[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1704

[David Houck]

April 10, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1704

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              This past Saturday, April 6, the spring meetings of the RBRCCB
and the NFB of SC Board of Directors were held at the Federation Center of
the Blind.  A good turnout of board members and visitors were present at the
meetings.  It was great to have our former state President, Parnell Diggs,
with us on Saturday as he has recently moved back to South Carolina and is
now residing in Charleston. 

              The RBRCCB Board of Directors and the NFB of SC Board of
Directors spent a great deal of time discussing during their meetings on
Saturday, our participation in the Midlands Gives fund raising program.  

              What is Midlands Gives?

              Hosted by Central Carolina Community Foundation, Midlands
Gives is an 18-hour online giving event that brings the region together as
one community, raising money and awareness for local nonprofits in 11
Midlands counties.  

              When is Midlands Gives? 

              Midlands Gives will take place online on Tuesday, May 7, 2019,
from 6:00 am to 11:59:59 p.m. Eastern Time.  

              How does it work?

              Central Carolina Community Foundation has set up an online
giving platform at MidlandsGives.org with searchable profiles of
participating nonprofits. All donations will be processed through this
website, which allows nonprofits and donors to track the giving on May 7th
via the site's leaderboards.

              If you would like to donate to Rocky Bottom Retreat and
Conference Center, click on the below link.
https://www.midlandsgives.org/rockybottom.  If you would like to donate to
the National Federation of the Blind of SC (NFB of SC), click on the below:

https://www.midlandsgives.org/NFBOFSC.

              If you would like to donate to the NFB of SC please do so,
however, this year we want to concentrate heavily on raising funds to meet
the ongoing needs at Rocky Bottom.  Again this year, Jennifer Bazer and
staff from the Successful Transitions program will be stationed in several
locations around the Columbia area (downtown East Bay Deli on Main St.,
Crossing Deli in Northeast Columbia and the West Columbia Chick-fil-a on
Augusta Rd.) on May 7, to raise funds through Midland Gives to assist Rocky
Bottom.  If you would like to assist Jennifer and the staff of Successful
Transitions at one of these locations, you can contact Jennifer Bazer at
(803) 960-9977 for further information.  If you are uncomfortable using a
computer to make a donation or do not have one, you can come by or call the
Federation Center, (803) 254-3777 on Tuesday, May 7, and we will assist you
with your donation.  We will also be having a "watch party" with
refreshments at the Federation Center on May 7, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
for those individuals who would like to make a donation to Rocky Bottom
through Midland Gives.  We will be especially working hard to raise the most
unique contributions between 12 noon and 1:00 p.m.  The non-profit
organization who receives the most unique contributions during this hour
will also receive an additional $2,500 for their group.  Also, the six state
board district and state wide divisions will be competing among themselves
to see who can secure the most unique contributions for Rocky Bottom.  A
trophy will be presented to the district or division who secures the highest
number of unique contributions during Midlands Gives on May 7.  I am asking
all chapter presidents to please work closely with your district board
representative and share this information with your members.  I strongly
encourage all of us to make a concerted effort to spread this information to
local businesses, neighbors, friends, and family and help to financially
support Rocky Bottom and the NFB of SC with this wonderful fund raising
opportunity!  

              If you would like further information regarding what
additional topics were discussed at either board meeting, pleas checkout
each set of board minutes which will appear on the NFB of SC and the Rocky
Bottom websites in the very near future.  

              Finally, I am sad to report William "Six" Branch, a charter
member of the Upper Dorchester County chapter passed away on Saturday, April
6.  "Six", as he was affectionalty called by friends, was an easy going and
fun loving individual who appeared to have a very positive outlook on life.
All of us in our Federation family need to keep "Six" 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.  

              Virtually everybody is aware that U.S. Senator Ernest F.
Hollings passed away over the weekend.  He was 97.  I knew Sen. Hollings for
several decades.  He was a strong supporter of the federation.  The first I
remember his attending a federation function occurred at the Carolina Hotel
on Assembly Street.  Sen. Hollings was the distinguished guest but there
were other outstanding individuals including other NFB leaders.  Sen.
Hollings served several terms in the US Senate and this is where we got to
know him best.  Some of us may remember that Sen. Hollings led the fight in
the Senate to make sure that the airlines did not discriminate against blind
passengers in seating arrangements.  Initially there was not a lot of
support for this position but as time went by, Sen. Hollings stood with the
NFB which resulted in the airlines having to treat all blind passengers like
anyone else.  Throughout many years I attended the Washington Seminars I had
the privilege of visiting Sen. Hollings office.  He became comfortable with
my doing research in his library.  Sen. Hollings was born and raised in the
Charleston area and consequentially he developed a strong Charleston brogue.
Some of his colleagues teased him about this, stating he was the only
Senator that did not speak English.  Personally I didn't think his
Charleston brogue was that pronounced but I enjoyed hearing him talk.  I
will always be indebted to Sen. Hollings for his unswerving support of
programs for the blind.  Needless to say he served his office with
distinction.  He will always be remembered for his many accomplishments on
behalf of the nation's blind.

 

Final Thought:   Longevity of service denotes a great legacy.

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