[NFBofSC] Positive Note 2068

Sun Mar 29 21:26:57 UTC 2026

March 29, 2026

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

From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President

843-939-8091  president at nfbofsc.org <mailto:president at nfbofsc.org> 

Positive Note: 2068

Dear Federation Family,

The Annual Statewide Leadership Seminar took place on Saturday, March 28,
2026 at the Federation Center of the Blind. The day kicked off with
introductions of the 28 attendees present. We spent time discussing the
upcoming National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina State
Convention, noting that early bird registration and hotel reservation
information  will soon be available.

We shared information about Midlands Gives. This year, we have cards
available with a QR code as well as the URL for donations for both the NFB
of SC and Rocky Bottom. Board members and chapter leaders were encouraged to
take these cards and share them with people they know to increase our
Midlands Gives contributions. Midlands Gives is an easy fundraising
opportunity when we all pitch in and do our fair share.

Adam Thayer of Thrivent Financial Group provided fundraising strategies
along with tips and tricks on how to maximize fundraising returns and place
minimal burden on our members. We need to seek outside funding for our
organization rather than relying heavily on internal giving. Chapter and
division presidents shared a past or present fundraiser that they are
pleased with and it was noted that there was about a 50/50 split on who the
audience was for these fundraisers. Some relied on internal giving while
others actively sought external giving. The presentation was well received,
and many new connections were formed.

Sonia Timmons, SC Parents of Blind Children Leader, provided an update on
what is happening at the national level and in South Carolina. Programming
at the national level is shifting toward topics that impact parents where
they are in this moment in time. She also shared that POBC has secured
funding for ten families to spend five days at the national convention. The
application was shared to the listserv and additional information will
appear later in this Positive Note.

Legislative and Advocacy co-chairs David Houck and Janice Bright provided an
update on our local and national priorities. David reported that we are
close and yet far away with the Homestead  Exemption increase. A bill passed
the Senate   in the General Assembly and is currently sitting in the House
Ways and Means Committee. He encouraged members to contact their
representatives with a push to get it onto the House floor for a vote.
Janice reported that there is movement  regarding Texas v. Kennedy in that
the nine remaining states have taken a new angle. They are asking the court
to overturn Section 504 which would be highly detrimental to individuals
with disabilities. The 41 states not named in the lawsuit should contact the
Attorney General in Texas and demand that the lawsuit be dropped. Contact
David Houck or Janice Bright for additional information on how you can help.
There is much work ahead in our advocacy efforts.

I provided information about how members can engage with NFB publications,
podcasts and blogs. This information can be found at
<http://www.nfb.org/publications> www.nfb.org/publications. Below is a list
of items shared during the seminar.

*	Braille Monitor
*	Walking Alone and Marching Together
*	NFBRN
*	Presidential Releases
*	Nation's Blind Podcast
*	Access On Podcast
*	Imagineering Our Future
*	Voice of the Nation's Blind Blog
*	Future Reflections
*	Journal of Blindness Innovation and Research

The day concluded with reports from the Federation Center of the Blind and
the Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind. The Federation
Center has all new water lines and a new tankless gas hot water heater. PEX
was used for the new waterlines which prevents busted pipes when they
freeze. The pipes will expand and then shrink when the waterline thaws. All
of this was fully paid for by the Federation Center through donations and
some fundraising.

Rocky Bottom reported that there is a new resident manager in town. She is
getting acclimated to the property and the expectations. In addition to
greeting guests, she is working hard to handle deferred cleaning tasks as
well as taking care of the grounds outside. Minor pipe freezing took place
over the winter and repairs were made at a very low cost. Also, for the
first time in years, the finances have remained stable throughout the winter
months. We are excited to have a resident manager in place again.

The day ended with the Computer Science and Technology Division 60/40
drawing. Janice Bright was the lucky winner and went home with more than
$400 in her pocket! Congratulations to Janice!

Parents of Blind Children - This One's for You! - Sonia Timmons

We're thrilled to open applications for the 2026 NOPBC Duffy Fund, giving
selected families a free five-night hotel stay to attend the National
Federation of the Blind National Convention in Austin, TX! If you've ever
wanted to experience the power of NOPBC programming, connect with other
families, and be part of the largest gathering of blind people in the world.
this is your moment. Apply April 1-May 1, 2026 at
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6yBGEcro1UWuOQ6YeHPOqLFSIHQlgadU
Xujn_s1J1cKynfg/viewform>
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6yBGEcro1UWuOQ6YeHPOqLFSIHQlgadUX
ujn_s1J1cKynfg/viewform. July 2-7, Austin, TX. Learn more, apply today, and
join us in building confidence, community, and opportunity!

Senior Camp Fundraiser

The Basket Auction supports the 2026 Rocky Bottom Spring Senior Camp and
features two themed prizes: the Spring Fling Cleaning Basket and the Small
Appliance & Home Gadget Basket. The Spring Fling Cleaning Basket includes
practical household essentials such as laundry detergent, dish towels, and
air fresheners, while the Small Appliance & Home Gadget Basket offers useful
items like an electric kettle, personal coffee maker, and portable phone
charger. Participants may bid on one or both baskets, with the highest bid
winning. Bidding opens February 1 and closes April 1, 2026. To place a bid,
contact Melinda Jones at  <mailto:melindajones0571 at gmail.com>
melindajones0571 at gmail.com or Frank Loza at  <mailto:floza58 at bellsouth.net>
floza58 at bellsouth.net.

>From the Fundraising Committee

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina invites members to
advance their leadership journey through the National Convention Sponsorship
Fund, which provides financial support to help offset the cost of attending
the National Convention while promoting growth, leadership development, and
active participation in the organization. Selected recipients are expected
to represent the organization professionally, actively engage in convention
activities, contribute to fundraising efforts, attend General Sessions, and
work at least two assigned areas such as the NFB of South Carolina
Fundraising Table, the Independence Market, or Talking Signs, and later
share their experience at the NFB of SC Annual State Convention. Applicants
must submit a completed application, a written essay, and a letter of
recommendation from their Chapter President, with all materials sent to
<mailto:fundraising at nfbofsc.org> fundraising at nfbofsc.org by April 30, 2026,
at 11:59 PM Eastern, with no exceptions.

The National Scholarship Application process is now open for students who
are attending post-secondary institutions in Fall 2026. I have only seen one
scholarship application come through thus far. Please visit
<https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-progr
am>
https://nfb.org/programs-services/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-progra
m to complete your application. I will interview those who complete the
entire process. Please reach out to me if you are applying for a national
scholarship as a student.

2026 NFB of SC Student Scholarships

Spring Break is here, and the 2026 NFB of SC Scholarship Program is now
open. The state convention will be held August 13-16, 2026, and all
application materials must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on June 20, 2026. As
in recent years, the committee will select the top three applicants, who
will be notified about one month before the convention. The updated
application is available online at  <http://www.nfbofsc.org>
www.nfbofsc.org.

Please remember that the scholarship program is funded entirely by
donations. If you or your chapter would like to sponsor a scholarship or
contribute to the Dorothy Barksdale Metro Fund, contact Shannon Cook at
803-605-4250 or via e-mail at  <mailto:scholarships at nfbofsc.org>
scholarships at nfbofsc.org. Finally, help us spread the word-if you or someone
you know is enrolled full time in school, encourage them to apply.

SUN Shares pledges from the Statewide Seminar are due by March 31, 2026. If
you have not taken care of this, please do so. We will mail the final check
to the National Office shortly after March 31, 2026. Thank you for your
generosity!

National Convention Registration Now Open

Early bird registration for the National Convention is now open. Go to
<https://www.nfb.org/convention> https://www.nfb.org/convention to register.
The cost is $25 and banquet tickets are $85 for those who plan to attend the
banquet.

The Kenneth Jernigan Scholarships support active blind and sighted
first-time attendees at the National Convention. Applications are due by
March 31, 2026, and applicants must meet with President Marty McKenzie for a
letter of support. In recent years, individual awards have been $700 and
family awards $1,100; these do not cover all expenses. Recipients receive a
prepaid Visa card after arriving at the hotel at a specified time and
location. The online application must be completed in one session, so
applicants are encouraged to prepare responses in Microsoft Word and copy
and paste them. Those who are not comfortable using a computer are
encouraged to seek assistance from a friend. The online application can be
found at
<https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-conventio
n-scholarship>
https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention/kenneth-jernigan-convention
-scholarship.

Marty

Marty R. McKenzie, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina

119 S. Kilbourne Road

Columbia, SC 29205

Phone: 803-254-3777

Mobile: 843-939-8091

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

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20260329/a4cb69e7/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 21173 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20260329/a4cb69e7/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 12746 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbofsc_nfbnet.org/attachments/20260329/a4cb69e7/attachment-0001.png>