Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the taking the lead podcast, where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hapner with my cohost, Leslie Hoskins and Timothy Cuneo guys this morning when I was feeding my dog, he does this dance. He like is so excited. So I go to the gym in the morning and he knows. He doesn't get fed till after I get back home.
And every time I feed him, he dances. And I'm like, if I left food out for him, he would be eating all day because he just gets so excited and he almost fell because he, I have like a wood floor and he like slid this morning and I was like,
Jill: can't
Leslie: handle it.
Christina: Can't handle that.
Timothy: Wow. Well, I've got a battle.
I've got a, I've got a one-year old Siamese cat. That's feeding glacier. Maybe
she gets up there and she eats and then glacier goes in there and she sees glacier. So she takes her cat food and [00:01:00] drops it on the floor, just sitting there. He gobbles them one, one piece of cat food, about four or five times I go in there, got a blanket up. Cause I don't want glacier eating a bunch of cat food.
And she's just sitting there watching glacier gobble at the food. I mean, they gotta, they gotta. The thing worked out. Hey man, feed me. All right.
Christina: She is miss GBS.
Leslie: Ridiculous. They're best friends. Yeah.
Timothy: She's assigned me. So they've got attitudes.
Leslie: Yeah. That's some kind of like training, right? Like she's now trained glacier that when she's eating to come so that she's not lonely maybe. And
Timothy: she goes in there, she, she sees the caddy and glacier goes in there and. That's hilarious.
Leslie: They're a little, they're a little duo there. It's funny, Christina, that you said, if you left food out all day, your dog would just never stop eating.
So my dog Mila, who's a Shorkey. She's about five pounds. She just free feeds. So we just fill up her food when she needs her food. And she just eats whenever and she never [00:02:00] overeats or anything like that. And she's so funny. The vet told us, because we asked about this. What she'll do is she'll take like a little mouthful of food.
And then she walks away and drops it and then eats it one piece at a time. Um, and she really only eats if we're there, but the vet said it's because she's a social eater, I guess, or something like that. So she doesn't want to eat alone. So she'll like bring it into the room where we're at. And then she eats like one little piece at a time, but yeah, she eats whatever she wants.
Crazy. Duke
Christina: eats his food in literally. Two seconds. I need to become a social eater.
Jill: I'm going to take after
Christina: I will only eat. So in the presence of other
Leslie: people I got to ask, does glacier then share her food with again, the one way.
Timothy: Uh, labs eat very quickly and know she
Leslie: doesn't have, she doesn't share it. Well, that's a really nice cat to share. Oh my goodness. Animals [00:03:00] are so funny. They really do fill our life. They do. All right. Well, today we have a very special guest who has recently received her leader, dog Hannah, and is a us army veteran who currently serves as grand valley state university's first military and veteran resource manager.
Yes.
Christina: Jill Hinton Wolf is a writer, entrepreneur bookworm in avid outdoors. In 2021, Joe was awarded the Michigan veterans affairs agencies, veteran educational advocate of the year, and is currently a 2022 Myra fellow. She started two companies, including outdoor book club and go scavenger hunts, and is a lifetime member of the American Legion, veterans of foreign wars and the woman veterans Alliance.
Jill,
Timothy: I'm glad you're hearing. First of all, thank you for your service. Can you tell me a little bit more about your.
Jill: Hey everybody while, uh, I will say whenever somebody says, thank you for your service. I always say it was my [00:04:00] honor. It was at the time sort of a whim. I always tell people I did it to tick off my parents and we can get into that way.
But, uh, yeah, I I'm really excited to be here. Um, I don't know. I feel like the, the bio kind of covered it. I, um, I love reading. I love hiking. Um, Which has been a challenge, both of those things with my vision loss, but I'm kind of one of the cool things is that you, you, you find new ways to do things that sometimes are even more fun, um, than the original way.
So
Leslie: that is always the takeaway here, hopefully is that people who are blind or visually impaired can do everything. It's just a different way sometimes. So thank you for starting us off with that. Cause I love. Yeah. So Jill,
Christina: how did you, I guess, when did you lose your vision and how did you lose it?
Jill: So I went to the optometrist in 2017.
I was, I think it was 39 at the time and was just experiencing sort of like [00:05:00] age-related blurriness in my, um, eye sight. And so I went to the optometrist and he said, well, your, your vision is actually 2020. It's pretty good. But I noticed some spots on the back of your retina. Maybe she goes, see retina specialists.
And very long story short. It turns out that, um, I have retinitis pigmentosa, which is sort of interesting. It's a genetic disease and I have nobody in my family has this. So I like to say I sort of lost the genetic lottery was totally came out of left field. I hadn't had really any vision loss at the time.
And, uh, so that was a big shock to the system. But, um, Yeah, I guess it was about a year ago. So in 2021, I was actually declared legally blind. I have a. 12 degrees of central vision in one eye, 15 and another. So, um, I still can pretend to be a sighted person pretty well though, pretty quickly. You know, I have to start explaining to people that I'm not actually drunk or [00:06:00] not get enough sleep.
Yeah. Yeah,
Leslie: absolutely. That's one of those things that we talk about a lot is. Visual conditions or visual disabilities. Aren't always so obvious. Right? Especially in those beginning stages when you're not maybe carrying a cane or using a guide dog, if somebody just looked at you, they would have no idea that you're blind.
So sometimes explaining those situations when you run in or to somebody or knock something over or yeah. Wobble a little bit here and there can be really difficult to explain.
Christina: Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I think that goes to show back to don't judge a book by its cover. You know, you never know what is going on with someone.
So. Safer to ask.
Jill: Sometimes absolutely people ask me all the time. If I'm, since I got Hannah at the end of February. And, um, they asked me if I'm training her and I have to kind of decide how much I want to get into it. Sometimes I'm just like, Nope, she's mine. And other times I want to say no, I'm, I'm actually legally blind.
And, and, uh, she helps me, but, uh, yeah. It's a, it's a discussion everywhere. I mean, or you [00:07:00] have a guide dog, everybody that has a guide dog knows it's. It's like I tell the, it was like walking around with Beyonce all the time and she's a German shepherd too. So she's particularly, people want to talk about her or ask about her.
So,
Leslie: and so do you mind telling us a little bit, you know, you were diagnosed at what point did you start using a cane? Did you use a cane? What was that like for you?
Jill: Um, yeah, so one of the cool things, uh, there's a lot of cool things about being a veteran, but it turns out when you're a blind veteran, like all sorts of resources open up to you.
So when I got that official diagnosis of being legally blind, um, I went down to battle Creek, which is where the big VA hospital in Michigan is and worked with the advisor team there. And I cannot say. Enough good stuff about that team. They have just been incredibly supportive. Um, you know, we don't often say a ton of good stuff about the VA.
It can be sort of a difficult behemoth to sort of navigate, but the, the, the advisor team [00:08:00] has been great. And in fact, the, the VA is sort of on the cutting edge of visual rehabilitation. Um, there's a, there's a lot of funding and resources that have been poured in since world war II. Support veterans who are visually impaired.
So I went down there and they gave me everything I needed. Like they give me like three different canes and, um, supported me with all sorts of technology. And it was really, really hard for me to pick up a cane as I think it is for everybody. Like I thought it was the most humiliating, embarrassing. I just didn't, you know, like I could still see.
So there's always that question. Like, am I lying to people? Are they going to accuse me of, um, you know, not being blind enough? And so that was a very long, difficult process, but thankfully most of it happened during COVID. So I could kind of get used to the idea and do it in small spurts. And so I did my own I'm training with the VA.
And then, um, they suggested that I apply [00:09:00] for, for a guide dog. So that, that is how that process worked. So how did you
Timothy: find leader dog and what made you decide to come to later dog?
Jill: The, my rapid, the VA highly recommended, uh, leader dogs. They, she had placed several vets with the program before a knew that they had a great reputation and I live in grand rapids, Michigan, which is just on the other side of the.
Ah, sorry. Nitten from where you guys are located. I actually went to high school in Troy. So when I was. Yeah. When I was training there, it was a little bit like a, it was like a little nostalgia driving around to all the different places. I'm like, I think I remember this, um, these places, cause I moved, I moved away from Troy right after I graduated.
But, um, but yeah, and I just couldn't be like more thrilled with the program and the people in it has just been just a whole new community for me, which has been Phantom. That's
Leslie: awesome. And I'm so glad to hear you said, had [00:10:00] such great experiences with the VA. The VA does a lot of work and they super, super, super are great with, uh, blindness and low vision and all the resources and training that they have.
So I'm so glad to hear that. And I'm so glad that they recommended liter dog. That's a huge honor. There are lots of guide dog organizations, but it's nice when we have some local VA's that know leader dog, um, personally, That's so great. Um, thank you for sharing also your experience with kind of picking up the candy.
You know, that's not easy and we hear that all the time. It's kind of like you're exposing yourself, you're showing, you know, your disability. How was that different for you than when traveling with a guide dog versus a cane?
Jill: Well, uh, I mean, like, just like I said, the celebrity. You know, part of it, people always want to talk to Hannah and I work at a university.
And so one of the reasons I did want to get the dog is because it felt like the dog was more approachable for students. Especially I work with student veterans and a lot of them, [00:11:00] um, you know, they, they come with a unique set of struggles often, and I want to be as approachable as possible. And certainly they're very understanding of disabilities and I've never had a problem with them, but it's, I think just the.
It's easier to open up a conversation. And start that. And then, you know, once we had talked a little bit about, a lot of them have trained with German shepherds, uh, in the military or have had German shepherds. And so once we start that conversation becomes a little bit easier to talk about. So, which do you know what's going on in your current life?
What do you, you know, what are you struggling with? What can, what can I help with? And, um, so having the dog is great in that sense. And then of course, I just feel. Completely confident walking anywhere with her. I've taken her out to San Francisco for business trips. We were at a conference it's women.
Veterans day was yesterday. So happy women veterans stayed anyone out there, um, and was at a conference and she can just go anywhere and I can. I just have a [00:12:00] sense of confidence. I've always been a fairly confident person, but with Hannah, by my side, I, I feel like I can just take on the world.
Christina: That is so amazing to hear Jill.
And we've heard about students being on a college campus, but you work at a college campus. So what I mean, it's gotta be different for you because this is your day to day job. So what was it like first taking her to the college campus? Were you a little nervous that people. Kind of try and come up and pet her, or
Jill: what was that like?
Uh, I was, and I shouldn't have worried because I would say the students probably out of all the. If I'm generalizing groups of people in my life are the best at ignoring her, it is, it seems like the, the older the person gets the harder they have a harder time. They have ignoring her. Um, at the, I wonder sometimes when I go to the VFW, I, they want to feed her there, which is, I don't get that anywhere else.
But, um, but I'll tell you what the big problem is, is that we have [00:13:00] between my husband and I, we have four. Men, uh, teenage, you know, saddens. And so she sees them around the house and at dinner and we play together. But then when we go on campus, she's always looking to see if, if this next young guy walking up the path is, is her brother or somebody she knows.
So, so we're working on that. We've, we've only been working together. Three or four months now. And I know it takes about six months to a year for a team to really work well together. Um, but the, I think the faculty and staff have all been super supportive. I actually have a, there's another, um, guide dog on campus.
Um, there's a professor over in the communications department that has RP as well. And so it's been very cool to, um, connect with her and, and we have that in common with.
Leslie: Absolutely. And you guys are a new team, which is really exciting to hear that it's going so well and that things are off to a really great start.
I am curious, can you tell us just a little bit more, what is your role at grand valley? What you.
Jill: So I [00:14:00] work with our military and, um, I say our military connected students. So we have about 250 to 300 veterans or current service members. So they're in the national guard or the reserves and they're going to school.
And then we have another 400 dependent. So spouses and kids of veterans who through a special program are able to attend bay. Through their parents or spouses GI bill. So when they're coming in, it's often a huge transition, um, to come out of the military and come to a college campus. It's a very different culture.
It's a very different way of relating to people. A lot of veterans wouldn't admit this, but there's definitely some imposter syndrome. Like I don't think that I belong here. Um, and, and so I'm there to support them. With programming on how to study, how to apply for scholarships, how to navigate the VA and making sure your GI bill is in place.
How to, um, connect with employers and internships [00:15:00] and just basically run. Anything related to helping support military connected students. We have two veterans lounges, which is pretty cool. Um, and so those are spaces where veterans and their family members can kind of come and study and get free coffee and snacks.
And so that's all part of what I do.
Timothy: Well, I hear you got a blog. Can you tell us a little bit more about your blog and how long you've been doing?
Jill: Sure. Well, it's more of a newsletter. I know some people would probably don't want to distinguish a shirt or know the difference, but it's, it's an email newsletter.
And I just really wanted to document the whole process of going to leader dogs and getting a guide dog because so many people have so many questions about it and it's called, um, all the best people. And so I can make sure to give you guys a link of somebody who wants to sign up for it and it's. Yeah, I was just kind of, I haven't sent out something on a wild aisle though.
People are always asking me about it. So, so I'll update it after this [00:16:00] episode and talk about this, but it's, um, it's just kind of my journey with Hannah. I thought for sure that I was going to get a lab because most people that go through leader dogs get to lab. And so it was, uh, it was, I had requested a German shepherd norm.
Full well that it probably wasn't going to happen. And I had said as much, like, it would be cool to have a German shepherd, but I don't need to have one. And so to get a German shepherd was a big surprise. I was very happy about. So just kind of talking about all the people that leave. What it's like, I find so many of my friends too, don't know how to be around the dog.
And so it always, you know, have that conversation about, um, when she's in her harness, she's in uniform. We like to say like, we're in the military. We don't want, you know, we don't talk to soldiers when they're doing their job. We don't talk to Hannah when she's in her uniform. Um, and they're just, I just find everybody is really open and curious and wants to know more.
Yeah. And of course it, everyone just absolutely loves Hannah. Um, so [00:17:00] the newsletter is just a way to kind of get the word out about what it's like to be legally blind and what it's like to have a guide. Yes.
Christina: And Jill, you said this a little bit, you were expecting to get a lab because we don't have many German shepherds typically that make it to be guide dogs.
How come you wanted a German shepherd? Why did you request that kind of.
Jill: Well, it's funny that you say that because after I requested it, I thought, oh, maybe I shouldn't have done that. Um, one was because the, kind of the military connection, um, I thought my students might be able to better relate to that.
And then I had a friend. Who, um, he grew up with German shepherds. And so when I told him that I was going to lead her dog, he's like, are you going to get a German shepherd? I'm like, no, like they don't really have German shepherds from what I understand, he's like, oh my God, they're the most amazing dogs.
They're so wonderful. Uh, you have to, you have to ask for a German shepherd. And I was like, okay, I've never had German shepherd. I always had golden retrievers and labs, you know, growing up and, um, You know, with, with my [00:18:00] own kids. And so that's totally what I was expecting. Um, but I remember every time I would walk through the halls of leader, dog, people who would comment on her until yo here, it comes to the unicorn and I understand they're getting more of them, but it was
Leslie: funny.
That is funny. Yeah. German shepherds. We honestly, we hardly even see them being trained. We just don't have a lot of them right now. Um, I know, you know, our breeding team and everybody's always working, um, As far as putting out the best dogs and sometimes that's German shepherds, sometimes it's lab and golden.
So I'm so glad. And it sounds like you and Hannah are just the perfect match all around. It seems like a really good fit. Like you said, that connection with your veterans, um, is really important. And it sounds like Jill, the work that you do there is really incredible and that you're helping them through all aspects.
I had never really thought about that of, you know, being in the military and then coming back and kind of transitioning for one just to civilian life, I think is kind of the term. Also then going to a college campus, which is a whole nother kind of [00:19:00] lifestyle, if you will. Um, was that a difficult transition for you?
Is that something you experienced when you were, uh, coming out of the military? Did you go to college? Is that why you kind of got into this career? I'm just kinda curious.
Jill: Yeah, that's a great question. Um, so. Graduated from high school and Troy, and went to grand valley right after graduation. And I just felt like there was something more I was, I was called to do.
There was more adventure out there for me. And so I, I, you know, I joined the army and I did three years. I was, um, a non Morse communications analyst, which is signals and intelligence signals, intelligence. I actually didn't do that, that job. When I was in, through a series of sort of lucky events, I was a public affairs officer in San Antonio, Texas.
And then I was, uh, I was a lifeguard in Korea. We're sort of an interesting way that that happened, but did three years and then came back. Um, and this was a million years ago. It [00:20:00] was right between the two Gulf wars. I was in between 95 and 98. So I came back to. Grand valley in 99 and everybody was younger than me.
I had a toddler. I came back, I guess she was, I guess she was probably about one when, um, when I came back to school and I, you know, it was just, I was so different from all the other students and. I wasn't really sure if that was for me. And I had a terrible time finding childcare. We were just broke. Um, I think veterans now have more resources.
They get housing help, uh, to, to pay for housing. But at the time I was going, they didn't have that, that they didn't have the post nine 11 GI bill. So that transition was hard. It was married. And I had a baby, like I said, so it was, it was difficult, but you know, I was really driven and I will say that about my students.
Once they can kind of get their heads wrapped around that this is where they belong and that it will pay off. They have student [00:21:00] veterans have some of the highest GPA's on campus. They take on some of the most difficult majors. They have the highest graduation rates. Like they're incredible students once they can get, like I said, their heads wrapped around that this is where they need to be and figure out what they need to do.
And so I'm here. To help shorten that, that learning curve as much as possible, and really just provide a community too. I mean, we all have communities it's I find it with leader, dog, right. Where having other people that have shared your experience is so helpful in making you feel like, like you're not alone.
And we do that through leader dog, and I do it through with my student veterans as well. That's
Christina: absolutely amazing, Jill. I mean, you're just holding journey. And, you know, now giving back so much in, I love you said it earlier, you, when you thought about a German shepherd, you thought I could relate to your students when you were coming to get your own guide dog, we're thinking about your students, which, I mean, that's amazing.
Is there anything else that we haven't asked you, [00:22:00] you want to share with us?
Jill: I guess, you know, I'll say the same thing that, um, that I say to my students a lot. And, uh, to, to your listeners and anybody else with a guide dog, or that is going through this process, or just starting the process is that I know the saying if, if the bus doesn't stop at your station, it's not your bus.
And there are times where we think, you know, our lives are going to go one way and it doesn't turn out that, that way. And it's disappointing and it's upsetting and it's hard, but. To really invest in the people around you and to seek out that support and to give back, right. It's always a give and take is one of the highest callings and there is another bus coming along for you.
You just have to make sure, you know, you're in the right place at the right time to take advantage of it. So, um, I I'm happy if anyone wants to reach out and connect. I always love to do collaborations and, [00:23:00] and find projects and cool causes to support. Reach out. I'd, I'd love to talk with anyone who's interested in furthering the community.
That
Leslie: is such a relatable gloat. I think, to so many people in so many ways, like I just heard that and I thought, oh, so many different times in my life where I thought something was going to go one way. And I thought my life was going to turn out at one direction. And then here I am doing nothing that I thought I would ever be doing, but loving.
So I love that. Well, I'm going to, I'm going to probably steal that from you gel.
Jill: I feel the
Christina: exact same way.
Leslie: Um, but I had to ask before we end, because you gave a little teaser earlier, what did, did you say something about why you joined the military, did it to, to upset your parents, but I need to hear more about that little story.
Jill: Oh, so, um, so I had come home from my first semester, freshman year at grand valley. It was Thanksgiving and. My parents sat me down before they went to go pick up my grandma from the airport. And they said, we're [00:24:00] not going to pay for you to go back to school winter semester, which was like, you know, like a month and a half away, unless you get a job.
And I was very upset, uh, and couldn't figure out what was going on in and threw a huge fit about it. And so, um, They stood strong and they left to go pick up my grandma and asked the garage door was coming down the phone ring and it was a recruiter. And he said, how would you like $30,000 for college?
And his timing was just,
Timothy: wow, that's amazing.
Jill: Yeah. And I said, you know what, let's talk. And it wasn't like that quick of a decision. In fact, And, you know, at the moment where I had the raise, my right hand and pledged to defend the constitution, right before that I was in the bathroom, flipping a coin about whether I was going to do this or not.
And the coin came up heads. And so I joined the army for three years. And my parents, when I told them, we're like, oh, Oh, no, I'm sorry. You know, w we, [00:25:00] we forgot about w we will pay for school. I'm like, do not do this. And I'm like, Nope, Nope. This is, this is what I want to do. I want to pay for college myself.
I'm not really that into college at this point. So we'll, I'll, I'll probably come back. So they now will say it was probably one of the best decisions that I ever made and they of course, fully supported. And, but at the time they weren't, they were really unsure about them. I can't believe
Leslie: you flip the coin
Christina: to make this decision.
Maybe I need to start doing that with my life choices.
Leslie: Just start flipping going. I can't get over that timing of like, they dropped this huge news to you. And then all of a sudden the phone rings and you're presented with this kind of opportunity had, had they not called gel. Would you have ever thought about joining the military?
Jill: No, no. And in fact, I thought I was only going to go into the national guard. Uh, I didn't think I was going to join active duty. Um, but the recruiter was active duty and, and, um, and I'll [00:26:00] say like, as far as flipping the coin, like at the time I like was just really like, did not know what to do. And I, I remember standing in this sort of like lime green, tiled, military bathroom, you know, trying to decide whether I was going to do it or not.
And I thought, you know, if I, if I stay in school and don't do this, I will be. And if I join joining the army and I do this for three years, I will also be fine. And so let's leave it up to fate. So that's one of the more mature things I did at 19 years old. Oh my
Leslie: gosh. If that also doesn't just like scream your quote about the bus and the stop.
If it's not your, uh, does, if it doesn't stop it yourself, it's not your bus. I mean, right. Like that could have gone so many different ways. That's increasing. Well, I'm so glad I asked that question because I will be thinking about that for the rest of the day. Um, thank you so much, Jill, for joining us today and for sharing your story, sharing your experience with leader, dog, all of the amazing and tremendous work that you're doing with grand valley and for our veterans, um, as Timothy mentioned, thank you for your service.
Thank you to all veterans [00:27:00] for the service and for keeping us safe here. So. Although, thank you to our listeners for listening to the taking belief podcast. I am Leslie Haskins with hosts, Timothy Cuneo and Christina Hapner. We hope you enjoy learning about Jill's experience. Please join us next week. As we continue to dive into the world of blind.
Yes. And if you'd
Christina: like to learn more about applying to leader dog, you can head to leader, dog.org or call us at eight eight eight seven seven seven 5,332. And don't forget, you can reach us at taking the lead of leader, dog.org with any questions or ideas, if you like today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever podcast stream.