[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1585

[David Houck]

December 28, 2016 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1585

Greetings Fellow Federationists: 

 

              The 2017 NFB National Convention will again be held in
Orlando, this year returning to the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.
The dates for the 2017 convention are July 10 through July 15.  The hotel
rates are enviably competitive for a resort hotel such as Shingle Creek. For
the 2017 convention they are singles and doubles, $83; and for triples and
quads, $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at
present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under seventeen
in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note
that the hotel is a no-smoking facility.  For 2017 convention room
reservations you can call the hotel at (866) 996-6338 after January 1. You
may also write directly to the Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal
Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. The hotel will want 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 Thursday, June 1, 2017, half of the deposit will be
returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.  

          We have an announcement from Jamie Allison and JW Smith.
"Announcing, the 2nd Annual Upstate Seminar Hosted by the NFB of SC
Greenville Chapter Saturday, March 4th, 2017, 10:00-3:00 Location: The SC
School for the Deaf and the Blind, Walker Hall Reception Area  The doors
will open slightly early for socializing before the program and the agenda
will begin promptly at ten o'clock. There will be a door prize and chapters
may bring an item to raffle or auction off during lunch. Presenters will be
available after the program for brief questions.  I also need to add that
lunch will be provided at a $10 charge. This can be sent to J.W. Smith, 107
Lockman Dr., Greenville, SC 29611. The deadline for reserving your lunch
will be February 3rd."  Shelley and I had the pleasure of attending last
year's Upstate Seminar which was hosted by the Anderson Chapter.  The 2016
Upstate Seminar was excellent and I would strongly encourage all of our
upstate chapters to make an effort to participate in this year's event.  

              It is not too early to begin turning in your state dues of $10
for 2017 to the state office.  Remember that we need to have your name,
address, phone number and email address if applicable.  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, 2017, so why
wait!  

              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.  

              This is the last full week before New Year's Day.  Thus, it
will be the last week in 2016 the Positive Note will be issued.  The week
following Christmas has a special meaning to me.  It was December 26, 1946
that Betty and I had our first date.  Of course we were teenagers.  We had
already known each other for a number of years.  This past Monday, December
26 was the 70th anniversary of our first date.  Two and one-half years later
on June 25, 1949 we were married.  She was 18 and I was two months short of
my 21st birthday.  I write this as a tribute to my wonderful wife.  We have
had a wonderful life together and she has been a wonderful blessing to me
and many others.  It was in August 1953 that we joined the Aurora Club,
later changed to the federation.  Almost immediately Betty began to provide
transportation for those attending the chapter meetings.  This service was
provided fort a number of years.  Several years later in 1956 when we joined
the national organization Betty drove across country to San Francisco.  In
1958 we were assigned to make a trip to West Virginia (WV) by Dr. Jacobus
tenBroek, President and Founder of the NFB.  Gov. Underwood of WV had
requested the NFB to do a survey of programs for the blind in WV.  For one
week Betty and I visited blind persons in the greater Beckley area.  It was
that project that finalized my commitment to the blind as there were
terrible conditions among the blind of WV.  We visited an abandoned coal
mining cabin in which three blind brothers lived together.  As soon as we
knocked on the door, one of them responded and informed us that all three
were sick with influenza or pneumonia and had not been visited by a worker.
Betty drove us to the nearest town where we contacted the doctor in the area
and we explained the circumstances we had seen.  Our travels took us to all
46 counties of the state as well as to all 50 states of the NFB.  We
traveled several hundred thousands of miles and although she is no longer
able to drive, she gave good service to the blind and is among the tops in
the country.  

              Another kind of event which occurred every New Year's weekend
was that I was assigned by Colonial Life to do a New Year's claims reserve.
This had to be done manually as it was before a more sophisticated office
procedure was developed.  Every pending claim had to be examined for an
estimated claims reserve to determine how much was needed to be set aside
for an annual report.  I did not enjoy that required work but it was part of
my job and I performed it to the best of my ability.  I'm sure all of you
had special events occur during the final week of the year but we still have
much to do during the year 2017.  It is a pleasure working with all of you
across the state and I know that 2017 will be very productive.

 

Final Thought:  "If you sometimes feel like a needle in a haystack, remember
that the needle is the hardest and sharpest thing in the haystack; it will
be found" - Raising Expectations!

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