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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 14, 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 1570<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'> This past Wednesday, September 7, Shelley and myself along with Ed and Julie Bible traveled to Myrtle Beach for the purpose of finalizing arrangements for our upcoming State Convention. We met with the Ocean Dunes Hotel management staff Thursday morning, to conduct a training session on the true nature of blindness as well as demonstrating techniques that would best assist our blind members. We also discussed menus for the weekend as well as many other details regarding the convention. It was the feeling of the four of us, the management staff of the Ocean Dunes Hotel is willing to do whatever needs to be done to accommodate us and to make our stay at their hotel a memorable one. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> Only six 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. 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> Also, there is only one week remaining 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. Remember, after 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'> We are planning a “Beach Party” theme for our Friday evening reception. So bring your dancing shoes and let’s “shag on the beach”! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> We have an announcement from Jennifer Duffell Hoffman and Jamie Allison regarding a special activity which will occur at the State convention. “Attention! Attention! To those who are interested in attending NFB BELL-X at the NFBSC State Convention on Friday, October 28th.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> We invite all individuals who are interested in participating in NFB BELL-X to obtain a free NFB white cane and a free slate and stylus from the national website. We will have a limited supply of NFB white canes and slates available for loan during the duration of the session, however, we strongly encourage everyone interested to order a white cane and a slate for yourself from the NFB national office at no cost to you that will be yours to keep to bring with you. While other types of white canes are available, an NFB white cane is the best tool for learning through the structured discovery method, which differs from that of more traditional methods that are commonly used. A pair of sleep shades (blindfold) is also highly recommended to get the most out of the experience. These can be purchased at many stores or from NFB Independence Market. Also note that while we hope to get participation from parents and children, the session is open to the general membership. If you're wanting to know more about white cane travel, Braille, the NFB BELL Academy, its teaching philosophies, or if you could serve future programs in some way, please make plans to attend! Here are direct links to online forms at the national web site at www.nfb.org. If you need to print out and send in a hard copy form, there is a separate web link on these pages for this. If you are sighted and wishing to obtain a white cane to use as a "teaching" cane (a cane used by a sighted person to learn about nonvisual travel), write this in the box labeled for comments. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> To obtain a free white cane, go to: https://nfb.org/free-cane-program. To obtain a free slate and stylus, go to: https://nfb.org/free-slate-program.” Thank you! Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman and Jamie Allison, NFB BELL Academy in SC.<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 Positive Note is pleased to share the following excellent Lions article with the blind across the state. This article will appear in the national Lions Club publication which is excellent public relations for RBRCCB. We are glad that our Resident Manager Brooke Rivers cooperated entirely with the Salem Lions Club in making this significant gift possible to RBRCCB. Additionally, Brooke is featured in the picture in the article including Salem Lions Club President Ted Brewer, Treasurer Carl Halvorsen, and Vice President Jack Ackerman. Here is the article:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> “Our ongoing support of the Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind extended to upgrading their laundry facilities during July and August. It had become difficult for Resident Manager Brooke Rivers to clean 52 sets of sheets and towels needed to prepare for full occupancy. The washers and dryers in three of their buildings were old and inadequate to handle that volume in a short period of time and the laundry needs of guests, so it was Salem Lions to the rescue.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> A small but determined group led by Ed Nichols included Jack Ackerman, Don Gallian and Ted Brewer, along with laundry advice when choosing machines from Lynne Gallian and Bekah Brewer. We found a valuable ally in Seneca Sears Owner/Operator Jason Graham who gave the Lions a generous discount on three new washer/dryer sets. He also delivered and installed the new machines with some help from the Lions on August 3rd. In addition Jason donated enough detergent for 1200 loads of washing. Awesome!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> These new machines will be a huge help on laundry days for Brooke and also will be used by guests who need fresh clothes during their stay. Thanks to the Salem Lions Board of Directors for approving this project to serve the blind citizens of South Carolina.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> The following is a little trivia. How many of you know the three NFB of SC chapters that are located in one county? If you guessed Grand Strand, Conway and Loris, you were correct. Of great importance is the fact that all three chapters will be only a few minutes away from the Sands Resort/Ocean Dunes Hotel in Myrtle Beach where the state convention will be held. I strongly recommend to all three chapters that this is a golden opportunity to attend a state convention if you have not done so in the past. Charlis Borodin is the President of the Grand Strand Chapter, Levern Wilson is the President of the Conway Chapter and Alma Lee Doyle is President of the Loris Chapter. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> I was pleased to learn that the winner of the $500 Fun Day ticket drawn was “Quenny” of the Charleston Chapter. When David Houck asked me to reach into the bag and pull out the winning ticket on Sunday evening during the Labor Day Fun Day Festival, I had no idea who I would draw. The Charleston Chapter President is Josephine Smith who has been a leader in the chapter for many years. The winning ticket was sold by Roy Smith of the Charleston Chapter. Josephine Smith and her husband Roy are the grandparents of Queeny. There was so much suspense when the winning ticket was drawn which did not have the address on the ticket that made a slight delay in getting the word out to the winner. This year the $5 Fun Day tickets sold were considerably more than last year. As a matter of fact, we sold only 384 tickets in 2015 and 712 tickets in 2016. This was largely responsible for the overall profits this year being larger than last year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> Next week RBRCCB will host the senior blind. This is a very popular program. Frank Coppel does an excellent job with this unique service. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> We extend sincere sympathy to Gary Hollie Barnhart of Summerville, the father of Carrie Houck who is married to Kevin, the son of David and Darlene Houck. Mr. Barnhart died on Friday, September 9. Let’s remember the Barnhart and Houck family in our thoughts and prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;color:#006600'> We extend best wishes for a rapid recovery to Caroline Bowen, wife of our RBRCCB resident board member Dr. Tom Bowen. Caroline was recently involved in a fall requiring surgery to repair her knee. <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: #22: 1984 - A bill providing for voting assistance of choice by blind persons<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>