[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1719

[David Houck]

July 24, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1719

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              Beginning Monday of this week, the NFB of SC is hosting the
NFB Braille Enrichment Literacy and Learning (BELL) Academy which is being
held for the first time at the Federation Center of the Blind in Columbia,
July 22-August 2, Monday through Friday, 9:00-3:00 daily.  The Academy
provides children ages 4-12 with intense Braille instruction through fun and
hands-on learning activities. Tracy Spittle, State Coordinator and lead
instructor of the NFB of SC BELL Academy has done an outstanding job putting
together an excellent curriculum for this very important program.  Assisting
Tracy with the BELL Academy this year, is Thom Spittle, Shelley Coppel,
Isaiah Nelson, and Tori Diamond.  

              There are only nine days remaining to pay your $80
preregistration fee for the state convention which will cover the Friday
evening reception, the Saturday luncheon and the Saturday evening banquet as
well as a continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning which is being
sponsored by the Columbia chapter.  Please send your $80 preregistration fee
to the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC
29205.  We are also offering a discounted rate to college students in the
amount of $50 during the preregistration period.  After August 2, the
registration will increase to $100.  

              I want to remind everyone you are welcome to attend the NFB of
SC Board of Directors meeting which will be held at the Columbia Marriott
hotel, 3:30 p.m. Friday afternoon, August 9.  Our theme for the convention
will be "Transforming our Dreams into Reality".  We again will be conducting
our annual banquet fundraiser Saturday evening, August 10.  All funds raised
at the banquet fund raiser will be given to the NFB of SC.  We need
individuals as well as chapters and divisions to "step up to the plate" and
contribute during the banquet which will greatly help to fund our state
organization.  

              We have an announcement from Jennifer Bazer, chairperson of
our 2019 state convention planning committee. "We are getting closer and
closer to our celebration of 75 years of service to the blind of the
Palmetto State with our Diamond Jubilee that will be held Friday night
August 9 from 7:30 until 10:30.  If you have registered for our state
convention, you will be joining us for this awesome event!  We would love
your help in obtaining silent auction items with a market value of $50 or
higher! Currently, we have had generous donors including golf packages,
self-portraits, gift baskets and more.  We also need your assistance in
inviting guests to our event to celebrate with us. Tickets are $50 per
person and can be obtained by calling Jennifer Bazer at 803-960-9977 or
through our event Bright link.

              We will have a silent auction, live music, and food!  All
money raised the night of August 9 will go to Rocky Bottom to help with
expenses during the summer months when costs are higher.  We look forward to
you celebrating with us on August 9. Remember, to register for the state
convention by contacting David Houck at the Center or mailing a check to 119
S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. $80 per person, $50 for students.

              For more information about our diamond jubilee, please contact
Jennifer Bazer at 803-960-9977 or jhipp25 at sc.rr.com or any of our planning
committee members.  Let's build the Federation and celebrate 75 years of
service to the blind of South Carolina with a huge turn-out on August 9!"  

              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.  

              I enjoyed the NFB national convention report as given by
President Coppel at the Columbia Chapter meeting on Thursday evening, July
18.  I salute the 102 South Carolinians for making the long trip to Las
Vegas.  South Carolina ranked eighth in attendance at the national
convention and that's great.  However, I do share President Coppel's concern
for the large number of South Carolinians who did not faithfully attend all
the General Sessions.  Many years ago I stressed several times the
importance of attending these sessions as this is where much information on
blindness issues is disseminated to the convention.  On July 20, 1969 people
everywhere were fascinated about the fact that the United States had landed
on the Moon.  I well remember what I was doing on July 20, 1969, the date
the Moon was visited.  I was in Washington, DC along with my family on that
historic occasion.  We were housed at the Mayflower Hotel.  Betty, Craig,
Beth and myself were virtually glued to the television set waiting for
Astronaut Neil Armstrong to set foot on the Moon.  I remember Beth, about
ten years old, was concerned that Neil Armstrong would sink into the sand or
into whatever was on the surface of the Moon.  It hardly seems possible that
it was fifty years ago that I can recall where I was on that Saturday, July
20, 1969.  Much of the NFB's success during the past fifty years came about
because of the deeply held belief that we did not doubt what had to be done
in work with the blind.  While legislation affecting the blind is essential
because of the blindness aspect, braille literacy had to be carried out if
the blind intended on keeping up with the general public.  I was in
Washington the day that Neil Armstrong excited the nation when he stepped
onto the Moon's surface.  Dr. Jernigan, then the NFB President, scheduled us
to go to Washington on some matters affecting the blind.  I called upon both
Senators and agency officials including the US Department of Education and
Rehabilitation.  If a blind person is to fully succeed in life's endeavors,
it would be necessary to be literate in braille.  Every NFB affiliate a
quarter of a century ago began to work on the braille literacy problem.
There was intense opposition as the proposed braille literacy bill would
require much work.  This bill required that blind students must be given a
test to see if braille is the best media to be utilized.  The South Carolina
version of the braille literacy bill contained provisions which would
promote braille in the school system.  Our NFB of SC membership had to work
intensely to get this bill passed in the General Assembly.  We did however.
There was one dear lady who had a visually impaired child and she spent
considerable time attacking the bill.  She meant well but her blind child
was not going to be taught braille.  She tried contacting members of the
Teachers Union to get them to oppose this legislation.  This parent would
call me on several occasions, waking me up at 6:00 a.m. to repeat her
opposition.  The highest legislative member supporting this bill got in
touch with me to schedule an appointment to discuss this bill in his
Columbia office.  We were skeptical from the beginning.  When Betty and I
arrived at his office - guess what - the parent of the blind child was
present.  I had to restrain myself somewhat but when all was said and done,
we won.  We declined to change any provisions of the bill.  Finally I told
the legislator we would not support any changes to the bill which was what
we knew we needed.  Further I stated he did not have the votes to defeat the
bill and I proceeded to leave the office.  As I departed I turned to Betty
and said, "I hope he's wrong and I'm right!"  A good ending!  After the bill
had passed this lady contacted me and said I had proved to be right and she
had proved to be very much out of line.  We have been friends since.  Today,
blind children in South Carolina are being given braille literacy training
because we had "the most votes."  A copy of our braille literacy bill
appears in the Legislative Hall of Fame in the conference room of the
Federation Center of the Blind; which is one of 44 pieces of legislation
passed which affects the blind.

 

Final Thought:   "Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of
succeeding at something that doesn't really matter." - D.L. Moody

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