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Article Title:	In Memoriam
Author of reported comment:	Karl
Comment Date:	19:05 on Mar 25 2015
Comment:	When I first met Donald I was about 13-14. He was about I'd say 4-5 years older. He was a good friend of our minister music Percy Hall, We went to New Mt Moriah Baptist Church in Detroit which at that time was on Blaine and Linwood. He had not that long ago started the Choraleers and every 4th Sunday they had a musical at out church inviting different choirs. That was my introduction to to 'real gospel music" The choraleers sang "Ive decided to make Jesus My choice" at the first musical I went to. They sang with such spirit and passion that I literally ran home (about 4 blocks away) while they were yet singing, called may father and told him I wanted Jesus in my life. My father prayed for me and while I already believed, I had never dedicated my life to Christ. That night, because of Donald Vails and the choraleers my life changed . Its a moment that I have relived over and over again that I will never forget. I wasn't old enough to be in the choraleers, but it didnt matter because Donald announced he was starting Operation Love , a group for teenagers and they rehearsed at our church. When I joined Operation Love there were about 20 members it grew to way of 300 young people. I lived for Sundays after meeting Donald. I was was an out cold gospel music fan. Detroit was hot in those days. People always talk about Detroit and Motown , Supremes and the Temptations. But if you were into gospel music back in those days we had Donald Vails, Thomas Whitfield, Lucille Lemon, Dorothy Grant, Beverly Glenn, CYE ,Harold Smith, John Ebherhart, Burnette Baptist, Holy Cross, The Craig Brothers and so so many more. We saw them for free in musicals and in concert sometimes for $10, It is now the year 2015, and 45 years later. Im 60, I pastor a church and a huge part of that is because of the conviction Donald's group sang with that night. Those days will never be forgotten by so many of us. Thank you Jesus for sending Donald our way

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