[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1591

[David Houck]

February 8, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1591

Greetings Fellow Federationists: 

 

              I want to thank all of you who attended the 47th annual
Statewide Seminar this past Saturday.  When Shelley and I walked into the
Federation Center at 9:30 a.m. Saturday morning, both of us could feel the
excitement and enthusiasm permeating throughout the meeting hall.  Almost
every seat in the room was filled when the Seminar was called to order at
10:00 a.m.  All three agencies who provide services to the blind, Jim Kirby
and Kyle Walker, from the SC Commission for the Blind, Scott Falcone, from
the SC School for the Deaf and Blind, and Sandy Knowles, from Talking Book
Services gave presentations at the Seminar.  Loretta Green, President of our
Upper Dorchester Chapter and NFB of SC Board member, and Gary Engel of our
Sumter Chapter both gave Inspiring presentations as to the positive impact
the NFB has had on their lives.  Thom Spittle did an excellent job as
auctioneer as we raised $900 for the Federation Center.  At the State Board
meeting, which was held during the two hour lunch break, the Board voted
unanimously not to charter a bus for the National Convention but to disperse
equally the money raised from the selling of bus tickets ($3,000) to those
individuals who register for the National Convention in Orlando Florida.
The Board also elected unanimously Frank Coppel to serve as the official
delegate and Second Vice President, Debra Canty, to serve as the alternate
delegate to the national convention this year.  Congratulations to Anthony
Doyle as he was the $300 winner of the Orlando National Convention bus fund
raffle and to Tiffany Mitchell who won $100 by selling the winning bus
ticket.  Also, congratulations to the Columbia Chapter for raising $1,128 in
bus ticket sales and finishing in first place.  The Sumter Chapter finished
second raising $524 and the Rock hill Chapter finished third raising $414 in
bus ticket sales.  I want to take this opportunity thank Isaiah Nelson and
his group of volunteers for preparing and serving a delicious lunch.  I also
want to especially thank David Houck for all of his hard work prior to the
Seminar and all day Saturday to ensure the meeting was a success.  

              Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman, state Coordinator of the NFB of SC,
of the (BELL) Academy has the following announcement.  "For the fourth year
running the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina is proud to
present NFB Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning Academy!  Our
program will run June 5-June June 15, Monday to Thursday, 8:15-3:45 daily in
Spartanburg on campus at SCSDB.  We will focus on Braille, including slate
and stylus, Nemeth and the abacus, along with white cane travel and other
nonvisual skills in a fun learning environment.   This is the fourth year of
NFB BELL Academy in SC! We are looking forward to seeing return students as
well as meeting new students. Jamie Allison is Braille literate and a
certified classroom teacher. Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman is the mother to two
blind teenage boys. We are passionate about Braille literacy, white cane
travel and nonvisual skills and we teach these in a positive and fun manner.
Each summer our students have shown great progress in skills and
self-confidence. Please call Jennifer at 803-287-5391 or email at
jaduffell at yahoo.com with any questions or concerns.  Lunch: Lunch and snack
will be provided daily. Lunch will primarily consist of sandwich meats and
cheeses or peanut butter and jelly on bread or wraps with carrots and fruit.
Milk, juice and water served. No soda. Sweets will be limited. Please tell
Jennifer about any food allergies or other concerns.

Registration Fees:  A $40.00 fee is requested, but will be waived if cost
prohibitive. Please speak with Jennifer about fee and waiver if needed.
Transportation: We do not provide transportation."

              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.  

              As I sat through the 47th annual Statewide Seminar last
Saturday I realized that this program has grown in so many ways.  About 35
or 40 attended the first Statewide Seminar in 1971.  Five or six times that
number attended last Saturday's Seminar.  There were members who made the
trip to Columbia from throughout the state.  It was apparent that great
enthusiasm was present.  This annual event is actually a Mid-Winter
convention as much business was discussed and handled.  Members across the
state brought auction items which netted some $900 which was considerably
more than last year.  Many different auction items consisted of a real
variety, which were very nice.  Profits from the auction will assist the
Center greatly.  

              In 1971 we had just completed the first expansion of the
Federation Center including the kitchen area of the facility.  A second
expansion of the Center occurred in 1978.  This involved the offices and
other rooms.  In the beginning of the Statewide Seminar in 1971 we
concentrated on procedural matters such as learning about constitutions,
etc.  Since the program was in its infancy, we felt we needed to learn the
basic issues such as presiding at chapter meetings, appointing committees
and recruiting new members, etc.  

              I thought the program last Saturday was excellent.  We
appreciated having representatives from the Commission for the Blind, School
for the Blind and Talking Book Services.  The afternoon session featured
different leaders from federation and Rocky Bottom matters.  It was good to
have Ed Bible emphasize to the gathering that Rocky Bottom is ours and that
we need to support it.  President Coppel reported how pleased we were to get
all of the mattresses replaced at Ellenburg Lodge at Rocky Bottom.  Since my
grandson Michael Holdcraft is in the mattress business and worked with us in
getting the mattresses, it gave me an opportunity to brag on my grandson.
The Statewide Seminar enables us to see each other every year as otherwise
some may not be able to attend the state convention.  It was great seeing
Dorcas Campbell the distinguished President of the Chesterfield County
Chapter as she is such a dear lady.  She doesn't permit her age of 94 from
carrying out her duties as chapter president.  It was also good to see
Patricia Tuck as I have not seen her in a number of years.  Patricia is
happy as a member of the Greenville Chapter.  Betty, myself and my assistant
Debbie Manning enjoyed the Seminar.  However, it was a real strain on Betty
and we will probably have to cut back in our participation in the Seminar.
Let me thank all of you for a job well done.

 

Final Thought:  Raising Expectations:  "I'm working on my second million
dollars of income.  I gave up on the first years ago."

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