[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1590

[David Houck]

January 31, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1590

Greetings Fellow Federationists: 

 

              Hello from our Nation's capital where I along with more than
five hundred Federationists representing 52 affiliates of the NFB are
gathering for the purpose  of descending on Capitol Hill to discuss with
their congressional delegation the legislative agenda of the nation's blind.
The 2017 Washington Seminar officially begins Monday January 30, at 5:00
p.m. with the "Great gathering in" meeting.  President Riccobono will
conduct the meeting and there will be other Federation officials present
informing participants on various NFB activities occurring during 2017.
Tuesday January 31, will be a very busy day for the South Carolina
delegation as we will be meeting with our congressional delegation at
various times throughout the day.  Also, on Tuesday from noon to 1:00 there
will be a DontDenyAimHigh: Rally to Fight for Equal Access in the Classroom.
Tuesday evening a Congressional reception will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 in
the Derksen Senate Building.  This week the work we do on Capitol Hill will
lay the ground work for passage of the four legislative initiatives which
were outlined in the Positive Note last week.  All of us need to continue to
contact our Congressman and Senators throughout the year to ensure passage
of these four legislative initiatives.  

              There is only few days remaining until the Statewide Seminar
is held at the Federation Center on February 4, 2017.  If you have not
notified the Federation Center as to whether you are planning to attend the
Statewide Seminar please do so as soon as possible.  This will help us to
determine the amount of food to purchase for lunch.  The seminar will begin
promptly at 10:00 a.m. and adjourn at 4:00 p.m.  Remember, we will be
conducting an auction throughout the day to raise money for the Federation
Center.  Be sure to bring items for the auction such as, cakes, pies,
cookies, gift baskets, and electronics.  LeVern Wilson contacted me a few
days ago to inform me one of associate members, Juanita Frink has donated a
vacation package of three days two nights at the Windom Camelot Hotel at
Myrtle Beach.  The total package is worth $400 and I believe we need to
start the bidding for this wonderful auction item at $100.  Cudos to Levern
Wilson and Mrs. Frink for "stepping up to the plate" with a generous auction
donation.  We will also be selling NFB of SC t-shirts and coffee thermoses
during the seminar.  Also, please continue to sell your Orlando National
Convention bus tickets.  It is imperative we sell as many tickets as
possible to help cover the expense of the chartered bus to Orlando.
Remember, tickets this year are selling for $2 for one ticket or $5 for
three tickets.  If you have not already mailed in your tickets stubs and
money to the Federation Center, bring them with you to the Seminar on
Saturday, February 4.  The drawing will take place at the conclusion of the
Seminar.  The buyer of the winning ticket will receive $300, the seller of
the winning ticket will receive $100 and the chapter selling the most
tickets will receive $300.  

              Do not forget to purchase your tickets to attend the second
annual Sweetheart dance sponsored by the NFB of SC which will be held on
Saturday, February 18, 2017 at the Federation Center from 5:00 p.m. to 9
p.m.  The evening promises to be a fun and enjoyable experience with a
professionally catered dinner, door prizes, music and dancing.  Tickets to
this event will only be $25 for an individual and $45 per couple.  You can
purchase these tickets by mailing a check or money order to the Federation
Center, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd., Columbia, SC 29205.  Please include an address
so that tickets can be mailed once payment has been received. Deadline to
purchase tickets is Saturday, February 4 at the statewide seminar. We are
asking all chapter presidents to contribute a door prize for this special
event including: gift cards, cash or assembled gift baskets. Please contact
Jennifer Bazer at 803-661-6622 or jhipp25 at sc.rr.com if you would like to
contribute a door prize or Debra Canty at 803-775-5792 or via email at
debra.canty at frontier.com.  If you have further questions about this
fund-raiser for the NFB of SC. 

              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 are proud of our delegation attending the annual Washington
Seminar.  Several of our state officers and board members made the trip to
Washington DC to attend this important annual event.  For over a quarter of
a century it was my privilege to attend the annual Washington Seminar with
my fellow South Carolinians.  It seemed to me that Sen. Strom Thurmond and
Sen. Ernest F. Hollings were members of the US Senate for just about a
lifetime.  Both Sen. Thurmond and Hollings were supporters of our national
legislation.  Of course, our other members of Congress have been supportive
of our legislation including Congressman Joe Wilson and Congressman Jim
Clyburn.  For several years we were treated to a feast by Sue Ribet, sister
of our longtime member Jenny Smith.  Mrs. Ribet lived in Durham, NC which
was only a little out of the way on our return trip to Columbia.  We filled
the 15 passenger van to capacity and enjoyed the fellowship we had with all
the passengers.  Senator Lindsey Graham had been in Congress for a number of
years now and is a prominent Senator.  The Federation had worked with Sen.
Graham for a quarter of a century.  In 1998 the state convention was held at
the Wilson World Hotel in Spartanburg and Sen. Graham was the keynote
luncheon speaker.  "A co-sponsor of the Social Security legislation,
Congressman Graham emphasized his support for meaningful employment
opportunities for the blind of this state and nation."  We received the
following letter from Sen. Graham on June 1, 2006:  "Your organization meets
important needs for blind citizens in South Carolina.  You may be pleased to
know that I am a co-sponsor of S.2321, the Louis Braille Bicentennial
Braille Literacy Commemorative Coin Act.  The Braille system has given our
blind citizens the gift of literacy for over 100 years.  I am proud to
promote literacy for blind South Carolinians."  Sen. Graham was a member of
the SC House of Representatives.  During that time I worked with him to
oppose restructuring of the Commission for the Blind.  I have taken the
liberty of writing about Sen. Graham in this Positive Note as he will be
called upon during the week and I believe once again he will be supportive
of national legislation affecting the blind.  Let's keep our delegation in
Washington in our thoughts and prayers.

 

Final Thought:  Raising Expectations:  "When one's goals are set very high
with determination, he or she winds up much higher than they ever thought
possible."

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