An Introduction to
NFB Idaho Second Vice President and
Treasure Valley Chapter President -

Dana Ard

My first memory of the NFB was when, at age 7 or 8, I was invited to play the piano at the Christmas party for what was then called the Gem State Blind. My next NFB involvement was as a student at the Idaho Commission for the Blind's orientation center. I remember outdoor potlucks, and the state convention where one of my fellow orientation students fell into the hotel swimming pool fully clothed in his three piece suit. I am sure that the Fish House Punch, which we all were enjoying while socializing around the pool before the banquet, was the cause of this highly amusing incident.

At the end of my freshman year at St. Olaf Lutheran College in Northfield, Minnesota, I contacted the president of the Idaho Student Division of the NFB, after I was denied the opportunity to sing in the prestigious St. Olaf Choir because of my blindness. Unfortunately, my efforts proved to be too little too late, and I never was given the opportunity to sing in this choir. However, I did join two other college choirs, and got to do my share of music tours. In my junior year, I took two part time jobs, which gave me valuable work experience. I couldn't have done all of this if I had been in the St. Olaf Choir, because of the large time commitment it involved.

Many things have changed since those college days. I have been happily married for 12 years, and my husband and I share our home with our current family of four dogs, including my Golden Retriever guide dog, Fringe. I received my Master's degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Idaho, and have been a practicing rehabilitation counselor for the Idaho Commission for the Blind for over 21 years. I enjoy public speaking, and have been a member of Toastmasters International for 20 years. Music continues to be an important part of my life, and I sing in both my church choir, and the Boise Valley Choristers, which is a women's choral group. One of my most recent activities is baking 7 or 8 dozen cookies for the Boise Soup Kitchen, which serves an average of 80 meals each day to the homeless of Boise.

I am secretary for our state NFB, and am on the board of the Treasure Valley Chapter. On a national level, I am vice president of the National Association of Guide Dog Users, and am a board member of the Deaf-Blind division.

I am proud to be an active member of the National Federation of the Blind, because I believe that collective action is the only way that positive change for blind people can occur. The NFB is the best source of information about blindness, and also has some of the best blind role models that a person could ever meet.

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