[NFBofSC] Positive Note 1901

[Marty McKenzie]

January 16, 2023
Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others
From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President
Positive Note 1901
843-939-8091  marty2music at outlook.com

Dear Federation Family,

Today, the United States celebrates the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, commemorating one of the greatest civil rights leaders in our Nation’s history. Dr. King was a peaceful man who strongly opposed violence. He led the civil rights movement, which resulted in legislation opening many doors for individuals who were oppressed. Change takes time, but significant progress has been made. We are proud of our SC Association of Black Leaders and the work they will do among the organized blind in our state.

The National Federation of the Blind is a civil rights organization seeking to protect the rights of all who are blind. Founded in 1940, the organization has undergone significant changes over the past 83 years, and many more opportunities exist for blind people. However, there is still much work to do, and we, as the NFB, are more than equal to the challenge. Let’s go build the National Federation of the Blind!

The Legislative and Advocacy committee leaders are finalizing plans for the Washington Seminar in late January. More than ten members of the NFB of SC will travel to Washington, DC to meet with South Carolina representatives and senators to educate them on the three bills the NFB is supporting this year. For more information about Washington Seminar and our legislative initiatives, please visit www.nfb.org/washington-seminar<http://www.nfb.org/washington-seminar>.

From Fundraising Committee Co-Chairs Debra Canty and Andrew Adams
The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina Fundraising Committee invites you to A Night of Love…

Who: Anyone
What: Sweethearts Ball
When: Saturday February 11th from 5pm to 9pm
Where: Federation Center located at 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205
❤️ Tickets are $30 per person
❤️ 3course meal as well as music, dancing, and fellowship
❤️ Deadline to purchase tickets is February 1st
❤️ Dress Attire is Casual
❤️ Tickets can be purchased through PayPal at www.nfbofsc.org<http://www.nfbofsc.org> and click donations or you can send a check or money order to 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205 and make sure to put sweethearts in memo field.

For mor information on how to purchase tickets or for help purchasing tickets, please reach out to  Andrew Adams  at 803-269-3803 or Debra Canty at 803-775-5792.

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.

In the early 1960’s, it became obvious that the Department of Public Welfare had little concern for blind South Carolinians. The saying went, “There is nothing well or fair at the Welfare Department. Funds for the blind were even used on staff pay increases.

By 1964, the NFB of SC, then known as the South Carolina Aurora Club of the Blind, began working on new legislation to create a separate state agency for the blind. In 1965, a nine member Study Committee was established by the General Assembly to look into the possibility of such a separate agency for the blind.

There were those who were opposed to House Bill 2127, but blind people such as Donald Capps, Marshall Tucker, and even NFB President Dr. Kenneth Jernigan spoke on behalf of the bill in various hearings. It was a long haul, but a successful one. The Commission for the Blind was established on May 6, 1966. It has trained and employed thousands of blind South Carolinians over the past 57 years. We all benefit from the passage of legislation creating the South Carolina Commission for the Blind.

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