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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>March 9, 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 1543 <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> You can now begin to make your hotel reservation for the 2016 NFB of SC State Convention which will be held at the Sands Resorts/Ocean Dunes hotel in North Myrtle Beach October 28-30. To make your room reservations call the Sands Resort Central Reservations at 1-800-599-9872 and inform the reservationist you are reserving a room for the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina state convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> All reservations must be guaranteed by check or credit card and received within 5 days of reservation date. Advance deposits will be credited to the last night's stay as indicated by individual reservation request. Room rates for this year’s convention are very affordable. The price of rooms including taxes are $87 per night for ocean view and $99 per night ocean front and can accommodate up to four in a room. These room rates will be available three days before or three days after the convention. Amenities include in-room safes, refrigerators, microwaves, coffee pots, irons, ironing boards, hair dryers, electronic door locks, wireless Internet connections, and telephones with voice mail in all sleeping rooms. We are expecting a large turnout of our members to attend the 2016 state convention, so I would encourage you to make your reservations early. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It is time for you to preregister online for the 2016 NFB National Convention in Orlando Florida. If you preregister prior to May 31, registration for convention will cost $25 and a banquet ticket will cost $60. After May 31, the cost for convention registration will increase to $30 and the cost of a banquet ticket will increase to $65. Save $10 and also skip the need to stand in line for a long period of time at the convention by purchasing your convention registration and banquet ticket by the May 31 deadline. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of our NFB of SC Seniors Division. “Greetings from our Senior Division of SC. The National Seniors Division is resuming our schedule of conference calls again beginning on March 17 with Shelley Coppel as the moderator. The topic will be Losing Vision and Adapting to Life’s Changes. The call will be at 4:00 p.m. eastern time. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The numbers to dial are the same as last year: 712-432-1500 with access code: 759633pound. You will then be asked if this is correct as you hear the access code repeated that you just dialed. You are prompted to press (1) if the code is correct. You then announce yourself by stating your name, and, you are entered into the conference call.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If the call is missed, you can listened to it again with a “playback” number which will be given a few hours after the calls have taken place. The main playback number is: 712-432-1202. You will then be asked to choose from a menu of numbers from 1 to about 13 up to 17 as each call is put on the list in sequence of dates in which the conference call took place. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Calls for Spring 2016<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thursday, March 17, 2016 Losing Vision and Adapting to Life’s Changes moderated by Shelley Coppel, South Carolina.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Wednesday, April 13, 2016 Churchgoing—Making Everyone more Comfortable with Our Blindness moderated by Tom Anderson, president of the national Association of the Blind in Communities of Faith, Kansas.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Wednesday, May 11, 2016 How To Solve The Little problems in Your Life When Significant Vision Loss occurs moderated by Jan Bailey, Minnesota.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Wednesday, June 8, 2016, Let’s Keep Writing and … Publishing and More, moderator, from the Writer’s Division of the NFB.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In order to obtain the best possible sound for these calls, it is recommended that each caller, after dialing in, press star 6 which puts you in a “mute” mode. You will be able to hear everything during the call but background noise from your location will not disturb others listening in on the conversation. When you wish to speak and enter the discussion, press star 6 once again and you will be released from the “mute” mode and able to participate.” <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> Tuesday evening we traveled to Williamston to speak to a joint meeting of the Williamston and Pendleton Lions Clubs. The dinner meeting was held in the Williamston City Hall with about 50 Lions present. Our thanks to our Advisory Board member Barry Chavis who arranged transportation. Diane Ritter President of the Williamston Lions Club invited me to speak for about 30 minutes about RBRCCB, what funding we receive and need. I complimented the Lions as I believe they are the best civic organization. I explained my first experience with the Lions Club many years ago when I was a student at the SC School for the Blind as the Spartanburg Lions Club, every Christmas, would give each student one gift and fruit. I talked about the support we receive from the Lions in the Upstate including significant financial support by the Salem Lions Club. Civic organizations are always interested in the origin of RBRCCB. I explained in 1958 I paid a claim which we did not technically owe but when I was hired by Colonial Life several years earlier, I was told to look for as many ways to pay a claim as we look to decline a claim. Some weeks later the policyholder who accepted the voluntary claim payment visited my office and explained his appreciation for the claim’s settlement. At the same time he extended an invitation to me and my wife to spend the weekend in Rocky Bottom in his mountain cabin. I declined but he secured the permission of Colonial’s President and this was in fact the one incident that led to the origin of RBRCCB. I covered the programs of RBRCCB with emphasis on Senior Camp for two weeks and Summer Camp for blind children. The financial operation was discussed including giving interest to our efforts to generate as much self-support as possible including the $35,000 received in 2015 for rental income. I stated that we are proud of our financial progress including the assistance from the blind themselves.; but emphasized we also need support from the private sector. There were about 50 Lions in attendance from the two clubs and Barry stated that the gathering was very attentive throughout my presentation and I could of course sense their attention as well. I accepted this invitation even though it was strenuous as I am hopeful my presentation will lead to more Lions support. Finally I want to express my sincere regret to RBRCCB Advisory Board member Phil Marett for a fire which destroyed his house. He is building another house exactly where the old house stood.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” - Albert Einstein<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>