[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1823

[jennifer at successforlives.org]

July 19, 2021

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

From:  Jennifer Bazer, President

Positive Note 1823

803-960-9977  

Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> 

Greetings Fellow Federationists:

 

On Thursday evening, July 15, twenty-five teens from the summer teen program
planned, prepared, cooked, served and cleaned up for the members of the
Columbia chapter of the NFB of SC. Teens greeted members as they entered,
they served them through a buffet line and assisted them to their seat if
needed; they decorated all tables; they cleaned up the center after the
event. During the program, each teen shared what they have learned from
summer teen 2021 and their goals for the future. It was a powerful time of
safe sharing. Some of the things they learned included, but not limited to:

Pour their own drink

Prepare a meal

Cut their food

Use a white cane

Interviewing skills

And so much more. Thank you to those who approached me after the chapter
meeting to express your appreciation for the teens attending and sharing
during this meeting. Your heart-felt messages were appreciated. The teens
are our future of the Federation. Let's work together to mentor them, to
teach them, to encourage them and to invite them into the NFB of SC family!

 

Update 65th Annual State convention

We currently have 106 individuals registered for the state convention
in-person and 41 registered virtually! I want to thank all of you who have
registered for our convention. We are going to have an amazing event, and we
want everyone to be a part of it. Please remember, your name is not
confirmed unless you have paid for the registration and also completed the
form. We have several individuals who have sent money but have not completed
the form, or, have completed the form for registration but have not paid.
Please insure both are complete to insure your final registration. If you
have not registered for our NFB of SC state convention which will be held
hybrid at the North Charleston Marriott august 20-22 (many of us are
arriving August 19), please consider attending with us virtually or
in-person. Specific details about the convention, hotel rates, registration
rates and more can be found later in this Positive Note. Also, thank you to
our chapter and division presidents for insuring your members know the
latest happenings in our affiliate and about our state convention. Let's
give everyone who wishes to attend our convention an opportunity, through
transportation, Palmetto Grant for first-timers (see details later in the
PN), and other creative ways, we want everyone who wants to attend to be
with us August 20-22. We have increased our room block for Thursday, August
19, but please do not delay, once this block is full for this night, we may
not be able to increase again. Our room block will be released to the public
on July 29 which means you may not be guaranteed availability or convention
rates so please do not delay in reserving your night at the North Charleston
Marriott. If you have ideas about convention agenda items, please let me
know.

State convention rates are as follows:

Adults, $100 per person

College and graduate students, $60 per person

Students 18 and younger, $30 per person

Virtual Attendance, $30 per person

 

Palmetto Connects

Our next Palmetto Connects will be on Thursday, August 5 at 6:00 PM on the
Federation zoom platform. During this time, we will also draw for the
individual who registered between June 1 and June 30 for the state
convention, as well as, the individual who secured their room at the
Marriott in North Charleston during this time.

 

State Convention Door Prizes

Thank you to those who have sent in door prizes for the state convention.
You may send in a gift card or prize valued at $10 or more to the Federation
Center, 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. You may send a check made
to the NFB of SC and note door prize and we will get  a door prize for you
or your chapter or division, or we will turn it into a cash prize. We are
looking for at least four $100 cash prizes to give out at special times
during the convention. If you, your chapter, or your division wishes to
contribute, please send info to the state office. Door prizes will be done
electronically.

 

Asking state agency questions at the state convention

If you would like to ask the SC Commission for the Blind, the SC School for
the Deaf and Blind, or the State Library Talking book services a question at
the state convention, please email

AdvocacyNFBSC at yahoo.com <mailto:AdvocacyNFBSC at yahoo.com> 

Please include the agency you are addressing and the question. This will
give us an opportunity to put similar questions together so that as many
questions can be asked during the time slot. If your question is not asked,
please understand there are time constraints and the agenda is tight. We
will work hard to get as many questions as possible.

 

NFB of SC Fund-raiser, Marriott Raffle

Ten tickets were sent to all chapter and division presidents for our NFB of
SC fund-raiser for the Marriott. Two nights and breakfast for two valued at
$500 to be used by September 1, 2022. The drawing will be held during
Palmetto Connects on November 18. One ticket for $10 or three tickets for
$25. Please call David Houck at the Center at 803-254-3777 if you need
tickets. You may send a check to the Center at 119 S. Kilbourne Road,
Columbia, SC 29205 or pay using Pay Pal on our site.

www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org> 

Put it on Face book, ask your friends and family to purchase, sell to places
you go.

Let's work together to make this a successful fund-raiser for the Palmetto
affiliate. We have currently only sold 13 tickets. Great odds for those
individuals; however, not a successful fund-raiser with only 13 tickets sold
at this time. This was a generous offer the Marriott gave to the NFB of SC
for a fund-raiser valued at $500. This is a drawing a lot of individuals in
our community will enjoy!

 

State Convention Transportation

We are looking to partner with Lion Vision Services (LVS) to work out
transportation for everyone interested in attending convention in person.
LVS is asking me to identify how many folks in each region will need
transportation. The only way I can accurately tell them is for you to let me
know. If the only reason you have not registered for the state convention is
due to lack of transportation or uncertainty about transportation, please
register for the convention in person and we will insure you have a ride.
Once you register and you need transportation, please text, call or email me
so I can let LVS know accurate numbers for each region. Those chapters with
vans, I am hopeful that you will offer folks a ride and partner with other
chapters to assist as well. Transportation will not be a deterrent. If you
are looking for a roommate for the state convention, please let me know so
that we can spread the word. Let's try to work together so that everyone who
wishes to attend the convention, can attend. There will be a van leaving
from Columbia on Thursday, August 19 around mid day. Please contact me if
you wish to ride that van(s). Another van will be leaving Friday from the
Federation Center. Please contact Steve Cook to be added to that list. 

 

2021 Awards, Please get your Nominations in!

We are accepting nominations for employer of the year, educator of the year
and the Donald C Capps award. Nominations for Educator of the year will be
sent to Marty McKenzie, Employer of the Year to Steve Cook and the Donald C
Capps to David Houck.

The Donald C Capps will recognize a sighted or blind member in our affiliate
since we no longer distinguish between the two. A member is a member and the
most important role in our organization.

Please get your nominations in by August 2!

Please include why you feel this individual or business deserves these
awards.

 

>From Shannon Cook

New Palmetto Convention Grant Program! Deadline Extended to July 30!

Great news!  The deadline for the Palmetto convention Grant, the grant for
first-time convention attendees.   has been extended from July 15th to July
30th at 11:59 p.m.  One of the questions was slightly changed to make sure
it is clear that any of the NFB of SC members can attend; it does not only
apply to the blind members.  

The question now reads .

If you are blind, do you feel that any of your hobbies are no longer
attainable due to your blindness?  

If so, which ones?

Please let me know if you have any questions about the application process.
(803) 605-4250 or coffeequeensc1 at sc.rr.com <mailto:coffeequeensc1 at sc.rr.com>
.  

 

Sponsorship Letter for State Convention and updates on Sponsorships

If you need sponsorship letters sent out, please contact David Houck and he
will be happy to assist. Please do not forget about our contest. The chapter
or divisions who obtains the most sponsorship donation in dollar amount will
receive a percentage of the total donations raised. Our goal is $15,000.
Sponsorships will help defray costs of the convention for the affiliate.
Currently, the Columbia chapter has raised $4,300, The Sumter chapter $800,
the At Large chapter has raised $250 and the Senior Division has raised $200
for a total of $5,850. What an awesome start all of you! Let's send out
those sponsorship letters, make phone calls, add to Face Book and other
social media, and other creative ways. 

 

Masks

If you plan to attend the state convention and plan to wear a mask, Linda
Dizzley has offered to make masks for those wearing one at no charge. Please
call or text her at 803-459-4585.

 

Cooper River Bridge Run

Our Sports and Recreation Division will be coordinating the Cooper River
Bridge Run held the last Saturday in September. We plan to rent an Air BNB
the night before in the Charleston/MT. Pleasant area to prevent early
Saturday driving. After you have registered with Shree from the information
provided below, please contact me or David Rebocho to let us know if you
wish to stay in the Air BnB the night before. All individuals staying at the
Air BnB will need to pay their part in the rental of the house by August 15,
2021. Please remember you can get friends and family to sponsor you to run
or walk during this event to cover registration and housing costs.

Here is a message from our contact:

You can direct participants to Shree.  I'll include all the contact info at
the bottom of this email. Shree can help them sign our waiver and then she
can collect the information necessary to help them register.  

After looking at the CRBR website, it appears that the registration fee goes
up as the date draws closer.  Until June 15 the registration fee is $50.
After that the fee jumps to $55, then it jumps again to $60 after August 15.


Shree Gobin

Volunteer Coordinator, Adaptive Expeditions 

(317) 682-8222

Shree at AEOutdoors.org <mailto:Shree at AEOutdoors.org> 

 

>From Shannon Cook

Scholarship Announcement 2021

Thanks to the Sumter, Greenville, Columbia, Cherokee, Chesterfield, At Large
and Grand Strand Chapters for their donations to the NFB of SC Scholarship
Program.   I also thank the Federation Center and Rocky Bottom.  I would
like to issue a challenge to each member and chapter or division who has not
already contributed to this worthy program.  I would like to ask each member
to donate $10 and chapters or divisions to donate at least $50.  Remember,
these students are the likely future leaders of the Federation.  What better
reason to donate than to invest in the future of our organization!  You can
go to www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org>  and make your donation via
PayPal.  Alternatively, you can mail a check made out to the NFB of SC and
mailed to the Federation Center.   In either case, please specify that you
are donating to the scholarship program; otherwise, the donation will not be
used as you intend. Thank you for your consideration.  

 

Correction

We extend our deepest sympathy on the loss of Leland Brooks, a long-time
member of the Sumter Chapter. Please keep this family in your thoughts and
prayers.

 

Patricia Tuck Memorials

Neil Tuck requested Memorials for Patricia go to the NFB of SC and then
given as a scholarship at the 2021 convention. Please make memorials to the
NFB of SC and note Patricia Tuck Memorial. You may also use Pay pal at

www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org> 

Please note Patricia Tuck Memorial in the comment section.

 

              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.  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 so that information stays current on our website
and membership list.  Here is what is coming up on Zoom for the month. All
meetings are on the main Federation ID of 803-254-3777, unless noted.

Dates & Times of meetings are subject to change. All times are Eastern.

 


Monday, July 19, 2021


Membership Committee 7:00 PM

 


Tuesday, July 20, 2021


Get Fit 5:30 PM Rocky Bottom

Diabetes Action Network 7:00 PM

 


Wednesday, July 21, 2021


Advocacy Committee 6:00 PM

Public Relations 8:00 PM

 


Thursday, July 22, 2021


Social Media 7:30 PM

 


Saturday, July 24, 2021


Get Fit 9:00 AM Rocky Bottom

Zoom host training 10:00

 

              NFB of SC Federation Center is inviting you to a scheduled
Zoom meeting.

Topic: NFB of SC 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)

 

 

NFB of SC 65th Annual State Convention!

I encourage you to register for our 65th annual state convention and attend
the way that best fits your comfort level at this time. We currently have 41
virtual registrants and 106 in-person registrants .Our goal is  fifty
in-person participants and we have exceeded that goal. We have now exceeded
our goal of 100 in-person participants! How many will be joining us for our
65th annual state convention? We will be running a contest for the chapter
or division who obtains the most money in sponsorships. Let's work to exceed
our $15,000 sponsorship goal to defray the cost of the convention. If you
will need transportation or a roommate during the convention in North
Charleston, please call/text me at 803-960-9977 or email me at 

Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> 

This information will go on the listserv. The transportation requests will
help us in determining pick-up points around the state. I am hopeful that
chapters with vans will assist in the transportation process as well as,
others in the community.

 

Let's talk about our state convention in detail.

We will be having our sixty-fifth NFB of SC state convention August 19-22,
2021 at the North Charleston Marriott, 4770 Goer Drive, North Charleston,
SC, 29406. It is time for all of us to begin making our reservations and
registering for our hybrid convention. You may contact the hotel directly at
843-747-1900 and let them know you are registering for the NFB of SC state
convention to receive the discounted rates.

Room rates are as follows:

Singles and doubles, $115.00 per night. Until July 29

Triples, $125.00 per night. Until July 29

Quads, $135.00 per night. Until July 29

You will also need to add sales tax which currently is 14%.

The NFB of SC block of rooms at the above rates will be good until July 29,
2021 until 5:00 PM Eastern time. After that date, the hotel will release the
rooms to the general public and we will not be guaranteed our group rate.

You may register using a paper registration form, complete and enclose
payment and send to the Federation Center, 2021 NFB of SC State Convention,
119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205.

You may also register online and submit payment through Pay Pal or you may
send in your payment to the Center at the above address. Registration will
not be confirmed until payment has been received through the mail or Pay
Pal. If using Pay Pal, please remember to add 3% to your total to cover Pay
Pal's administration fees and so that NFB of SC receives the entire amount.

Let's have a large in-person and virtual turn-out for the NFB of SC
Sixty-Fifth state convention!

Register online at

2021 National Federation of the Blind of SC Sixty-Fifth State Convention
Registration Form

https://forms.gle/JUxemkCKcjiWdC827

You may obtain a printed  form from David Houck at the Federation Center.
Those letters and registration forms will be in the mail this week.

Questions about the convention, please call me at 803-960-9977 or email me
at

Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com> 

 

Fascinating Facts


The letter 'x' was first used to represent a kiss in 1763.


 


Joke of the Week


What did the vinaigrette say to the refrigerator?


Answer: Close the door, I'm dressing!


 

Final Thought

Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have
the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a
meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives. -
Tony Robbins

 

If you have read to the end of this Positive Note, what would you like to
see the NFB of SC do in the next year? Email me your responses to
<mailto:Jennifer at successforlives.org> Jennifer at successforlives.org

 

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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