THE BEGINNING AS TOLD BY DURWARD K. MCDANIEL
by Frank and Terry Pacheco

While going through a box of old cassettes recently, we were stunned to hear an old familiar voice when Terry pressed the play button. It was Durward McDaniel. He had made a taped letter in 1972 to tell some of the background and history of ACB. The tape was essentially directed to Charlie Crawford as president of the Blind Leadership Club of Massachusetts (ACB's first state affiliate there) and some of us who were being affected by a proposed NFB resolution banning dual membership in both national organizations.

Re-hearing the story of the first 15 years in Durward's words was just wonderful. We immediately decided that something should be done to make this artifact available to ACB in a way that would best benefit one of his goals. To that end, a special cassette edition of "People of Vision: A History of the American Council of the Blind" by James J. & Marjorie L. Megivern that includes this tape by Durward K. McDaniel is being offered at $40. For each copy sold, $15 of the proceeds will be contributed to the Durward K. McDaniel Fund. This is the funding source for bringing first-timers to an ACB national convention each year.

Advance credit card orders may be placed by calling the ACB Minneapolis office at 1-800-866-3242, or at www.acb.org/store. This special six-cassette edition will be shipped in June. Only one hundred copies will be made available at this time, so order yours today!

Durward worked tirelessly to advance the opportunity for people to experience a national convention and become active leaders in our great organization. Let's carry on his work.

The Durward K. McDaniel Fund Committee will be holding its annual event on Thursday evening of convention week, where you will have an opportunity to meet this year's first-timers. The theme of this year's festivities will be "New Beginnings" in celebration of the special edition of the book. Come, enjoy and hear some excerpts. Watch for your convention pre-registration packet and be sure to get your tickets early!


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