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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>September 9, 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: Frank Coppel, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Note 1517<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> After participating in a three day NFB Leadership Seminar at the Jernigan Institute in Baltimore, it was good to return home to South Carolina Sunday afternoon. This was the 81st Leadership Seminar conducted by the National Federation of the Blind, the first being held in 1973. Twenty-four Seminarians from across the country participated in this very worthwhile program. States represented at the seminar were Hawaii, California, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hampshire, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. The Seminar was not only extremely informative, but it gave us the opportunity to network with other Federation leaders and to develop friendships. The Jernigan Institute itself is extremely impressive. It gave me a feeling of pride to know that we as Federationists own this building, and that we offer an array of services designed to improve the quality of life of blind people. Attending the Seminar reinforced the purpose of the NFB, which is, to take ownership of Our Organization and our programs. <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. 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> The 2015 Labor Day Fun Day Festival was a success. However, there was a significant drop off from last year’s record breaking Fun Day Festival. Total proceeds from the 2014 Fun Day Festival amounted to $9,805.25. The proceeds from the 2015 festival are $6,310.40. A $2,000 Virginia Foundation contribution to last year’s festival made up much of the difference between the 2014 and 2015 festivals. We also believe that the Fun Day Festival was held only two weeks after the state convention which was a factor. Understandably, you would expect the state convention to be financially demanding which would have had an effect on the turnout for the 2015 festival. This was unusual in that the state convention was held much later than usual due to difficulty in securing available hotel accommodations. Also, during the two month period between July 5 and September 5 there was a national convention, a state convention and the Fun Day Festival and it’s reasonable to conclude that this would have had a financial bearing on this year’s festival. I’m proud of our members who have handled these three major events. It is noteworthy that Saturday night at the state convention on August 22 some $10,000 was generated and just two weeks later more than $6,000 in profits was raised for Rocky Bottom totaling $16,000 for the two week period. This was an unprecedented success. Incidentally, during the past two weeks, Rock Springs Baptist Church of Easley gave $1,000 to RBRCCB (secured by our Resident Manager Brooke West) which was designated for needed repairs. But these additional funds for the RBRCCB program were appreciated. At the Christmas Board Retreat we may wish to review the Fun Day format so that we can make this program more of a success. The following is a breakdown of the $6,310.40 – Fun Day tickets $1,920.00, Fun Day contributions $1,200.00, $30 Weekend Food $1,120.00, Auction $877.00, $50 Food Contributions $500.00, Saturday Lunch $371.00, T-shirt sales $130.00, Old Country Store $89.40, BINGO $60.00, and the Yard Sale $43.00. I want to thank all of the participants who made key contributions including Lenora Robertson and her kitchen crew who were in charge of the food service. Parnell Diggs headed up the Auction, traveling from Baltimore to RBRCCB to do so. Isaiah Nelson purchased and delivered the food to RBRCCB. Kim Diggs headed up the BINGO game. David Houck sold Fun Day Tickets and Darlene Houck sold T-shirts. Alma Lee Doyle was in charge of the Yard Sale and our Resident Manager Brooke West managed the Old Country Store. There was a slight drop off in attendance with 45 participants in 2015 with some 50 participants in 2014. Again, the recent state convention probably played a role in the drop off but even so we had many members and chapters represented. The $500 winner of the Fun Day ticket drawn was Vincent Powell of Loris, Alma Lee Doyle was the seller, who won $50 and the Loris Chapter sold the mist Fun Day tickets winning $300 for their chapter’s treasury. Chapters represented included Aiken, Anderson, Belvedere, Clarendon, Columbia, Grand Strand, Greenville, Loris, Newberry, Pickens, Rock Hill, and Upper Dorchester. Please forgive me if we overlooked anyone. We were pleased to have Pickens Chapter President Phil Patterson and his lovely wife Jane who joined us for lunch on Saturday. At the last moment some chapter members dropped out. We were pleased to have at least two neighbors who joined us for lunch including Janice Taylor and Jimmy Masters. We were also pleased to have our resident board member Dr. Tom Bowen and his lovely wife Caroline. The RBRCCB program continues as the Senior Blind camp will be held in two weeks. We look forward to a more profitable Fun Day Festival in 2016. Congratulations to Ed Bible and members of his church who will be at RBRCCB this week for volunteer service.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “In good times and bad, we know that people give because you meet needs, not because you have needs.” - -Kay Sprinkel Grace<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>