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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>June 25, 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 1506<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> I begin this Positive Note with the important message that the Columbia Marriott only has about twenty-five rooms remaining in our room block. Please call to make reservations for the 2015 State Convention during the weekend of August 21 through 23! Reservations for the Convention should be made directly with Marriott reservations at (800) 593-6465 or (803) 771-7000.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Every year, I receive calls from members who ask me to step in and secure a room for them, but I am telling you now that I will not be able to help this time because there are other events taking place as well during the weekend we are in town, and the hotel really will be out of rooms. I have given you fair notice so please get this issue taken care of if you have not already done so.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pre-reservation is also open. The very affordable price of $70 per person will give you admission to all events and cover your meals from Friday evening dinner through Sunday morning breakfast. Please make checks out to the NFB of SC and send them to the State Office noting which members are covered with each payment.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are tweaking the menu this year, and I hope people will like it. For a number of years, we have enjoyed fried chicken for lunch and country fried steak for dinner on Saturday. Sometimes it is good to change the monotony, and we are working toward that in 2015. There will be a complete meal on Friday evening and a continental breakfast in the meeting room on Saturday and Sunday mornings. As to lunch and dinner, it will be delicious.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For those of you attending the National Convention, I hope you are planning to participate in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ Attempt On July 8 beginning at 7:00 AM. That morning, we will be attempting to create the largest umbrella mosaic according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Currently, the record is 2170 persons, and we have a larger convention than that. Thus, we have a chance to pull it off but we need your help. Please visit www.nfb.org/gwr for more information. It is hard to believe, but this attempt will be made two weekends from the release of this Positive Note, or two weeks from today!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tiffany Mitchell has asked that I let you know that our Columbia Chapter will be selling snack items on the morning of the chartered bus trip if you would like to purchase something before departing for Orlando. We usually don’t mention sells items because there is not sufficient space to list each chapter’s fundraising endeavor, however, since this is related to the bus trip, we mentioned it here.<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> Recently I was talking with my good friends, Marshall and Lois Tucker and Lois told me about a valuable service available to the blind. Here is what Lois said, “Rick Duvall, the son-in-law of Marshall Tucker, began some years ago to share with the Tuckers weekly sale ads from the grocery store where they shopped. After doing this service for some time, it was suggested that Rick share this information with the blind statewide. About three years ago, he began to share these weekly sale ads with Vicki Phillips who in turn would email them on the NFB of SC list serve. Today, Vicki sends out weekly grocery store sale advertisements from four major South Carolina grocery store chains. These are emailed out weekly on nfbofsc@nfbnet.org. The response has been good as many federationists enjoy knowing the in store sales before going shopping. If you want to sign up to receive these ads, go to www.nfbnet.org and sign up on the nfbofsc email list.” I hope that you will take advantage of this service.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> For many years between the late 1950’s and the year 2000, I was at the State House lobbying for legislation that would be of service to blind South Carolinians. As a matter of fact, I was seen so much at the State House that I began to be asked by legislators and others if I was running for the legislature. I had many experiences, mostly pleasant ones, during the 40 years I called upon the legislature. In the 1970’s the support of local government called “home rule” was the thing that most legislators liked. Since the vending facility law provides employment opportunities for the blind, the federation wanted the bill to be as broad as possible, creating the maximum number of job opportunities. This bill not only provided opportunities in state buildings but also in local government buildings. While I talked to a legislator on the bill I was told that they did not support the legislation as they were for “home rule” and I replied, how about the “golden rule.” Needless to say, the legislator didn’t stick around any longer. Incidentally, we did get the bill passed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have now reached the halfway mark in contributions to cover the much needed repairs to Lawton Hall. The number of members and chapters which have contributed to the fund is gratifying but we do need to hear from other members and chapters. I recognize that as members of the federation we are called upon to support various causes but on the other hand we get back far more than we give to these many federation and Rocky Bottom causes. Lawton Hall is owned by all of us and supporters of the much needed repairs are absolutely essential. Incidentally, if you haven’t gotten in your reservations for the Labor Day Fun Day weekend at Rocky Bottom, you need to do so as we have already heard from a number of members who want to attend this most enjoyable Labor Day weekend. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I hope that Father’s Day was pleasant for the many fathers out there. Our son Craig invited us to his apartment where we had a wonderful meal and afterwards he played some of the music that he knows I would appreciate.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thursday the 25th is Betty’s and my 66th wedding anniversary. For nearly 65 years Betty drove me all over the United States attending federation functions from national conventions to state conventions. For about two years she has slowed from health conditions but this has strengthened our love for each other as every day goes by. I hope that all of us continue to pray for the victims of the terrible criminal activity which occurred in Charleston. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>