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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='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>September 7, 2016 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter &Division Presidents & Others<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>From: Frank Coppel, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>Positive Note 1569<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>Greetings Fellow Federationists: <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who came and participated in the Fun Day Festival held at Rocky Bottom this past Labor Day weekend. Although the turnout was not as great as we had hoped for, everyone appeared to have a great time enjoying each other’s company and raising money for Rocky Bottom. Special thanks go to Lenora Robertson and her “Food Crew” for preparing outstanding meals throughout the weekend. Also, many thanks go to Valerie and Larry Warrington, Libby Farr, Alma Lee Doyle, David and Darleen Houck, Brooke Rivers, and Shelley Coppel for their assistance throughout the weekend as well as Jeff Baser who did a great job handling the duties of auctioneer. RBRCCB is an extremely important and vital program of the NFB of SC and all of us as members need to work diligently and creatively in the years to come to increase the amount of monies raised during the Fun Day Festival. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> Only seven weeks remain until the 2016 NFB of SC State Convention begins! The convention will be held the weekend of October 28-30 at the Sands Resort/Ocean Dunes Hotel in Myrtle Beach. I would suggest if you have not made your room reservation as yet you may want to do so by calling 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. 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 is $87 per night for ocean view and $99 per night ocean front and can accommodate up to four in a room. 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. Also, only two weeks remain to send in your $70 convention preregistration to the Federation Center. The $70 preregistration for the convention will cover the Friday evening reception, the Saturday luncheon and the Saturday evening banquet as well as a continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning. After Friday, September 23, the registration will increase to $85. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> Jamie Allison, Chairperson of the Youth Recruitment Committee, has the following announcement; “Calling all Young People! Do you play a musical instrument, act, write poems or short stories, sing, or dance? Are you attending the NFB of SC State Convention in Myrtle Beach on October 28-30th? Do you have a talent that you like to show off to larger groups? We invite youth up to age 25 to participate in the first ever NFB of SC 2016 Youth Talent Showcase! In order to participate, you must be present for the entire Saturday session and the banquet that evening, as participants will be called randomly throughout the day to present their talent to the audience. At the banquet, the audience will decide the winners by way of applause/crowd participation. Your talent act can include almost any type of performing art, poetry reading, dance or demonstrations of gymnastics, martial arts, or some other physical skill. If your talent act is more visual, we do ask that you have someone present who can be an audio describer for the benefit of the blind persons in the audience. Your act may not be longer than five minutes, and the content or lyrics must be deemed appropriate for a general audience comprised of individuals of all ages and backgrounds. In order to participate, you need to sign up by either texting or emailing Jamie Allison at 864-838-0338 or jrallison410@gmail.com or Loretta Green at 843-563-3956 or l.k.green66@gmail.com with your name, title of your talent act, song, etc. and the length of your presentation. The deadline for signing up is Friday, October 14th. There will be small-value prizes for winners and goody bags for participants. Hope to see you there!” <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> 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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> The 2016 Labor Day Fun Day Festival was a good success. Our profits this year were more than $1,238 greater than in 2015. This year’s profit was $7,549 as the 2015 profit was $6,310.40. I’m grateful to all of you who helped to make this year’s Fun Day a good success. While there were a few members who cancelled during the last week, there were some 45 members present. The participation was statewide with Alma Lee Doyle and Pat and Donnie Mincey from Loris and Loretta and Henry Green from Upper Dorchester who drove a great distance even in a tropical storm to be part of our annual Fun Day. The following is a breakdown of the proceeds which also involves proceeds of 2015 which gives us information as to the more than $1,200 profit this year: Fun Day tickets $3,560 and $1,920 in 2015; Auction $1,350 and $877 in 2015; Weekend Food $1,180 and $1,120 in 2015; Labor Day Food sales $390 and $371 in 2015; T-shirt sales, etc. $242 and $130 in 2015; Yard Sale $159 and $43 in 2015; Old Country Store $37 and $89.40 in 2015; BINGO $93 and $60 in 2015; Food Donations $320 and $500 in 2015; Neal McJunkin Benefit Concert $130; and Other Donations $88 in 2016 and $1,200 in 2015. Our thanks to our granddaughter Laura Setters and her family for making an $88 contribution to RBRCCB in honor of my 88th birthday. You will note there was an increase in just about every category. Throughout the years Blue Ridge Electric has been good about providing a TV for the auction. About the middle of last week we were informed that once again Blue Ridge Electric would contribute a 42 inch flat screen TV and it would be delivered on Friday, September 2 but this did not happen. However, I got a telephone call this Tuesday morning from a Blue Ridge Electric official who profusely apologized for failure to deliver the TV. He stated he had the TV to be delivered on Friday but explained that he got very busy and simply forgot to make the delivery. He could not have been more gracious and stated he would make the delivery this Tuesday. It was decided by the gathering that the TV would be auctioned off during the state convention in Myrtle Beach. Incidentally, the 42inch flat screen TV has been delivered to us at Rocky Bottom. Our thanks to state President Frank Coppel for his assistance. This will add to the auction proceeds as well as to the total profits. We cannot recognize each and every member who helped, however, here is some information you will enjoy reading. The following are the Fun Day ticket winners: Oueeny Smith is the 8 year old granddaughter of Roy and Josephine Smith, President of our Charleston Chapter. Queeny won the $500 as the purchaser and Roy Smith won $50 as the seller of the winning ticket. The Columbia Chapter sold 174 Fun Day tickets and won the $300 for their chapter’s treasury. The Loris Chapter placed second, selling 100 tickets and the Rock Hill Chapter placed third, selling 65 tickets. Our appreciation to Jeff Bazer of our Columbia Chapter who did an excellent job as our auctioneer. The black and silver signed Carolina Panthers football was auctioned off for $250. Valerie Warrington secured the Panthers football. Our appreciation to Lenora Robertson and her kitchen crew once again for handling the food service and preparing the meals. I’m pleased that this year’s $5 Fun Day ticket sales exceeded last year’s sales by $3,730. Our members worked harder than last year. David Houck worked very closely with those selling tickets and deserves credit for much of its success. The first benefit concert was a marginal success. The band headed up by Neal McJunkin was excellent. The annual Labor Day Fun Day Festival was a success because of our members participation. There was a lot of fun and fellowship with a great deal of congeniality. Betty and I appreciated the many hugs and embraces and we want all of you across the state to know that we love you very much.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'>Final Thought: History of NFB of SC Legislative Victories: #21: 1984 - A bill providing for equal treatment of prospective blind jurors in jury service.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>