[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1530

[David Houck]

December 9, 2015

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1530

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              The 35th annual Christmas Board Retreat held at Rocky Bottom
this past weekend was extremely busy as many of us participated in three
board meetings (RBRCCB Board of Directors, Federation Center of the Blind
Board of Trustees, and the Board of Directors of the NFB of SC) throughout
the day on Saturday.  During the NFB of SC State Board meeting, which was
the final meeting of the day, a variety of topics were discussed.  The Board
heard reports from Debra Canty, Chairperson of the Fund Raising Committee
and David Houck, Chairman of the Grants Committee as well as discussions
other financial matters related to the NFB of SC.  The Board also discussed
more proactive ways to better inform our communities about the NFB of SC
such as the utilization of social media.  The Washington Seminar will begin
on January 24, 2016.  Room rates for the Washington Seminar are $184 per
night plus a 14.5 percent room tax.  All reservations to the Holiday Inn
Capitol must be made by December 21.  If you wish to attend the Seminar,
please call me at (803) 796-8662 and I will give you further details.  The
2016 NFB National Convention will be in Orlando , Florida and will be held
from Thursday, June 30, to Tuesday, July 5.  The Board voted to have the
charter bus leave Columbia at the Federation Center at 8:00 a.m. Thursday,
June 30, and return from Orlando at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6.  The
cost of a seat on the bus depends on how well we do selling our bus fund
tickets.  The board felt that if our bus tickets sales this year are low, we
will have to substantially increase the price of each seat to cover the cost
of the charter bus.  More information regarding the National Convention will
be discussed in future Positive Notes.  

Monday evening Shelley and I had the pleasure of attending the Belvedere
Chapter's Christmas party.  Approximately 40 people were in attendance and
Jackie Redd, chapter President, did an excellent job planning and presiding
over the party.  Last night, Shelley and I had a wonderful time attending
the Laurens Chapter Christmas party.  There were approximately 70 people in
attendance and it was evident that Helen McNuer is doing an excellent job as
Chapter President.  It was great to see longtime friends Doris, Robbie and
Mark Bell as well as many others at the party.  

Steve Cook, President of the Computer Science and Technology Division has
the following announcement; "We are in the process of updating the Chapter
and Division page on www.nfbofsc.org.  Give Steve Cook a call at
(803)254-0222 or E-Mail at cookcafe at sc.rr.com to have your chapter or
division's list of officers and meeting information listed on the webpage.  

Also, if your chapter or division has any upcoming events you would like
listed on the webpage, contact Steve Cook at either of the above mentioned
ways.  Let's work together to build the NFB of SC!"

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 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.  

               The 35th annual Christmas board retreat was a resounding
success.  The first 10 retreats were held in Osterneck Cottage but the last
25 retreats have been held in the Conference Center.  There was an excellent
turnout of state and local leaders from throughout the state including
representatives from Georgetown, some 300 miles from Rocky Bottom.  Persons
attending arrived Friday evening and enjoyed Saturday morning's breakfast
which Lenora Robertson and her kitchen crew provided.  Lenora and her group
did a wonderful job throughout the weekend.  At 9:00 a.m. sharp I called the
RBRCCB Board of Directors meeting to order.  It was an excellent board
meeting.  Those present learned a great deal from a complete financial
report and other activities.  I shared with the board information concerning
a group of Lions from the Salem Lions Club coming Thursday, December 10 to
paint the inside of the Ellenburg Lodge and shampoo the cushioned seats in
Lawton Hall.  We are very fortunate in having the ongoing assistance of the
Salem Lions Club.  Our Resident Manager Brooke West in her weekly report
stated the following:  "I can't thank you all enough for such a wonderful
weekend. Everyone was so cheerful and fun to be around.  They definitely got
me in the holiday spirit! I feel much more informed about the NFB after
attending several Board meetings. I was so grateful and surprised to receive
the $150.00 Christmas gift! RBRCCB means so much to me, I want so dearly for
it to stand the test of time so I will use the $150.00 gift to make some
small improvement to the property. In order to save several hundred dollars
on the electric bill, as I plan to turn off the six hot water heaters in the
Conference Center while they are not in use this winter. However, it will
get very cold so I will use the $150.00 to purchase a low wattage oil
radiator heater which will ensure that the lines to the water heaters will
not freeze. I will also purchase a low wattage heater for the well house to
prevent those parts from freezing as they did last February even though they
are insulated. This type of oil radiator space heater is extremely safe and
cost effective and will not cause, fumes, or fires, as some other heaters
can."  Throughout the weekend there was great congeniality and the best of
fellowship and federationists enjoyed the weekend to the maximum.  The
climax of the weekend was the Saturday evening banquet attended by
approximately 50 persons including those attending their first Christmas
board retreat.  A wonderful Christmas dinner was provided by Lenora
Robertson and her crew which was without a doubt the finest meal we've had
featuring ham and chicken, etc.  As always, Dorothy Barksdale gave a
beautiful invocation as everybody appreciates Dorothy's eloquence.  Dorothy
serves as Secretary to the NFB of SC and RBRCCB.  We were deeply gratified
to have our distinguished Advisory Board Chairman Mr. John Sarpy and his
lovely wife Linda present.  I introduced President Coppel for his comments
and he was well received.  Frank told the audience of his first contact with
the federation when he was a high school student in Baltimore.  After some
persistence he joined the Baltimore Chapter.  Subsequently he accepted a
position at the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.  Frank has been an
active member of the federation for some 45 years and we are lucky to have
his leadership.  Following Frank, I called upon his lovely wife Shelley who
made some comments about her longtime involvement in the federation in other
states.  Shelley is the President of the Senior Division of the NFB of SC.
Marty McKenzie, a board member of the NFB of SC, provided a beautiful
selection of Christmas songs on the piano.  Then there was an exchange of
gifts.  It was now time for the desserts featuring cakes, pies and cookies,
etc.  It had been a wonderful 12 hour day period with activities which made
all of us more appreciative.  I'm grateful to everyone who contributed
significantly in making this Christmas board retreat an outstanding success.

 

Final Thought:  Christmas:  Isaiah 9:6 - "For unto us a child is born, unto
us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his
name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting
Father, The Prince of Peace."

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