[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1804
Jennifer Bazer
jhipp25 at sc.rr.com
Mon Mar 8 11:56:54 UTC 2021
March 8, 2021
Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents &
Others
From: Jennifer Bazer, President
Positive Note 1804
803-960-9977
Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com <mailto:Jhipp25 at sc.rr.com>
Greetings Fellow Federationists:
Happy International Women's Day! IN the last Positive Note, I began sharing
blind women in history who made a difference in our movement. I continue
sharing stories of influential blind women through President Riccobono's
2018 national banquet speech in Orlando, Florida. You can read the entire
speech at the link below.
https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/convent/banquet-speech-2018-2.ht
ml
"Francis Lorraine Goranson was born in 1918 to farmers near Huron, South
Dakota. She was the youngest daughter of the family and, like her older
sister, she was blind and received an education from the South Dakota School
for the Blind. In 1936 President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law the
groundbreaking Randolph-Sheppard Act, giving blind individuals opportunities
to operate vending facilities on federal property. By the time Lorraine
graduated from the school in 1938, she was aware of the new program and
prepared to build her own future.
By the early months of 1940, South Dakota had two vending locations run by
blind people and, determined not to be restricted to a life of low
expectations, Lorraine took the initiative to secure the resources needed to
open the third. She began by convincing the officials at the Huron post
office to provide her with space for a stand. She then used her previous
contacts at the local Kiwanis Club to make a skillful presentation that
resulted in the club building out Lorraine's location and providing the
early inventory of newspapers, magazines, candy, and cigars she needed to
open the doors in April 1940. Lorraine is the first known woman to operate a
facility under the Randolph-Sheppard program anywhere in the country.
Her early success did not leave her satisfied. She learned about the newly
formed National Federation of the Blind through an editorial in the All
Story magazine authored by Dr. tenBroek's mentor, Dr. Newel Perry. On
February 7, 1941, she wrote to Dr. tenBroek expressing excitement about a
movement for the blind to speak for themselves. In her opening paragraph she
notes, "I find that it is more difficult convincing my sighted friends of my
capabilities, than the duty to be actually performed." She later shares her
ambition and commitment, "I am writing you because I am interested in what
can be done for the blind, and am ready and willing to do whatever I can at
any time. To be frank, as I feel I may be, I am so very anxious to get out
and make a place in the world."
Lorraine possessed another important characteristic that distinguishes
members of the Federation-hope for the future. In 1942 the characteristics
of blindness, a drive for equality, and a hope for the future combined with
a readiness to work led her to be elected to the Board of Directors of the
National Federation of the Blind. Her self-directed efforts to build
opportunities out of the Randolph-Sheppard priority laid the foundation for
the leadership we have provided to that program.
Another woman from the Midwest was effective in teaching the synergy of
local organizations connecting into a national movement. Ada Bates-Tiernan
was born in Coon Rapids, Iowa, in 1889. She was blinded in an accident at
age five, and her parents sent her to Iowa's school for the blind, where she
stayed until her graduation. In the early part of the twentieth century,
Iowa had no adult rehabilitation program, and Ada recognized that bonding
together with other blind people was critical in creating opportunities for
herself. She started by regularly attending the annual gatherings of the
school's alumni group known as the Iowa Association of the Blind.
By 1941 Ada had moved to Des Moines where she was president of the local
association. She met the tenBroeks while in Chicago, and a stream of
information sharing began between them. Ada joined the Federation as an
individual member since the Iowa association was interested only in the
school for the blind locally. She understood that the new National
Federation of the Blind was essential to bringing inspiration and innovative
training practices to Iowa.
The hope and determination that came from a national movement fueled Ada's
leadership of other blind advocates in Iowa. The Federation's National
Convention was held in Des Moines in 1942, and Ada was critical in managing
local details, including securing speakers. During that time the
relationship between Ada and the tenBroeks developed into something more
personal-what we would today describe as the Federation family. At the 1944
National Convention in Cleveland, Ada was elected to the Board of Directors
of the National Federation of the Blind. In later correspondence Ada
demonstrates a deep commitment to supporting Dr. tenBroek and advises him on
many matters. At the same time, she expresses her own doubts about whether
she has the right talents to support the leadership where she has been asked
to serve. During a series of correspondence from February 1946, Dr. tenBroek
expresses a deep belief in the talents Ada brings to the organization, a
personal commitment to their friendship, and a faith in her capacity to
provide leadership among the board members.
Ada served on the national board until 1948, and her story helps to
illuminate another important characteristic of Federationists-leadership.
She wondered if she was really the right person for the job, whether she had
the qualities needed to serve, and whether she was adequate to work closely
with such a dynamic force for equality as Dr. tenBroek. These are doubts
many of us have experienced when considering the work of this great
organization compared to the individual contributions we make--doubts that
are often a result of our internalizing society's low expectations. When she
did not believe in herself, the Federation believed in her. That is the bond
of faith we pass from generation to generation in this movement. We believe
in each other, and it is that element that brings out the potential for
leadership in each of us. For Ada Tiernan her leadership was inspired by her
participation in the organized blind movement, where the most important
characteristics were that she was a blind person seeking equality, with hope
for the future, and a willingness to lead when called."
As we continue to focus on women during the month of March, we would like to
spotlight a member who has offered to give a percentage back to the NFB of
SC when you purchase products from her during the month of March:
In Carolyn's own words:
I have been an official Federation member since 2020 having attended NFB
events over the years in my role as a Vision Teacher and Orientation and
Mobility Specialist. I have been an Independent Mary Kay consultant since
May of 2020.
MARY KAY'S MISSION IS TO ENRICH WOMEN'S LIVE
They do this in tangible ways, by offering quality products to consumers,
financial opportunities to independent beauty consultants, and offering
fulfilling careers to employees.
They reach out to the heart and spirit of women,
enabling personal growth and fulfillment for the women whose lives are
touched by Mary Kay.
Mary Kay's products include skin care products for all skin types,
cosmetics, and fragrances.
During the month of March, I will donate 40% of all sales to the SC NFB. If
you are interested in a complimentary pampering sample for either skincare,
spa treatment or color matching, please contact me.
My business website is Marykay.com/CACooley. I can also be reached by text
or call at 803-727-3347 or email
The following meetings are scheduled on the Zoom platform this
month. 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.
Monday, March 8, 2021
Braille Literacy Committee Meeting 6:00 PM
Talent Show entries 7:30 PM
Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Get Fit with Sports and Rec Division 5:30 PM
At Large Chapter Meeting 7:00 PM
Sumter Chapter Meeting 7:00 PM Rocky Bottom
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
Sports & Rec Division Meeting 6:00 PM
Thursday, march 11, 2021
Cherokee Chapter Meeting, 1 PM, Rocky Bottom
Columbia Chapter Meeting 6:15PM
Lancaster Chapter Meeting 7:00 PM Rocky Bottom
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Get Fit with the Sports & Rec Division 8:00 AM
Technology Training 10:00 AM - noon
Student Division Social 8:00 PM
Sunday, March 14, 2021
Lee County Chapter Meeting 7:00 PM
Monday, March 15, 2021
Membership Committee Meeting 7:00 PM
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
Get Fit with Sports and Rec Division 5:30 PM
Diabetes Action Network Committee Meeting 7:00 PM
Wednesday, March 17, 2021
Public Relations Committee Meeting 8:00 PM
Thursday, March 18, 2021
Palmetto Connects 6:00 p.m.
Florence Chapter Meeting 7:00 p.m.
Clarendon County Chapter Meeting 8:00 PM
Saturday, March 20, 2021
Get Fit with the Sports & Rec Division 8:00 AM
Charleston Chapter Meeting 1:00 PM
Sunday, March 21, 2021
Support Group for those who have experienced abuse 3:00 PM
Support Group for recently blind members 5:00 PM
Monday, March 22, 2021
Anderson Chapter Meeting 6:00 PM Rocky Bottom
Doing Our Fair Share Committee Meeting 7:00 PM
Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Get Fit with Sports and Rec Division 5:30 PM
Diversity & Inclusion Committee Meeting 8:00 PM
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Social Media Committee Meeting 7:30 PM
Saturday, March 26, 2021
Get Fit with the Sports & Rec Division 8:00 AM
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)
Palmetto Connects
We will have our next palmetto connects meeting on Thursday,
March 18 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please encourage your chapters,
divisions, committees to attend to learn about the latest happenings in the
NFB of SC! All are welcome from everywhere!
PAC Plan Challenge:
We will be running a contest from December 5, 2020 through
May 31, 2021 for our NFB of SC affiliate. We are currently 13 and would like
to be in the top 10 or higher. One of our members would like to see us as an
affiliate contribute $1,500 to PAC each month between chapters, divisions,
individuals and our NFB of SC affiliate. If you join PAC, your name will be
entered into a drawing for a $100 visa gift card. If you increase your PAC
donation, your name will be entered into a different $100 visa gift card
drawing. I have a list of chapters, divisions, and individuals who are on
PAC at this time. On June 1, I will ask the national office for another list
which I will use to have the two drawings on June 1. There are many ways to
give. Below, is a little about PAC.
Thank you for your interest in the National Federation of the
Blind's Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program. This program allows you
to contribute to the NFB through recurring monthly donations. These can be
direct withdrawals from a checking account or charges to a credit card.
Please contact pac at nfb.org <mailto:pac at nfb.org> with any questions. Thank
you for your generosity.
You can go to https://www.nfb.org/pac to complete the online
form.
You may also call the national office at 410-659-9314
extension 2622 or email PAC at nfb.org <mailto:PAC at nfb.org> with questions.
There are several chapters and divisions within our state who
are on PAC and we are grateful for those contributions. There are
individuals who are on PAC and we are appreciative of those members who give
each month. As an affiliate, we are averaging $17.41 per person and less
than 10% of our members are on PAC. Let's see if we can increase those
percentages to over $20 per month and have at least 20% of our members on
PAC. I appreciate you considering to get on the PAC plan or increasing your
donation each month!
The following individuals and chapters have jumped on the PAC plan or
increased their PAC plan.
New donors and currently inactive donors that reactivated:
Cheri Euton
Lori Coley
Dale and Pat Wolthoff
NFB SC At Large Chapter
NFB SC Lancaster Chapter
Increases:
David Bundy
Debra Canty
NFB SC Sumter Chapter
Steve and Shannon Cook
SUN Shares
Shares Unlimited NFB (SUN) is a rainy day fund. Shares are
just $10 each. We collected and others pledged toward this giving at our
statewide seminar. You can donate in increments of $10 for this rainy day
fund. The Palmetto state is currently 13 and we would love to be in the top
five. You are welcome to send checks made to NFB of SC with SUN in the memo
line to the Federation Center, 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205.
You may also donate using our pay pal link on our page
www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org>
Please when you donate give a little extra to help cover the
cost of administration fees from pay pal, $.30 for each $10. Thank you for
considering if you can donate to this fund.
The following individuals made a pledge at our statewide seminar. If you
have not fulfilled this pledge, please make an effort to do so as soon as
possible. If there is a discrepancy and you mailed a check, please contact
David Houck at the Center at 803-254-3777. If you paid using Pay Pal, please
check with Steve Cook at 803-254-0222.
SUN SHARES pledged- 70
63 collected
3 Sumter - paid
6 Coppels - paid
1 Diane Haycraft - paid
2 Pearl Riley
3 Houcks - paid Paypal
2 Loretta Green - paid
4 Ed Bible - paid
3 Cooks - paid, Paypal
2 Marty McKenzie - paid
2 Pam Schexnider - paid
4 RogerWebb - paid
2 Spittles - paid
2 Janice Crosby - paid, Paypal
2 Nancy Irwin
3 Cheri Euton - paid
6 Melanie Torrance - paid
2 Linda Dizzley
3 Malaya Reese - paid
2 Demetrius Williford - paid
2 Herbert Boykin
2 Pat Wolthoff - paid
2 Jamela Carmera
2 Donna O'Neal
7 Jennifer Bazer - paid Pay Pal
4 Casey Rose - paid
2 Roosevelt Burgess - paid
Hidden Figures:
Our movie night on March 5 was a huge success. Thank you to the 40
individuals from the following affiliates who made this event fun and
successful! We appreciate your support! Please join us on Friday, march 19
at 8:00 p.m. Eastern for our monthly interactive fun Friday night!
South Carolina
North Carolina
Georgia
Florida
Virginia
Pennsylvania
Ohio
Illinois
Mississippi
Alabama
Texas
NFB of SC Talent Show, March 20
On Monday, March 8 at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on the NFB of SC zoom link, we will
be watching the talent show entries so that you are able to submit your
votes via mail or via pay pal before the deadline.
The National Federation of the Blind of SC (NFB of SC) Would like to invite
you to the 1st ever virtual talent show fundraiser benefitting the NFB of
SC!
Everyone has a talent. What is Yours? Singing, Comedy, Dancing, Reading
poetry, Playing an instrument.
The NFB of SC has an opportunity for you to show off your
talent through our 2021 Virtual Talent Show!!! You will also be eligible for
prizes if you place 1st, 2nd or 3rd in the voting!
Prizes awarded
1st place: 10% of the total proceeds, and a plaque donated by Linda Dizzley,
President of the Lee County Chapter.
2nd place: 5% of the total proceeds, and a plaque donated by Linda Dizzley,
President of the Lee County Chapter.
3rd place: 3% of the total proceeds, and a plaque donated by Linda Dizzley,
President of the Lee County Chapter.
Here is how our talent show will work.
Pay $15 to register to enter your talent via Pay Pal or other
approved method.
Submit a 90 second video to Steve Cook at cookcafe at sc.rr.com
<mailto:cookcafe at sc.rr.com>
Once your video has been approved it will be posted on the
website www.nfbofsc.org <http://www.nfbofsc.org> .
Next, invite all of your family, friends, coworkers, former
teachers, fellow church members, doctors, mail carriers, etcetera, to watch
your video and vote for you. A $1 donation is one vote. For example, if a
person donated $25 for you, then you would receive 25 individual votes. A
person can vote for you as many times as they choose.
When creating your video, please be sure to narrate any
movement or action, so that the blind voters will know what you are doing,
especially if it is a visual talent, such as dancing. .
All videos and registration fees must be submitted by March 1,
2021 at 11:59 PM eastern to be considered for the contest.
Votes will be accepted until Saturday, March 20 2021, at 2:00
PM eastern.
We will announce the winners on Saturday, March 20 2021 at
4:00PM eastern.
Each participant will be assigned a contestant number for
voting purposes. When a person makes their vote, they will have to include
the contestants number in order for the vote to count for them.
Voting and Registration
To Vote Electronically:
To pay your $15 registration fee, go to www.nfbofsc.org
<http://www.nfbofsc.org> and click on the Donations link.
Votes can be cast on the same site by clicking on the donation link. $1 per
vote. There is no limit to the number of times a voter can vote. Please
remember that a vote will not go to the contestant unless their contestant
number is included in the "for" line of the payment.
To Vote by Mail
If you would like to vote for a contestant, but are unable to
access the above electronic payment method. You can send a check or money
order to the address below. On the memo line, be sure to put "talent show
contestant number." If the contestant number is not on this line, your vote
will not count, and your donation will be greatly appreciated! Please have
all payments mailed no later than March 15th to allow for them to be
received and recorded.
Federation Center of the Blind
119 S Kilbourne Road
Columbia, SC 29205.
To register, please include the following information. Name,
Address, City, State and ZIP, Home Phone, Cell Phone, Work Phone, Email
Address, NFB member? Yes or No. , If yes, which chapter?, If no, do we have
your permission to contact you about getting involved? Yes or No..
Leadership Seminar:
Our next leadership seminar will be April 10, 2021 at the
Federation Center. All presidents of divisions and chapters along with
Federation Center board members, Rocky Bottom board members and NFB of SC
board members are encouraged to attend in-person or through zoom. Others who
are interested are welcome to attend via zoom or in-person as well.
If you notify David Houck by April 5, 2021 whether you plan to
attend on zoom or in-person, your name will be entered into a $50 gift card
drawing. You must be present to win. There will be additional door prizes
throughout the seminar; only individuals who notify David by calling
803-254-3777 or emailing nfbsc at sc.rr.com <mailto:nfbsc at sc.rr.com> about
your zoom or in-person attendance will be entered into the $50 gift card
drawing. All are welcome from everywhere!
Thank you to the following individuals who have recorded your attendance:
IN PERSON
Jennifer Bazer
David & Darlene Houck
Steve & Shannon Cook
Tracy and Thom Spittle
Frank & Shelley Coppel
Melanie Torrance
Ed & Julie Bible
David Rebocho
ON ZOOM
Debra Canty
Regina Mitchell
Jamie Allison - morning only
Gail Cummings
George Johnson
Ronald Benjamin
Paul and Charlis Borodin
Debbie Zaleski
Bobby Joe Medlin
Courtney Rone
Demetrius Williford
Frank Loza
Phillip Outland
Diane Haycraft
Melissa Staley
>From Phil Marret
IT is with much sadness that the Upstate Blind Fishing committee has deemed
it necessary to call our tournament off again this year.
Nationally:
Open House: Information for Non-Members Interested in Joining:
Please share with non-members the following: The National Federation of the
Blind invites blind people to learn more about being a member and the
benefits of membership on Wednesday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m. eastern. This is
a great opportunity to hear from active members and leaders on the myths and
uncertainties of the Federation. Sign up for the open-house gathering call
by emailing membership at nfb.org <mailto:membership at nfb.org> or calling
410-659-9314, extension 2509.
Final Thought:
"The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should
raise each other up. Make sure you're very courageous: be strong, be
extremely kind, and above all be humble." - Serena Williams, professional
tennis player who has won more singles titles than any man or woman
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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