[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1608

[David Houck]

June 7, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1608

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Just a friendly reminder, if you have not done so already,
please send your $80 preregistration fee for this year's State Convention to
the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205.
For the 2017 state convention, we are offering families with children a
discount regarding the preregistration fee.  Parents will pay the $80
preregistration fee and each child eight teen years of age and younger will
pay $20.  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!  

              We have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of the
NFB of SC Seniors Division.  "LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT!  SENIOR RETREAT
Sponsored By the National Federation Of The Blind Senior Division.  When:
October 8-14, 2017.  Where: Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center. This
is a rural setting, a camp owned and operated by the South Carolina
affiliate of the NFB. It is a beautiful location in the mountains. Cost:
$325 per attendee this does not include transportation to and from
Greenville/Spartanburg airport, South Carolina, the nearest airport to the
camp.  Transportation will be provided from Greenville/Spartanburg to Rocky
Bottom.  Cost includes room, board, training, and any activities during the
retreat. Applicants are encouraged to look for sponsors from service
organizations, state agency, fundraise if necessary.  Who Is Eligible?
Legally blind seniors age 55 and older with a strong desire to learn
alternative, nonvisual techniques taught by blind instructors. Must be
responsible for taking all medications independently and have stamina to be
actively engaged for five full days of activities. Classes Taught: cane
travel, daily living and cooking skills, -computer and other technology such
as using digital recorders, pen friend; discussions on adjusting to
blindness with family, community and social interaction, self-advocacy,
confidence-building, and leisure activities. How Do I Apply?   Send a letter
requesting a retreat application to attention of Mr. David Houck, 119 South
Killbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205.   Send the completed application back
to the above address.  All applicants will then have a telephone interview
with officers from the Senior Division so we can learn more about your
needs, desires and you will be able to ask your questions and learn more
about what the retreat entails. Deadline to apply is August 1. Space is
limited so if truly interested, don't wait until the deadline. Applicants
will be notified by August 15 if accepted. Monies are due at the very latest
by September 1, 2017 and Payment can be made to the NFB Senior Division,
Care of Duncan Larsen, Colorado Center for the Blind, 2233 West Shepperd
Avenue, Littleton, CO 80120."

              We have an announcement from Shannon Cook, Chairperson of the
NFB of SC Scholarship committee.  "Time is winding down for the 2017 NFB of
SC Scholarship applications to be submitted.  Please go to www.nfbsc.org to
get all of the information you will need to apply.  The deadline is June
18th!  Also, don't forget that we accept donations from chapters, divisions,
and individuals to help build the Metro Fund to supplement the scholarships
awarded. If a chapter has a scholarship they would like to contribute, let
David Houck, Valerie Warrington and me know, so we can include it in our
tally.  Thanks for any and all contributions to this great program to help
educate the future of the NFB of SC."

 

              Finally, we have an announcement from Tiffiny Mitchell,
President of the Columbia Chapter.  "The Columbia Chapter board members are
selling Yetis.  $20. 16 colors. Call any Columbia chapter board member for
info."

              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.  

              In this week's Positive Note it is a special honor to
spotlight our distinguished Advisory Board Chairman at RBRCCB, the honorable
John Sarpy.  Mr. Sarpy has held this position for several years.  John
Robert Sarpy was born and spent most of his first 40 years in New Orleans,
where he received his primary and most of his secondary education.  He
graduated (in 1972) from Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia,
with a bachelor's degree in Politics.                 Coming from a family
of lawyers, he pursued and received a Juris Doctor degree(in 1980) from
Loyola University (New Orleans) College of Law, after which he practiced, in
litigation, primarily in personal injury and other casualty cases. He
remains a member in good standing of the Louisiana State Bar Association.
During his legal practice, he pursued and received an MBA degree (in 1987)
from Tulane University's Freeman School of Business.

              He served in the United States Coast Guard, as an enlisted
Radioman, during the height of the Vietnam conflict.  Duties included
receiving and forwarding messages (in Morse code) from and to both military
and merchant marine vessels worldwide, from the Coast Guard's primary radio
station south of New Orleans.  His education, military training and love of
communications came together when he accepted an appointment (in 1989) from
President George H W Bush to the U S Department of Labor, serving under
Secretary Elizabeth Dole, as Special Assistant to the Administrator of OSHA
(the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), where he spent four
years.  It was at the beginning of this appointment in Washington that he
married the former Linda Beth Jackson, of Jacksonville, Florida.  

              His acquaintance with the western Carolinas came early, as a
six-year old, with his parents, who also learned to love the Carolina
mountains at an early age, as a wonderful place to live - and the perfect
spot to escape the torrid August Louisiana heat - and an excellent place to
make friends from all over the world.  His parents' summer retreat, south of
Brevard, was just a few miles north of his mother's summer camp, called
Rockbrook (which this week is welcoming its latest class of campers. During
her years there Greenville Highway [US 276] was a dirt road!).  

              Deciding to pursue personal passions with a career change,
Linda and John acquired (in 1994) the operation of Whitewater Gardens in
Brevard, allowing him to transform his deep love of horticulture into his
full time occupation.  At the same time, Linda paired her education in
Economics and Finance to her love of heritage, antiques and collectibles.
During this time, Linda and John traveled extensively abroad to stock their
gallery space with antuques.

              Today the Sarpys' activities are devoted to their faith,
family and friends.  As active parishioners of Saint Mary's Catholic Church
in downtown Greenville, they minister to the sick and seriously ill at
several extended care facilities in the Greenville area.  John also is a lay
Lector, proclaiming the Word of God during church services.  The Sarpys are
involved in the activities of the Brevard Music Center, now entering its
82nd year of mentoring, tutoring and broadening the horizons of 400 talented
young musicians each summer, preparing them to play, conduct and sing the
classics. Their BMC activities, as friends, have included organizing and
coordinating activities for its annual fundraiser event, known as Prelude.

              The Sarpys became acquainted with the RBRCCB shortly after
they acquired (in 1997) their residence just up the highway from Rocky
Bottom.  They've also developed a healthy respect for the NFBSC's mission at
the RBRCCB, truly a rare resource.  Moreover, they are delighted to have
NFBSC members as their good neighbors.    John has enjoyed his time with
fellow Advisory Board members.  He has planted numerous trees, shrubs and
herbaceous plants on the RBRCCB campus and is very happy to see them prosper
under the camp's dedicated management.  He and his wife Linda always
participate in the annual Christmas Board Retreat and we are glad to have
them as our special gusts.  The blind of the state love RBRCCB and deeply
appreciate Mr. Sarpy's special service to RBRCCB.

 

Final Thought:  A new country song contains lyrics about "sweet tea and when
the fireflies come out at night."   Is this a description of Columbia, South
Carolina where we drink sweet tea and the Columbia Fireflies Baseball team
comes out to play at night?

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