[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1615

[David Houck]

July 26, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1615

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Congratulations to longtime Federation members Marshall and
Lois Tucker as they celebrate their forty-fifth wedding anniversary
Saturday, July 29.  Thank you both for your many years of service and
support to the NFB of SC!  

              I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who
volunteered your time to help to sell items at the South Carolina table
during the national convention.  The NFB of SC made approximately $1,000 and
special thanks goes to Tiffiny Mitchell and the Columbia Chapter for their
outstanding work with this fund raising project.  

              This morning, July 26, Shelley and I along with Ed and Julie
Bible will be meeting with our Events Coordinator, Krystal Capps, and many
of the Hyatt Regency staff for the purpose of conducting sensitivity
training and to discuss final arrangements for our 2017 state convention
which will be held August 18-20.  As I have stated earlier, the NFB of SC
has not had a state convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel since 2003 and the
staff has been very excited about us returning to their location.  I want to
remind everyone you are welcome to attend the Rocky Bottom Board of
Directors meeting which will be held at 2:00 p.m. and the NFB of SC Board of
Directors meeting which will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday afternoon, August
18.  Friday evening, we will have our reception and Ernest Gallman will be
providing the music for the evening.  Our theme for the convention is "you
can live the life you want".  Also, we will be conducting our annual banquet
fundraiser Saturday evening, August 19.  In recent years, money raised from
this fund raiser was divided equally between the Federation Center and the
NFB of SC.  Since the Federation Center this year is doing very well
financially, all funds raised at the banquet fund raiser will be given to
the NFB of SC.  We need individuals as well as chapters to "step up to the
plate" and contribute during the banquet which will greatly help to fund our
state organization.  

              If you have not done so already, I would strongly encourage
you to pay your $80 preregistration fee for this year's State Convention to
the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205.
All preregistration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.  The $80
preregistration fee will cover the reception on Friday evening, continental
breakfast Saturday morning, the luncheon, banquet, and a continental
breakfast Sunday morning.  The deadline to accept your $80 preregistration
fee is August 9.  If you wait until after the deadline of August 9, the
registration will increase to $100.  Save $20 and preregister early!  

              I am sad to report Mr. Lanny Smith, a much respected employee
of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, passed away Saturday
afternoon, July 22.  Through his work at the Commission for the Blind, Lanny
made it possible for blind people to realize they can live the life they
want.  All of us need to keep Lanny's wife Jane, and his family in our
thoughts and prayers.  

              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.  

              The Columbia Chapter of the NFB of SC is blessed in having an
outstanding President in Tiffiny Mitchell who is spotlighted this week.
Columbia Chapter President Tiffiny Mitchell was born and raised in Camden.
She attended the public school system in Camden and graduated from Camden
High School.  She then went on to study Accounting at Midlands Technical
College.  These studies came in handy as Tiffiny has been a Business
Enterprise Program (BEP) Blind Licensed Vending Stand Operator for the past
eighteen years.  Tiffiny Mitchell is in her fifth stand which is on Bull
Street at DHEC.  She first learned of the Federation in April 2006 when Fred
Vercher recruited her to attend a Columbia Chapter meeting.  She joined the
chapter in September of 2006.  Becoming active in all aspects of Federation
activities, she became Treasurer of the Columbia Chapter for two years and
she has served as chapter President for the past three years.  She attends
both national and state conventions and works hard as President to increase
chapter activities, fellowship and recreation as well as fundraising for the
NFB of SC and RBRCCB.  It is not unusual for the Columbia Chapter to win the
$300 prize for selling the most NFB of SC bus fund or RBRCCB Fun Day
tickets.  At the July 2017 Orlando NFB Convention, Tiffiny organized a team
to purchase, label in Braille and sell a variety of preserves at the NFB
Convention.  It raised much funding for the NFB of SC.    Tiffiny Mitchell
is currently a member of the Church of The Harvest, Pastor Kern Jumper's
church, who also has been a longtime friend of the Columbia Chapter as his
former late wife Connie was a blind voting chapter member.  She enjoys
helping other blind and visually impaired people and likes to get them
involved in the Federation.  Her hobbies include reading, cooking, and
hanging out with her nieces and nephews.  Under her capable leadership the
Columbia Chapter has grown in size, strength and fellowship.
Congratulations to Tiffiny Mitchell who is one of the state's and national
organization's leading chapter Presidents.  

              I note that President Coppel has announced the National
Representative for the upcoming state convention will be Ever Lee Hairston.
Mrs. Hairston was a good choice to be our National Representative.  I have
known her for a long time when I served on the National Board.  She is
highly regarded nationally and she will enhance the convention program for
our August convention.  

              I had a wonderful weekend as my loved ones from Louisville
visited with us.  The three great-grandchildren were wonderful.  Juliet is
only three months old.  Elizabeth is three years old and Mason is five years
old.

 

Final Thought:  "Are you thinking about your state convention banquet
pledge?  Help fund the NFB of SC!"

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