[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1681

[David Houck]

October 31, 2018 

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1681

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              In a couple of days, NFB of SC and RBRCCB Board members as
well as chapter and division presidents should be receiving letters
regarding the 2018 Christmas Board Retreat which will occur at Rocky Bottom
the weekend of November 30, December 1, and December 2.  This will be a busy
time since we will be holding two Board meetings beginning with the RBRCCB
Board of Directors meeting Saturday, December 1, at 9:30 a.m. and ending
with the NFB of SC Board meeting at 2:00 p.m.  Saturday evening will be a
time for observing the Christmas season, singing carols, fellowship, and
eating delicious desserts.  If you are planning to attend, please contact
the Federation Center (803) 254-3777 or return the reply card enclosed with
your letter in order for us to have an accurate head count for meals.  If
you cannot attend, please contact me at (803) 796-8662 or email me at
frankcoppel at att.net prior to November 30.  I hope we will have a large
turnout.  Make plans to be there! 

              I am sure all of you are working very hard to sell your $1,
2019 Las Vegas National Convention tickets.  Money raised from this
fundraiser will be used to financially assist those members who will be
attending the NFB national convention July 7-12, 2019 in Las Vegas.
Remember, the drawing will be held at the conclusion of the Statewide
Seminar on January 5, 2019.  The individual who purchases the winning ticket
will receive $300, the seller of the winning ticket will receive $100 and
the chapter who sells the most tickets will receive $300. 

              This is an important reminder to get out tovote either in
early voting or on Election Day, Tuesday, November 6. As has occurred in
recent elections, there will be a blind-voter-experience survey available
sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind. More details on the
survey will be included in next week’s Positive Note. 

              We have an announcement from Isaiah Nelson.  “The third annual
Thanksgiving Dinner will be held on Thursday, November 22, 2018 at the
Federation Center located at 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC, 29201.
The time of the dinner will be 2:00 o’clock p.m.  The menu consists of:
baked turkey, baked chicken, ham, rice and gravy, dressing, mac and cheese,
potato salad, green beans, lima beans, cranberry sauce, sweet potato
soufflé, dinner rolls and sweet potato pie and cake.  Drinks will also be
served with meals.  The cost of the meal is Fifteen ($15.00) for adults and
Seven ($7.00) Dollars for children 5 thru 12 years old.

              If you are planning to attend this dinner please bring your
money to the Columbia chapter meeting in November.  Also, you may call
Dorothy Barksdale at 803-765-1622 if you are planning to attend so that we
can get an accurate number of people attending.”

              Finally, according to an article written by Caroline Simon
from USA TODAY, South Carolina’s favorite Halloween candy is;  Skittles
(118,870 pounds), Second Favorite: Candy Corn (97,610 pounds), Third
Favorite: Hot Tamales (39,738 pounds).  There you have it.  Enjoy! 

              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 the spotlight this week we highlight a Sumter Chapter
member who has made it possible for the Sumter chapter and her chapter
President and NFB of SC Second Vice President Debra Canty to be highly
successful.  I am speaking of Diana Singleton.  Diana was born in
Hartsville, SC and raised in Sumter, SC.  She attended Sumter High School.
She is the oldest of six children. Her parents had four girls and two boys.
Her father passed in 2005 and a sister passed in July 2018. Diana has been
married for 37 years. They have two children.  Their son, Dr. Tremain
Singleton married La'Kia Sharda Singleton who is a Nurse Practitioner. Their
daughter Crystal Gilmore who is a Registered Nurse, is married to Julius
Gilmore II, a Computer Programmer. They have two beautiful granddaughters,
Khloe and Juliana Gilmore. 

               Diana has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting and a
Master’s Degree in Business Administration.  She worked at South Carolina
Department of Environmental Control, in the Division of Children’s
Rehabilitative Services for 30 years. She retired in May 2010.

              Debra Canty and Diana Singleton have been friends since the
third grade. When she became blind and later became the President of the
Sumter Chapter, Diana followed and she put her to work doing a variety of
things.  Diana attends chapter meetings and helps with meals as needed,
spearheading our Annual Barbecue sales, helping with the Annual Sweetheart
Dance to raise money for the Federation Center, helping with the Sumter
Chapter Christmas Gala, and any tasks the chapter or the president requests.
She has driven to and from the Washington Seminar and once from Washington
DC because the driver had a family emergency. She drove members to Rocky
Bottom and state and national conventions.  She worked with the Columbia
Chapter’s annual dinner sale this year, attended the Washington seminar in
January and volunteered in the exhibit hall at the National and State
conventions.

              Her hobbies are reading, traveling and learning about other
chapters.  She attends Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Dalzell, SC.  Diana
is the president of the Neighbors Reunion. The Neighbors Reunion is where
neighbors come together with past and present neighbors to celebrate the
whole weekend, by socializing, reconnecting and worshipping from Friday to
Sunday.  Let’s congratulate Diana Singleton who has dedicated her life to
the blind in the Sumter Chapter and beyond and to others in helping them to
live the life they want!

              We extend our deepest sympathy to Columbia Chapter member Joe
Urbanek in the loss of his mother Mary Urbanek who passed away on Thursday,
October 25.  Mrs. Urbanek was one of the finest people I’ve ever known.  She
provided service to a number of Columbia chapter members including
considerable transportation.  We first met Mrs. Urbanek many years ago when
she lived in Sumter.  She will be greatly missed.

 

Final Thought:  “Skip the trick and give a treat by contributing to the NFB
of SC, Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind or to the
Federation Center of the Blind.  Remember, its tax deductible, so you get
something out of it too!”

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