Portland Highland Games - July 18th & 19th 2014

[Hawk]

Ok folks, don't forget to come here to post your photos from tomorrow and Saturday at the 2014 Portland Highland Games.

I wont be be making it tomorrow myself, but I will, if nothing happens to prevent me, see you all on Saturday at the Games.

Above all, enjoy yourselves, and Kilt on.......

Hawk

Update - 7-19-2014 Cannot make it today to the Games. Please feel free to post any and all photos of the events here to this thread so we can all enjoy. Thank you, to all that attend this years Portland Highland Games....... Hawk

[Bailey]

Jim Great to see you both Friday and Sunday, But as you were front row to the actions taken by at the Portland Highland games this year. Friday at five PM We were told by a very agitated woman at the gate that my daughters service dog was not allowed in ,and that they needed to leave.
my daughters service dog had been in our area all day no problem. The woman along with Pat McLean said they needed proof of license on the spot.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 grants specific rights and prohibits discrimination related to service dogs.
"There are no requirements for licensing, certification or identification of service dogs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The animals are not required to wear special collars, vests or harnesses. The ADA makes it unlawful to require proof of a disability or identification for the service dog.
When dealing with so-called service animals, businesses are only allowed to ask two questions of dog owners:
• Is the dog required because of a disability?
• What task or service has the dog been trained to do?
A dog owner's answer to these two questions must be taken at face value,"
As someone who has been on the games field
So We were not allowed to bring our therapy dog in with out a license on hand, The Person at the gate and Pat McLean have broken federal Law !
All saying that they were just following the rules.
When you demand that half my family leave after paying to be there then You are asking me to leave, When you ask my wife and kids to leave you are asking the entire clan to be OK with your ILLEGAL action!
I have attended for decades years the the Portland games.
, I have taught free sword classes at the games for over 15 years. And Members of the Portland Highland games BOD have broken the law and further more have broken a trust and respect with my family and I. I feel very depressed that my family was treated so shabbily at the hands of people I have know for decades, I wish we could have had a better day,

[Bailey]

Last Friday at the Portland Highland Games,at 5:00 pm, we were told by a very agitated woman at the gate that our daughter's service dog was not allowed in and that we were only allowed entry today but not tomorrow. This lady identified herself as being on the board of directors for the Portland Highland Games, an event that draws thousands of people from all over United States.

Our service dog had been in our area all day, no problem. When I stated that our dog helps our daughter who has Aspergers she stated that she and I needed to speak to Pat McLean, another board member about our dog. Pat McLean promptly explained that only service dogs and therapy dogs are admitted, at this I stated that our dog was a service dog and she exclaimed that we needed to show proof of license because Mount Hood Community College request this of them. I have included here the ADA law that explains the rights of a service dog.



The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 grants specific rights and prohibits discrimination related to service dogs.
"There are no requirements for licensing, certification or identification of service dogs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The animals are not required to wear special collars, vests or harnesses. The ADA makes it unlawful to require proof of a disability or identification for the service dog.
When dealing with so-called service animals, businesses are only allowed to ask two questions of dog owners:
• Is the dog required because of a disability?
• What task or service has the dog been trained to do?
A dog owner's answer to these two questions must be taken at face value,"

Even after explaining that what they were doing was against the law, both women stated that this is what Mount Hood Community College has asked them to do. Given our situation we had no recourse but to pack our tent, and leave the event that we have attended as a community service for the past 35 years. We were appalled at the discrimination we endured as well as the embarrassment of having to explain to our friends and family why were were leaving.

The person at the gate, along with Mrs. Pat McLean have broken the federal law. They new this and stated that Mount Hood Community College was the entity that requested that all service or Therapy dogs must show proof of license, which is clearly breaking the law!



With Autism on the rise and children using more and more guide dogs which in our case has proven so very helpful, we ask that you shine light on this situation so no other family will ever have to suffer the pain of being discriminated against.

The Board of Directors have broken the law and further more have broken a trust and respect between my family and I. I feel very depressed that my family was treated so shabbily at the hands of people I have known for decades. This year's games were to be our last due to the downsizing of my employment which has caused a relocation to another state. This was supposed to be a loving farewell to many years of friendship and joy but instead turned out to be filled with pain and embarrassment for our family and friends.

[Hawk]

Jim Great to see you both Friday and Sunday, But as you were front row to the actions taken by at the Portland Highland games this year. Friday at five PM We were told by a very agitated woman at the gate that my daughters service dog was not allowed in ,and that they needed to leave.
my daughters service dog had been in our area all day no problem. The woman along with Pat McLean said they needed proof of license on the spot.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 grants specific rights and prohibits discrimination related to service dogs.
"There are no requirements for licensing, certification or identification of service dogs, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The animals are not required to wear special collars, vests or harnesses. The ADA makes it unlawful to require proof of a disability or identification for the service dog.
When dealing with so-called service animals, businesses are only allowed to ask two questions of dog owners:
• Is the dog required because of a disability?
• What task or service has the dog been trained to do?
A dog owner's answer to these two questions must be taken at face value,"
As someone who has been on the games field
So We were not allowed to bring our therapy dog in with out a license on hand, The Person at the gate and Pat McLean have broken federal Law !
All saying that they were just following the rules.
When you demand that half my family leave after paying to be there then You are asking me to leave, When you ask my wife and kids to leave you are asking the entire clan to be OK with your ILLEGAL action!
I have attended for decades years the the Portland games.
, I have taught free sword classes at the games for over 15 years. And Members of the Portland Highland games BOD have broken the law and further more have broken a trust and respect with my family and I. I feel very depressed that my family was treated so shabbily at the hands of people I have know for decades, I wish we could have had a better day,

Bailey, I am sorry that happened to you. I have nothing to do with the "rules" at PHGA, or organization. I'd be happy to find out who to contact concerning your incident. Give me a PM.

Hawk

[vmac3205]

Hi Bailey,

I am sorry for your bad experience. You were not the only one who had a negative experience with the Portland Games. It distresses me that this is the face that the PHGA shows to the public. After all, is this not Portland? The land where everything is accepted?

Frankly, I find the two field venue exhausting. I have to be at the clan tent in the upper field, but need to support CaptMac while he is competing in the DM competition in the lower field, and I miss all the other great stuff on the lower field. We feel that we must maintain the Clan MacKezie tent because it is our "home field" but every year it becomes more arduous. Also, I hate telling friends that they must pay $20 each to visit us. This coming weekend we are attending the PNW Games in Enumclaw. We went on line, and by the time we got discounts for a two day pass, buying early, and the senior discount, it cost us $19 FOR A THREE DAY EVENT!! In addition, for a mere $25 a day, we get to camp on site. Talk about user friendly.

The Portland games committee needs to seriously think about their mission.

Okay, I have now ranted. I'm still tired.

[Hawk]

For anyone that attended the PHG this year and took any photos, please share them with us here on the thread. Thank you....

Hawk

[bdkilted]

Ok, sounds like some didn't have any fun, but you know the rules.
Where are the pictures?