[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1724

Tue Aug 27 12:54:13 UTC 2019

August 27, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1724

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

              This weekend many of us will be traveling to Rocky Bottom to
attend the 38th annual Fun Day Festival.  Over 45 Federationists are
planning to be at Rocky Bottom on Saturday, August 31, to participate in all
the festivities.  One of my favorite activities during Fun Day is the
auction which will take place Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.  Many thanks
go to Jennifer Bazer and Valerie Warrington as both of these individuals
have been very instrumental in securing items for the auction.  Items for
the auction include a black and silver football autographed by the Carolina
Panthers, a TV donated by Blue Ridge Electric , a variety of gift baskets,
and scrumptious homemade bakery items just to name a few.  We will be
selling yard sale items and we will also be selling RBRCCB merchandise.  .
Four meals will be served throughout the weekend.  Times for meals are as
follows: Saturday, August 31, breakfast 8:30, lunch 12:00, and supper 6:00
p.m. and Sunday, September 1, breakfast 8:30.  You will need to see Valerie
and Larry Warrington and pay $30 for adults and $15 for children under
twelve years of age to cover all four meals including the lunch on Saturday.
Those individuals who are attending the Fun Day Festival Saturday and who
are only eating lunch will need to pay Valerie and Larry Warrington $10 for
adults.  

              It is extremely important we all do what we can to sell as
many $5 Fun Day tickets as possible as this greatly contributes to the
overall profits of the festival.  Remember, the winning ticket drawn will
yield $50 to the seller and $500 to the buyer or $550 if you bought your own
ticket.  The chapter selling the most tickets will receive $300 for its
treasury!  Thus far, we have received Fun Day ticket money and stubs from
the Aiken chapter, Anderson chapter, Chesterfield chapter, Columbia chapter,
Greenwood Chapter, and the Hilton Head chapter.  It would be great if we can
hear from many of our other chapters as funds raised from the Fun Day
tickets sales will provide much needed financial support for our facilities
and programs at Rocky Bottom.  Please mail your ticket stubs and money to
the Federation Center no later than Friday, August 30, or better yet, bring
your stubs and money to Rocky Bottom on Saturday, August 31, and give them
to David Houck.  

It would be awesome to have a large Federation turnout for this very
important fundraising event.  

              Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman, the South Carolina Parents of Blind
Children president, has created a closed group for South Carolina Parents of
Blind Children and is asking that NFB of SC members join the group and
publish and share the group with families of blind and low vision children
in South Carolina. Families can also reach Jennifer privately at
jaduffell at yahoo.com or 803-287-5391.

              I am very sad to report Mrs. Doris Bell, a longtime
Federationist and a member of the Laurens chapter of the NFB of SC passed
away on Wednesday, August 21.  Doris and her husband Bob were instrumental
in organizing the Laurens Chapter as well as building and directing the
Robert R. Bell center located in Laurens.  Doris also assisted Bob a great
deal when Bob was state president from 1982 to 1986 and when he was Chairman
of RBRCCB from 1986 to 2000.  It is very clear Doris loved Rocky Bottom as a
portion of her head stone is made from a rock taken from Rocky Bottom.
During the mid-1980's, Doris and Bob Bell played a major role in my
federation walk as they strongly encouraged and mentored me in becoming a
leader in this organization.  Let's all of us in our federation family keep
the Bell 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.  

               August is a special month as many of my friends and family
celebrates birthdays.  Several federationists have birthdays in August.  I
was touched in a special way this time with a homemade chocolate cake given
to me by my longtime friends Scott and Edna Johnson.  I don't recall this
ever happening in the past.  Dr. Fred Crawford and myself celebrate the same
birthday, August 30, which occurs this Friday.  Fred will be 93 and I will
be 91.  Lois Tucker celebrates her birthday on August 17, only about two
weeks before mine.  Our state President Frank Coppel celebrates his birthday
one day after August on September 1.  My mother's birthday was on August 29,
one day before mine.  Our daughter Beth was born on August 7 and my
brother-in-law, Attorney Gene Rogers was also born in August.  My caregiver
Debbie Manning had her birthday on Sunday, August 25.  I'm sure there are
others I am overlooking.  I believe that almost all of us are looking
forward to when the Fun Day Festival gets underway on August 31.  

              For several decades it was my pleasure to work with Doris Bell
in the federation as her husband Bob was state President and headed up the
Bell Federation Center of the Blind in Laurens for many years.  I would be
remiss if I did not express my deepest sympathy to Bell family members
including the sons of Doris, Robby and Mark.  Their distinguished years of
service will be greatly missed.  I'm sorry I was prevented from attending
the funeral as I am unable to travel that distance.  However, several NFB of
SC members did attend including state President Frank Coppel, Ed & Julie
Bible, Parnell Diggs who sang "Others," David and Darlene Houck, Laurens
Chapter President Helen McNuer and the Bell Center Secretary Ginger Landreth
to name a few.  

              A good turnout at Rocky Bottom is expected this weekend for
the Fun Day Festival.  I was blessed to have attended this annual event for
many years.  Special food service is provided by Lenora Robertson and her
kitchen crew.  I trust that Fun Day ticket sales and the Auction sale will
bring in much needed funding for Rocky Bottom.

Final Thought:   Transforming our dreams into reality:  Remembering the late
Bob and Doris Bell of Laurens who dedicated their lives for the cause of the
blind and others.

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