[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1495

[David Houck]

April 8, 2015

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

From:  Parnell Diggs, President

Positive Note 1495

Dear Fellow Federationists:

 

              I begin this Positive Note with a message from Columbia
Chapter President Tiffany Mitchell, who wanted me to let you know that, in
cooperation with the Spartanburg Chapter and the South Carolina School for
the Deaf and the Blind, an Easter egg hunt was conducted last Thursday with
beeping eggs being used so that the blind children could hunt for eggs
without assistance.

I remember those days when I participated in Easter egg hunts, and as you
can imagine I was never very good at it.  Tiffany tells me that the event
received excellent coverage in the newspaper, and the Columbia Chapter was
able to solicit donations for the beeping eggs through the newspaper
coverage of the event.  Congratulations on a job well done!  

As we announced last week, our new mobile app, NFB Connect, is now available
for IOS devices.  You can find it in the Apple App Store, or just use the
following link on your iOS device to download it directly:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nfb-connect/id968434124.

There is an issue that prevents the "Chapters and Regional Info" feature
from functioning properly on some devices; however, we believe that the
problem will be resolved some time this week.  It will be a pleasure to
demonstrate the new NFB Connect app at the Board meeting this Saturday.  In
the meantime, it is already working great, so check the app store and stay
tuned for more details.

If you attended the 2014 Board Retreat at Rocky Bottom, you are aware that
Gary Wunder, who edits the NFB's flagship publication, the Braille Monitor,
was at the retreat to participate in the Board meetings and write an article
for the Braille Monitor about the NFB of SC and its programs.

That article, entitle "South Carolina: An Affiliate with Treasures,
Traditions, and Targets for Future Accomplishments", appears in the April
issue of the Braille Monitor, and I encourage you to read it at your
upcoming chapter meetings.  It is not every day that a state affiliate
receives this kind of coverage, and we should all feel very proud to receive
this attention at the national level.

It is time to make hotel reservations (as I have done) for the National
Convention, which will occur this year from July 5 through July 10.  To do
this, you should write directly to the Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840
International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819. You can also call the hotel at
(800) 204-7234.

The 2015 room rates are singles, doubles, and twins, $82; and triples and
quads, $89.  In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at
present is 13.5 percent.  No charge will be made for children under
seventeen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested.

The hotel will ask for a deposit of $95 for each room and will want a credit
card number or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a
$95 check. If a reservation is cancelled before May 28, 2015, half of the
deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.

I also want to remind you of the upcoming meeting of the NFB of SC Board of
Directors at 1:00 PM this Saturday, April 11 at the Federation Center of the
Blind following the Rocky Bottom meeting.  We will be doing a great deal of
planning about the State Convention, and I need you there.  Please help us
plan for the 2015 State Convention by providing your input!

The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic which defines you or your future.  Every day, we raise the
expectations of blind people because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams.  You can live the life you want:
blindness is not what holds you back.  Joining me for comments in this
Positive Note is the President Emeritus of the NFB of SC.  Here is Dr.
Capps.

              Easter Sunday was beautiful in every respect.  As we stepped
out of the door of our residence I was told it looked like an open florist
with all of the flowers and dogwoods at their peak.  It may be hometown
pride but throughout the years I've lived in Columbia (69 years) Columbia
has been a very beautiful city.  There are azaleas, tulips, wisterias and
other flowers which made the day very special.  Just up the street from
where we live there was a cross made with different flowers.  It seemed that
this year there was a greater celebration of Easter than in recent years.
Our son Craig dropped by our residence Easter morning and drove Betty and me
to his condominium for a visit lasting most of the day.  We were able to
hear a good Easter sermon on television as Dr. Wendell Estepp, Pastor of
Columbia's First Baptist Church is a superb minister and we thoroughly
enjoyed his Easter message.  I really know that the primary and principle
purpose of the Positive Note is to feature our programs of service to the
blind but I felt compelled the need to share with you, my fellow blind, the
tremendous appreciation we have for Easter.  The music at First Baptist
Church was also wonderful.  It features a large orchestra and choir.  Craig,
who is a good cook, prepared a wonderful Easter dinner.  It included a
Cornish hen (slightly better than a regular hen), and vegetables consisting
of carrots, green beans, tomatoes, cabbage and rice and gravy.  It was
topped off with chocolate cake.  After the wonderful meal, Craig played for
us on his wonderful stereo system many of my favorite songs.  I love to hear
Kate Smith sing, "God Bless America" and, "When the Moon Comes Over the
Mountain."  We also enjoyed Judy Garland's rendition of, "Easter Parade"
which no one does better than Judy.  Incidentally, the song was sung by Judy
Garland in concert in 1960.  Also she sang, "You Never Walk Alone" from
Carousel which incidentioally is my favorite song as I want it sung at my
funeral.  We also enjoyed songs sung by Pat Boone.  Frank Sonatra and
Rosemary Clooney sang, "Some Enchanted Evening" from the Broadway production
of South Pacific.  Craig has several thousand CD's as well as an impressive
library.  We also saw the CNN production of the betrayal of Jesus by Judas
and it was done quite well, as well as can be expected by television
documentaries.  Easter Sunday was topped off with a telephone call during
the evening hours from our beloved granddaughter Laura Holdcraft who wanted
to tell us that she and her husband and two children will be visiting with
us beginning June 4.  They live in Louisville.  It was a grand Easter.  I
realize all of you across the state also had a meaningful Easter.  I want to
congratulate Frank Clark, President of our Oconee County Chapter for sending
a chapter contribution of $100 to the Lawton Hall Fund.  Frank recognized
the importance of supporting this most worthy project and he has my deep
appreciation.  I look forward to seeing several of you this Saturday.

 

Final Thought:  "Remember April 15 - tax day - Many happy returns!"

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