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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>December 28, 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 1585<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 2017 NFB National Convention will again be held in Orlando, this year returning to the beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The dates for the 2017 convention are July 10 through July 15. The hotel rates are enviably competitive for a resort hotel such as Shingle Creek. For the 2017 convention they are singles and doubles, $83; and for 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 2017 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 Thursday, June 1, 2017, 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 Jamie Allison and JW Smith. “Announcing, the 2nd Annual Upstate Seminar Hosted by the NFB of SC Greenville Chapter Saturday, March 4th, 2017, 10:00-3:00 Location: The SC School for the Deaf and the Blind, Walker Hall Reception Area The doors will open slightly early for socializing before the program and the agenda will begin promptly at ten o'clock. There will be a door prize and chapters may bring an item to raffle or auction off during lunch. Presenters will be available after the program for brief questions. I also need to add that lunch will be provided at a $10 charge. This can be sent to J.W. Smith, 107 Lockman Dr., Greenville, SC 29611. The deadline for reserving your lunch will be February 3rd.” Shelley and I had the pleasure of attending last year’s Upstate Seminar which was hosted by the Anderson Chapter. The 2016 Upstate Seminar was excellent and I would strongly encourage all of our upstate chapters to make an effort to participate in this year’s event. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It is not too early to begin turning in your state dues of $10 for 2017 to the state office. Remember that we need to have your name, address, phone number and email address if applicable. These things do change and if we do not have updated information, we cannot keep you up to date on what’s going on. The deadline for dues is January 31, 2017, so why wait! <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> This is the last full week before New Year’s Day. Thus, it will be the last week in 2016 the Positive Note will be issued. The week following Christmas has a special meaning to me. It was December 26, 1946 that Betty and I had our first date. Of course we were teenagers. We had already known each other for a number of years. This past Monday, December 26 was the 70th anniversary of our first date. Two and one-half years later on June 25, 1949 we were married. She was 18 and I was two months short of my 21st birthday. I write this as a tribute to my wonderful wife. We have had a wonderful life together and she has been a wonderful blessing to me and many others. It was in August 1953 that we joined the Aurora Club, later changed to the federation. Almost immediately Betty began to provide transportation for those attending the chapter meetings. This service was provided fort a number of years. Several years later in 1956 when we joined the national organization Betty drove across country to San Francisco. In 1958 we were assigned to make a trip to West Virginia (WV) by Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, President and Founder of the NFB. Gov. Underwood of WV had requested the NFB to do a survey of programs for the blind in WV. For one week Betty and I visited blind persons in the greater Beckley area. It was that project that finalized my commitment to the blind as there were terrible conditions among the blind of WV. We visited an abandoned coal mining cabin in which three blind brothers lived together. As soon as we knocked on the door, one of them responded and informed us that all three were sick with influenza or pneumonia and had not been visited by a worker. Betty drove us to the nearest town where we contacted the doctor in the area and we explained the circumstances we had seen. Our travels took us to all 46 counties of the state as well as to all 50 states of the NFB. We traveled several hundred thousands of miles and although she is no longer able to drive, she gave good service to the blind and is among the tops in the country. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Another kind of event which occurred every New Year’s weekend was that I was assigned by Colonial Life to do a New Year’s claims reserve. This had to be done manually as it was before a more sophisticated office procedure was developed. Every pending claim had to be examined for an estimated claims reserve to determine how much was needed to be set aside for an annual report. I did not enjoy that required work but it was part of my job and I performed it to the best of my ability. I’m sure all of you had special events occur during the final week of the year but we still have much to do during the year 2017. It is a pleasure working with all of you across the state and I know that 2017 will be very productive.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “If you sometimes feel like a needle in a haystack, remember that the needle is the hardest and sharpest thing in the haystack; it will be found” – Raising Expectations!<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>