<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv=Content-Type>
<META name=GENERATOR content="MSHTML 8.00.6001.23588">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Monday, August 18, 2014-----NFB
<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Sumter</st1:place></st1:City> Chapter
Newsletter</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>The Sumter Chapter of the
National Federation of the Blind recently gathered with chapters from across the
state <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>for the
Fifty-eighth Annual Convention
of the <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">South
Carolina</st1:place></st1:State> affiliate under the leadership of our State
President, Parnell Diggs. The convention was held at the Columbia Marriott
during the weekend of August 8-10<SUP>th</SUP>.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Our newly elected national
president Mark Riccobono was the keynote speaker and he left us with this
thought, “Are you a driver or a passenger” as federationists. His message was
powerful along with his remarks during the general session on Saturday as
well.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Also, during the banquet (3)
members of the Sumter Chapter which included, Neil Towery for the President’s
Citation Award, Judy L. Simon for the Associate Member of the Year Award and
Alexus Blanding who was a recipient of a scholarship were recognized along with
others at the banquet at the state convention as well.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>There will be eleven chapter
members attending FUN DAY weekend in Rocky Bottom during Labor Day weekend in
the mountains of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Pickens</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>. Please turn in all of your $5.00
fun day tickets soon.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>There were excited and enthused
federationists from across the state who helped raised funds for the center with
checks and cash in hand and others made pledges and we received in the
neighborhood of $8,600.00 dollars within one hour of the banquet to help
generate funds to continue the operation of our <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Federation</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType> in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Columbia</st1:place></st1:City> on <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">Kilbourne Road</st1:address></st1:Street>.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Best Wishes and Congratulations
are in order for our associate members who<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>will be married on Saturday, September 27<SUP>th</SUP> and they are;
Laura Colclough and Lee James!!!</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>The Sumter County Fair will be
held from Tuesday, October 7<SUP>th</SUP> thru Sunday, October 12<SUP>th</SUP>.
The Sumter Chapter will man a booth inside the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Sumter</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Civic</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in the exhibit hall for fundraising
of the BUS FUND tickets and raise donations to maintain purchased transportation
for the chapter and to support our centers as well. If you can donate and
volunteer your time from 3:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. to man the booth, please
contact yours truly, Debra Canty immediately at 803-775-5792 or via email at <A
href="mailto:DebraCanC2@frontier.com">DebraCanC2@frontier.com</A>. I must
receive your names soon for the schedule for the fair gate personnel for no cost
admittance. </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Please begin to collect old
eyeglasses and old hearing aids and bring or send them to the Sumter County Fair
Booth for us to donate to the Sumter Lions Club during blind awareness
month.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Wednesday, OCTOBER
15<SUP>TH</SUP> IS WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY and OCTOBER is BLIND AWARENESS MONTH
which we plan to observe during the entire month.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>The 41<SUP>st</SUP> ANNUAL
FUNDRAISER CHRISTMAS GALA is planned for Tuesday, December 9, 2014 at 7:00 p.m.
and the tickets are $25.00 per attendee which will display the groups name on
the table and the program as well. So, please make your advanced ticket
donations ASAP or NO LATER than September 30<SUP>th</SUP> for effective and
efficient planning to avoid any obstacles that could hinder progress. The
absolute deadline is September 30<SUP>th</SUP>.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Please call 206-376-5992 any hour
of the day or night to listen to our recorded message board and leave your
information, if you would like for me to call you with ticket information as
well.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>The 2015 membership is
approaching and all 2015 state dues of $10.00 must be paid by the membership
meeting on Tuesday, January 13, 2015.</P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>Respectfully submitted
by-----Debra Canty, President of the Sumter Chapter of the
NFB</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>