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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>January 7, 2015<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 1482<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> Now that 2015 is here, let me go over some housekeeping details to help us start the New Year off right. We are putting the Statewide Seminar program together, and I need your suggestions about good program items. If you would like to make a presentation during the Seminar, or you believe someone would add something meaningful to the program, please get in touch with me.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We really need to be working on our $1 bus tickets in these last few weeks before the January 31 Statewide Seminar. As I explained last week, we use the bus ticket proceeds to pay for our chartered bus to the National Convention. We collect proceeds through the sale of $1 tickets and conduct a drawing at the Statewide Seminar, which will occur, again, on January 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The seller of the winning ticket will receive $300, the buyer of the winning ticket will also receive $300, and the chapter which sells the most tickets will receive $300. The remainder will be held in a bank account to help cover the cost of a chartered bus to Orlando. We are also offering seats on the chartered bus for those interested in traveling to Orlando on the chartered bus at a cost of $70 per seat.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bus tickets have been mailed to all of the chapters so you should be working on this now. Please let us know if you want more tickets, and please don’t wait until the last minute. We have some additional time this year to sell our tickets, and as I always say, if we sold enough tickets, the cost of a seat on the chartered bus would be much less than $70.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have begun receiving dues from some chapters, but we need to hear from others. Annual state dues are a very affordable $10 per member. This is also an excellent time to update your chapter rolls and tell us about the contact information for your members. Remember that state dues are late if they are not in by January 1, and your membership is not in good standing if not paid by January 31.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President Terry Knox of the Grand Strand Chapter is doing a good job collecting dues from members and has even provided information about which members have paid-up, and which members still need to take care of this important item in advance of this Saturday’s chapter meeting. I will not tell you what category I am in, but even the State President is expected to pay State Dues.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have been running an auction during the Statewide Seminar for the past few years to raise funds for the Federation Center, and I am inclined to do so again in 2015. It would be wonderful if we could gather enough items to auction something off between each presentation. Please give this some thought and try to come up with something great! We need your auction items.<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 the 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> Yes! I did enjoy Hopping Johns on New Year’s Day. I suspect that most of you out there in federation land know that Hopping Johns is rice and black-eyed peas cooked together. I love it. We also had collard greens, pork chops and cornbread which rounded out a great New Year’s Day feast. My mother always had Hopping Johns for New Year’s Day and therefore I had known about this delicacy for 80 years or since I was a small child. Hopping Johns participants, according to legend, enjoy good health and financial success, so there’s plenty of reasons to enjoy Hopping Johns to begin the New Year. Speaking of the New Year, I have decided for this part of the Positive Note that I would review the first NFB of SC convention presided over by President Diggs in the year 2001. It will be noted that President Diggs is in his 15th year as state President. Let’s join hands, hearts and minds as we travel down memory lane, enjoying this fine convention. There were 339 registered delegates at the 2001 NFB of SC convention held in Columbia at the Adams Mark Hotel the weekend of August 10-12. This 45th annual state convention boasted 350 participants including delegates, guest speakers, dignitaries, exhibitors and others. Friday featured registration, exhibits, a Parents Division luncheon, divisional meetings and the Resolutions and Ellen Beach Mack Home Award Committees met. Topping the evening’s activities was the Reception which was a good time of fellowship between federationists. Saturday morning’s Rocky Bottom Board breakfast focused on the Labor Day Fun Day Festival. The morning session was gaveled to order for the first time by NFB of SC President Parnell Diggs and greetings were presented from Columbia Mayor Bob Coble. Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter of the General Assembly was presented with the Legislator of the Year Award for her support of legislative efforts on behalf of the state’s blind. Chairman Donald Capps reported on the success of the Rocky Bottom program. Marty McKenzie spoke concerning his work with blind children with the School for the Blind outreach program. Executive Director David Houck gave the Federation Center of the Blind report including its 40th anniversary celebration. Guynell Williams of SC Talking Book Services gave the library update. A panel of Federationists then spoke about strengthening local chapters. The morning session was topped off with the Presidential Report by President Diggs. Honorable Jim Lander, Comptroller General of SC was the keynote luncheon speaker and he prominently mentioned the NFB of SC’s track record and its leadership in getting things done to assist the blind. The afternoon session was kicked off with a National Report by NFB representative Allan Harris. This was followed by Dr. Nell Carney giving the report on the Commission for the Blind and she thanked the NFB of SC for its hard work in getting the legislature to return $300,000 back to the Commission’s budget. Honorable Rita Allison spoke concerning serving the people of South Carolina. Dr. Sheila Breitweiser, President of the School for the Deaf and the Blind updated the delegates on the accomplishments of the School during the past year. Chris Danielsen spoke on the blind serving the sighted in his law practice with Parnell Diggs in Myrtle Beach. Chapter and Division reports followed his presentation. The final item for the afternoon agenda was the 2002 Louisville NFB Convention Bus Fund report by Edsel Doyle. The convention highlight was the Saturday evening banquet where L. P. Garrett received a Lifetime Honorary Membership for her longtime work with the federation. Mary Powers received the Educator of the Year Award, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage received the Employer of the Year Award, Faye Madden received the Ellen Beach Mack Home Award, Vickie Trammel received the Associate Member of the Year Award, Marty McKenzie received the Donald C. Capps Award, and 15 deserving blind college students received $9,300 in scholarship awards. Honorable Elsie Rast Stuart received the Distinguished Service Award for her support in the SC General Assembly. NFB representative Allan Harris gave a rousing banquet speech as the keynote speaker. Sunday morning’s NFB of SC board breakfast featured a task force report. The morning session featured Henry Kluizenaar’s Devotional and Memorial Service, adopted resolutions, NFB of SC and Rocky Bottom financial reports, national stewardship reports, and all five board members up for election were re-elected. President Diggs had indeed presided well and his future looks bright.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “The peaceful transfer of authority is rare in history, yet common in our country. With a simple oath, we affirm old traditions and make new beginnings.” - George Walker Bush<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>