[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1783
Jennifer Bazer
jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
Mon Oct 12 10:23:45 UTC 2020
October 12, 2020
Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents &
Others
From: Jennifer Bazer, President
Positive Note 1783
Greetings Fellow Federationists:
We send our deepest condolences to the Nelson family on the loss of their
mother. Please reach out to this family with your support, and keep them in
your thoughts and prayers.
Frances E. Nelson's funeral arrangements are as follows:
Visitation will be at the McKnight Funeral Home in Andrews on Monday,
October 12 between 6 and 8 p.m. There will be a Graveside Ceremony Tuesday,
October
Beginning at 6:30 Monday morning, I will be headed to Rocky Bottom with a
small group to help Linda flip the camp from the previous group who came on
October 1 and left on October 11. I want to thank all of you who have
expressed interest in helping Rocky Bottom. Small gestures make huge steps;
whether it's donating regularly needed supplies like paper towels, 55 gallon
trash bags, bleach, hand soap, toilet paper, and laundry detergent to
purchasing new towels or sheets to cleaning, all help and donations are
appreciated. Rocky Bottom is ours; let's go tell it on the mountain!
Thank you to Jamie Allison and the Cherokee Chapter for inviting me to their
October meeting on Thursday, October 8. I shared with the enthusiastic and
attentive members state and national NFB news. These meetings give me an
opportunity to learn about local chapters and meet members on a personal
level. If you would like me to attend your chapter, division, or committee
meetings, please don't hesitate to call or text mee at 803-960-9977 or email
me at jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com>
What an informative Meet the Blind Month event held by Linda Dizzley and
the Lee County Chapter via zoom on Sunday night, October 11. Several
panelist spoke about their jobs and the importance of hiring people who are
blind. The participants asked the panelist questions following their
presentations. Thank you to Linda, Lee County Chapter, and the panelists for
a job well-done!
If you made a pledge at our state convention banquet in August, those tax
deductible contributions our 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.
Anderson Chapter
Come join the Anderson Chapter of the National Federation of
the Blind of SC on October 24, 2020! We will have our Meet the Blind
Event/Walk from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m. at McCants Middle School Track, 2123
Marchbanks Avenue, Anderson, SC 29621. Everyone is invited to join us and
learn about the National Federation of the Blind. We will have pamphlets and
other literature for people to take.
The Anderson Chapter will have the below items for sale as a
fundraiser.
. T-shirts with the Anderson chapter featured, and the national
Federation of the blind logo on the back of the shirt. The wording on the
shirt will read "Walk by faith and not by sight."
. NFB Mask
. Baked Goods
Candy bars donate it by Miss Linda Dizzley of the Lee County Chapter of the
NFB of SC.
For more information or to participate, please contact Demetrius Williford
at (864) 328-8177 or email Santez1981 at gmail.com
<mailto:Santez1981 at gmail.com>
Our next South Carolina Connects meeting will be Thursday,
October 15, at 5 pm on the Zoom platform. 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)
+13017158592,,8032543777# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 803 254 3777
Big News! The National Federation of the Blind of SC now has an on line
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.
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 NFBofSC committee.
Monday, October 12, 2020 Braille Literacy 6pm
Tuesday, October 13, 2020 At Large Chapter 7pm
Thursday, October 15, 2020 SC Connects 5:00 p.m.; Clarendon County
Chapter 8pm
Saturday, October 17, 2020 Charleston Chapter 1pm
The same zoom invitation will work in all of these meetings. Details below:
NFBofSC Federation Center is inviting you to scheduled Zoom meetings.
Topic: NFBofSC Committee, chapter, and division 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)
+13017158592,,8032543777# US (Germantown)
Dial by your location
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: 803 254 3777
Speaking of committee meetings, we are adding The We Care Committee which
will be chaired by Dorothy Barksdale. The purpose of this important
committee will be to notify the affiliate members of those in the hospital,
homebound, and those needing our thoughts and prayers. Cards will be mailed
and phone calls made to those needing encouragement and those celebrating
milestones like marriages, births, and anniversaries. It is a way to keep in
touch with our NFB of SC members. If you wish to serve on this committee,
please contact me at 803-960-9977 or jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
<mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> and I will add you to the list of members.
Talking Book Services Digital Friends
Join us for Digital Books and Friends' Book Club
The South Carolina State Library's Talking Book Services is
pleased to announce October's Digital Books and Friends' Book Club - a book
club for our audio readers. This month's Book club will take place online
via Zoom on Friday, October 30, 2020, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 2020. If
you're interested in joining us, please contact Talking Book Services at
1-800-922-7818 or email us at tbsbooks at statelibrary.sc.gov
<mailto:tbsbooks at statelibrary.sc.gov> . After you register, we'll send you
all the details about how to login via Zoom. We look forward to having you
join us online for some great book discussions!
October 30, 2020
Friday, 3:00pm-4:00pm EST
How Not to Die Alone by Richard Roper
DB095289 8 hours, 54 minutes
For years Andrew has worked a thankless job, searching for the
next of kin of those who die alone. Luckily, he goes home to a loving family
every night. At least, that's what his coworkers believe. When he meets new
employee Peggy, Andrew feels trapped by his own lies. 2019.
Below is a message from Ed Bible, Chairman of the Federation
Center in Columbia and Vice-Chairman of Rocky Bottom:
Week 4 Only 3 weeks to go!
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 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. 187 At Large Chapter
2. 81 Columbia Chapter
3. 44 Cherokee Chapter
4. 26 Sumter Chapter
5. 15 Georgetown Chapter
I know some chapters are waiting until close to October 30 to turn in their
ticket sales. This past week we have sent out more tickets to chapters and
individuals. Someone needs to give the At Large Chapter some competition!
Contact David Houck at 803-254-3777 if you need us to send you
more tickets or you can also reach him at <mailto:nfbsc at sc.rr,com>
nfbsc at sc.rr,com with your ticket requests. Let's get out there and show
everyone that you can be number one and win the $300 prize!
Our online auction will be held October 31-November 7 to raise
money for Rocky Bottom. If you have new items to contribute, please mail or
drop them off at the Federation Center, 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC
29205 or you can call me at 803-960-9977 or email me at jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
<mailto:jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> and I will be happy to pick them up. Your
chapter or division can also mail a check made out to Rocky Bottom, and we
will be happy to shop for you. Let's work together to make this event a huge
success!
Our very own Ed Bible, Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Federation
Center, will appear live on WVOC Radio (560 AM) this Wednesday morning,
October 14, at approximately 8:40 AM. Ed will discuss the significance of
White Cane Day and the proclamation ceremony we'll be holding with Gov.
McMaster the next day on October 15. Ed will also talk about the need for
South Carolina businesses and organizations to hire more people who are
blind.
Nationally:
National Federation of the Blind and Pearson Announce Agreement to Promote
Equal Access to Education
Agreement to Improve Accessibility Comes as Blind Students Are Increasingly
Affected by COVID-19 Disruption
Baltimore, Maryland (October 6, 2020): The National Federation of the Blind
(NFB), the nation's leading advocate for the equal education and employment
of the blind, and Pearson, the world's learning company, have announced a
formal agreement to enhance the accessibility of Pearson's educational
products and courses, deepen Pearson's culture of accessibility, and
accelerate the effectiveness of Pearson's accessibility efforts broadly.
Ultimately the shared goal of the NFB and Pearson is to identify and remove
accessibility barriers that prevent blind students from receiving a full
learning experience. The agreement, officially announced
<https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18630&qid=4228192>
at the recent 2020 National Convention of the National Federation of the
Blind, formalizes and expands upon previous collaboration between the two
organizations. The agreement comes as blind students are being
disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
The agreement's components include:
* The National Federation of the Blind is now formally acting in a
consulting role with Pearson to inform Pearson's accessibility roadmap and
specific product remediation and to review and advise Pearson on the
accessibility roadmaps for its key higher education and assessment products.
* The National Federation of the Blind is helping Pearson promote a
culture of accessibility internally.
* Pearson is establishing a communications channel through which the
National Federation of the Blind can directly and regularly inform Pearson
about accessibility issues that blind students are experiencing. This will
help Pearson to respond and remediate barriers more quickly, and in turn
Pearson will keep the NFB apprised of resolutions.
* Pearson has already begun to conduct an audit of its most important
higher education products. This focuses on more than 40 of its most widely
used MyLab and Mastering courses, with the goal to identify and remediate
accessibility issues as quickly as possible. Pearson is also conducting
audits of key user journeys through the MyLab and Mastering products, such
as registration, completing homework assignments, and using the eText, to
ensure that blind students have a simple and positive experience with these
products.
* Pearson will share accessibility updates on its public-facing
websites and make details on accessibility status and plans available to
customers who need them.
"The National Federation of the Blind has long called upon Pearson to
improve the accessibility of its products and to be accountable for its
efforts to blind students, to parents, and to schools," said Mark Riccobono,
President of the National Federation of the Blind. "We commend Pearson for
answering that call by entering into this agreement and we look forward to
the collaboration and innovation promised by this new partnership."
"As a leader in education, we can only fulfill our mission to serve all
learners by making our products and services accessible to the blind and all
people with disabilities. I am proud that Pearson and the National
Federation of the Blind have officially locked arms and begun working in
concert towards a more accessible future for blind learners," said Tim
Bozik, President for Global Product and North America Courseware for
Pearson. "As many blind students are being disproportionately affected by
COVID, this is an especially important time for us to advance our work
together."
In addition to this partnership, Pearson and the National Federation of the
Blind recently expanded a Corporate Disability Mentoring Program
<https://www.nfb.org/libraries/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=18631&qid=4228192>
to help blind youth learn and succeed in their careers. The expanded program
is also an opportunity for Pearson employees to learn directly from blind
mentees and better understand their lived experiences.
Prepare to Share a Blind Voter Survey:
The National Federation of the Blind blind voter survey will be out this
week for all blind voters to complete regardless of a good or bad voting
experience. Whether voting early, by mail, at the polling place, or on
Election Day, please complete the survey. It helps us in our advocacy
efforts to continue to move closer to full equal access to a secret,
verifiable ballot for every single blind person in this country. The blind
voter survey will be available on our voting resource page at nfb.org/vote
<https://www.nfb.org/resources/voting-resources> .
The affiliates of the National Federation of the Blind hold individual state
conventions throughout the year. At the below link you will find a list of
upcoming and recently held state conventions.
https://www.nfb.org/about-us/state-affiliates/state-conventions
We are pleased to offer 2020 Election materials, available to all
subscribers, including subscribers who reside in non-sponsored states. The
section includes "Candidate 2020 Searches," a collection of several searches
for "Biden" and "Trump" which scan the top hundred newspapers, breaking
news, international newspapers, and magazines, in addition to information
collected from the websites of each candidate. It also includes the "States
Voting Guide 2020" which lists voting procedures and deadlines by state. To
access this information on a telephone, select option 1 off the main menu,
followed by option 2 for the election 2020 materials. If you are using the
NFB-NEWSLINE mobile app, first select "All Publications" followed by either
"Candidate 2020 Searches", "States Voting Guide 2020", "Joe Biden Campaign"
or "Donald Trump Campaign".
For each candidate, there is a bio section, as well as sections relating to
their platforms and issues, coalitions, and recent news. Also available are
the NFB's own Guide for Blind and Low Vision Voters and Voting Guide for
Young People who are Blind or Visually Impaired. For subscribers using Web
News on Demand, select "Publications Organized Alphabetically" and locate
the one you are interested in.
We hope that you enjoy this new offering and it provides valuable
information to you.
National Federation of the Blind | nfb.org | 866-504-7300 |
nfbnewsline at nfb.org <mailto:nfbnewsline at nfb.org>
Final Thought: ": "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.",
Helen Keller
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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