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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='tab-interval:.5in'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>July 22, 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 style='mso-outline-level:1'>From: Parnell Diggs, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Note 1510<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Fellow <span class=SpellE>Federationists</span>:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As I write this, I am in Baltimore, MD, where I have assumed the duties of Director of Government Affairs for the National Federation of the Blind. I will handle the responsibilities of the Presidency between now and the end of the State Convention, which (as you know by now) is scheduled to take place during the weekend of August 21 through 23 in Columbia. After that time, however, I will be succeeded by Frank Coppel.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I observe that our room block has been maxed-out, which is a delightful problem to have. There are about five rooms available right now, but they simply will not last until July 31, the cut-off date. I am sorry about that, but if you have not made your reservations, you need to get on the phone immediately because the rooms will be gone if you wait. Indeed, you have an advantage if you are able to receive the Positive Note via email. Please call 803-771-7000 to reserve your room.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are putting the program together as we speak, and I would welcome your input as far as suggesting program items. You can reach me at 843-267-2018. I am asking Frank Coppel to assist me in handling convention matters between now and August. Thus, you can also reach out to Frank by calling 803-796-8662. We cannot promise to put your suggestion on the agenda but we will do our best with the time available to us.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Let me thank our Columbia Chapter for its work on the Friday evening Reception, as Tiffany Mitchell and her team coordinate the massive undertaking that the Reception is from year-to-year. The food will be plentiful I am told and will be well worth the price of the pre-registration fee of $70. Speaking of which, I would ask that those who are planning to attend the Convention please get your pre-registration in so we can plan for meals etc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Each year, we lose money because we cannot easily predict the number of meals to purchase from the hotel, and we are obligated to meet our contracted guarantees for food and beverage service for the Convention. It is not too early to take care of this detail. Also, it is time to begin thinking of Banquet pledge amounts for chapters and individuals. I always give, as I would not ask others to do what I am not willing to do.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am very proud of the Grand Strand Chapter, under the leadership of <span class=SpellE>Charlis</span> Borodin, which is planning to make a substantial contribution at the Banquet. For its size, the Grand Strand Chapter will be making a very generous gift at the Convention Banquet. I hope other chapters and individuals will step up to the plate and support the programs of the NFB of SC.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I have made my reservations at Rocky Bottom for the Labor Day Fun Day event as well, and I hope you have too. If not, please get in touch with Dr. Capps at 803-787-0462 or David Houck at 803-254-3777. One of the highlights of the Fun Day event is the auction, which will take place on Saturday afternoon. Please see if you can procure some auction items, which will be of interest to audience members, as this will help generate the funds we need to support our programs at Rocky Bottom for the next year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Loretta Green has asked that I remind you that the SUN fund is our emergency fund to support the National Federation of the Blind if we have some type of event that we would consider an extraordinary circumstance. Please think of supporting this effort to protect the Federation for the future. We talk about stewardship each year at the State Convention, and Lenora Robertson has suggested that we discuss our various funds once again in 2015.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Of course, she would also like you to remember door prizes for the 2015 Convention. Lenora is once again handling our door prizes, and the more we collect, the more we will give away during the sessions, luncheon, and banquet. The Convention is just one month away! Let’s get ready. And finally, we need scholarships. If chapters are thinking of giving scholarships in 2015, this would be a good time to let Chairwoman Shannon Cook know about it. Please reach out to her at 803-254-0222 or shoot her an email at <a href="mailto:cookcafe@sc.rr.com">cookcafe@sc.rr.com</a>. She will want you to send a check to our State Treasurer to cover the scholarship amount.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind Knows that blindness is not the characteristic that 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. <span class=SpellE>oining</span> 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>The annual NFB of SC state convention is only four weeks away. This certainly is the main attraction of the year sponsored by the NFB of SC. Since the state convention is seemingly later than usual, the annual RBRCCB Labor Day Fun Day Festival is just six weeks away and only two weeks after the NFB of SC convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The annual Fun day Festival is the highlight of RBRCCB and always attracts a large turnout. As a matter of fact, RBRCCB has received a sizeable number of reservations for Fun Day and if you plan to be assured of a reservation, you need to contact the state office promptly. You will not want to put this off. The annual Fun Day Festival is the only fundraiser RBRCCB has during the year and, therefore, we need to support that important project. Some time ago, each chapter and division president received $5 Fun Day tickets for their members to sell. Remember, if you sold the ticket which is drawn at Fun Day, you will receive $50 and the buyer gets $500. If you bought your own ticket, you will receive $550! If your chapter sells the most tickets, that chapter receives $300 for its treasury! We need to do a much better job this year in selling $5 Fun Day tickets than we did in 2014. To the best of my knowledge, the NFB of SC is the only state affiliate of the NFB which has its own recreational and educational facilities available year round to the state’s blind. However while we enjoy this privilege, we must also help fund the cost of the day-to-day operation of RBRCCB. The principle cost for the operation of RBRCCB is the cost of electricity which<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>has been occurring between $25,000 to $35,000 a year. For example, if a group used all of the facilities of RBRCCB, the electrical cost per day is about $100. Thus, electrical costs for a two day weekend is about $200. For some time we’ve been working with Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative to reduce these charges. Speaking of the statewide membership coming to RBRCCB, we can help reduce operating costs by securing items for the auction. While the Fourth of July is now history, our RBRCCB Resident Manager, Brooke West represented the NFB of SC in the Fourth of July parade which is a main attraction for the Rocky Bottom community. Our distinguished Advisory Board member Mr. Billy Singleton has been sponsoring the annual Fourth of July parade for many years. Here is what Brooke said about the Fourth of July parade, “The parade was very patriotic with golf carts covered with red, white, and blue streamers and American flags. The children even had their bicycles decorated and had a great time. The fireworks display was the highlight of the evening and it was by far the best display I have seen in years. It was just a wonderful night and Mr. Singleton and his family were gracious hosts.” Final Thought: ”Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works” – Steve Jobs<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>