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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>February 24, 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 1541 <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> This past Saturday, I along with thousands of other South Carolinians went to my neighborhood precinct to vote in the Republican Party Presidential primary. When I walked in to the precinct, I was asked by one of the workers if I wanted to use one of the audio voting machines. I did use an audio machine and I was able to cast a secret ballot just as other individuals were doing that day. I have used an accessible voting machine since 2006, and I still feel a sense of pride knowing I am being treated as an equal with my sighted counterparts. We can all thank the National Federation of the Blind, who in the early 2000’s sponsored federal legislation which mandated the voting process be accessible to all disabled people. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Remember, we are still 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. If you wish to purchase one ,you can contact the Federation Center at (803) 254-3777 or JW Smith at (864) 269-0004. <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. 2016 National Convention schedule:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thursday, June30, Seminar Day <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Friday, July 1, Registration, exhibit hall, division and committee meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Saturday, July 2, National Board of Directors meeting, division and committee meetings <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Sunday, July 3, Opening General Session <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Monday, July 4, General Session <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Tuesday, July 5, General Session, banquet<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> When the February edition of the Braille Monitor was received Betty and I were surprised to see a picture which was unique to say the least. Included in the picture were Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and Mary Ellen Jernigan, Marc and Pat and their son Patrick Maurer, and Donald and Betty Capps. All seven of us were sitting on camels. This picture was made in November of 1992 when we were participating in the World Blind Union conference in Cairo, Egypt. The picture was made near the pyramids which we were told were constructed 5,000 years ago. Although the pyramids were constructed thousands of years ago, each block fitted with precision as though there was a civil engineer present to be sure each block was laid perfectly. We climbed to the top of one of the pyramids and this was a lifetime experience. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> En route from the hotel in downtown Cairo showed Egyptians cooking food over fires built near their huts. We visited the Bazaar which featured souvenirs for purchase. Betty liked a music box featuring a piano. We had been advised not to pay the first price for any item and to offer considerably less. It happened that Dr. Jernigan did the bargaining for us and on more than one time when we started to leave, the shop owner blocked the doorway. Finally, we paid what we thought was a very good price. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The Egyptians were very hospitable with Mrs. Sadat, Egypt’s First Lady at the time, addressing the conference. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Cairo is a very old city and over hundreds of years the atmosphere attracted all kinds of undesirables, causing the city to have an undesirable odor. While the streets contained several lanes, the driving was scary as it was unwise to stick your hand out of the window. The red lights were ignored. While we stayed in a five star hotel, we were told to drink water only in the dining area as the water otherwise was not suitable for consumption. One morning I was brushing my teeth and soon learned I had made a mistake as some of the water from my brushing got into my system. One hour later while attending the conference I became very ill from having the water in my system. We were invited to a private home and I remember this as while we were enjoying dinner on the third floor of the dwelling, we suddenly noticed an earthquake which shook the dwelling, causing some anxious moments for us. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> During one session we were sitting by a young blind Egyptian girl who introduced us to her fiancé who was blind. She urged me to oppose the funds which were being donated to refurbish the home of Louis Braille in France. She wanted these funds to be given to her fiancé to attend an American University. I told them I could not do this. She was slightly annoyed with me. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The World Blind Union conference will be held in the United States in 2016. It will be sponsored by the NFB. I was very blessed to attend the 1992 conference of the World Blind Union and I know that the 2016 conference will be a tremendous success.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Imagine having your birthday on February 29th – you would celebrate your birthday once every four years! – how old would you be if you were born on this day?”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>