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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>February 10, 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 1539 <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> This past Wednesday Shelley and I traveled to Myrtle Beach for the purpose of looking at three potential hotel sites for our 2016 state convention which will be held October 21, 22, and 23. There are many factors such as room rates, meeting space, catering, overall appearance of the hotel to name a few which need to be considered when selecting a hotel site for the State Convention. I plan to make a decision within the next two weeks and I am hopeful we can have a contract signed no later than the end of March. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this process has been my experience working with Ms. Ursula Grant who is a Convention Sales Manager with the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Grant was extremely helpful identifying potential hotel sites and coordinating our appointments with the various hotels. She was also was very instrumental in securing a $1,500 contribution from the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce to help defray convention expenses. As I stated earlier, plans are to have a contract in place no later than the end of March and I will announce in the Positive Note when you can begin making hotel reservations for the NFB of SC 2016 State Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> David Houck, Editor of the Palmetto Blind, would like to make the following announcement: “The Spring edition of the Palmetto Blind is in production! If you received the cassette edition or want to receive the audio edition, Talking Book Services will be reading and distributing it in their digital format. Please call them at 803-734-4611 if you wish to receive it in this manner, or if you are not signed up to receive talking books, you can do so at this time too. Watch for it on Newsline and on our web page at nfbofsc.org. If you want it via email text, please email the Center requesting it, providing your email address.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you have not done so already, please make your hotel reservations for the 2016 NFB National Convention in Orlando Florida. 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 no-smoking facility.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> For 2016 convention room reservations you can call the hotel at (866) 996-6338. 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 charter bus will depart from the Federation Center in Columbia 8:00 a.m. Thursday, June 30, and the bus will leave Orlando to return to the Federation Center 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 6. We are now accepting your reservation fee of $100 to ride the charter bus to Orlando. Remember, this reservation fee is non-refundable and non-transferable. <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> Now that the 50th Super Bowl is history, we’ll turn our thoughts to the 50th anniversary celebration of the Commission for the Blind. This will make perhaps the best positive relations the blind can enjoy and appreciate. It is slightly less than three months until the celebration of the Commission. This is a golden opportunity for the NFB of SC and the Commission to join hands in promoting this very wholesome and historic celebration. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Only a few of us who were involved in the creation of the Commission 50 years ago are still living. To the best of my memory those who played a part in the passing of the Commission Bill and are still living include Marshall and Lois Tucker, Dr. Fred Crawford, Gene Rogers and myself. Both Marshall and Gene as well as myself are still active and we are still blessed to still be living. The presentation that Marshall made on the creation of the Commission for the Blind at the 1064 Charleston convention was unquestionably the primary key to our success as Marshall’s presentation was very detailed and clear. This article appeared in the Summer 2014 edition of the Palmetto Blind. Our thanks to Marshall and David Houck who reproduced this presentation made in 1964. The national organization was also helpful in this major success story. Dr. Kenneth Jernigan was First Vice President of the NFB and was also the Executive Director of the Iowa Commission for the Blind in 1964. His experience as the head of the Iowa Commission for the Blind was shared with us. A member of the House of Representatives who was a member of the legislative Study Committee made a trip to Des Moines to meet with Dr. Jernigan and this initiative was highly beneficial. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Eugene F. (Gene) Rogers was tremendously involved with the blind of the state where legal issues were involved and Gene, who is an attorney and has been for 60 years, was most helpful. We worked together in producing a draft of the Commission Bill, relying upon our knowledge of the issues affecting the blind of the state. We also reviewed different bills of the several state commissions which were operating and this enabled us to produce the best possible draft for the legislature. Incidentally, Gene Rogers who is Betty’s brother and my brother-in-law will be the guest speaker for the Columbia Chapter meeting this Thursday evening, February 11. I’m sure he will be sharing with the chapter the many experiences he has had throughout the years. In addition to being one of Columbia’s most successful attorneys, he is also a General in the National Guard. He is essentially retired. Gene is only eleven months younger than myself and both of us have of course slowed down in recent years. Those of you who will be reading this Positive Note will want to attend Thursday night’s 6:30 p.m. meeting to hear what Gene has to say to us. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In conclusion, I would be remiss if I did not pay tribute even 50 years later to the blind throughout the state who worked hard to create the Commission for the Blind, contacting legislators living in their area and the many who cris-crossed the state to convince legislators that the state and the blind would be better off with programs housed in a separate agency. We were right then and are right today in expending tremendous energy in creating the Commission for the Blind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?’” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>