who's taking care of Glacier Wise being gone. I mean, we brought the world famous Worm, the leader dog. It's here in the building and everybody's got to see the worm and glacier, and she's been having a blast up here.
I appreciate Leader Dog. Like I said, they don't abandon you. They're there forever. And, uh, they're changing my life again. They truly are. And, uh, don't be scared to come on up. Well, if you got an issue, lead Dog will fix it. And, uh, Don just, just come on up. It, don't worry about it.
Leslie: Just, yeah. Garrett will take you to an attic.
You'll get some candy. You know
Timothy: what? Get some candy outta it. I have
Christina: really enjoyed hanging out with Glacier [00:30:00] because I never get to hang out with her when she's not working.
Timothy: Oh, I was a little worried with you, GII was a little worried about. You didn't over feed her anything. You know, Timothy, I
Christina: am your favorite.
Timothy: So
Christina: let's just point it out to everybody here. I'm not his favorite instructor. I'm his favorite person. Oh my gosh.
Garrett: Um, I, I had one thing to add, just please, Timothy, you added like your kind of growth through this week so far. So from the, um, from your point of view. So from the instructor point of view, um.
Which for people listening is usually just way far behind, you know, the person that you're instructing. Yeah, but I've, I've seen Timothy go from Monday, you know, doing deep breathing techniques, trying to calm himself down on walks to, uh, walking with his hand in his pocket, uh, just strolling down the street.
Um. Taken in the, the smells from bake shops. Oh my gosh. And, uh, that's chilly. That's chill. The smells from sh from the sewers and Oh yeah. I say, was that you? Of everything. But [00:31:00] um, but yeah, it, it's been great to watch you grow through the week and that's. That's what it's all about. So I, I, I
Timothy: won't lie, it was stressful.
I was stressed out coming here, and I just didn't know, and I shouldn't have been. Mm-hmm. Uh, Leslie put this foundation there and I just, you know, everybody always comes here with a question. Like I said, we, we people come here and they walk and go home, and they're better off than they came. Mm-hmm. So, and that's what I appreciate the most.
Leslie: Well, thank you guys so much for being here and being so vulnerable, but sharing your experience. We wish you the best next two days as you round out your week. Um, and maybe we'll have to catch up at another time to hear how it all went in this attic and all the, uh, cliff Yeah, cliff cliffhangers that we've, we didn't know about that we've got going on.
But thank you Garrett for joining us also. We appreciate it.
Garrett: Thank you for having me.
Leslie: And thank you so much to our listeners for listening to the Taking the Lead podcast. I'm Leslie Hoskins with host Timothy Kyo and Christina Hepner. We hope you enjoy hearing Timothy's personal story and [00:32:00] learning a little bit more about our colleague Garrett.
Please join us next time as we continue to dive into the world of blindness.
Christina: And if you'd like to learn more about applying to our free services at Leader Dog, you can head to leader dog.org or call us at (888) 777-5332. Don't forget, you can reach us at taking the lead@leaderdog.org with any questions or ideas.
If you like today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever podcast Stream.