[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1465

[David Houck]

September 10, 2014

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

From:  Parnell Diggs, President

Positive Note 1465

Dear Fellow Federationists:

 

              Let me call your attention to an important scheduling matter,
which will need several mentions so that members will be able to make the
adjustment.  As you know, members are accustomed to having the Statewide
Seminar in early January; however, because we moved the Christmas Board
Retreat to mid-December, it seemed prudent to move the Statewide Seminar to
the end of January to allow sometime between NFB of SC events.  Accordingly,
the Statewide Seminar will occur on January 31, 2015. 

We will have until January 31 to sell the $1 bus tickets.  As you make your
plans, please adjust your schedule to reflect this change in the Statewide
Seminar date.  State dues should be in by this time, and plans for the state
and national conventions will be in the works.  We may find that late
January is a great time to hold this important meeting, which is the largest
NFB of SC gathering between conventions.  But we have other business to
handle between now and the 2015 Statewide Seminar.

For example, we are now in the 75 Days of Action, which is the growth
initiative kicking-off the year-long celebration of the Seventy-fifth
Anniversary of the National Federation of the Blind.  This week, I am in
Columbia for a membership Banquet.  The Banquet will coincide with the usual
second Thursday evening meeting of the Chapter.  I am hoping for a large
turnout.

Our Columbia Chapter has traditionally been one of the largest chapters in
the National Federation of the Blind with some one hundred or more
participating each month.  In fact, I came to be part of the Federation
after attending a membership banquet in Columbia.  I was a college sophomore
at the time and felt very welcome at the meeting.  Four months later, I was
at the state convention, and the rest is history.  As we build the
Federation this fall, I ask that you learn the "one-minute message.

"The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future.  Every day, we raise the
expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and their dreams.  You can live the life you want:
blindness is not what holds you back."  Use this message when you are asked
to describe the National Federation of the Blind.

I would like the Board members to learn this message by the December Board
meeting at Rocky Bottom, which will be part of the Christmas Board Retreat.
Debra Canty has already asked me for the language so that she can learn it.
Way to go, Debra!  Others are encouraged to use this Positive Note to learn
the message by heart.  Actually, the message is fairly short and does not
take a full minute to recite.

Let me say one final thing about the "one-minute message" and the Positive
Note in general.  Chapter presidents are requested to go over the weekly
Positive Note with members at each monthly chapter meeting.  Now that it is
available electronically, I know that more people read it than ever before;
however, you should highlight the upcoming events and other details.

In this Positive Note, for example, you should tell your members about the
Statewide Seminar date and the "one-minute message".  Try to get your
members to learn the message so they can recite it in communities across the
state.  Sometimes, I am asked about an upcoming event or some other item of
interest, and it was just mentioned in the Positive Note.  I don't have to
tell you what that means.

This is why I mention some items several times from week-to-week.  Let's
work together to get the information out.  I will see many of you in
Columbia and at other chapter meetings this fall.   Joining me for comments
in this Positive Note is the President Emeritus of the NFB of SC.  Here is
Dr. Capps.

              The overall Fun Day Festival proceeds amount to $9,805.25
which exceeds the 2013 total profits of $9,302.42.  This year's proceeds
were bolstered by contributions for Fun Day of $2,000 from a Virginia
foundation and a contribution of $1,000 from Sam's Club.  The following is a
breakdown of the 2014 Fun Day profits:  Foundation and corporate donations
$3,000.00, Fun Day $5 ticket sales $2,295.00, weekend food payments
$1,460.00, auction $1,281.00, Saturday lunch food and drink sales $580.50,
T-shirt sales $412.00, food purchase donations $400.00, BINGO $155.00, yard
sale $117.75 and Old country Store $104.00.  

              We are certainly grateful for this year's proceeds as we are
still in a sluggish economy which understandably plays some role in our
profit margin.  While we always hope for a much higher effort by our
statewide membership, I would be remiss if I did not thank many of you
across the state for a wonderful effort.  Working together we have been able
to raise $9,805.25 and, therefore, we have every right to be very happy with
our overall effort.  In last week's Positive Note we outlined the activities
during Fun Day and I cannot recall any Fun Day in the past which enjoyed a
better spirit than this year's program.  We believe that we will receive
some additional proceeds which is true every year but we are pleased to
provide you with this excellent report.  Again, thank all of you for making
this year's Fun day Festival a great success.

              RBRCCB has a new Resident Manager who has been a strong
supporter and contributor to RBRCCB for at least a decade.  Gwen Ellenburg
for ten years has worked side by side with her distinguished father Mr.
Ralph M. Ellenburg, Sr., who was a member of our Advisory Board for some 30
years and Chairman of the Advisory Board for 10 years between 2003 and 2013
when illness forced his retirement from the board.  Several months ago at a
meeting of the Advisory Board, there was a serious discussion of the
infrastructure repairs and at that important board meeting Gwen accepted the
assignment to identify all of the repairs needed on the facilities.  She did
an outstanding job working with the contractor and in obtaining building
materials at a substantial discount, saving the program several thousands of
dollars.  During the past 10 years Gwen has worked many hours as a
volunteer, especially in the area of food service in the past.  She worked
with the senior blind and blind children's programs providing excellent food
service.  She also has worked with other blind groups, always being
sensitive to the needs of the blind.  I recall that she would prepare gift
baskets of food for those blind persons to enjoy on their way back to their
respective homes.  Gwen worked very closely with her father in their
business projects and received excellent training in this role.  She is
eminently qualified for the Resident Manager's position and in our interview
with her she demonstrated genuine excitement and challenge and we feel that
her outstanding background will prove very helpful as she assumes her new
duties which will also be challenging as we have identified areas in which
improvement needs to take place.  The Resident Manager's position is very
important and we were assured in our interview with Gwen that she will make
an extra effort to bring about needed improvements utilizing her training
and contacts.  All of you across the state will want to meet Gwen and assure
her that she has our best wishes.

 

Final Thought:  "Opportunity is missed by most because it is dressed in
overalls and looks like work." - Thomas Alva Edison

 

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