[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1517

[David Houck]

September 9, 2015

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1517

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              After participating in a three day NFB Leadership Seminar at
the Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, it was good to return home to South
Carolina Sunday afternoon.  This was the 81st Leadership Seminar conducted
by the National Federation of the Blind, the first being held in 1973.
Twenty-four Seminarians from across the country participated in this very
worthwhile program.  States represented at the seminar were Hawaii,
California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New
Hampshire, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and South
Carolina.  The Seminar was not only extremely informative, but it gave us
the opportunity to network with other Federation leaders and to develop
friendships.  The Jernigan Institute itself is extremely impressive.  It
gave me a feeling of pride to know that we as Federationists own this
building, and that we offer an array of services designed to improve the
quality of life of blind people.  Attending the Seminar reinforced the
purpose of the NFB, which is, to take ownership of Our Organization and our
programs.  

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 2015 Labor Day Fun Day Festival was a success.  However,
there was a significant drop off from last year's record breaking Fun Day
Festival.  Total proceeds from the 2014 Fun Day Festival amounted to
$9,805.25.  The proceeds from the 2015 festival are $6,310.40.  A $2,000
Virginia Foundation contribution to last year's festival made up much of the
difference between the 2014 and 2015 festivals.  We also believe that the
Fun Day Festival was held only two weeks after the state convention which
was a factor.  Understandably, you would expect the state convention to be
financially demanding which would have had an effect on the turnout for the
2015 festival.  This was unusual in that the state convention was held much
later than usual due to difficulty in securing available hotel
accommodations.  Also, during the two month period between July 5 and
September 5 there was a national convention, a state convention and the Fun
Day Festival and it's reasonable to conclude that this would have had a
financial bearing on this year's festival.  I'm proud of our members who
have handled these three major events.  It is noteworthy that Saturday night
at the state convention on August 22 some $10,000 was generated and just two
weeks later more than $6,000 in profits was raised for Rocky Bottom totaling
$16,000 for the two week period.  This was an unprecedented success.
Incidentally, during the past two weeks, Rock Springs Baptist Church of
Easley gave $1,000 to RBRCCB (secured by our Resident Manager Brooke West)
which was designated for needed repairs.  But these additional funds for the
RBRCCB program were appreciated.  At the Christmas Board Retreat we may wish
to review the Fun Day format so that we can make this program more of a
success.  The following is a breakdown of the $6,310.40 - Fun Day tickets
$1,920.00, Fun Day contributions $1,200.00, $30 Weekend Food $1,120.00,
Auction $877.00, $50 Food Contributions $500.00, Saturday Lunch $371.00,
T-shirt sales $130.00, Old Country Store $89.40, BINGO $60.00, and the Yard
Sale $43.00.  I want to thank all of the participants who made key
contributions including Lenora Robertson and her kitchen crew who were in
charge of the food service.  Parnell Diggs headed up the Auction, traveling
from Baltimore to RBRCCB to do so.  Isaiah Nelson purchased and delivered
the food to RBRCCB.  Kim Diggs headed up the BINGO game.  David Houck sold
Fun Day Tickets and Darlene Houck sold T-shirts.  Alma Lee Doyle was in
charge of the Yard Sale and our Resident Manager Brooke West managed the Old
Country Store.  There was a slight drop off in attendance with 45
participants in 2015 with some 50 participants in 2014.  Again, the recent
state convention probably played a role in the drop off but even so we had
many members and chapters represented.  The $500 winner of the Fun Day
ticket drawn was Vincent Powell of Loris, Alma Lee Doyle was the seller, who
won $50 and the Loris Chapter sold the mist Fun Day tickets winning $300 for
their chapter's treasury.  Chapters represented included Aiken, Anderson,
Belvedere, Clarendon, Columbia, Grand Strand, Greenville, Loris, Newberry,
Pickens, Rock Hill, and Upper Dorchester.  Please forgive me if we
overlooked anyone.  We were pleased to have Pickens Chapter President Phil
Patterson and his lovely wife Jane who joined us for lunch on Saturday.  At
the last moment some chapter members dropped out.  We were pleased to have
at least two neighbors who joined us for lunch including Janice Taylor and
Jimmy Masters.  We were also pleased to have our resident board member Dr.
Tom Bowen and his lovely wife Caroline.  The RBRCCB program continues as the
Senior Blind camp will be held in two weeks.  We look forward to a more
profitable Fun Day Festival in 2016.  Congratulations to Ed Bible and
members of his church who will be at RBRCCB this week for volunteer service.

 

Final Thought:  "In good times and bad, we know that people give because you
meet needs, not because you have needs." - -Kay Sprinkel Grace

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