[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1553

[David Houck]

May 18, 2016 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1553

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Hats off to Tiffany Mitchell and the Columbia Chapter for a
job well done with this year's chicken barbecue dinner fund raiser!
Although all monies have not been turned in as yet, it appears the
fundraiser was a huge success.  

              There is slightly less than two 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.  

              Also, 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.  

              We have an announcement from Shannon Cook Chairperson of the
Scholarship Committee.  "The spring semester has come to an end for most
students, and I wanted to remind everyone that it is not too early to submit
your application for a 2016 NFB of SC scholarship.  The deadline is July
18th.  This will be the date for all materials to be completed and
submitted.  The application can be found at www.nfbofsc.org.  Please let
others in your chapters know about the scholarships.  Finally, the
scholarship committee would like to have all scholarships sent in by August
15th, which is the date that the committee will meet and determine which
applicants will be awarded scholarships this year.  Thank you for your
participation and support."  

              This Saturday May 21, Shelley and I along with many others
will be traveling to Rocky Bottom to participate in the 2016 Spring Senior
Camp which will be held from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26.  I always
look forward to Senior Camp and it appears we have an excellent group of
Seniors attending this session.  I am also extremely fortunate to have a
wonderful volunteer staff who works very closely with me to ensure we have a
well-planned and meaningful program for our seniors.  

              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.  

              At the 50th anniversary Banquet of the SC Commission for the
Blind I mentioned that it was my privilege to attend the signing ceremony
which was held in Gov. McNair's office at the State House.  What I didn't
mention was that my wife Betty was also privileged to be present for the
signing ceremony.  When Gov. McNair completed the signing of the bill
creating the Commission for the Blind, he handed the pen he used to Betty.
She took good care of the pen until it could be placed in the Legislative
Hall of Fame at the Federation Center.  The pen occupies a prominent place
next to the Commission Bill along with more than 40 other bills.  

              Speaking of important anniversaries, the Positive Note is
celebrating its 30th anniversary, having begun in 1986.  The initial purpose
of the Positive Note was to disseminate something positive that would be
communicated to NFB of SC members across the state.  When Parnell Diggs was
the President since the year 2000, he was the primary editor of the Positive
Note for some 15 years.  For the past year, Frank Coppel has been the
primary author.  Throughout the 30 years, I have been involved in editing of
the Positive Note as both Parnell and Frank have extended this courtesy to
me.  The Positive Note continues to feature positive issues but its coverage
includes a variety of issues of interest to the state's blind.  To the best
of my knowledge, the NFB of SC was the first state organization of the blind
to publish a weekly Positive Note but I believe the national organization
now gets out a weekly publication.  It is popular.

              There's another important federation anniversary.  This is the
25th anniversary of the Conference Center at RBRCCB.  The Conference Center
was dedicated in July 1991.  The keynote speaker was Gov. Carroll Campbell.
Some 500 persons, blind and sighted, attended this most impressive event.
I'm glad the fire department was not present as you certainly would have
noticed that there were more people than there should have been, but
everything went smoothly.  The Conference Center gave a tremendous boost to
the work of the NFB of SC, hosting a variety of events including Senior
Blind week which occurs next week.  It also hosts Children's Camp the week
of July 17under the leadership of Jennifer Bazer.  Some two weeks ago the
Conference Center was instrumental in hosting a fishing expedition for the
Upstate blind, sponsored by Lions Clubs under the director of our
distinguished Advisory Board member Phil Marett.  There were three who stood
out on the fishing expedition.  They were Jim Reed of the Anderson Chapter
who caught the largest fish, Patricia Tuck of the Greenville Chapter who
caught the most fish and Aaron Cureton of the Spartanburg Chapter; all three
will go to the North Carolina Outer Banks fishing tournament.  Phil Marett
reported the following, "Thank the NFB committee for allowing us to use the
excellent facilities at Rocky Bottom. We would be severely handicapped if we
had to find our own rooms."  It is noted that Patricia Tuck who resided in
Florida is now back in Greenville, South Carolina.  Patricia has been a
loyal federatioonist for many years and she will be an asset to the
Greenville Chapter.

 

Final Thought:  History of NFB of SC Legislative Victories:  #2.
1959 - Bill #62-226 provides an extra exemption to the blind on their state
income tax.

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