[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1786

Mon Nov 2 11:25:19 UTC 2020

November 2, 2020

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

From:  Jennifer Bazer, President

Positive Note 1786

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

I am writing this Positive Note on the first day of November, the month of
Thanksgiving, day light savings ends, the days get short, nights get cooler,
we exercise our right to vote, Veterans' Day, and, as you may know, there is
always a reason to celebrate. In November, I will look forward to National
Candy Day on Nov. 4, National Donut Appreciation Day on Nov. 5, Nachos Day
on Nov. 6, Cook Something Bold on Nov. 8, and World Kindness Day on Nov. 13.
Speaking of thanksgiving and Kindness, I want to thank all of you for your
continued support of our Rocky bottom Fall Festival as the affiliate sold
over $5,000 in raffle ticket sales to raise money for a camp we all love.
Once we pay the winners, the affiliate will clear over $4,000 from this
successful raffle. We continue this fund-raiser with an online auction which
started Saturday, October 31 at noon Eastern and will end at 8 p.m. on
Saturday, November 7. Please share the link and information with your
networks. Items are being added daily. The link is

https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/Rocky-Bottom-Online-Auction-20
20-15718

We are successful because it is "we" not "me"; It is "us" not "I". We are a
team working together, moving in the same direction, supporting one another,
building each other up, cheering each other on, accomplishing small things
in great ways, and as Henry Ford once said, "Coming together is a beginning,
staying together is progress, and working together is success." And, as I
heard the story of MR. Brunson, a 46-year-old blind man that reached out to
me after speaking with the national office, I knew all of you would join
with me in helping this blind man who was just released from prison. He
begged me to help him with food and clothes. He only asked for soup which
would warm his stomach a wheelchair as he has blood clots, and some boots to
protect his feet. After announcing his needs on the Connects call on
Thursday evening, my phone rang, my text notifications and voice mail
buzzed. So many willing to help a blind man in need. I was able to obtain a
wheelchair from the assistive technology program which also has durable
medical equipment. I took the vital items to him in Hopkins where he is
staying with his mother's best friend, and he was overwhelmed by the
generosity. I will return to Hopkins to deliver additional supplies as many
of you mentioned you are sending monetary and in-kind donations to the
Center at 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. MR. Brunson can use
size 3 or 4X in shirts and jackets, 42 or 44 in pants, and size 13 in shoes.
We are working with him to obtain an SC ID as the ball was dropped on this
necessary item when he was released. If you would like to assist, please
text or call me at 803-960-9977 or email me at jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
<mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> 

You may mail checks made to NFB of SC with MR. Brunson in the memo line,
gift cards to purchase clothes and food and other necessary items, or you
may use pay pal on www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org>  with MR.
Brunson in the comment section. Thank you all for your support, kindness and
generosity of our fellow blind.

              The Palmetto Blind

If you wish to contribute an article to the winter issue of the Palmetto
blind, please send me your contributions to jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
<mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com>  and we will include them in the winter issues or
future issues.

We are looking for comfort food recipes, controlled carb recipes, overview
of a product that may be helpful to our members, resources, book reviews,
trivia, member spotlight.

I welcome your contributions for this and future issues.

              South Carolina Connects

              Our next South Carolina Connects meeting will be Thursday,
November 5, at 5 pm on the Zoom platform. We will be there as early as 4:30
for informal chat and to get to know one another. Please invite your chapter
members, friends and anyone interested in learning more about the NFB of SC.
I look forward to chatting with all of you!

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09

Meeting ID: 803 254 3777

Passcode: 124578

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,8032543777# US (New York)

Thanksgiving Feast:

Ike Nelson started our Thanksgiving meals at least four years ago. This
year, he would like to be with his family on Thanksgiving due to the recent
passing of his mother. He said, "God willing, I would like to resume them
next year on Thanksgiving."

I know this will not be on Thanksgiving, and it definitely won't be Ike's
wonderful cooking. I am grateful to him for giving me and others the
opportunity to fill in this year.

We hope you will join us!

All of you are cordially invited to a Thanksgiving feast and fellowship on
Thursday, November 19 at the Federation Center. The meal will be served at
3:00. The cost is $15 per person. If you plan to attend, please call, text
or email me at 803-960-9977or jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com>
by Monday, November 16.

>From Shannon Cook:

Hi Folks, The NFB of SC Scholarship Committee would love to have input and
feedback from our NFB of SC membership on what you think could be done to
improve the program.  Please let me know if you like some of what is ongoing
and what your ideas are to make it better. Please send your comments to me
Shannon Cook Scholarship Committee Chair by email at
coffeequeensc1 at sc.rr.com <mailto:coffeequeensc1 at sc.rr.com>  or call me at
(803) 254-0222.  Remember, this program is vitally important to help the NFB
of SC attract young members who will become our leaders of tomorrow.
Thanks. 

>From Thom Spittle chairman of Rocky bottom

Hi Everyone,

Congratulation to Ed Bible and all of the At Large Chapter members for a job
well done. This chapter is not the biggest, but they proved that they were
the biggest at heart. 

It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the
dog, was a quote from my high school coach.

Here are the results:

Dear Fellow Federationists:

Week 7               We have Arrived!

The BIG Challenge!        Win $300 for your chapter or division!

As you know, Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind is
selling $5 Rocky Bottom fundraising tickets.  These tickets must be sold
with the filled out stubs turned in with the $5 per ticket by no later than
Friday, October 30.  Send them to, or drop them off at the Federation Center
of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd., Columbia, SC 29205.  Checks should be
made payable to RBRCCB.

              The drawing will be on ZOOM at 4 p.m. on October 31 to kick
off the week long Rocky Bottom online auction ending on November 7.  The
winning ticket drawn will yield $500 to the buyer, $50 to the seller and
$300 to the chapter or division selling the most tickets!  Now that the ball
is rolling, we are offering a weekly challenge every Friday leading up to
October 30, providing the top five ticket sellers - and here they are for
today!

Rank     Tickets sold        Chapter/Division

1.            323                     At Large Chapter -winning
chapter/division.

2.            272                       Lancaster Chapter

3.            132                       Cherokee Chapter

4.            115                       Columbia Chapter

5.            78                       Sumter Chapter

We exceeded the $5,000 mark last week.

Congratulations to the At-Large Chapter and its President Ed Bible for being
ranked number 1!  

I received $60 on Saturday for the following:

$25 Clarendon County chapter 5 tickets

$40 Columbia chapter Ed & Julie and Thom & Tracy Spittle & Shelley Coppel 8
Tickets

Remember to check out the week long auction items which benefit Rocky Bottom
as well.  Go out there and bid on something at 

https://www.charityauctionstoday.com/auctions/Rocky-Bottom-Online-Auction-20
20-15718

Rachel Alexander of Lancaster sold the winning ticket for this year's Rocky
Bottom Fall Festival. Thank you so much for your hard work. She will receive
$50 for selling the winning ticket. Miss Alexander sold 160 tickets by
herself, great job.

Miss Bertha Smith of Lancaster won the $500 grand prize of the Rocky Bottom
Fall Festival. Unfortunately, she passed away

Last month due to complications of covid 19. Our thoughts and prayers are
with her family. After speaking with the executor of her estate, the family
will use the money to pay for her expenses.

              From Derique Simon

              Do you find yourself wondering what to cook for dinner most
nights? Are you tired of making the same dishes over and over? Well stress
no longer because the South Carolina Association of Blind Students is here
to help if you need spicying up what you do in the kitchen. We are working
on our own one of a kind cook book and we need all of your help to make it a
hit. If you have any recipes that you would like to share with us please
send them to Trista Hubbs SCABS Secretary at hubbs.trista at gmail.com
<mailto:hubbs.trista at gmail.com>  

              If you made a pledge at our state convention banquet in
August, those tax deductible contributions are due at the Center no later
than December 31, 2020. If you did not make a pledge, but wish to donate to
the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, please send
donations to 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. You may also pay on
our website at www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org>  and look for the
donations link to pay through pay Pal. Thank you to all of those
individuals, chapters, and divisions who have fulfilled their pledges. I
will list all donors in the first Positive Note of 2021.

              Big News! The National Federation of the Blind of SC now has
an online enrollment membership form to pay your 2021 state dues. You will
be able to fill out the form online to provide the state office with updated
personal and contact information. You will also be able to pay your $10
state dues via secure Pay Pal. You will still need to pay your
chapter/division dues on the local level. After submitting the membership
form, you will be provided with a link to pay your $10 state dues through
Pay Pal. Your membership will not be confirmed until payment has been
received. After paying your $10 state dues via Pay Pal, we will receive a
message stating you have paid your state dues to confirm your membership.
Then you will be sent a message with a copy of your receipt for confirmation
later in the day. Please retain this confirmation for your records and proof
of payment.  Also, Pay Pal charges the NFB of SC a percentage for each
transaction. We would greatly appreciate you adding an extra $0.30 to your
donation to offset this charge. 

              If you need assistance completing the online form, you are
welcome to call Steve and Shannon Cook to help at (803) 254-0222. Leave a
message with your name and contact number if we are unavailable to answer
the phone.

Thank you to those who have already paid your state dues! We hope to see
close to 100% of dues paid by December 31. Our membership committee along
with the help of our district reps will follow-up as we get closer to the
end of the year to assist those in completing their membership form so that
we can have all completed documentation to the national office in a timely
manner.

https://forms.gle/MGYktJPG3SatVBFWA

              The following meetings are scheduled on the Zoom platform this
week. You are welcome to attend any of these meetings, even if you are not a
member of the chapter or committee.  Please contact the chapter president
and ask if it is alright to attend their meeting.  All Committee meetings
are open to the public for listening. Contact President Bazer if you would
like to be added to any NFB of SC committee.

              Here's what is coming up on Zoom for the week of November 2
2020.

Monday, November 02, 2020      "We Care 6pm

Fundraising Committee 8pm"

Wednesday, November 04, 2020               Legislative Committee 8pm

Thursday, November 05, SC connects with President Bazer, 5 ppm

Thursday, November 05, 2020     Rocky Bottom Auction Talk 7pm

Saturday, November 07, 2020     Greenville Chapter 11am

Spartanburg 1pm"

                Rocky Bottom Auction Talk 5pm

Sunday, November 08, 2020        Lee County Chapter 7pm

NFBofSC Federation Center is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: NFBofSC Chapter and Committee meetings

Times are in  Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09

Meeting ID: 803 254 3777

Passcode: 124578

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,8032543777# US (New York)

              Nationally:

Do you need assistance to Vote in this years' presidential election?

Perhaps you need a LYFT ride to your place of voting or to drop off

an absentee ballot?

Thanks to @NFB_Voice's partnership with @Lyft our community will have access
to free or discounted transportation to get to the polls or to drop off your
ballot between now and Election Day. To get up to $20 ride credit use promo
code NFBVOTE2020 #LyftUp.

This invitation is applicable to all (NFB and non-NFB Members).

NFB HOTLINE AND VOTER EXPERIENCE SURVEY FOR BLIND AND LOW-VISION VOTERS

The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requires that every polling place have at
least one accessible voting machine available for every federal election so
voters with disabilities can cast a private and independent ballot. To help
ensure that blind and low-vision voters are not denied this right, the
National Federation of the Blind will host an Election Day hotline that
blind and low-vision voters, poll workers, and voting rights advocates can
call when problems with accessible voting technology or other barriers are
preventing a blind voter from casting a private and independent ballot.

The hotline will be available on November 3, 2020, by calling 1-877-NFB-1940
( 1-877-632-1940( from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific standard time.
Individuals who have experience in the operation of accessible voting
technology will be staffing the hotline to provide assistance to blind
voters, election officials, and voting rights advocates. 

Once you have exercised your fundamental right to vote, please complete our
2020 Blind and Low-Vision Voter Experience Survey! The 2020 blind and
low-vision voter experience survey consists of two separate surveys. If you
voted absentee or by mail using an accessible electronic ballot delivery
system or a traditional paper ballot, please complete the survey for blind
and low-vision voters who voted absentee or by mail at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YJJL7GN.

If you are a blind or low-vision voter who voted at an early voting center
or at a polling place on Election Day, please complete the survey at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGFMPF2.

Questions about the blind voter hotline or the blind voter survey may be
directed to Lou Ann Blake, by e-mail at lblake at nfb.org
<mailto:lblake at nfb.org>  or by phone at 410-659-9314, extension 2221, or
Jeff Kaloc, by email at jkaloc at nfb.org <mailto:jkaloc at nfb.org>  or by phone
at 410-659-9314, extension 2206. 

Be sure to make your voice heard by exercising your right to vote!

Lou Ann Blake, J.D.

Director of Research Programs, Blindness Initiatives

200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230

(410) 659-9314, extension 2221 | lblake at nfb.org <mailto:lblake at nfb.org> 

Thank you!

President Riccobono announced in the November presidential release
<https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18929&qid=4482345>
that we reached our goal of $50,000 in donations during the month of October
to meet the matching gift from Freedom Scientific. 

We are incredibly grateful for the generous gift from our friends at Freedom
Scientific, a Vispero brand and the maker of Jaws for Windows. We are
grateful for the Federation family and friends who contribute to our
mission. Our work to break down misconceptions of what it means to be blind
and help blind people live the lives they want continues because of your
support. 

Thank you for your support of the National Federation of the Blind and
everything you do to raise the expectations of blind people. 

Final Thought: "Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean." -
Ryunosuke Satoro 

NFB Pledge - I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the National
Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for
the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to
abide by its constitution.

NFB One Minute Message - "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." 

If this message was forwarded to you and you would like to receive it
directly in your inbox, as well as, receive messages regarding the National
Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, please email Steve Cook at
cookcafe at sc.rr.com <mailto:cookcafe at sc.rr.com> .

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