[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1551

David Houck nfbsc at sc.rr.com
Wed May 4 12:52:21 UTC 2016


May 4, 2016 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1551

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              We begin this Positive Note with an announcement from Jennifer
Duffell-Hoffman, state coordinator of the Braille Enrichment for Literacy
and Learning (BELL) Academy.  The online application is available for the
2016 NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy in
Spartanburg, South Carolina; scroll down for direct links. 

              What we do: NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning
(BELL) Academy provides children ages 4-12 with intense Braille instruction
through fun, hands-on learning activities. NFB BELL Academy targets blind
and low-vision children who do not receive enough Braille and nonvisual
skill instruction in school or who could benefit from additional Braille
enrichment over the summer.  In addition to Braille crafts, games, and other
engaging projects, children learn vital independent living skills, benefit
from peer learning and mentoring from blind adults. At the NFB BELL Academy
in South Carolina, learning and the fun of discovery come together. The NFB
BELL Academy in SC students from the previous two years, have shown
significant Braille, white cane and nonvisual skills acquisition and
improvement along with increased self-confidence. 

              Who we are: The lead teacher, Jamie Allison, is a certified
teacher and a blind woman who is a Braille reader and white cane user. The
state coordinator, Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman is the mother of two blind
teenage sons and one sighted preteen son. Both Jamie and Jennifer are
leaders in the NFB at local, state and national levels. All volunteers are
experienced with teaching nonvisual skills and have a positive attitude
toward blindness and all volunteers are background checked. 

              Where and When and a little more: NFB BELL Academy will be
housed on the campus of South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind,
July 18-29, Monday to Friday, 8:15-3:00 daily. We do not provide overnight
accommodations or transportation. Lunch and snacks are provided. There is a
$40.00 fee; please contact Jennifer if the fee is cost prohibitive.  Any
questions or concerns can be addressed to Jennifer at 803-287-5391 or
jaduffell at yahoo.com.

              For information about the concurrent NFB of SC Teenage
Enrichment and Empowerment through Nonvisual Skills (TEENS) for ages
13-17/18, non-high school graduates, please contact Jennifer at
803-287-5391. NFB SC TEENS will run the week of July 25. Application and
additional information links: 

English application: https://nfb.org/bell-summer-program-form

Spanish application: https://nfb.org/node/2672?lang=es

English permission and release forms:
https://nfb.org/bell-permission-and-release-forms

Spanish permission and release forms: https://nfb.org/node/2686

              For further NFB BELL Academy information including programs
nationwide; https://nfb.org/bell-academy

              You only have approximately three weeks remaining to
preregister online for the 2016 NFB National Convention in Orlando Florida.
If you preregister prior to May 31, registration for convention will cost
$25 and a banquet ticket will cost $60.  After May 31, the cost for
convention registration will increase to $30 and the cost of a banquet
ticket will increase to $65.  Save $10 and also skip the need to stand in
line for a long period of time at the convention by purchasing your
convention registration and banquet ticket by the May 31 deadline.  

              We also have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of
the NFB of SC Seniors Division.  "Greetings from the Senior Division.  Here
is an advertisement for our next conference call to be on May 11 at 4
o'clock  p.m. This is a great opportunity to learn from other Seniors.  3rd
Senior Division Conference Call for 2016.  5/11/16  How do you solve the
little things in life after significant vision loss occurs?  Moderator, Jan
Bailey, Minnesota            My name is Jan Bailey and I was a
rehabilitation counselor for 31 years at State Services for the Blind.   I
have a Master's Degree in rehabilitation counseling from Utah State
University.  I have been blind all of my life. Six years ago I became a
contract vendor for the state of MN and started my own business JB
Rehabilitation Enterprises.  I teach classes to seniors to help them adjust
to their vision loss, I teach Braille, daily living and cooking skills to
blind teens and adults, I'm chair of the board of the MN State Academies for
the Blind and Deaf, am president of my local National Federation of the
Blind chapter, and am also a member of the state board of NFB of MN.  I'm a
member of the Lions Club, and do a lot of volunteer work for my church.

              Please join Jan and fellow Federationists as she leads this
3rd NFB Senior Division conference call, Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at the
usual times and numbers:  Dial:  712-432-1500 with access code:759633pound.
You will be then asked to confirm the last access code numbers and press 1
to be included in the conference call.  As usual, we ask that you put your
telephone, (even when using the speaker) on a "mute" mode by pressing star
6.  When you wish to comment or ask a question, unmute yourself by pressing
once again, star 6.  

I hope to see many of you Friday evening, May 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the Embassy
Suites Hotel, located at 200 Stoneridge Drive as we celebrate the fiftieth
anniversary of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.  

              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.  

              We traveled to RBRCCB in Craig's new car which features all
the latest bells and whistles.  I knew that a GPPS device is the latest in
auto technology and provides a lot of information.  When our son Craig
switched the car on at our residence, the system stated that we were 145
miles from our destination which is correct by the way.  Additionally, it
gives accurate left and right turns and even tells us when we arrived at our
destination at RBRCCB when we entered between the columns onto the RBRCCB
grounds.  During the weekend I had a good conference with our Resident
Manager Brooke Rivers.  She and her husband Jami Rivers appear very happy
and we are very happy for them.  RBRCCB is being used at a faster pace than
a year ago which is good.  Brooke has several goals for the summer months
and fall.  While we want all members including associate members to enjoy
RBRCCB, it is important to remember that all members are obligated to fully
participate in local chapters.  We were informed by the Resident Manager
that we recently received a call from an associate member reserving the
Ellenburg Lodge for their family which all decided to join as associate
members.  At RBRCCB this past weekend was a group featuring our excellent
President Loretta Green of the Upper Dorchester County Chapter.  Loretta is
the chapter president and a member of the NFB of SC Board of Directors.
Loretta stated her full group enjoyed the weekend and wishes to return again
next year.  I also enjoyed a visit with Ed Bible who has been instrumental
with the Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church adopting RBRCCB as a project.
In talking with Ed Bible I got the impression that he is fully committed to
RBRCCB.  As you know, Ed is a member of the Board of Directors of the NFB of
SC and the Federation Center.  He tells me that he is going to make a
special effort to get out some grant proposals providing funding for this
unique program of service to the blind.  We received the following from Ed:

ROCKY BOTTOM SONG    (Tune of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame")

We drove up to the mountains-

Rocky Bottom Blind Camp!

We cleaned the pool with a good stiff brush

Acid and all made the water so lush-

'Cause it's root, root, root for our whole team.

If we don't finish, we'll scream.

So we vacuumed, mowed, and weedeated too,

At the 'ole campsite!

 

We checked the lightbulbs and fixtures,

A rotten board was replaced.

Swings were bought; now the kids will have fun,

Food was delicious; helped us get done-

'Cause it's root, root, root for our whole team.

If we don't finish, we'll scream.

For its 1, 2, 3-Now we're done,

At the 'ole campsite!

              My dear wife of 67 years is celebrating her 85th birthday this
Thursday.  Happy Mother's Day to all of you across the state!  I look
forward to seeing several of you at Friday night's 50th anniversary banquet.

 

Final Thought:  The valiant effort and foresight of blind people in the NFB
of SC fifty-two years ago made possible the Commission for the Blind's 50th
Anniversary on May 6 so the blind could, "Live the life you want."

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