[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1541

[David Houck]

February 24, 2016

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1541


Greetings Fellow Federationists:

OF SOUTH CAROLINA

              This past Saturday, I along with thousands of other South
Carolinians went to my neighborhood precinct to vote in the Republican Party
Presidential primary.  When I walked in to the precinct, I was asked by one
of the workers if I wanted to use one of the audio voting machines.  I did
use an audio machine and I was able to cast a secret ballot just as other
individuals were doing that day.  I have used an accessible voting machine
since 2006, and I still feel a sense of pride knowing I am being treated as
an equal with my sighted counterparts.  We can all thank the National
Federation of the Blind, who in the early 2000’s sponsored federal
legislation which mandated the voting process be accessible to all disabled
people.  

              Remember, we are still selling an insulated sixteen ounce NFB
of SC coffee thermos for the price of $15.  These coffee thermoses are very
attractive and should be very easy to sell to federation members as well as
the general public.  If you wish to purchase one ,you can contact the
Federation Center at (803) 254-3777 or JW Smith at (864) 269-0004.  

              If you have not done so already, please make your hotel
reservations for the 2016 NFB National Convention in Orlando Florida.  The
date of this year’s national convention will be June 30, to July 5, 2016 and
will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.  The 2016 room rates are
singles and doubles, $83; and 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 2016 convention room reservations you can call the hotel
at (866) 996-6338.  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 Friday May, 27, 2016, half of the
deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.  The charter
bus will depart from the Federation Center in Columbia 8:00 a.m. Thursday,
June 30, and the bus will leave Orlando to return to the Federation Center
8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6.  We are now accepting your reservation fee
of $100 to ride the charter bus to Orlando.  Remember, this reservation fee
is non-refundable and non-transferable.  2016 National Convention schedule:

              Thursday, June30, Seminar Day 

              Friday, July 1, Registration, exhibit hall, division and
committee meetings

              Saturday, July 2, National Board of Directors meeting,
division and committee meetings 

              Sunday, July 3, Opening General Session 

              Monday, July 4, General Session 

              Tuesday, July 5, General Session, banquet

              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.  

              When the February edition of the Braille Monitor was received
Betty and I were surprised to see a picture which was unique to say the
least.  Included in the picture were Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and Mary Ellen
Jernigan, Marc and Pat and their son Patrick Maurer, and Donald and Betty
Capps.  All seven of us were sitting on camels.  This picture was made in
November of 1992 when we were participating in the World Blind Union
conference in Cairo, Egypt.  The picture was made near the pyramids which we
were told were constructed 5,000 years ago.  Although the pyramids were
constructed thousands of years ago, each block fitted with precision as
though there was a civil engineer present to be sure each block was laid
perfectly.  We climbed to the top of one of the pyramids and this was a
lifetime experience.  

              En route from the hotel in downtown Cairo showed Egyptians
cooking food over fires built near their huts.  We visited the Bazaar which
featured souvenirs for purchase.  Betty liked a music box featuring a piano.
We had been advised not to pay the first price for any item and to offer
considerably less.  It happened that Dr. Jernigan did the bargaining for us
and on more than one time when we started to leave, the shop owner blocked
the doorway.  Finally, we paid what we thought was a very good price.  

              The Egyptians were very hospitable with Mrs. Sadat, Egypt’s
First Lady at the time, addressing the conference.  

              Cairo is a very old city and over hundreds of years the
atmosphere attracted all kinds of undesirables, causing the city to have an
undesirable odor.  While the streets contained several lanes, the driving
was scary as it was unwise to stick your hand out of the window.  The red
lights were ignored.  While we stayed in a five star hotel, we were told to
drink water only in the dining area as the water otherwise was not suitable
for consumption.  One morning I was brushing my teeth and soon learned I had
made a mistake as some of the water from my brushing got into my system.
One hour later while attending the conference I became very ill from having
the water in my system.  We were invited to a private home and I remember
this as while we were enjoying dinner on the third floor of the dwelling, we
suddenly noticed an earthquake which shook the dwelling, causing some
anxious moments for us.  

              During one session we were sitting by a young blind Egyptian
girl who introduced us to her fiancé who was blind.  She urged me to oppose
the funds which were being donated to refurbish the home of Louis Braille in
France.  She wanted these funds to be given to her fiancé to attend an
American University.  I told them I could not do this.  She was slightly
annoyed with me.  

              The World Blind Union conference will be held in the United
States in 2016.  It will be sponsored by the NFB.  I was very blessed to
attend the 1992 conference of the World Blind Union and I know that the 2016
conference will be a tremendous success.

 

Final Thought:  “Imagine having your birthday on February 29th – you would
celebrate your birthday once every four years! – how old would you be if you
were born on this day?”

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