[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1531

[David Houck]

December 16, 2015

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1531

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              In a couple of days all of you should be receiving your
Statewide Seminar Letter and your Charter Bus letter.  Please fill out the
form at the end of the Statewide Seminar letter and return it to the State
Office as soon as possible.  You can also call the State Office at (803)
254-3777 and let us know if you are planning to attend the Statewide Seminar
on January 9, 2016.  Please notify the State Office of your intentions in
order that we may have an accurate count for the luncheon which will be free
of charge.  

It is not too early to begin turning in your state dues of $10 for 2016 to
the state office.  Remember that we need to have your name, address, phone
number and email address if you have one.  These things do change and if we
do not have updated information, we cannot keep you up to date on what's
going on.  The deadline for dues is January 31, 2016, so why wait!

         During this past week, Shelley and I have been extremely busy
attending Chapter Christmas parties throughout the state.  As I wrote in
last week's Positive Note we attended along with our driver, Barry Chavis,
the Belvedere Chapter Christmas party on December 7, and the Laurens Chapter
Christmas party on December 8.  On December 10, Shelley and I enjoyed being
with our Columbia Chapter as we celebrated Christmas with our home Chapter.
There were approximately 100 people in attendance and we were treated to a
wonderful coverd dish feast provided by chapter members.  Debra Canty,
second Vice President of the NFB of SC, also attended the Christmas party
and it was good to visit with her as well.  Tiffany Mitchell is doing an
excellent job leading the Columbia Chapter and she did an outstanding job
planning and presiding over the meeting.  On Saturday afternoon, December
11, we enjoyed attending the Greenville Chapter Christmas party.  There were
approximately 45 people in attendance.  Also attending the party were
Tiffany Mitchell, Columbia Chapter President, Dorothy Barksdale, NFB of SC
Secretary, and other chapter members.  We were treated to a very uplifting
Christmas program and a delicious Christmas dinner with all the trimmings
prepared by Ora Bell Smith.  It is very evident JW Smith continues to do an
excellent job as Chapter President.  

I first met Julia Rembert 40 years ago when I joined the Columbia Chapter in
the mid 1970's.  Throughout the years, I have known Julia to be a very
sincere and caring individual who has been always willing to help others.
Julia is presently going through an extremely difficult time and all of us
need to keep Julia and her family in our thoughts and prayers.  

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.  

              Christmas is the most beautiful time of the year as many
wonderful things take place.  Wednesday night the Children's Choir of my
church (Kilbourne Park Baptist Church) will visit with us with 15 presenting
Christmas carols for our enjoyment and appreciation.  

              Last Thursday the Columbia Chapter's Christmas party was one
of the best we've had since I've been attending these parties and that's
been a long time.  Tiffiny Mitchell the Columbia Chapter President asked
everyone at the November meeting to bring a covered dish for the occasion.
This also was most successful as it was the first time we've had this
arrangement but probably not the last now.  Tiffiny put together an
excellent program featuring special music including Leanna Hall who sang
three or four songs.  Speaking of the covered dish, there was everything
that could be brought.  There were several vegetables (including collards),
turkey and dumplings, chicken and ham, and a good variety of dessets.  I
overindulged.  Tiffiny is to be commended for the time and effort she put
into this special event and she has our appreciation.

              At the Christmas board retreat I advised the board that the
Salem Lions Club was to paint the interior of the Ellenburg Lodge and
shampoo the cushioned chairs in Lawton Hall.  I have received information
which is both inspiring and admirable.  The Lions formed two different
groups with one group painting the interior of the Ellenburg Lodge and
another group shampooing the cushioned seats in Lawton Hall.    The Lions
rented three steam cleaners and finished the chairs in a few hours while our
Resident Manager Brooke West scrubbed the arm rests.  The Lions graciously
invited Brooke West to join them for a hearty lunch.  The kitchen area,
common area and railings were all painted, giving a fresh look to the Lodge.
A lot of hard work has gone into the renovation of Lawton Hall with the
addition of cleaning 120 chairs, now available for use.    We believe that
some church groups will want to rent this historic building.  There are 120
chairs which will accommodate many groups.  There may be other groups who
may want to rent this unique building.  We are indebted to the Salem Lions
Club which has provided outstanding service to RBRCCB both financially and
in a volunteer capacity.  

              I recruited a young lady by visiting her home in Ft. Mill some
35 or 40 years ago.  This fine person is Julia Rembert who has been a
faithful member of the Columbia Chapter for several decades.  Julia is
seriously ill and I'm requesting federationists across the state to remember
her in your thoughts and prayers.

 

Final Thought:  Christmas:  A tree to signify His death, decorations to
display God's giving glory to His Son, and gifts to acknowledge God's
greatest gift to us, that of Jesus.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20151216/efa2c9e9/attachment.html>