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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>January 4, 2016<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 1534 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Fellow Federationists:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>OF SOUTH CAROLINA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a wonderful Holiday season and are now ready to begin 2016 with a great deal of enthusiasm and energy. Here is information regarding the upcoming 2016 Orlando National Convention. The date of this year’s national convention will be June 30, to July 5, 2016 and will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The 2016 room rates are singles and doubles, $83; and triples and quads, $89. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 12.5 percent. No charge will be made for children under seventeen in the room with parents as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a non-smoking facility.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For 2016 convention room reservations you can call the hotel at (866) 996-6338 after January 1. You may also write directly to the Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32819-9357. The hotel will want a deposit of $95 for each room and will want a credit card number or a personal check. If you use a credit card, the deposit will be charged against your card immediately, just as would be the case with a $95 check. If a reservation is cancelled before Friday May, 27, 2016, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made. The schedule of the convention is as follows: Thursday, June 30, Seminar Day, Friday, July 1, Registration and exhibits, Saturday, July 2, National Board Meeting and division and committee meetings, Sunday, July 3, Opening General Session, Monday, July 4, General session, Tuesday, July 5, Banquet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>At the December Board meeting of the NFB of SC is was voted to have the charter bus leave to go to the National Convention from the Federation Center in Columbia on Thursday Morning, at 8:00 a.m., June 30, and return from Orlando on Wednesday morning, at 8:00 a.m., July 6. We will not accept reservations for a seat on the bus until after the Statewide Seminar on Saturday. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The NFB of SC will be selling an insulated sixteen ounce NFB of SC coffee thermos for the price of $15. These coffee thermoses are very attractive and should be very easy to sell to federation members as well as the general public. We will have the thermoses on display for purchase at the Statewide Seminar. The NFB of SC is also planning a Sweetheart dance which will be held February 12, 2016 at the Federation Center from 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m. The evening promises to be a fun and enjoyable experience with a professionally catered dinner, music and dancing. Tickets to this event will only be $25 and we will begin selling them at the Statewide Seminar. If you purchase your ticket at the Seminar, your name will be placed in a drawing for a very special prize which will be conducted during the dance. All tickets must be purchased by February 4. We are also planning to reserve a block of rooms at a nearby hotel for those of you who live outside of Columbia and would like to attend the dance. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have not notified the Federation Center as to whether you are planning to attend the Statewide Seminar on January 9, please do so as soon as possible. This will help us to determine the amount of food to purchase for lunch. Remember we will be conducting an auction throughout the day to raise money for the Federation Center. Be sure to bring items for the auction such as, cakes, pies, cookies, gift baskets, and electronics. Also, please continue to sell your Orlando National Convention bus tickets. It is imperative we sell as many tickets as possible to help cover the expense of the chartered bus to Orlando. If you have not done so already, please mail your ticket stubs and money to the Federation Center or bring them with you to the Seminar on Saturday, January 9. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Shelley Coppel, President of the Seniors Division has the following announcement; “A note to all to come to the Statewide Seminar ready to support our drawing for a free 2 night stay with 2 complimentary registrations at our State convention in 2016. Our tickets sell: 1 for $10; 3 for $20! Shelley Coppel will be sitting in a prominent place convenient for all to hear! Thank you for your support in advance.” Steve Cook, President of the Computer Science and Technology Division has the following announcement; “The Computer Science & Technology Division will have a drawing on January 9, 2016, at the state wide seminar. The person who purchases the ticket will have the choice of putting their name in the drawing for an iTunes gift card for $25, a Walmart gift card for $25 or a restaurant gift card for $25. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5. For example, you purchase 3 tickets. You can put 2 tickets in the Walmart drawing box and 1 ticket in the iTunes drawing box. You do not have to be present to win. We will draw the winning ticket for each gift card at the end of the seminar.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The 2016 Statewide Seminar promises to be a good one and I am looking forward to seeing and talking to many of you at the Statewide Seminar on Saturday! <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> Many of us across the state will be converging on Columbia this Saturday to participate in the 46th annual Statewide Seminar. Not many of us are still around to remember the first Statewide Seminar; however, Marshall and Lois Tucker were participants of that event 45 years ago. I was assisted by David Houck in locating the article on the first Statewide Seminar. It is most interesting and I’m sharing it with you. It will be noted that in 1971 we were operating as the Aurora Club, not changing our name until five years later at the 1976 state convention to the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From the February 1971 edition of the Palmetto Auroran: First Aurora Seminar A Gigantic Success by Donald C. Capps – “The South Carolina Aurora Club of the Blind [NFB of SC] held its first Statewide Seminar on Saturday, January 30, 1971 at the Aurora Center of the Blind [Federation Center]. Some 40 Aurorans from throughout South Carolina participated in the all-day study course. Group participation and discussion were the order of the day. The primary purpose of the seminar was to study methods of improving Aurora’s operation in all aspects.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> An enthusiastic gathering immediately settled down and got the seminar underway by studying every provision and article of the Aurora Constitution. This 27 year old document is the “blueprint” for the management and direction of Aurora, and without familiarity with the Constitution, it is not possible to do the best job for Aurora. Since the state President and all the chapter presidents are the Chief Executive Officers charged with the responsibility of furthering the overall progress of the organization, there was considerable discussion as to how a president might best perform his responsibilities. The relationship between the President and other officers was also studied in depth.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The functions of various committees were also reviewed and examined. Since virtually all committees must be appointed by the President, the group reviewed and discussed proper relationships between committees and the President. Suggested methods of improved presiding also came in for considerable discussion. Robert’s Rules of Order proved to be of considerable benefit in this phase of the seminar.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Members of the seminar were given a suggested agenda for monthly chapter meetings. Seminar participants were also presented with a list of some 20 different types of speakers who might be utilized for chapter meetings. Some ingredients for better human relationships were examined during the seminar. These included such things as total commitment, enthusiasm, flexibility, a sense of humor, discipline, preparation, courtesy, acknowledging the help of others, goal setting and confidence.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> There was a unanimous expression of satisfaction with the seminar and complete support for future seminars. Aurora is committed to being the best possible organization of the blind and it is felt that seminars will play an important role in reaching this high goal.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I’m sure that you will agree that many of the issues discussed in 1971 are still relevant today. It will be noted that some 40 members participated in the 1971 Statewide Seminar and today there is some 500% increase in attendance. See you Saturday!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Resolution: I will do a random act of kindness for someone this week.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>