[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1534

[David Houck]

January 4, 2016

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1534


Greetings Fellow Federationists:

OF SOUTH CAROLINA

              Happy New Year!  I hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday
season and are now ready to begin 2016 with a great deal of enthusiasm and
energy.  Here is information regarding the upcoming 2016 Orlando National
Convention.  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 non-smoking facility.

For 2016 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 Friday May, 27, 2016, half of the
deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.  The schedule
of the convention is as follows: Thursday, June 30, Seminar Day, Friday,
July 1, Registration and exhibits, Saturday, July 2, National Board Meeting
and division and committee meetings, Sunday, July 3, Opening General
Session, Monday, July 4, General session, Tuesday, July 5, Banquet.

At the December Board meeting of the NFB of SC is was voted to have the
charter bus leave to go to the National Convention from the Federation
Center in Columbia on Thursday Morning, at 8:00 a.m., June 30, and return
from Orlando on Wednesday morning, at 8:00 a.m., July 6.  We will not accept
reservations for a seat on the bus until after the Statewide Seminar on
Saturday.  

The NFB of SC will be 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.  We will have the thermoses on display for purchase at the Statewide
Seminar.  The NFB of SC is also planning a Sweetheart dance which will be
held February 12, 2016 at the Federation Center from 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The evening promises to be a fun and enjoyable experience with a
professionally catered dinner, music and dancing.  Tickets to this event
will only be $25 and we will begin selling them at the Statewide Seminar.
If you purchase your ticket at the Seminar, your name will be placed in a
drawing for a very special prize which will be conducted during the dance.
All tickets must be purchased by February 4.  We are also planning to
reserve a block of rooms at a nearby hotel for those of you who live outside
of Columbia and would like to attend the dance.  

If you have not notified the Federation Center as to whether you are
planning to attend the Statewide Seminar on January 9, please do so as soon
as possible.  This will help us to determine the amount of food to purchase
for lunch.  Remember we will be conducting an auction throughout the day to
raise money for the Federation Center.  Be sure to bring items for the
auction such as, cakes, pies, cookies, gift baskets, and electronics.  Also,
please continue to sell your Orlando National Convention bus tickets.  It is
imperative we sell as many tickets as possible to help cover the expense of
the chartered bus to Orlando.  If you have not done so already, please mail
your ticket stubs and money to the Federation Center or bring them with you
to the Seminar on Saturday, January 9.  

Shelley Coppel, President of the Seniors Division has the following
announcement; "A note to all to come to the Statewide Seminar ready to
support our drawing for a free 2 night stay with 2 complimentary
registrations at our State convention in 2016.  Our tickets sell: 1 for $10;
3 for $20!  Shelley Coppel will be sitting in a prominent place convenient
for all to hear! Thank you for your support in advance."  Steve Cook,
President of the Computer Science and Technology Division has the following
announcement; "The Computer Science & Technology Division will have a
drawing on January 9, 2016, at the state wide seminar.  The person who
purchases the ticket will have the choice of putting their name in the
drawing for an iTunes gift card for $25, a Walmart gift card for $25 or a
restaurant gift card for $25.  Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5.  For
example, you purchase 3 tickets.  You can put 2 tickets in the Walmart
drawing box and 1 ticket in the iTunes drawing box.  You do not have to be
present to win.  We will draw the winning ticket for each gift card at the
end of the seminar."  

The 2016 Statewide Seminar promises to be a good one and I am looking
forward to seeing and talking to many of you at the Statewide Seminar on
Saturday!  

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.  

              Many of us across the state will be converging on Columbia
this Saturday to participate in the 46th annual Statewide Seminar.  Not many
of us are still around to remember the first Statewide Seminar; however,
Marshall and Lois Tucker were participants of that event 45 years ago.  I
was assisted by David Houck in locating the article on the first Statewide
Seminar.  It is most interesting and I'm sharing it with you.  It will be
noted that in 1971 we were operating as the Aurora Club, not changing our
name until five years later at the 1976 state convention to the National
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina.  

>From the February 1971 edition of the Palmetto Auroran:  First Aurora
Seminar A Gigantic Success by Donald C. Capps - "The South Carolina Aurora
Club of the Blind [NFB of SC] held its first Statewide Seminar on Saturday,
January 30, 1971 at the Aurora Center of the Blind [Federation Center].
Some 40 Aurorans from throughout South Carolina participated in the all-day
study course.  Group participation and discussion were the order of the day.
The primary purpose of the seminar was to study methods of improving
Aurora's operation in all aspects.

              An enthusiastic gathering immediately settled down and got the
seminar underway by studying every provision and article of the Aurora
Constitution.  This 27 year old document is the "blueprint" for the
management and direction of Aurora, and without familiarity with the
Constitution, it is not possible to do the best job for Aurora.  Since the
state President and all the chapter presidents are the Chief Executive
Officers charged with the responsibility of furthering the overall progress
of the organization, there was considerable discussion as to how a president
might best perform his responsibilities.  The relationship between the
President and other officers was also studied in depth.

              The functions of various committees were also reviewed and
examined.  Since virtually all committees must be appointed by the
President, the group reviewed and discussed proper relationships between
committees and the President.  Suggested methods of improved presiding also
came in for considerable discussion.  Robert's Rules of Order proved to be
of considerable benefit in this phase of the seminar.

              Members of the seminar were given a suggested agenda for
monthly chapter meetings.  Seminar participants were also presented with a
list of some 20 different types of speakers who might be utilized for
chapter meetings.  Some ingredients for better human relationships were
examined during the seminar.  These included such things as total
commitment, enthusiasm, flexibility, a sense of humor, discipline,
preparation, courtesy, acknowledging the help of others, goal setting and
confidence.

              There was a unanimous expression of satisfaction with the
seminar and complete support for future seminars.  Aurora is committed to
being the best possible organization of the blind and it is felt that
seminars will play an important role in reaching this high goal."

              I'm sure that you will agree that many of the issues discussed
in 1971 are still relevant today.  It will be noted that some 40 members
participated in the 1971 Statewide Seminar and today there is some 500%
increase in attendance.  See you Saturday!

 

Final Thought:  Resolution:  I will do a random act of kindness for someone
this week.

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