[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1596

[David Houck]

March 15, 2017 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1596

Greetings Fellow Federationists: 

 

              Saturday evening Shelley and I traveled to Bishopville where
we had the pleasure of attending the Black and White Banquet hosted by the
Lee County Chapter of the NFB of SC.  Approximately 100 individuals were in
attendance and they were treated to a wonderful meal as well as great
musical entertainment provided by Doug Hudson and others.  Gary Engle, a
member of the Sumter Chapter, and Ed Bible, NFB of SC state board member,
were the speakers for the evening.  Both of these individuals made excellent
presentations as they openly discussed with the audience how they dealt with
their blindness and how the National Federation of the Blind has played an
important role in their life.  Also during the evening's program, family and
friends gave a moving tribute to Cheryl Mott-Sims second vice president of
the Lee County chapter, who suddenly passed away on February 11.  Not only
was the banquet successful in raising a great deal of funds for the chapter,
but it also educated the sighted individuals in the audience to the
philosophy and the programs of the NFB of SC.  Linda Dizzley, the Lee County
chapter President, did an outstanding job as Mistress of Ceremonies for the
evening.  It was very evident many hours were spent organizing and planning
this event and Linda is commended for all of her hard work to make this
banquet a tremendous success.  

              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.  The schedule
of the convention is as follows; Monday, July 10, Seminar Day.  Tuesday,
July 11, Registration and exhibits.  Wednesday, July 12, National Board
Meeting and division and committee meetings.  Thursday, July 13, Opening
General Session.  Friday, July 14, General session.  Saturday, July 15,
Banquet.

              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.  You can preregister online at,

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

 

 

              We have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of the
Seniors Division.  "Dear Seniors and friends:  Our 2017 conference calls are
going to resume March 23 at 4 p.m. eastern time.  The topic will be:  Health
Care issues, moderated by Art Shriver from New Mexico.  Please join this
call.  The phone number and access code is as follows:  712-432-1500; access
code: 759633 pound.  The call should last approximately an hour.  Thank you
all for your support.  Shelley Coppel, President" 

              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.  

              Recently I have covered some information regarding the three
NFB conventions in 1967, 1968, and 1969.  Also I discussed some experiences
that were notable.  During the decade of the 60's I believe it's safe to say
that the two major accomplishments of the NFB of SC was the erection of the
Federation Center of the Blind on October 15, 1961 and the creation of the
Commission for the Blind in May of 1966.  Groundbreaking for the Federation
Center of the Blind was in April 1961.

              It required portions of three years to accomplish the creation
of the Commission.  The first action occurred at the Charleston convention
of 1964, and in 1965 there was the creation of a nine member legislative
study committee and other actions as the bill was placed on Gov. Robert E.
McNair's desk on May 6, 1966.  During all of that time the NFB of SC worked
hard resulting in the following outcome.  In the background it was necessary
to get Gov. McNair to appoint a five member Board of Commissioners that
would favor the appointment of our choice for this important agency head.  

              After nine years in 1970 the Center was expanded.  The 1970
NFB convention was held in Minneapolis. Some dozen years ago in 1858 Lois
Boltin Tucker traveled to Minneapolis to take braille switchboard operator
training which she learned about during her attendance at the 1956 San
Francisco NFB convention.  The convention hotel was a mix up as the hotel
had overbooked the convention facilities.  There was a special meeting of
the Rotary Club that booked our hotel at the same time as our meeting.  To
be sure that our people had adequate accommodations, I had joined the Rotary
Club some months ago and Dr. Jernigan asked me to meet with Rotary officials
which I did.  Things were worked out with the NFB and Rotary.  As you know,
Minneapolis is near the Canadian border with Wimple being the nearest
Canadian city.  We decided to go to Winnipeg and other Canadian sites.  We
visited the zoo which was outstanding.  From there we traveled some two
hours which enabled us to visit Riding Mountain National Park.  It was an
animal reserve with such things as buffalo and gatherings of rabbits.  As we
traveled through the park, we ran into a gathering of rabbits.  When our
daughter Beth saw the rabbits she said to me, "Daddy, their having a rabbit
convention."  Even though it was July, Beth and Craig had never seen a lake
too cold to swim in although they tried it.  In closing, in next week's
Positive Note I will write about further experiences at the 1970 NFB
convention as well as the 1971 NFB convention.

 

Final Thought:  Raising Expectations:  "Sometimes it is easier to expect
more from others than we expect from ourselves."              

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