[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1561

[David Houck]

July 13, 2016 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1561

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Before we turn our attention to other activities in the NFB of
SC which will be occurring over the next few months, I would like to make
some additional comments regarding the recently concluded 2016 NFB national
convention.  The NFB national convention at times reminds me of a large
family reunion and for Shelley and me it was wonderful to reconnect and
visit with friends we have not seen for a long period of time.  Although I
was proud of the seventy plus South Carolinians who registered for this
year's convention, it was very disappointing to me to see the extremely poor
attendance from our delegation at many of the general sessions.  One of the
purposes of the national convention is to become more familiar with issues
facing the blind on a national level and this is very difficult to do if you
are not attending the meetings.  On a positive note, I want to commend our
bus captain, Dorothy Barksdale, and her assistants, Tiffany Mitchell and
Catherine Williams for doing an outstanding job in getting our members who
rode the vans to the convention.  I would like to thank those individuals
who rode the vans for their patience and cooperation during the trip.  I
plan to discuss with the State Board at the August 20, meeting ways to
increase ticket sales for the 2017 national convention bus fund raiser.  I
believe if all of us work harder and do our fair share of selling bus
tickets this Fall I truly believe we can raise the necessary funds to
charter a bus rather than utilizing vans to the convention next summer.  

              If you have not done so already, it is not too early to make
your room reservations at the Ocean Dunes/Sands Resort hotel in Myrtle Beach
the weekend of October 28-30 for the 2016 NFB of SC state convention.  To
make your room reservations call the Sands resort Central Reservations at
1-800-599-9872 and inform the reservationist you are reserving a room for
the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina state convention.
All reservations must be guaranteed by check or credit card and received
within 5 days of reservation date. Advance deposits will be credited to the
last night's stay as indicated by individual reservation request.  Room
rates for this year's convention are very affordable.  The price of rooms
including taxes is $87 per night for ocean view and $99 per night ocean
front and can accommodate up to four in a room.  These room rates will be
available three days before or three days after the convention.  

              We are also now accepting your $70 preregistration fee for
this year's State Convention.  Please send your $70 preregistration fee to
the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205.
All preregistration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.  As in past
years, the $70 preregistration fee will cover the reception on Friday
evening, continental breakfast Saturday morning, luncheon, banquet, and a
continental breakfast Sunday morning.  The deadline to accept your $70
preregistration fee is September 23.  If you wait until after the deadline
of September 23, the registration will increase to $85.  Save $15 and
preregister early!  

              I am also in the process of starting to plan the program for
the convention.  If you have any suggestions for agenda items you would like
to see covered, please feel free to contact me.  

              A few weeks ago, it was reported in the Positive Note, as a
result of terrible service received at the Sage Brush Stake House restaurant
by campers and staff during the Spring Senior Camp, $250 was donated to the
mattress fund at RBRCCB.  This generous contribution was made possible
largely in part from a detailed letter written by Shannon Cook who was a
staff member at Senior Camp and who posted this letter on the restaurant's
website.  

              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

              Children's Camp is one of the most important events of the
year.  Next week will be Children's Camp and its Director is Jennifer Bazer.
Jennifer has put together a good number of children and volunteers and we
salute her as we know that this year's Children's Camp will be one of the
best ever.  The first Children's Camp was held in 1981.  Its Director was
Suzanne Bridges-Mitchell who went on to become one of the most important
leaders in the National Federation of the Blind.  The first Children's Camp
was held in Osterneck Cottage as it was the only overnight accommodation
facility.  There wasn't another facility until 1984 when the Oglesby Cottage
was completed.  Incidentally, Jerry Whittle of the Clemson area during those
years was the first Resident Manager in 1979.  His service was entirely
voluntary.  Jerry named room 5 in Osterneck the "Oconee Room."  Jerry would
also become one of the NFB's prominent leaders.  Jerry is also gracious.  It
was good of him to pay tribute to Betty and me and in his acceptance speech
at the NFB convention, when he was presented with the Jacobus tenBroek
Award, which is the highest award conferred by the NFB for a blind person.
I was glad to be Jerry's federation father as I was impressed with him the
first time I met him more than 35 years ago.  As the years went by, I
realized the Osterneck Cottage and the Oglesby Cottage, while appreciated,
were inadequate to cover the service to children and others.  Also, we
needed an Administration Building and a dormitory type facility in the
complex.  Twenty-five years ago in 1991 the Conference Center was completed.
Ten years later in 1999 Ellenburg Lodge was completed.  Those of us who were
involved in Rocky Bottom in its beginning in 1979 are very proud of this
building complex.  

              We're beginning to receive requests for reservations for the
Fun Day Festival.  Loretta and Henry Green and their two grandchildren as
well as Kevin and Carrie Houck and their daughter have also made
reservations.  There are others who have made reservations.  You too need to
go ahead and make your reservations as we expect a good turnout.  Rickey
Godfrey of Nashville will be performing Saturday afternoon September 3
between 3:00 and 4:30 p.m.  No doubt he will be a good attraction.

 

Final Thought:  History of NFB of SC Legislative Victories:  #13:  1972 -
Act #S916 provides for regulation of the manufacture and sale of products
made by the blind and to provide penalties.

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