[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1889

[Marty McKenzie]

October 24, 2022
Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others
From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President
Positive Note 1889
843-939-8091  marty2music at outlook.com

Dear Federation Family,

October is recognized as breast cancer awareness month, a time set aside to draw attention to the many people who are impacted by this disease each year. Breast cancer survivors, their families, friends, and allies,  often ware the color pink during October to demonstrate their support for continued funding for research to combat this terrible disease.  Pink is also worn to remember those who have passed from breast cancer and to celebrate survivors.  Many Federationist have been impacted by this disease.   Some have fought the good fight and continued to live full lives, while others have not been so fortunate.   Let us remember those who have been impacted by offering support to anyone who may need it.

Blind Equality Achievement Month is winding down in South Carolina, but there are a few more events that will take place this week.  Thank you to those who have shared their events on the listserv for everyone to see. I am very proud of what the SC affiliate chapters and divisions have done to show that blindness is not what holds us back; we can live full lives  as contributing members of our communities.

Palmetto Connects will take place on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. on the Federation Center Zoom platform. Please mark this time on your calendar as we share updates with you regarding the next month. I appreciate the teamwork in rescheduling this event due to a long illness which prevented me from talking for long periods of time.

Chapters and divisions are now holding elections and collecting dues for the 2023 calendar year. Members are asked to pay their dues in a timely manner, so that all information can be reported by December 31, 2022. There is work for chapter membership coordinators to do, and we appreciate everyone paying prompt attention to requests for dues. A memo will be released with this Positive Note providing additional information about membership and dues.

Here is David Houck's Federation fun fact for this week! Let's continue to read and learn together about our rich history in South Carolina.

Referring back to our first Federation Fun Fact, Dr. Samuel Miller Lawton was a Baptist minister and the Founder of what was then called the Aurora Club of the Blind in 1944. He was an educator and co-founder of North Greenville College and taught religion at the University of South Carolina. He was a member of the Spartanburg Rotary Club and was voted, "Man of the Year" by the Regional Sertoma Club. Dr. Lawton was essential in the formation of the Aurora Club becoming a statewide organization in 1957 and demonstrating allegiance with our national organization, the National Federation of the Blind. He was a legislative leader for the blind. During the Commission Bill initiative, as he spoke before a House-Senate Hearing he stated, "There is nothing well nor fair about the Welfare Department." In 1966 Dr. Lawton was appointed by Governor Robert E. McNair to serve on the Governing Board of the newly formed Commission for the Blind where he served as its Chairman. Dr. Lawton was Chaplin at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind and he also did an International Sunday School program on WSPA radio in Spartanburg. It is to be noted that most sighted persons do not aspire to such a level as Dr. Lawton but he never let his blindness ever stop him in his service to the blind and others.


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