[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1469

[David Houck]

October 8, 2014

Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others

From:  Parnell Diggs, President

Positive Note 1469

Dear Fellow Federationists:

 

              The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future.  Every day, we raise expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams.  You can have the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.  This is our message.  Please learn it and share it.

I have been placing this message in many of the Positive Notes over the past months.  My reason for doing this is not merely to take up space for lack of other things to say.  It’s just that we have worked very hard in the Federation to sharpen our message to the public, and we need to share that message with everyone who will listen.

Moreover, we need to say the same thing regardless of what city or state we live in or what chapter we join.  We call it our one-minute message.  There is no reason it should not have been learned by now.  Our chapters should assign this message as homework at the October meeting and ask members to learn it by the November meeting, or at least by the end of the year.

I have a Meet the Blind Month announcement from the President of our Upper Dorchester Chapter and State Board member, Loretta Green.  Here is what she says.  “On October 15th the Upper Dorchester Chapter will sponsor a walk-a-thon at Johnston football field in St. George.  This event will serve as a fundraiser and community awareness for the St. George and surrounding areas.  We are asking friends, family, churches, and other chapters in the NFB to come out and support our event.

This event is held in honor of white cane safety day.  We are walking 1 mile.  If the walker completes the entire mile the sponsor will pay $25.  If the walker completes 1/2 mile the sponsor will pay $12.50.  If the walker completes 1/4 mile the sponsor will pay $6.25.

Walkers will need to be at the field at 7":45.  The football field is located at Ridge Street in St. George.  For more information please contact Loretta Green at 843-276-9649. Thank you in advance for your support.”

I want to congratulate our Sumter Chapter, under the leadership of State Board member and Chapter President Debra Canty on maintaining a Meet the Blind Month booth at the Sumter County Fair.  Our Grand Strand Chapter will be holding a hotdog social this Saturday for Meet the Blind Month as an outreach initiative to local residents.  I appreciate the efforts of Chapter President Terry Knox.

We are now midway through the 75 Days of Action chapter building initiative in the National Federation of the Blind, and the NFB of SC is still working hard.  This Saturday, our Aiken County Chapter will be holding a revitalization meeting at 12:00 noon.  Everyone in the Aiken County area is invited.

The State Board will meet at Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind during the weekend of December 12 through 14 as part of the Annual Christmas Board Retreat.  Chapter presidents and state board members are requested to be in attendance.  As you will observe, there is plenty of action taking place in the NFB of SC this fall, and that is just the way we like it.  Joining me for comments in this Positive Note is the President Emeritus of the NFB of SC.  Here is Dr. Capps.

              I love autumn and the fall time.  The weather is great and there’s a lot of sports activity which I enjoy.  I will always remember October for it was 36 years ago in 1978 that we, after putting in a day’s work at Colonial Life, we traveled to Easley to meet with a bank official, Mr. Marvin Ellenburg (no relation to Ralph Ellenburg) who was Chairman of Pickens County Council.  The purpose of the trip was to seek Mr. Ellenburg’s support in transferring the old 4-H Club property to the NFB of SC.  Mr. Ellenburg’s support was needed to establish a new and unique program for the state’s blind as they would enjoy this retreat.  We were successful in securing the support of Pickens County Council and the rest is history.  

It is only four weeks until the election.  It is extremely important for all of us to individually do what we can to assist our state President Parnell Diggs in his race for the office of Attorney General.  We need to support Parnell with our contributions.  No amount is too small from $5 to $10 and more if we are able to do so.  We need to individually do everything we can to get out the vote for Parnell including not only our individual vote, but also the votes of our family members, relatives and friends.  The Positive Note goes into all of the 46 counties and we reach a lot of people, both blind and sighted.  We cannot however include the federation in the elections but working individually we can be helpful.  Please send your contributions to “Diggs for Attorney General,” 2584 South Highway 17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576.  

Please join me in traveling down memory lane as we review the 1998 NFB of SC convention  held at the Wilson World Hotel in Spartanburg when we were approaching the presidential transition.  August 7, 8 and 9, 1998 were the dates of the convention hosted by the Spartanburg Chapter.  It was the first convention where the Parents Division held a luncheon which featured our national representative, NFB Second Vice President Peggy Elliott as the keynote luncheon speaker that Friday afternoon.  There were many other guest speakers during the Parents meeting.  Other divisional meetings were held as well that afternoon along with convention registration, exhibits, and meetings of the Resolutions Committee and the Ellen Beach Mack Home Award Committee.  But the highlight was the evening’s Reception where 336 registered delegates filed through the receiving line to be greeted by NFB of SC officials and Peggy Elliott.  It was a full day of events.

The Saturday morning session included greetings from the Spartanburg Mayor and the Spartanburg Chapter, the NFB National Report by Peggy Elliott, Dr. Sheila Breitweiser of SCSDB, a group report from the Commission for the Blind and convention resolutions presented by Chris Danielsen, all of which passed.  This was climaxed by the NFB of SC Presidential Report by President Donald Capps.  Congressman Lindsay Graham was the Luncheon keynote speaker who discussed national legislative support for issues affecting the blind.  Rocky Bottom Advisory Board Chairman, Ralph M. Ellenburg, Sr. also addressed the Luncheon audience.  The afternoon session featured an employment panel of blind people in a variety of career fields, a Federation Center and Rocky Bottom report, a White Cane Week report, chapter and division reports and the 1999 Atlanta NFB Convention Bus Fund report.  The Saturday evening Banquet featured Maxine Bock who gave $50,000 to Rocky Bottom and she received the Presidential Citation, the Allendale and Calhoun Chapters received their charters, Bass Hotels and Resorts received the Employer of the Year Award, Fred Vercher received the Ellen Beach Mack Home Award, Don Robertson received the Associate Member Award, Frank Coppel received the Donald C. Capps Award, and almost $7,000 was distributed to eleven deserving blind college students.  Peggy Elliott gave a rousing Banquet keynote address.  Dr. Sheila Breitweiser, President of SCSDB received the Distinguished Service Award.  Sunday morning featured a Devotional and Memorial Service, more chapter and division reports, NFB stewardship, Rocky Bottom and NFB of SC financial reports and elections.  All executive officers were re-elected and other board members elected included Sheila Compton, Nancy Hines, Shannon Watson, Parnell Diggs and Phil Patterson.  It was an action packed convention which you can read more about in the November 1998 Palmetto Blind in the Center’s Library.

 

Final Thought:  “What you have accomplished in the past is a much stronger example than talking about what you are capable of doing in the future. Actions do speak louder than words!" Catherine Pulsife

 

SCSDB Main Campus

355 Cedar Springs Road 

Spartanburg, SC 29302-4699

 

October 7, 2014

 

Dear Friend of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind:

 

The Board of Commissioners would like to give you an update on our progress toward selecting a new president for the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. We have developed a candidate profile that we believe describes the type of individual who can serve our students in a way that will:

• Increase their future independence,

• Improve their opportunities for meaningful employment,

• And enhance their quality of life.

We would like to share the candidate profile with you at a dialogue on the dates listed on the back of this letter. The candidate profile highlights the leadership qualities the new president will need to ensure our employee team has the statewide support needed for successful students. At each of the sessions, we will provide information on how you can share your thoughts and ideas on the presidential search with the Board of Commissioners.

Our search consultant, Joe Finnegan, will be joining us for the dialogue sessions. As some of you know, Joe is the executive director of the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). In this capacity, he has frequent contact with schools for the deaf and blind all over the country and is very knowledgeable of the components that contribute to their success. Joe also has direct experience with our school as a former president and plans to work closely with our board members who represent the deaf, blind, and sensory multidisabled communities.

I hope that you will be able to join us for the dialogue sessions. We value your support and encourage you to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we make this very important decision over the coming months.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robert A. Dobson III

Chairman, Board of Commissioners 

You’re Invited!

 

You’re invited to join us for a dialogue session regarding the search for a new president of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind. While we have designated dialogue sessions for specific groups, you are welcome to join us for any one of the sessions.

If you are unable to attend, you can watch a live broadcast on Monday, October 20 at 2 p.m. You can also access a taped session October 21-26. To access the live or the taped session, go

to www.scsdb.org.

 

Alumni

Friday, October 17, 6:30 p.m.

Habisreutinger Reception Area, Walker Hall

This session will be part of a school update during the President’s Homecoming Reception for Alumni. The reception begins at 6 p.m.

 

Parents

Sunday, October 19, 5 p.m.

Pulliam Auditorium, Walker Hall

Child care will be provided for this session. Plan to arrive at the Walker Hall Dining Room by

4:30 p.m. to sign children in. Please remember to bring a photo ID.

 

Staff

Monday, October 20, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Pulliam Auditorium, Walker Hall

All of the sessions will be sign language interpreted, and braille and large print materials will be available. If you need an accessible digital copy in advance, please contact Katie Rice at krice at scsdb.org or 864-577-7506. You’re invited to join us for refreshments and social time followed by:

 

• A School Update by Interim President Dr. Page McCraw

• A Report on the Presidential Search by the Board of Commissioners

• And More!

President’s Reception, Friday, October 17, 6-7 p.m., Habisreutinger Reception Area, Walker Hall, 

SC School for the Deaf and the Blind

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