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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>COLUMBIA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>March 11, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>NFB ORLANDO 23016 CONVENTION DETAILS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> At the State Board meeting, which was held during the two hour lunch break, the Board voted unanimously to charge $100 for a seat on the charter bus going to the 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 their parents as long as no extra bed is requested. Please note that the hotel is a no-smoking facility.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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 charter bus will leave Columbia at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, June 30. The bus will leave Orlando at 8:00 a.m. and return to Columbia 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>SENIOR BLIND TELECONFERENCES<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>Calls for Spring 2016<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> Thursday, March 17, 2016 Losing Vision and Adapting to Life’s Changes moderated by Shelley Coppel, South Carolina.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>OCTOBER 28-30 NFB of SC CONVENTION<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>ITEMS FOR SALE!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> The Columbia Chapter is selling T-shirts for $15 for sizes small through 1X and $17 for sizes 2X and 3X. These bear the new federation logo, Columbia Chapter on the sleeve and the quote “Live the life you want.” See Tiffiny Mitchell to get yours! The NFB of SC is selling 16 ounce coffee thermoses for $15 each. See Frank Coppel to get one.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>MARCH 10 COLUMBIA CHAPTER MEETING<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> The meeting was gaveled to order by President Tiffiny Mitchell at 6:30 p.m. Doc Sims gave a devotional on following directions on life’s journey. BBQ planning was the order of the day. BBQ tickets and flyers were passed out. The BBQ tickets are $9.00 and BBQ day is April 21. Please prepare to canvas and work on BBQ day. Canvas nights are Tuesday, April 12, Thursday, April 14 and Monday, April 18. The April Chapter meeting will be on Thursday, April 7. If you need tickets or flyers or need to turn in your name to work on canvas nights or on BBQ Day, call David Houck at 254-3777. Pledges were taken for contributions at the April meeting to get BBQ supplies. Bring your money on April 7!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'> Four new chapter members were voted in, Adrenia Jackson, Ceclia Best, Eric Hilton, and Nichole Travis. Line Dancing at the Center begins Saturday, March 12 at 10:00 a.m. at a cost of $5. We may begin Saturday Supermarket trips in May! The 50-50 drawing winner was Catherine Williams who won $33 from last month and $35 from this month. She donated the $35 prize back to the chapter.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>Happy St. Patrick’s Day!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>Tiffiny Mitchell, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#003300'>Columbia Chapter, NFB of SC<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>