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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>June 1, 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 1555<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> The 2016 Spring edition of Senior Camp concluded Thursday, May 26, and it was a huge success thanks to a great group of Seniors and a staff who at times went beyond the call of duty to ensure the camp ran smoothly and efficiently. The Fall session of Senior Camp will be held September 18-22. Applications for the Fall session of camp will be mailed out sometime during the month of July. By the way, last Wednesday evening, the Seniors were extremely generous as they GAVE $400 to kick off a FUND RAISING PROJECT TO REPLACE THE MATRESSES AT THE Ellenburg Lodge. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> At the April 9, NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting, the Board voted to utilize vans to transport individuals to the National Convention in Orlando Florida if we did not completely fill the 47 passenger charter bus. The Board also voted to designate May 15, as the deadline to sign up for the bus list. As of this past Friday, May 27, twenty-two individuals have signed up and have paid their reservation fee of $100. We will be utilizing two fifteen passenger vans to transport these individuals to the National Convention. The vans will depart from the Federation Center in Columbia on Thursday, June 30 at 8:00 A.m. and will return to Columbia on Wednesday, June 6, departing from the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel at 8:00 A.M. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of the NFB of SC Seniors division. “Greetings from the Senior Division. Here is an advertisement for our next conference call to be on June 8 at 4 o’clock p.m. This is a great opportunity to learn from other Seniors. 4th Senior Division Conference Call for 2016. 6/8/16 Let’s Keep Writing and … Publishing and More, moderator, from the Writer’s Division of the NFB. Dial: 712-432-1500 with access code: 759633pound. You will be then asked to confirm the last access code numbers and press 1 to be included in the conference call. As usual, we ask that you put your telephone, (even when using the speaker) on a "mute" mode by pressing star 6. When you wish to comment or ask a question, unmute yourself by pressing once again, star 6. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> During the next week or so, members of the NFB of SC will be receiving a detailed letter regarding the 2016 State Convention which will be held in Myrtle Beach October 28-30. Please read this letter carefully, as it will contain important information regarding this year’s convention. <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> I hope that you had an enjoyable and meaningful Memorial Day weekend. We thoroughly enjoyed a visit from our granddaughter Laura Setters and her husband David and our great-grandchildren during the weekend. Elizabeth is two years old and has unlimited energy. Mason is four years old and likes to look after his little sister. They live in Louisville, Kentucky and we don’t see them enough as they visit with us every May or June. The little children had a wonderful time playing, running and Elizabeth likes to squeal. Before visiting with us they spent a week in Myrtle Beach for vacation and had a wonderful time. We miss them greatly and hope that we will see them again before this year passes. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It hardly seems possible that June is already here. That means it is only three months before the RBRCCB Labor Day weekend Fun Day Festival. Chapter and Division Presidents will be receiving their $5.00 Fun Day tickets. Please send in your filled-out ticket stubs and checks to the state office. You may also turn them in to David Houck at RBRCCB during Labor Day weekend. The seller of the Fun Day ticket drawn will receive $50 and the purchaser of that ticket will receive $500. If you bought your own ticket, you will receive $550. The chapter or division selling the most tickets will receive $300 for their treasury. We need chapters to sell their allotment of Fun Day tickets as this is an important part of the Labor Day weekend festival. Most of us will be arriving on Friday night, September 2 and staying until Monday, September 5. As usual, seven meals will be served – three meals on Saturday, three meals on Sunday and Monday breakfast. There is no increase in the amount charged for the food service which is $40 per person. The $40 includes an outstanding meal for lunch on Saturday. We are also fortunate in having the service of Lenora Robertson and her kitchen crew in handling the food service throughout the Labor Day weekend. It is not too early in making reservations for your room accommodations. We have already heard from two chapters and look for others to be making their reservations as soon as possible. Please call David Houck at 803-254-3777 or Donald Capps at 803-787-0462. As always we believe all accommodations will be ultimately reserved. As you know, we have been attempting to get a suitable musician to give a benefit concert. I am glad to report that we appear to be making some progress as we are currently working with arrangements, including the cost of having a professional doing a concert which will be held between 3:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 3. I’m informed of the performer and I know he is very good. Our Resident Manager Brooke Rivers is in contact with the performer and as soon as this has been finalized, I will release the information statewide so that we can have good attendance for the hour and a half concert. This will enable us to have meaningful entertainment in the recently renovated Lawton Hall. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We understand the Columbia Chapter had a good time at RBRCCB over the weekend. Our information is that this will be the busiest year ever at RBRCCB. Children’s Camp will be held in about six weeks during the week of July 17, and as you can see, much activity is taking place. Make your plans now.<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: #6, #30 & #41. 1964 - Act #896 provides for abolishment of the practice of withholding a percentage of the earnings of blind vending stand operators, known as the bill abolishing "set-aside" fees. 1999 - Halted legislative proviso to re-instate "Set-Aside" provisions abolished 35 years earlier in 1964. 2006 - S.965 Commission for the Blind directed to refund set-aside fees collected from blind vendors and to repeal the set-aside bill passed in 2004. <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>