The group called the Council of 400 was formed by Ill. Robert L. Goldsmith, 33°, S.G.I.G. Florida, some years ago. The name comes from the fact that the combined Masonic years of the Personal Representatives in the 11 Valleys of Florida comes to over 400. The group meets annually to discuss and decide issues of mutual concern. A few years ago, one of those concerns, brought up by Inspector Goldsmith, was the large number of sight-impaired Scottish Rite members who had no easy way to read the monthly Scottish Rite Journal. He suggested that audiotapes be made for distribution. Ill. Alva R. "Al" Jones, 33°, of the Fort Myers Valleys, asked me if I would do so, and I have been doing it ever since.

My past experience as a volunteer reader for the Radio for the Blind in Minnesota, Ohio, and Florida was then put to a new use. Each month, when I receive the Journal, I use a portable recorder at the Scottish Rite office, closet myself for about two hours in the library there, and record what I feel are the articles of prime interest to Florida members. I always begin with the monthly greeting of Sovereign Grand Commander C. Fred Kleinknecht, 33°, then look for articles that report or describe events occurring in our Orient, or those written by Florida members. Of course, at the beginning of each tape, I point out that the tape is a partial reading, since the 90-minute tapes do not accommodate all the articles. Upon completion, I take the master copy to a local firm to have duplicates made, which I pick up usually the following day. My monthly time contribution is a total of about four hours.

Ill. Jones sends out the tapes to each Valley and bills according to each Valley's wishes, monthly or less often. His time expended is about an hour each month. The charge to each Valley is just a bit over cost. I should mention we do have a back-up reader, Bro. Jerome G. "Jerry" McCormick, 32°, who helps when I am not available. Interestingly, articles by Bro. McCormick have appeared in the Journal several times. Perhaps recording the Journal for your Valley's sight-impaired Brethren is a project worthy of consideration.

Harold R. Abelson became a Mason in 1953 in Newport Lodge No. 118, St. Paul Park, Minn., and was Master of Montgomery Lodge No. 258, St. Paul, Minn., in 1972. He joined the St. Paul S.R. in 1962 and was Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 1987. A Charter Member of the S.R. Research Society, he is now a member in Ft. Myers, Fla., of Tropical Lodge No. 56, Araba Shrine, and the Valley of Ft. Myers where he is Class Director and Treasurer.