[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1679

[David Houck]

October 17, 2018 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1679

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Hello from Rocky Bottom where Shelley and I are participating
in a week long training program for seniors sponsored by the National
Federation of the Blind Seniors Division.  Shelley and I traveled to Rocky
Bottom on Friday, October 12, to do some last minute preparation prior to
the start of the program which began on Sunday, October 14, and will
conclude on Saturday, October 20.  Twelve seniors representing nine states
(Utah, Oklahoma, Michigan, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, New
Jersey and South Carolina) are learning blindness skills such as: cane
travel, Braille, home management, organizational skills, and assistive
technology.  These seniors are wearing a sleep shade while learning these
skills and they are participating in daily group discussions which are
designed to reinforce appropriate choices when encountering a variety of
blindness issues.  Although there have been NFB groups such as the National
Association of Parents of Blind  Children (NOPBC) and a group of students
from the Louisiana Center for the Blind's summer program who have conducted
similar programs in the past at Rocky Bottom, we have not had this type of
training occur at our facilities for many years.  It is my hope this
important program occurring this week will lead to other national divisions
and state affiliates of the NFB to utilize Rocky Bottom for workshops,
meetings and future training programs.  

              We have an announcement from Steve Cook, NFB of SC Website
Content Administrator. "It is time to begin thinking about upcoming events
for 2019 in the NFB of SC!  If you have an event in 2019 and you would like
for the information to be posted on the NFB of SC website.  Send it to me at
steve.cook at nfbofsc.org.  This is a great way to bring in people to the NFB
and let them know about local events in your area!  Be sure to include as
much information for the event as possible."

              Constance Miller, President of our Belvedere Chapter says,
"The Belvedere Chapter had its White Cane Awareness Walk and Meet the Blind
Month activity this past Saturday, October 13th, at the North Augusta
Recreation Center, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. We walked on the greenway.
We handed out NFB flyers and information on the white cane."

              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 all of you know, October is Meet the Blind Month and this
is an important event as the blind need to do everything possible to improve
relations with sighted persons.  In last week's Positive Note we provided
readers with the White Cane Safety Day Proclamation signed by Gov. Henry
McMaster.  Federationists across the state are giving a lot of attention to
promoting public awareness and you have my appreciation.  One of the
memorable legislative initiatives I recall was the White Cane Law which was
authored by our founder, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek.  Some valuable information is
provided in the White Cane Law adopted by this state in the late Summer of
1972.  The preamble of the White Cane Law which is prominently displayed in
the Center's Legislative Hall of Fame states that, "It is the policy of this
State to encourage and enable the blind, the visually handicapped, and the
otherwise physically disabled to participate fully in the social and
economic life of the State and to engage in remunerative employment."  The
section creating the White Cane Safety Day is as follows, SECTION 43-33-50.
White Cane Safety Day.   Each year, the Governor shall take suitable public
notice of October fifteenth as White Cane Safety Day. He shall issue a
proclamation in which: 

(a) He comments upon the significance of the white cane; 

(b) He calls upon the citizens of the State to observe the provisions of the
White Cane Law and to take precautions necessary to the safety of the
disabled; 

(c) He reminds the citizens of the State of the policies with respect to the
disabled herein declared and urges the citizens to cooperate in giving
effect to them; 

(d) He emphasizes the need of the citizens to be aware of the presence of
disabled persons in the community and to keep safe and functional for the
disabled the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings,
public facilities, other public places, places of public accommodation,
amusement and resort, and other places to which the public is invited, and
to offer assistance to disabled persons upon appropriate occasions."

              You will note that this important legislation is the basis of
equal treatment of the blind in society.  When we approached the SC General
Assembly several decades ago about the White Cane Law, as I recall, there
was not one vote against the bill in either the House or the Senate.  The
White Cane Law created the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.  I am
glad to have this opportunity of providing you with the actual language used
in the statute and we are indebted to Dr. tenBroek for authoring this
invaluable tool.

 

Final Thought:  "Learning new skills makes one more independent.  Sharing
those skills with others makes many independent."

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20181017/cd419c03/attachment.html>