[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1482

[David Houck]

January 7, 2015

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

From:  Parnell Diggs, President

Positive Note 1482

Dear Fellow Federationists:

 

              Now that 2015 is here, let me go over some housekeeping
details to help us start the New Year off right.  We are putting the
Statewide Seminar program together, and I need your suggestions about good
program items.  If you would like to make a presentation during the Seminar,
or you believe someone would add something meaningful to the program, please
get in touch with me.

We really need to be working on our $1 bus tickets in these last few weeks
before the January 31 Statewide Seminar.  As I explained last week, we use
the bus ticket proceeds to pay for our chartered bus to the National
Convention.  We collect proceeds through the sale of $1 tickets and conduct
a drawing at the Statewide Seminar, which will occur, again, on January 31.

The seller of the winning ticket will receive $300, the buyer of the winning
ticket will also receive $300, and the chapter which sells the most tickets
will receive $300.  The remainder will be held in a bank account to help
cover the cost of a chartered bus to Orlando.  We are also offering seats on
the chartered bus for those interested in traveling to Orlando on the
chartered bus at a cost of $70 per seat.

Bus tickets have been mailed to all of the chapters so you should be working
on this now.  Please let us know if you want more tickets, and please don't
wait until the last minute.  We have some additional time this year to sell
our tickets, and as I always say, if we sold enough tickets, the cost of a
seat on the chartered bus would be much less than $70.

We have begun receiving dues from some chapters, but we need to hear from
others.  Annual state dues are a very affordable $10 per member.  This is
also an excellent time to update your chapter rolls and tell us about the
contact information for your members.  Remember that state dues are late if
they are not in by January 1, and your membership is not in good standing if
not paid by January 31.

President Terry Knox of the Grand Strand Chapter is doing a good job
collecting dues from members and has even provided information about which
members have paid-up, and which members still need to take care of this
important item in advance of this Saturday's chapter meeting.  I will not
tell you what category I am in, but even the State President is expected to
pay State Dues.

We have been running an auction during the Statewide Seminar for the past
few years to raise funds for the Federation Center, and I am inclined to do
so again in 2015.  It would be wonderful if we could gather enough items to
auction something off between each presentation.  Please give this some
thought and try to come up with something great!  We need your auction
items.

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.

              Yes!  I did enjoy Hopping Johns on New Year's Day.  I suspect
that most of you out there in federation land know that Hopping Johns is
rice and black-eyed peas cooked together.  I love it.  We also had collard
greens, pork chops and cornbread which rounded out a great New Year's Day
feast.  My mother always had Hopping Johns for New Year's Day and therefore
I had known about this delicacy for 80 years or since I was a small child.
Hopping Johns participants, according to legend, enjoy good health and
financial success, so there's plenty of reasons to enjoy Hopping Johns to
begin the New Year.  Speaking of the New Year, I have decided for this part
of the Positive Note that I would review the first NFB of SC convention
presided over by President Diggs in the year 2001.  It will be noted that
President Diggs is in his 15th year as state President.  Let's join hands,
hearts and minds as we travel down memory lane, enjoying this fine
convention.  There were 339 registered delegates at the 2001 NFB of SC
convention held in Columbia at the Adams Mark Hotel the weekend of August
10-12.  This 45th annual state convention boasted 350 participants including
delegates, guest speakers, dignitaries, exhibitors and others.  Friday
featured registration, exhibits, a Parents Division luncheon, divisional
meetings and the Resolutions and Ellen Beach Mack Home Award Committees met.
Topping the evening's activities was the Reception which was a good time of
fellowship between federationists.  Saturday morning's Rocky Bottom Board
breakfast focused on the Labor Day Fun Day Festival.  The morning session
was gaveled to order for the first time by NFB of SC President Parnell Diggs
and greetings were presented from Columbia Mayor Bob Coble.  Rep. Gilda
Cobb-Hunter of the General Assembly was presented with the Legislator of the
Year Award for her support of legislative efforts on behalf of the state's
blind.  Chairman Donald Capps reported on the success of the Rocky Bottom
program.  Marty McKenzie spoke concerning his work with blind children with
the School for the Blind outreach program.  Executive Director David Houck
gave the Federation Center of the Blind report including its 40th
anniversary celebration.  Guynell Williams of SC Talking Book Services gave
the library update.  A panel of Federationists then spoke about
strengthening local chapters.  The morning session was topped off with the
Presidential Report by President Diggs.  Honorable Jim Lander, Comptroller
General of SC was the keynote luncheon speaker and he prominently mentioned
the NFB of SC's track record and its leadership in getting things done to
assist the blind.  The afternoon session was kicked off with a National
Report by NFB representative Allan Harris.  This was followed by Dr. Nell
Carney giving the report on the Commission for the Blind and she thanked the
NFB of SC for its hard work in getting the legislature to return $300,000
back to the Commission's budget.  Honorable Rita Allison spoke concerning
serving the people of South Carolina.  Dr. Sheila Breitweiser, President of
the School for the Deaf and the Blind updated the delegates on the
accomplishments of the School during the past year.  Chris Danielsen spoke
on the blind serving the sighted in his law practice with Parnell Diggs in
Myrtle Beach.  Chapter and Division reports followed his presentation.  The
final item for the afternoon agenda was the 2002 Louisville NFB Convention
Bus Fund report by Edsel Doyle.  The convention highlight was the Saturday
evening banquet where L. P. Garrett received a Lifetime Honorary Membership
for her longtime work with the federation.  Mary Powers received the
Educator of the Year Award, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage received the Employer
of the Year Award, Faye Madden received the Ellen Beach Mack Home Award,
Vickie Trammel received the Associate Member of the Year Award, Marty
McKenzie received the Donald C. Capps Award, and 15 deserving blind college
students received $9,300 in scholarship awards.  Honorable Elsie Rast Stuart
received the Distinguished Service Award for her support in the SC General
Assembly.  NFB representative Allan Harris gave a rousing banquet speech as
the keynote speaker.  Sunday morning's NFB of SC board breakfast featured a
task force report.  The morning session featured Henry Kluizenaar's
Devotional and Memorial Service, adopted resolutions, NFB of SC and Rocky
Bottom financial reports, national stewardship reports, and all five board
members up for election were re-elected.  President Diggs had indeed
presided well and his future looks bright.

Final Thought:  "The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history, yet
common in our country. With a simple oath, we affirm old traditions and make
new beginnings." - George Walker Bush

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