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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>March 1, 2017 <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 1594<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> If you have not done so already, please make your hotel reservations to attend the upcoming 2017 Orlando National Convention. The dates for this year’s national convention will be July 10, to July 15, 2017 and will be held at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. The 2017 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.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> For 2017 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 Thursday, June 1, 2017, half of the deposit will be returned. Otherwise refunds will not be made. The schedule of the convention is as follows; Monday, July 10, Seminar Day, Tuesday, July 11, Registration and exhibits, Wednesday, July 12, National Board Meeting and division and committee meetings, Thursday, July 13, Opening General Session, Friday, July 14, General session, Saturday, July 15, Banquet.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Loretta Green and Isaiah Nelson regarding the upcoming trip to the Jernigan Institute (our National Center) scheduled for August 4-6 2017. “Anyone interested in going on the Baltimore Maryland Nfb headquarter trip in August please send in your $25 deposit as soon as possible and please make checks payable to Isaiah Nelson. If you have any questions, you can contact Loretta Green at (843) 276-9649 or Isaiah Nelson at (803) 413-2434”. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I am sad to report Kenny Branham, former President of the Fairfield county chapter of the NFB of SC passed away on Sunday, February 12 2017. Kenny and his wife Iline, were active members in the NFB of SC in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s where they attended state and national conventions and where Kenny volunteered his time as a children’s camp counsellor at Rocky Bottom. The family would like memorials to be sent to the NFB of SC, Rocky Bottom, or the Alzheimer's Association of South Carolina, 4124 Clemson Blvd., Suite L, Anderson, SC 29621. <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 attended all of the NFB conventions between 1956 and 2011. At various conventions I had some interesting experiences. Three of these conventions were held on the west coast: 1956 in San Francisco, 1967 in Los Angeles, and 1996 in Anaheim. This is the 50th anniversary of the Los Angeles convention. A very important development occurred in 1967. The hotel management had all of the water drained from the swimming pool during the convention. When NFB officials approached the hotel management about the pool, they responded that there was a crack in the pool, preventing its use. However, after the convention they began filling up the swimming pool. It was obvious the hotel grossly discriminated against the blind in the pleasure of swimming in the swimming pool. Our two small children, Craig and Beth, were with us and while in that general area, we would travel to experience some of the meaningful sites. We traveled from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City and toured the spacious Mormon Tabernacle. We were lucky enough to hear the worldwide Mormon Tabernacle Choir. From there we traveled to Yellowstone National Park locaed primarily in Wyoming. Shortly after entering the park Beth became excited as she exclaimed, “Daddy, there’s a teddy bear in that tree.” We also stopped inside the park and had lunch but wasted no time as a large bear was approaching our area and we didn’t want to have an encounter with it. Also, we saw Old Faithful and I was able to confirm (if memory serves me correctly) that Old Faithful does in fact spout water into the air about every 90 minutes. While it was summer in July, we spent the night in Jackson Hole, Wyoming where it was so cold we had to use the heat. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In the mid 1990’s the Fairfield County Chapter was doing well under the leadership of Kenny Branham. However, as his health declined, so did the well-being of the chapter. During that period of time, Kenny and I appeared before the Winnsboro City Council for the purpose of receiving funds for attending the Anaheim NFB national convention. Our presentation was successful. Also, during Kenny’s leadership we were able to accommodate the NFB of Ohio by arranging for one of its officers to travel to South Carolina to see how we had accommodated so much membership growth. While in South Carolina, the Ohio leader and myself traveled to Winnsboro, attending the chapter meeting where Kenny was presiding. Additionally Kenny was a counselor at the Rocky Bottom Children’s Camp. Unfortunately, Kenny passed away a few days ago but he benefitted himself and the NFB of SC by his participation and leadership in the Fairfield County Chapter. We extend sincere sympathy to his widow, Iline Branham who notified us of Kenny’s death. I thank all of you for your expressions of kindness in the loss of my sister, Loretta Capps-Collins. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Raising Expectations: “As the dogwoods are one of the first to bloom, it is the first sign of Spring, raising expectations that soon everything will be covered in new green leaves and a multitude of beautiful flowers.” <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>