Organization's History

In 1987 the Duke Family founded The Opening Door, Inc., an organization of volunteers. The Dukes have first hand experience in encountering the frustrations of traveling with a disability. Bill has a hearing impairment. Cheryl is a person of short stature and has a mobility impairment due to degenerative arthritis. Their son, Paul, uses a motorized wheelchair and is respirator dependent because of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The Duke Family.

L-R Cheryl, Paul, Caitlin and Bill Duke

Mission

The Opening Door, Inc.'s mission is to open the doors of independence through travel. This nonprofit organization ...

• Publishes travel guides for persons with disabilities

• Consults with other states to help develop guides using their innovative format.

• Works cooperatively with the hospitality and travel industries to create an awareness of a large, lucrative consumer market--the 54 million Americans with disabilities plus their families and friends.

• Educates businesses to view federal legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a positive force for change.

Successes

The Duke Family continues to expand their Virginia guide as well as work with organizations and agencies in other states to help them develop guides similar to Virginia's. The following guides have been authorized to use our distinctive format:

• New Mexico
• Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
• Peterborough,Ontario, Canada
• Minnesota guide will begin this spring

If you like the comprehensiveness of The Virginia Travel Guide for Persons with Disabilities, please contact us for information on licensing our copyrighted accessibility questionnaires and templates for developing state and local guides. The Opening Doors, Inc.'s guide format has been registered and copyrighted internationally.

Awards

For their efforts in improving travel for persons with hearing, visual, or mobility impairments, they received the "Unsung Virginian" award and became the first family to be given the Victory Award, which was presented in the White House by former First Lady, Barbara Bush.

The Duke Family appreciates the help of dedicated friends in the community of persons with disabilities, such as Ken Jessup, an international advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities. Mr. Jessup lobbied the Virginia General Assembly for funds to update the Virginia guide and is seen here receiving an award from the Virginia Tourism Corporation for his efforts.

L-R Ken Jessup, Bill Duke, and Cheryl Duke

For more information contact:

The Opening Door, Inc.

8049 Ormesby Lane, Woodford, VA 22580

Phone.Fax.TTY 804-633-6752

E-mail: dukefamily@travelguides.org.

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© 1999, 2000 by The Opening Door, Inc.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED