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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>September 30, 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 1520<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> With October 1, just around the corner, I hope many of our chapters have Meet the Blind Month events already planned. Loretta Green, President of our Upper Dorchester Chapter reports, “On Saturday October 10, 2015 the Upper Dorchester chapter of the National Federation of the Blind will sponsor our Second annual walk-a-thon. The walk-a-thon will be held at Woodland High School football/track field, located at 4128 Hwy 78, Dorchester, SC 29437. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness about the blind and visually impaired and raise funds for the chapter to purchase a 15 passenger van. The van will provide transportation for the members to be able to attend meetings, trainings, and NFB activities. The registration fee is $25.00 per person. We will walk 1 mile. We hope that your company/organization will support our effort. This event is a IRS recognized, Tax deductible, charity fund raiser. Please make all monetary donations payable to the Upper Dorchester Chapter.” I hope to hear from other chapters regarding your Meet the Blind Month activity, and I will share this information in the Positive Note. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am beginning to formulate committees for 2015/2016. If you wish to serve on a committee, please let me know and I will place you on that committee. NFB of SC committees are extremely important as they carry out the business of the Federation between Conventions and Board meetings. <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> As I dictate this part of the Positive Note this Tuesday, there’s only one day left in September. There was a lot of activity at Rocky Bottom in September as there was the Fun Day Festival, the Senior Blind week and a meeting of the Advisory Board. I want to share with you some things happening in September which received little or no fanfare but were important. For example, I heard from many people who enjoyed the barbecue luncheon over Fun Day but there was a good reason for the barbecue to be so tasty. Ellen Taylor, daughter of Lenora Robertson, stayed up until 2:30 a.m. to be sure that the barbecue would be properly prepared. We now publicly thank Ellen in this way. I thoroughly enjoyed being with several on the Conference Center deck Sunday evening during Fun Day as Parnell Diggs entertained everyone. I noted the temperature began to fall as soon as there was nightfall and the air was invigorating. There were a couple of mishaps. Members of the Anderson Chapter did not arrive until the middle of the day on Monday and therefore, they missed out on the activities on Saturday and Sunday. It was good to see Jenny Smith who did the driving. Jenny has been serving the blind for over 60 years. Her late husband Jimmie served as Second Vice President of the NFB of SC for many years. A couple who reside in Rocky Bottom also did not come to the festival until Monday afternoon. We may possibly need to review the best utilization of the time of the Fun Day Festival. And then there was that wonderful gentleman from Loris who returned the $500 concerning the winning Fun Day ticket. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The Senior Blind program from all reports was outstanding. While Frank Coppel is the excellent Director, he has a lot of help from an excellent staff including his lovely wife Shelley. Brooke West, our Resident Manager thoroughly enjoyed participating in the program and was impressed with our leaders and members across the state. During the luncheon which included members of the Advisory Board, our nurse, Christine Filter approached me and stated that she wanted to get more involved. We need to jointly do all we can to utilize Ms. Filter’s service. I was impressed with Dale Wolthoff and Melanie Torrance who were introduced to the Advisory Board by Frank Coppel. Both Dale and Melanie were gracious in their impression of the Senior Blind program and what it means to the enjoyment of the blind. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thursday is the first day of October and I’m told that the leaves have already begun to turn. The Columbia Chapter will be spending this weekend at RBRCCB led by the chapter President Tiffiny Mitchell. I know they will have a good time and will leave the facilities in the same good shape as they found them when they arrived. Christmas is only three months away and the three boards of the Federation Center of the Blind, RBRCCB and the NFB of SC will be holding a Christmas Board Retreat the first weekend in December. On Friday, September 25 there was a meeting of the Advisory Board and Board of Trustees of the Federation Center of the Blind. It was good seeing Robby Bell whose father was the longtime President of the Laurens Chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Sign in a household kitchen: “Help keep our kitchen clean – Let’s eat out!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>