[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1601

Tue Apr 18 13:49:05 UTC 2017

April 18, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1601

Greetings Fellow Federationists: 

              Just a friendly reminder the spring meetings of the Rocky
Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind Board of Directors and the
NFB of SC Board of Directors will be held at the Federation Center of the
Blind this Saturday, April 22, 2017.  The RBRCCB Board of Directors meeting
will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. and will adjourn at 12:00 noon.  The NFB
of SC Board of Directors meeting will begin promptly 1:00 p.m. and adjourn
at 4:00 p.m.  There will be much to discuss at both meetings, and so I would
like to strongly encourage Federation members who are not on either board to
come Saturday and actively participate in the meetings.  

              Please do not forget to make your hotel reservations for the
2017 NFB of SC State Convention which will be held at the Hyatt Regency
Hotel in Greenville, SC August 18-20.  Room rates are very affordable.
Rates for this year's convention are $99 per night for up to four in a room.
In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 12
percent.  There will also be a limited number of rooms available for the $99
rate Thursday, August 17, for those individuals wanting to arrive at the
hotel a day prior to the official start of the convention.  The deadline to
make reservations will be July 27, 2017.  You can make your room
reservations by calling the Hyatt Regency reservation telephone number
402-592-6434 and inform the reservationist you are reserving a room for the
National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina state convention.  The
Hyatt Regency hotel has also made available a dedicated website to book your
hotel rooms online. Reservations can be made starting immediately at this
web address: https://aws.passkey.com/go/natfedblind.

              If you have not done so already, please make your hotel
reservations to attend the upcoming 2017 Orlando National Convention.  The
dates for this year's national convention will be July 10, to July 15, 2017
and will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.  The 2017 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 2017 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 Thursday, June 1, 2017, half of the
deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made.  

              It is time for you to preregister online for the 2017 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.  If you would prefer a print copy of the
preregistration form, contact David Houck at the Federation Center, (803(
254-3777 and he will mail one to you.  Or you can preregister online at,

http://lx-web.nfb.org/convention/preregistration.php.

              I hope all of you had a blessed Easter holiday and I am
looking forward to seeing many of you this 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.  

              Our very strong friend, Dr. A. Baron Holmes, IV, has retired
after many years of service to the state.  Baron writes as follows:  "My
wife and I have moved to Cashiers NC.  We have been living here most of the
time over the past few years. This is why I have been unable to attend the
Advisory Committee meetings. But I am still a supporter. I hope that Dr.
Capps and Betty's health enables them to be active."  We first met Dr.
Holmes when he was President of the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind.
This was in 1980 to 1981 as the General Assembly had amended a law requiring
the service of a blind person on the Board of Commissioners. Currently, Ed
Bible serves on the School's Board of Commissioners.  Dr. Holmes was
scheduled to serve as School President temporarily for only about a year,
enabling the board to find a replacement.  Dr. Holmes wound up serving for
about a half dozen years, during which time he made many improvements at the
School.  Dr. Holmes was a different kind of President as he played with the
children and was very much on hand with the students.  Soon after accepting
the School presidency he also became a member of the Advisory Board of the
Federation Center of the Blind and his Advisory Board service spanned some
three decades.  I worked closely with Dr. Holmes with the Legislature during
his service at the School as well as during his subsequent Advisory Board
service.  In his capacity as an Advisory Board member, Dr. Holmes
contributed significantly, making generous contributions to the Center.
After completing his service with the School, Dr. Holmes assumed a very
important position with the Budget and Control Board.  He is a prominent
South Carolinian of which the state has benefitted from his service.  We
wish the very best for Dr. Holmes and his wife Sue and we know they will
enjoy their retirement in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina.

Final Thought:  Raising Expectations:  1,601 Positive Notes as of today -
this even had to start with the first one over 30 years ago!

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