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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>November 19, 2014<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From: Parnell Diggs, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Note 1475<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Let me begin this Positive Note with a reminder about the Christmas Board Retreat at Rocky Bottom during the weekend of December 12 through 14. Chapter Presidents are requested to attend whether they are on the Board or not. This will be the first time all three Boards have met during the same gathering. I am of course talking about the Rocky Bottom Board, the State Board, and the Federation Center Board, which became a statewide body in January of 2014.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This will be a huge meeting in terms of planning, and we need your ideas, so please plan to come and participate in all meetings. We need to plan appropriately regarding meals, lodging, and scheduling. This means that we need to hear from you. Please tell us if you are coming and when.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There will be a Christmas party and gift exchange on Saturday evening. If possible, please bring one gift (valued at approximately $10). So that everyone will receive an appropriate gift, we ask that men please bring a man’s gift; and we ask that women bring a woman’s gift. Just write “men” or “women” on the gift and place it under the Christmas tree in the dining hall upon arrival.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>It is also good to have sweets at the Christmas party, so please bring those holiday favorites to be shared on Saturday evening after the gift exchange. It will be fun to celebrate the Holiday season with our Federation family after Board meetings throughout the day.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Soon, we will start the process of transitioning many of our customary mailings to the membership to email rather than hard copy. This is because of an obvious cost savings but also due to the way business is now conducted. If you would like to receive the Positive Note in hard copy print or Braille, you may opt-in by simply calling the State Office and letting us know.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you don’t mind receiving your Positive Note by email, you can sign up for the listserv by visiting www.nfbscnet.org, or simply send us an email at nfbsc@sc.rr.com. Thus, there are three ways you can indicate your interest in receiving the Positive Note. Call us, email us, or sign-up for the listserv. You should do at least one of these things by the end of the year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On Sunday afternoon, there was a meeting of the South Carolina Organization of Blind Students, and a new President was elected. Francina Knight needed to handle some personal matters and felt that she should resign so that she could handle those personal responsibilities. The new President is Malik Beckett. Congratulations to Malik on being elected to the Student Division Presidency!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Many former presidents of this South Carolina Organization of Blind Students have become leaders at the state level. Our students are doing great work, and we are continuing to look for energy and enthusiasm from this division.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic which defines you or your future. Every day, we raise 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. Joining me for comments in this Positive Note is the President Emeritus of the NFB of SC. Here is Dr. Capps.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As all of you know, Thanksgiving is the most celebrated holiday of the year with the exception of Christmas. The Pilgrims who were enduring hardships took time out to celebrate Thanksgiving. The nation has continuously observed this important holiday. I’m afraid too often we take some of our blessings for granted. There are many who go the extra mole in assisting others. I’m particularly reminded of The Harvest Church in Lexington which has provided a Thanksgiving dinner for the Columbia Chapter for many years. Rev. Ken Jumper is the Pastor of the Church of the Harvest and he and his late wife Connie were members of the chapter for many years. The ladies of the church prepared and served the Thanksgiving dinner consisting of turkey, ham, deserts and all the trimmings. Some 100 members of the chapter were present. Thus, in both October and November the Columbia Chapter had outstanding attendance. I believe that this will be repeated again for the chapter’s Christmas meeting. Isaiah Nelson who is a member of the state board, the Center’s Board of Trustees as well as the Columbia Chapter has arranged for his church to host the Christmas dinner. Rev. Jumper in his devotional reminded the large audience that Bartimaeus who wanted his sight restored cried out to Jesus where he could be heard over the large crowd. Jesus restored Bartimaeus’ sight which was one of Jesus many miracles. Rev. Jumper admonished us to cry out to Jesus as well for our needs. In addition to the dinner provided by the Church of the Harvest, the church also made a contribution of $500 to the Federation Center of the Blind which was requested by Frank Coppel, Chairman of the Center’s Board of Trustees. Frank is also generous as he made a contribution of $500 to the Center. Levon Stack is a faithful member of The Harvest Church and attends these annual Thanksgiving dinners and participated in the program with some of his wonderful singing including my favorite song, “His Eye is on the Sparrow.” David Houck told the large gathering that repairs to the Federation Center are about 95% complete. For the first time in a year, the church volunteers were able to utilize the Conference Room as tables and chairs were set up for their use. While I have gone to considerable length in covering last week’s Thanksgiving dinner celebrated by the Columbia Chapter, there are many other federation chapters who are also observing Thanksgiving in a meaningful way. The NFB of SC, its chapters and facilities have much for which to be thankful. Finally, I am thankful for having so many wonderful federation friends.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “A little girl was asked, ‘Which cane first, the chicken or the egg?’ and she replied, ‘It all depends upon which side of the grocery store you start from!’”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>