<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>November 11, 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 1526<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> I am certain by now Board members of RBRCCB, the Federation Center, and the NFB of SC as well as Chapter and Division Presidents have received their letter regarding the Rocky Bottom Christmas Board Retreat on December 4-6. Please notify the State Office as soon as possible of your intentions for attending this Retreat, In order that we may have an accurate head count to purchase food for the four meals being served (Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday breakfast) as well as making the necessary sleeping accommodations. I am confident we will have near 100 percent of our board members in attendance and we will have an excellent turnout of Chapter and Division Presidents present for the weekend. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Isaiah Nelson has the following announcement; “To: all chapter and division presidents: If there are any members in your chapter or division who attended the SCSDB, please ask them to notify me either by mail or telephone in reference to a meeting that we are trying to put together as we are planning a school reunion in June, 2016. It will be held at one of the local hotels here in Columbia. We would like to get some suggestions or ideas. They may contact me at 803-413-2434 or by mail at 6957 Olive Dr., Columbia, SC, 29203.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On a sad note, we have been informed by Dorothy Barksdale, Margie Heard, a longtime federationist and a former member of the Columbia chapter passed away last night at South Palmetto Hospital in Barnwell. Margie was a very kind and sweet mature lady and she will be greatly missed. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Finally, I would also like to extend my thanks to all the chapters and individuals who responded to David Houck’s request for assistance in obtaining much needed office supplies for the Federation Center. It is very heart-warming to me to see when a need arises in our Federation family that we have chapters and individuals who are willing to respond quickly in a very generous and positive manner. <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> This week the Rock Hill Chapter under the leadership of its President Lenora Robertson is enjoying their annual visit to Rocky Bottom. Also, later this month our Clarendon County Chapter under the leadership of its President Marty McKenzie will be spending some time at Rocky Bottom.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Continuing with the 50th anniversary of the Commission for the Blind, the things and challenges the NFB of SC undertook 50 years ago have impacted programs for the blind. I want to share this information with you across the state. In last week’s Positive Note we talked about the joint House/Senate hearings on the Commission Bill. There were subsequent hearings at the Federation Center and Dr. Kenneth Jernigan who came to Columbia in November 1965, was invited by the nine member Legislative Study Committee to give testimony, especially since he was the head of the Iowa Commission for the Blind. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We had been studying programs for the blind in the state several years earlier as we were especially disturbed about the treatment of the 1,800 blind South Carolinians who were receiving Aid to the Needy Blind (ANB) now known as Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Our study revealed information indicating that funds earmarked by the General assembly for these 1,800 blind recipients had been diverted for other purposes and were used to cover raises for employees of the Department of Public Welfare. Initially there was a denial by the Welfare Department that this had occurred and I was invited to a House Committee to testify concerning the diverted funds and the Welfare Department was also represented. During these hearings once again there were denials that funds had been diverted but I suggested to the Committee that our attorney be called in with documentation of the diverted funds and at this point the department head acknowledged it had occurred. Subsequently, all of the funds that had been used for raises were returned and equal payments were made to all of the 1,800 ANB recipients. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In 1964 I appeared before a Senate Committee to discuss legislation that would prevent the Welfare Department from charging blind vendors with set-aside fees. The agency head, after my presentation, told the Committee it was planning to eliminate the practice of charging set-aside fees. Whereupon, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Edgar Brown, stated the agency would not be refunding charges as his Committee would be making the necessary moves by introducing special legislation which would prevent the agency from handling the matter without applicable law. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The NFB of SC has addressed issues affecting the blind with more than 40 pieces of legislation and blind vendors have received more than their share of our efforts. In the 1990’s a hostile legislator concentrated on removing the set-aside provision on the blind vendor bill. A bill was introduced by the hostile legislator which finally made it through the General Assembly although the NFB of SC had made it clear the bill was in violation federal law as filed. Our attorney filed litigation and the attorney for the Senate, after reviewing the litigation, stated the NFB of SC’s position was correct. Once again the NFB of SC was responsible for the return of funds to blind vendors across the state that were charged set-aside fees illegally. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We are saddened to report the death of longtime federationist, Margie Heard a few days ago. Margie has been a loyal and faithful member and was loved by everyone in the Columbia Chapter where she served for many years. On behalf of the NFB of SC family we extend sincere sympathy to the family of this lady who will be greatly missed by all of us. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “On this Veterans Day we want to remember our Veterans, especially our blind veterans. Many blind veterans are Federation members or have been served by the Federation. They sacrificed so that we might be free.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>