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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>May 18, 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 1553<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> Hats off to Tiffany Mitchell and the Columbia Chapter for a job well done with this year’s chicken barbecue dinner fund raiser! Although all monies have not been turned in as yet, it appears the fundraiser was a huge success. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> There is slightly less than two weeks remaining 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> Also, 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. 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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shannon Cook Chairperson of the Scholarship Committee. “The spring semester has come to an end for most students, and I wanted to remind everyone that it is not too early to submit your application for a 2016 NFB of SC scholarship. The deadline is July 18th. This will be the date for all materials to be completed and submitted. The application can be found at www.nfbofsc.org. Please let others in your chapters know about the scholarships. Finally, the scholarship committee would like to have all scholarships sent in by August 15th, which is the date that the committee will meet and determine which applicants will be awarded scholarships this year. Thank you for your participation and support.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> This Saturday May 21, Shelley and I along with many others will be traveling to Rocky Bottom to participate in the 2016 Spring Senior Camp which will be held from Sunday, May 22 to Thursday, May 26. I always look forward to Senior Camp and it appears we have an excellent group of Seniors attending this session. I am also extremely fortunate to have a wonderful volunteer staff who works very closely with me to ensure we have a well-planned and meaningful program for our seniors. <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> At the 50th anniversary Banquet of the SC Commission for the Blind I mentioned that it was my privilege to attend the signing ceremony which was held in Gov. McNair’s office at the State House. What I didn’t mention was that my wife Betty was also privileged to be present for the signing ceremony. When Gov. McNair completed the signing of the bill creating the Commission for the Blind, he handed the pen he used to Betty. She took good care of the pen until it could be placed in the Legislative Hall of Fame at the Federation Center. The pen occupies a prominent place next to the Commission Bill along with more than 40 other bills. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Speaking of important anniversaries, the Positive Note is celebrating its 30th anniversary, having begun in 1986. The initial purpose of the Positive Note was to disseminate something positive that would be communicated to NFB of SC members across the state. When Parnell Diggs was the President since the year 2000, he was the primary editor of the Positive Note for some 15 years. For the past year, Frank Coppel has been the primary author. Throughout the 30 years, I have been involved in editing of the Positive Note as both Parnell and Frank have extended this courtesy to me. The Positive Note continues to feature positive issues but its coverage includes a variety of issues of interest to the state’s blind. To the best of my knowledge, the NFB of SC was the first state organization of the blind to publish a weekly Positive Note but I believe the national organization now gets out a weekly publication. It is popular.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> There’s another important federation anniversary. This is the 25th anniversary of the Conference Center at RBRCCB. The Conference Center was dedicated in July 1991. The keynote speaker was Gov. Carroll Campbell. Some 500 persons, blind and sighted, attended this most impressive event. I’m glad the fire department was not present as you certainly would have noticed that there were more people than there should have been, but everything went smoothly. The Conference Center gave a tremendous boost to the work of the NFB of SC, hosting a variety of events including Senior Blind week which occurs next week. It also hosts Children’s Camp the week of July 17under the leadership of Jennifer Bazer. Some two weeks ago the Conference Center was instrumental in hosting a fishing expedition for the Upstate blind, sponsored by Lions Clubs under the director of our distinguished Advisory Board member Phil Marett. There were three who stood out on the fishing expedition. They were Jim Reed of the Anderson Chapter who caught the largest fish, Patricia Tuck of the Greenville Chapter who caught the most fish and Aaron Cureton of the Spartanburg Chapter; all three will go to the North Carolina Outer Banks fishing tournament. Phil Marett reported the following, “Thank the NFB committee for allowing us to use the excellent facilities at Rocky Bottom. We would be severely handicapped if we had to find our own rooms.” It is noted that Patricia Tuck who resided in Florida is now back in Greenville, South Carolina. Patricia has been a loyal federatioonist for many years and she will be an asset to the Greenville Chapter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: History of NFB of SC Legislative Victories: #2. 1959 - Bill #62-226 provides an extra exemption to the blind on their state income tax.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>