[Nfbofsc] Positive Note 1714

[David Houck]

June 19, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1714

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              This past Saturday evening, Shelley and I along with David and
Darleen Houck attended the monthly meeting of the Clarenden chapter of the
NFB of SC.  It was great seeing longtime federation members, Joretta and
Earl Carper, who I have not had the pleasure of seeing for many years.  We
discussed with the chapter the importance of the new membership coins, the
upcoming national and state conventions as well as the status and needs of
the Rocky Bottom program.  Hats off to President Marty McKenzie and all of
the members of the chapter for improving the quality of life of blind people
in Clarenden County.  

              There are only three and one half weeks remaining to make your
hotel reservations for the 2019 NFB of SC State Convention which will be
held at the Marriott Hotel in Columbia August 9-11.  Room rates are very
affordable.  Rates for this year's convention are  $112 per night for up to
four in a room.  In addition to the room rates, there will be a tax, which
at present is 14 percent.  The deadline to make reservations is July 15,
2019. The Marriott Hotel has given the NFB of SC a block of rooms to reserve
until July 15.  If you wait until after July 15, to make your hotel
reservation, the hotel may not have an available room for you and you will
not be eligible for the convention room rate of $112.  There will also be a
limited number of rooms available for the $112 rate Thursday, August 8, for
those individuals wanting to arrive to the hotel a day prior to the official
start of the convention.  If you pay in advance, your reservation will be
guaranteed: however, you will not have to pay as long as you arrive by 6:00
p.m.  Any amount you pay, of course, will be applied toward your bill.  For
those of you who will be attending the NFB National convention from July
6-13, I would strongly encourage you to go ahead and make your room
reservations for the state convention now and not wait until you return from
Las Vegas .  If you wait until July 13, to make your room reservation, you
could forget to do it, and thereby, miss the July 15 deadline.  You can make
your room reservations by calling the Marriott toll free reservation
telephone number (800) 593-6465 or (803) 771-7000 and inform the
reservationist you are reserving a room for the National Federation of the
Blind of South Carolina state convention.  At this year's state convention,
, we will be celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of our organization.
We are planning special activities throughout the weekend to commemorate
this wonderful milestone.  We are expecting a large turnout for this
convention so you may want to make your hotel reservations early.  This will
be a very special and historic convention you do not want to miss!  

              Also, please continue to preregister for the NFB of SC 2019
state convention.  The total preregistration package is $80 which includes a
very special Friday evening reception, continental breakfast Saturday and
Sunday morning of the convention, the Saturday Luncheon and the Saturday
evening Banquet. The preregistration period will end August 2, after which
time the cost to register for the state convention will be $100.  We will
again offer a discount for families with children during the preregistration
period.  Parents will pay the $80 preregistration fee and each child
eighteen years of age and younger will pay $20.  There will also be a
discounted rate for college students in the amount of $50 during the
preregistration period.  

              We have an announcement from Shannon Cook, Chairperson of the
NFB of SC Scholarship committee.  "Great News!  The 2019 Scholarship
deadline has been extended to June 30th!  Please go to nfbofsc.org to find
the scholarship application and requirements."  

              We have an announcement from Tiffiny Mitchell.  There will be
a teleconference meeting on Sunday evening, June 26, at 7:00 to discuss
transportation arrangements and other matters for those individuals who are
traveling on the two American Airlines flights leaving from Charlotte on
July 6, going to Las Vegas.  The telephone number is (862)902-0241 and the
access code 3588716.    You can now review the agenda for the 2019 NFB
national convention at

https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-conventionn.

              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.  

              This week we spotlight one of our Successful Transitions staff
members who works with the NFB of SC under the leadership of its Director,
Jennifer Bazer.  Pam Schexnider was born and raised in Columbia, SC to Joe
(Buddy) and Dianne Raines Newman, and grew up not far from the Federation
Center on Kilbourne Road.  Her father worked at Glassmaster Boats before he
retired then he opened a small marine mechanic shop at Jake's Landing.  Her
mother worked for Southern Bell here in Columbia for many years before
moving to Beaufort, SC where she retired. With both sets of grandparents in
the Shandon / Rosewood area, this was her playground.  Many hours were spent
wading and roaming in Gill's Creek, riding a bike to the Dairy Bar for a
cone, or Groucho's for a pickle and playing in one of the many local area
parks.

              Pam Graduated in 1981 from Dreher High School, and continued
on at The University of South Carolina and graduated in 1986 with a major in
Business and minors in Accounting and Hotel Restaurant Management, and is
very thankful there were no cell phones with cameras in those days. After
graduating USC, she went to work for The Department of Housing and Urban
Development in Beaufort, Hilton Head and Savannah, GA.  There she met and
married her first husband George Muchmore and had her first daughter
Meredith in 1988.  She can honestly say, she married a Muchmore which turned
out to be "muchless" than she bargained for so she divorced him and things
got "muchbetter" and she became a Newman again.

              She eventually transferred back to the Columbia and Sumter
areas.  While working in Sumter, she met the love of her life David
Schexnider. They met at Compuzone Computers on a Friday the 13 in 1993.  Her
computer crashed and the computer store was unable to get it running when
this tall fella with the clearest blue eyes, and brightest smile she had
ever seen walked in to buy a printer.  David also moonlighted with Compuzone
so they had him take a look at the computer.  Well, in about 20 minutes he
had the blasted thing up and running.  "What do I owe you," she asked the
manager.  "Nothing" he replied, "we didn't fix it, ask him" and pointed to
David.  So she asked "What do I owe you then?"  to which he replied
"Nothing, I don't work here".  She offered to buy him lunch, which he
accepted and she has been feeding him ever since.  They married in October
of 1994, and welcomed their daughter Malarie in March of 1998.  

              David is an Electronic Engineer currently working for The
Right Dose Corporation here in Columbia.  Meredith, 30, who is a Nurse in
Newberry with White Oak of The Carolina's, and Malarie, 21, is a senior at
Erskine College in Due West SC  majoring in pre-Med Bio - Chem and has
maintained Dean's list status all 3 years.

              In 2000, she was promoted to Domestic Goddess / stay at home
mom (who was NEVER home).  She was a troop leader with Girl Scouts with
Meredith from Daiseys to Gold, volunteered at many school functions with the
girls, prepared Wednesday Evening Meals at her church, and served from
Nursery, to Sunday School teacher, Youth Leader, and Women's ministry
leader.

              In 2004 a friend talked her into going to Nursing School.  She
became a LPN and worked at various hospitals including, Richland,
Providence, and Kershaw County as well as private duty home health /
hospice.  Her Nursing career was cut short by a back injury which required
surgery.

              In 2016, Malarie left for college, she wasn't able to return
to nursing, so she spent her days in a pity party.  One day in mid-October,
a friend of Meredith's, Allison Page, called.  "Mrs. Pam, would you be
interested in driving a couple of blind ladies a couple days a week?"
"Drive, sure!!!!  I Can Drive!"  The Blind ladies were Casey Eubanks and
Jennifer Bazer.  The "Couple Days a Week", well that became full time.
After meeting the kid's in the Successful Transition's program she was
hooked, and the more blind people she was around, the more she fell in love
with them.  "It just amazes me, "There isn't anything that they can't do."
And honestly, the difference between me and a blind person, is I have grey
hair, and they don't" she says.  As an associate member, she will assist any
way she can.  She loves Rocky Bottom and has participated in many events up
there from work projects, to Fun Day, to Children's Camp.  She has
participated in Midland's Gives Fund Raising, Children's Camp Fundraising,
and currently is assisting with NFBSC's Diamond Jubilee, and State
Convention Fund Raising.

              Pam loves crafting, painting, scrapbooking, sewing, but, her
favorite is quilting.  She is a member of Stitched with Love quilting guild
which makes quilt's for homeless at Oliver Gospel and Toby's House as well
as other ministries in need.  

              To say that Pam Schexnider loves dogs is an understatement.
She has 3 fur babies of her own; Riley Bay a beagledor, Shelby GT, a
Havaneese, and her newest addition Macy Blanch, a Chiweenie, who also
volunteers with Successful Transitions as Stress Manager.  She also assists
local vets and rescues with small breed fosters when needed.

              She and David are Members at Crossings Community Church in
North East Columbia since 1998 where she is serving her 3rd term as Deacon.

 

Final Thought:   This past Sunday was Father's Day.  Let's not forget our
wives who made Father's Day possible!  Be a great Dad, Grandfather, etc.

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