[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1728

[David Houck]

September 25, 2019

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

From:  Frank Coppel, President

Positive Note 1728

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

              I am pleased to announce the second annual National Senior's
Retreat held at Rocky Bottom and sponsored by the National Federation of the
Blind Seniors Division this past week was a tremendous success.  The overall
training provided to the thirteen seniors who participated in the program
was well received.  As I reported last week, thirteen seniors from across
the country were encouraged to use their learning shades during such
training as cane travel at Rocky Bottom and in the town of Brevard, Braille,
cooking class, grilling on a charcoal grill, IOS training, and other
independent living activities.  Each afternoon, seniors participated in a
group discussion designed to assist individuals to cope more effectively
with their visual loss and to answer questions related to blindness issues.
On Thursday, we traveled to a nearby apple orchard where the seniors were
asked to wear their sleep shades and utilize their cane skills they learned
during the week.  Friday afternoon, closing ceremonies were held and each
participant received a Braille/print certificate designed by Tracy Spittle
which recognized their accomplishments during the program.  I would like to
take this time to thank everyone who contributed in any way to make this
program a huge success.  I would like to recognize the instructional staff
which consisted of Shelley and Frank Coppel, Frank Loza, Wayne Marshall from
Atlanta, GA., Shelley Duffy from Columbus, OH., and Ruth Sager from
Baltimore, MD.  Other staff included Liz Lewis and Michael Hartz who were
instrumental in gathering a variety of materials prior to the Retreat as
well as providing transportation when needed, Barry Chavis and Carolyn
Phillips who assisted in the kitchen and who performed many other duties as
needed, and of course, our Resident Manager, Linda Bible.  Many thanks goes
to Lenora Robertson and the rest of her "food crew": Ellen Taylor, Glenda
Culick, Jw and Ora Bell Smith for their outstanding work in the kitchen.  I
would also like to recognize Ted Brewer, from the Salem Lions Club for
organizing Lions Clubs in the upstate to assist us in providing
transportation for our seniors to and from the Greenville/Spartanburg
airport.  Finally, a very special thank you goes to Ruth Sager, President of
the National Seniors Division, for her willingness to again hold this
training program at Rocky Bottom.  Plans are already underway to hold the
third annual National Seniors Retreat in the fall of 2020.  

              Finally, I will be out of state from Tuesday, October 1, to
Friday, October 11, as Shelley and I will be attending a family wedding in
Bend, Oregon and later traveling to Denver, Colorado to visit friends and
family.  If anything should arise that needs immediate attention, please
contact the Federation Center as I will be checking in periodically for
messages.  

              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 want to share with you some information occurring years ago
which remains interesting.  I first attended a Federation chapter meeting
(known as the Aurora Club at that time) in August of 1953.  My brother Earl
who was President of the Columbia Chapter that year talked me into joining
the chapter then and now.  Four months later in 1953 I was elected President
of the chapter.  At that time there were two chapters, one located in
Spartanburg which began in 1944 and the other located in Columbia which
began in 1947.  These two chapters supported each other.  There was no state
constitution and therefore, there was technically no state organization
until years later.  Dr. Sam Lawton, the organization's Founder and myself
traveled to Charleston in 1955 for the purpose of organizing a chapter there
and at the same time, work on a state constitution.  It was necessary to
finalize a statewide organization which requires a constitutional
convention.  The Constitutional Convention was held in April of 1956 in
Columbia at the YWCA.  There was a good turnout from all three chapters. The
convention members adopted the proposed constitution, elected state officers
and board members.  The first state convention was held in April 1957 at
Charleston's Ft. Sumter Hotel.  Meanwhile the Columbia Chapter had purchased
an old run down school bus for $250.  The bus was used to provide
transportation for members to travel to meetings in Columbia which was
satisfactory.  However the Charleston trip was too much for the old bus and
it broke down en route to the first state convention.  When it arrived the
convention had already begun which was not an auspicious beginning.  During
this convention time was made for a worthwhile activity.  There was
considerable excitement about taking a trip to Ft. Sumter where the Civil
War started.  Everyone had a great time.  The Charleston Post and Courier
newspaper covered the Ft. Sumter voyage.  In the following day's edition
there was a huge headline, "Blind Go Sight Seeing."  There was one other
Charleston experience I recall.  The NFB Founder, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, a
year or so later, was scheduled to travel from his home in California to
Charleston.  The plane Dr. tenBroek was traveling in experienced mechanical
difficulty in Virginia, preventing him from getting to Charleston to attend
the convention.  Due to this we had no banquet speaker and it was too late
to secure one.  As state President I was the main person responsible for
this unfortunate development.  My public speaking in those days was limited
to say the least.  After much soul searching, I decided to do the best I
could in making the speech.  The primary subject concentrated on "success."
No one walked out on my banquet speech to the best of my knowledge but I was
glad when it was over.  I do recall at that convention, Sen. John Long of
Union was there to be honored and his remarks were encouraging to me.

 

Final Thought:   Transforming our dreams into reality:  Always look for
opportunities.  Opportunities make us learn and grow.  Seek success and
learn from failure - either way you will be stronger.

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20190925/57525cba/attachment.html>