[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1784

[Jennifer Bazer]

October 19, 2020

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

From:  Jennifer Bazer, President

Positive Note 1784

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

Happy Amazing, Magical Day! What do you "get to" do today? I get to wake my
two children up and get them ready for school. I get to share lots of
important information with you in the Positive Note. I get to meet with
students who are blind and help them live the lives they want! I get to
watch my son pitch nearly an entire tournament baseball game and make a
diving catch in the outfield! I get to connect with each of you through the
Positive Note, connects calls, text messages, and phone calls. I get to be
authentic, transparent, and honest with all of you! I get to have an awesome
day and turn around and do it again tomorrow!

 

And, I never said, "I have to." It is not about what we "have to" do; it is
about what we "get to" do. Each day is a gift not an obligation. Join me in
saying, "I get to", rather than, "I have to." What do you "get to" do today?
I get to go out and build the Federation; will you "get to" do that today?
Will you please join me?

 

White Cane Awareness Day

 

Governor McMaster Salutes White Cane Day

By Dominic Calabrese

 

Leaders of South Carolina's blind community, including NFBSC President
Jennifer Bazer and NFBSC Federation Center Chair Ed Bible, joined South
Carolina Governor Henry McMaster today for a special presentation saluting
White Cane Day.

 

Signed into federal law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, the day
celebrates the achievements of Americans who are blind and recognizes the
white cane as a symbol of independence.

 

Governor McMaster read a state proclamation in honor of White Cane Day,
urging all South Carolinians to "renew their dedication to eliminating
barriers for persons who are blind and visually impaired and to recognize
their value as individuals, employees, and productive members of our
communities."

 

He noted that the 1972 White Cane Law, enacted by the South Carolina General
Assembly, was a 20 year forerunner of the landmark Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

 

Other guests who attended today's ceremony, which was held outside the
Governor's Office, included Commissioner Darline Graham of the South
Carolina Commission for the Blind; State Representative Rita Allison; Lions
District Governor Judy Scott; Jolene Madison, director of special education
at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind; Lions Vice District
Governor Jim Barbare; Steve Fullerton, a manger at Clemson University; Billy
Irwin, a young blind man who has successfully found employment at Clemson;
an area blind student, Matthew Duffell-Hoffman; Julie Bible; and Dom
Calabrese, who helped organize the event.

 

Following the presentation, Governor McMaster posed for a group photo.

 

Meet the Blind Month Activities:

 

Sumter Chapter

Message from Debra Canty, President of the Sumter Chapter of the NFB of SC.
Please join us as we observe OCTOBER as BLIND AWARENESS MONTH. On, Monday,
October 26, 2020 from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. the Mayor of Sumter, Joseph
McElveen will read the proclamation.  We plan to share more information on
the Zoom Platform as well.

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)

 

Cherokee Chapter

The Cherokee Chapter will be holding a Meet the Blind Month awareness booth
for the local community on Saturday, October 24th from 11:00am-2:00pm at the
Buford St. Ace Hardware Store in Gaffney. There will be NFB literature about
national, state, and local affiliates and Braille alphabet cards available.
Chapter members will be there to greet people (socially distanced and donned
masks in accordance with guidelines) and answer any questions they may have
concerning blindness or the chapter. 


              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 donated 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> .

 

Upcoming Zoom Meetings:

 

Here are some meetings coming up. 

Monday, October 19, 2020           Membership Committee 7pm

Tuesday, October 20, 2020           Diabetes Action Network Committee 7pm

Thursday, October 22, 2020         Social Media Committee, 7:30 p.m.

 

Please ask the chapter president if it is alright for you to listen in. The
Committee meetings are open to all. If you would like to join a committee,
please contact President Bazer.

 

Here is the Zoom information for all above meetings:

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

 

Topic: NFBofSC Chapter, Division, and Committee meetings

Time: 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

 

Fred Vercher Memorial

by Jim Jackson

 

in lieu of the epidemic, I've decided to have a virtual Zoom gathering to
pay tribute to my departed friend this year. Will you all join me on
10/27/2020 at 6:30 P.M. for a fun time remembering Fred Vercher? You all are
welcome to bring and share any funny stories of Fred and I will bring and
share some of his favorite tunes. As the date approaches, I will provide
detailed information on how you may join the meeting. Please help me
remember this man who gave selflessly to both some of you and to this great
organization. Please contact Jim Jackson at 803-237-1915 if you have further
questions about remembering Fred Vercher.

 

A Great Deal for the NFB of SC! Sign Up for Amazon Smile!

 

 Just sign on to AmazonSmile, and select the National Federation of the
Blind of South Carolina as your charity and Amazon will donate a portion of
the price of eligible items to the NFB of SC at absolutely no cost to you! 

 

All you need to do is:

Go to
<https://hadley.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=872829398302c647169f3fad3
&id=43595b6e50&e=d2f188ebc2> smile.amazon.com

   Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials

   Choose the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina to receive
donations (at no extra cost to you!)

Now enjoy your Amazon Prime deals!

Bookmark smile.amazon.com to use every time you shop at Amazon! 

Sign up today!   

Help us to build the Federation!

 

Need assistance, call the Federation Center at 803-254-377

 

              Our next South Carolina Connects meeting will be Thursday,
October 29, 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!

 

              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. 

https://forms.gle/MGYktJPG3SatVBFWA

 

We Care Committee

 

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.

 

 

              Below is a message from Ed Bible, Chairman of the Federation
Center in Columbia and Vice-Chairman of Rocky Bottom:

 

Week 5 Just 2weeks 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.	201                     At Large Chapter
2.	81                       Columbia Chapter
3.	54                       Cherokee Chapter
4.	40                       Sumter Chapter
5.	20 Chesterfield & 20 Anderson                       Georgetown
Chapter

This past week new chapters have entered their ticket sales others have sent
in tickets too!  Keep up the good work.

              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!

 

              Nationally:

 


Online Survey of Blind and Low-Vision Voters Now Available!


 

Calling all blind and low-vision voters who participated in the 2020 United
States presidential election-the National Federation of the Blind needs your
feedback! Whether you voted during early voting, at your local polling place
on Election Day, or by mail, we want to hear about your experience. Please
complete the blind and low-vision voter experience survey at
<https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGFMPF2>
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NGFMPF2.

 

The results of this survey will be provided to state election officials,
state protection and advocacy agencies, and voting rights advocates to help
improve the accessibility of future elections. Funding for the survey was
provided through a Help America Vote Act (HAVA) grant from the
Administration for Community Living, United States Department of Health and
Human Services. Questions about the survey or accessible voting should be
directed to Lou Ann Blake at  <mailto:lblake at nfb.org> lblake at nfb.org or
410-659-9314, extension 2221; or Jeff Kaloc at  <mailto:gcazares at nfb.org>
jkaloc at nfb.org or 410-659-9314, extension 2206. Thank you for your
participation!

 


Jeopardy! Makes Online Test Accessible to the Blind


National Federation of the Blind Commends Producers of Beloved Gameshow


Baltimore, Maryland (October 12, 2020): The National Federation of the
Blind, America's civil rights organization of the blind, today commended
Jeopardy Productions and Sony Pictures Television for making the online test
for the beloved gameshow Jeopardy! fully accessible to blind people who use
screen reader technology to access websites and digital information. The
modifications to the online test were implemented as a result of
negotiations among the producers, the National Federation of the Blind, and
a blind man who sought to be a contestant but was unable to successfully
take the online test because it was not compatible with his screen reader
technology.

"Blind people love Jeopardy! as much as our sighted friends, in part because
vision is not a requirement to play the game," said Mark Riccobono,
President of the National Federation of the Blind. "Every day many of us
play along at home or using our smart speakers, and a blind contestant has
even succeeded on the show itself. We therefore commend the producers of
Jeopardy! for quickly working with us to make the online test fully
accessible so that potential blind contestants can compete on equal terms
for a chance to play this beloved game on TV."

 

Final Thought: "If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that
you can't hear them anymore." - Michele Ruiz

 

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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