<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>April 29, 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 1498<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> We are proud to announce an additional youth program in the NFB of SC, and it originated right here in the state. To tell you about it, here is the President of the South Carolina Organization of Parents of Blind Children, Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Teenage Enrichment and Empowerment through Nonvisual Skills <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> (NFB of SC TEENS) July 27-July 31, 2015, 8:15-3:15 daily<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hosted at Hughston TLC, SCSDB campus, Spartanburg, SC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The NFB of SC TEENS program has been designed specifically for participants, ages thirteen through eighteen (have not entered senior year of high school). NFB of SC TEENS will provide one week of; concentrated Braille (UEB) instruction, white cane travel, nonvisual technique, independent living skills, interpersonal skills and discussion time. This program is for all blind teens who could benefit. This includes low-vision teens, teens who have recently lost their vision, teens who have been blind since birth, and teens who have additional disabilities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> NFB of SC TEENS is created and presented by active members of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. The lead teacher is blind and Braille literate as well as a certified classroom teacher and the President of the NFB Cherokee Chapter. The state coordinator is the sighted parent of two blind teens and the President of South Carolina Parents of Blind Children. All volunteers whether blind or sighted have a positive attitude toward blindness and toward the alternative skills of blindness. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For more information or for an application contact Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman at 803-287-5391 or by email at jaduffell@yahoo.com. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Applications received after June 8, 2015 not guaranteed to receive program give-a-ways. Lunch will be provided for participants daily. Transportation is not provided. $30.00 fee, please contact program coordinator if this is cost prohibitive.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am so pleased with the work of both Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman and Jamie Allison. Help us spread the word about NFB of SC TEENS as well as the 2015 edition of the NFB BELL program in South Carolina.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The chartered bus deadline for the National Convention has been set at May 15! If you are planning to use NFB of SC transportation, please get your reservations in by that date so we can make arrangements depending on the number of passengers being served. While we may not fill the bus by May 15, it would be unreasonable to use a fifty-six passenger bus for twenty-five people. In other words, we may use a smaller vehicle. Please get your reservations in now.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Columbia Marriott is now accepting reservations for the 2015 NFB of SC State Convention during the weekend of August 21 through 23! Reservations for the Event should be made directly with Marriott reservations at (800) 593-6465 or (803) 771-7000.<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> Thank Goodness! The 62nd annual barbecue held by the Columbia Chapter concluded last Thursday, April 23. You are probably tired of reading about the barbecue and I’m tired of talking about that important event which was successful. We need to report on other topics. However, I do want to mention that David Houck was interviewed by the ABC TV affiliate in Columbia which gave positive coverage of the barbecue. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It was a good change of pace traveling to Rocky Bottom last weekend as I had not been to Rocky Bottom since the latter part of February two months ago when the weather was bitter cold. The weather in Rocky Bottom was beautiful and a big contrast to the weather two months ago. This being springtime, Rocky Bottom was in full bloom featuring many flowers. Friday afternoon I met with our Resident Manager Brooke West in her office and I was brought up to date on various visits to take place in Rocky Bottom including a couple of church representatives. Brooke will be in charge of the Advisory Board luncheon to take place in the near future. The luncheon menu was discussed. Our attention was called to the roof leak on Osterneck Cottage and that is being handled this week. The Upstate Lions and the blind of that area will be hosted by Rocky Bottom this Friday night with dinner taking place earlier that evening. We are glad to accommodate our Lions friends and the blind of that area for the annual fishing expedition. All of the facilities are expected to be utilized. Phil Marett, a member of the RBRCCB Advisory Board is in charge of this fishing expedition. There was other activity at Rocky Bottom during the weekend including the Sumter Chapter which utilized the Ellenburg Lodge. We were glad to see the Sumter Chapter enjoy their weekend at RBRCCB. Also, Rocky Bottom Baptist Church held a luncheon in the Dining Hall of the Conference Center on Sunday. Many of the church members live in the Rocky Bottom community and are therefore neighbors to RBRCCB. We were glad to provide this service to the church on a complimentary basis as we want to demonstrate to this community that we are a good neighbor. Brooke reported that our very good friend, Mrs. Ruth Jordan of our Greenville Chapter and her daughter had recently visited RBRCCB to bring pictures of Mrs. Jordan’s mother, Mrs. Carrie Lee Cox to be featured in the Carrie Lee Cox Memorial Library.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> When we were in Rocky Bottom two months ago the weather was so cold that the Eddie Mae Lucas Webb Memorial Pond was frozen over. JJ, our resident duck, and his family members were observed moving around on the pond unable to paddle. While we were there, however, a small area in the pond melted and JJ and his family swam in the small area. Incidentally, JJ and his family members have gotten involved in the Presidential race. Half of the family supports a Democrat for President with the other half supporting a Republican candidate. JJ is playing it close to the vest, not having indicated how he plans to vote. It may well be that he is an independent. Under any circumstances, JJ hopes that the President will not “prove to be a quack.” By the way, JJ and his family survived the extremely bitter cold weather. While at Rocky Bottom JJ and his family made their way to the outside entrance to the apartment, having come to lobby for food crumbs, etc. and they were accommodated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “We enter May with spring in full bloom; we celebrate our mothers and memorialize our veterans.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>