[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1698

[David Houck]

February 27, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1698

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              On Monday evening of this week, I had the pleasure of
attending the monthly meeting of the Anderson chapter of the NFB of SC.
Approximately twenty people were in attendance at the meeting and recently
elected chapter President, Demetrius Williord, did an excellent job
presiding over the meeting.  It was great to see longtime leaders of the
Anderson Chapter, Jenny Smith, Cary and Helen Burris as well as others at
the meeting.  I spoke to the chapter members on upcoming activities such as
the Leadership Seminar, National Convention, and the 2019 NFB of SC State
Convention where we will be celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of our
organization.  I also discussed the status of Rocky Bottom and thanked the
group for their generous contribution of $500 to the camp.  

              This is a friendly reminder on Saturday, March 16, 2019 the
NFB of SC will be hosting a Leadership Seminar at the Federation Center of
the Blind from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Lunch will be provided.  All members
are encouraged to attend and there will be no charge for the seminar.  Come
and learn about the importance of effective communication, the role and
purpose of Protection and Advocacy, developing good fund raising skills, and
any general chapter issues you would like to discuss.  If you are planning
to attend the seminar, please notify David Houck at the Federation Center of
the Blind either by reply card, phone (803-254-3777) or email
(nfbsc at sc.rr.com) no later than March 13.  We need to have this information
so that we can have an accurate head count for lunch.  

              You can now begin to make your reservations for the upcoming
2019 Las Vegas National Convention.  The date of this year's national
convention will be July 7, to July 12, 2019 and will be held at the
beautiful Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Unlike in years past, the same
enviable rate of $99 per night applies to singles and doubles as well as
triples and quads. Hotel and sales taxes are 13.38 percent and 8.25 percent,
respectively. The resort fee (normally $37 a night) will be waived for NFB
convention attendees. However, fees for internet access, local and toll-free
calls, and fitness center access may apply.  To make reservations for the
2019 convention, you can call the hotel at 877-632-9001. The hotel will take
a deposit of the first night's room rate for each room and will require a
credit card or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will
be charged against your card immediately. If a reservation is cancelled
before Friday, June 1, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise
refunds will not be made.  

              The Kenneth Jernigan Scholarship Committee is now accepting
applications for the 2019 National convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The
Jernigan scholarship program is sponsored by the NFB and is designed to
financially assist first time attendees to attend the NFB National
convention.  To apply, you must complete the necessary paperwork with a
letter of recommendation from your state president and submit this
information to the Jernigan Scholarship committee by April 15, 2019.  If you
are selected, you will be notified by the committee by May 15, 2019.  For
more information, please read the article in the December issue of the
Braille Monitor which describes the process in more detail.  You can also go
to
https://www.nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-conven
tion-scholarship.

              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 this week's Positive Note we are spotlighting a member of
the Spartanburg Chapter.  She is active in the chapter and does much more to
help others.  Melinda Tant was born in Marshall, North Carolina in Madison
County but she was raised in Spartanburg.  She attended the public schools
in Spartanburg and graduated from Spartanburg High School.  While in high
school she liked to write speeches for extra credit and since she grew up on
a farm, she also liked growing plants in school.  She also liked to sew and
continued to do so until she lost sight later on.  After high school she
attended and graduated from Piedmont Beauty School, becoming a
cosmetologist.  Cosmetology seemed to run in the family as well.  Her mom
and dad were married for 62 years.  She has two brothers.  She also has two
daughters, six grandchildren and is about to get her 6th great-grandchild.
Married to Milton Tant since 2006, they will celebrate their 13th
anniversary on April 23.  

              Melinda Tant took some training programs at the SC School for
the Deaf and Blind after becoming legally blind and heard about the
federation through the School.  Belinda Banks, the current Spartanburg
Chapter President invited Melinda to join the chapter in 1997.  Among the
NFB conventions she attended included Louisville, Dallas twice, Detroit and
Atlanta.  Since joining the federation she attended every NFB of SC
convention.  In the Spartanburg Chapter she helped sell cookbooks and enough
coupon books to purchase a new chapter van.  Her hobbies include taking care
of her great-grandchildren, watching out for her husband Milton, and
volunteering in the nursing home where he resides with other patients living
there.  She also helps take care of her mother who has Alzheimer's.  Melinda
is both multi-talented and active in the federation and in other areas.
Let's salute Melinda Tant for all that she does.

 

Final Thought:  This is not leap year, but if you were born on February 29,
your birthday would fall once every four years!  How old would you be if
this were so for you?

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