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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>April 5, 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 1599<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> We have an announcement from Shannon Cook, Chairperson of the Scholarship committee. “It is time again for chapters and divisions to be thinking of ways to help the NFB of SC promote the scholarship program. Since the state convention is August 18-20, the deadline for all scholarships will be earlier this year than last. We will follow the same protocol as last year as well; the top three applicants, as voted on by the NFB of SC Scholarship Committee, will be awarded scholarships and will be notified prior to the convention. The deadline for all materials to be submitted will be June 18th. The Scholarship Committee will meet via teleconference on July 18th, and winners will be notified soon thereafter. The updated scholarship application will be available very soon. Stay tuned for an announcement regarding completion of the application update.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Please do not forget to make your hotel reservations for the 2017 NFB of SC State Convention which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenville, SC August 18-20. Room rates are very affordable. Rates for this year’s convention are $99 per night for up to four in a room. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 12 percent. There will also be a limited number of rooms available for the $99 rate Thursday, August 17, for those individuals wanting to arrive at the hotel a day prior to the official start of the convention. The deadline to make reservations will be July 27, 2017. You can make your room reservations by calling the Hyatt Regency reservation telephone number 402-592-6434 and inform the reservationist you are reserving a room for the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina state convention. The Hyatt Regency hotel has also made available a dedicated website to book your hotel rooms online. Reservations can be made starting immediately at this web address: https://aws.passkey.com/go/natfedblind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As was reported in the March 1, Positive Note, Loretta Green and Isaiah Nelson are planning a trip to the Jernigan Institute (our National Center) located in Baltimore Maryland scheduled for August 4-6, 2017. Plans are for the charter bus to leave the Federation Center of the Blind 8:00 a.m. Friday, August 4, and arrive in Baltimore early evening. The bus will depart from the Jernigan Institute 8:00 a.m. Sunday, August 6, and will return to the Federation Center sometime during the early evening. The cost to ride the charter bus is $100 per person and must be paid by July 5, 2017. Please make checks payable to Isaiah Nelson. Also, there is an application to be filled out which you can pick up at the Federation Center. Applications and checks must be mailed to Isaiah by the July 5, deadline. Isaiah’s address is; PO Box 12063, Columbia, SC 29211. 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> 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> We commend President Coppel in disseminating special information through the Positive Note. We were pleased that this year’s state convention will be held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Greenville in August. I recall during my presidency the joy derived from working out state convention arrangements. I know that this will be an excellent state convention which is just four and one-half months away. JW Smith who is President of the Greenville Chapter and other Greenville members will be an excellent host for the convention.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Last week’s Positive Note was especially interesting with Frank providing information regarding his recent meeting with President Mark Riccobono and our own Parnell Diggs for the purpose of, “holding seminars and programs designed to improve the quality of life of blind people.” In the past, both Dr. Jernigan and Dr. Maurer made trips to Rocky Bottom with an overnight visit. They were impressed. I can appreciate President Riccobono’s interest in Rocky Bottom and hope that he will personally visit Rocky Bottom soon. No one knows any more about Rocky Bottom than Parnell who was state President for 15 years and very involved in the overall development of Rocky Bottom. I do agree that there will have to be some adjustments. Currently there are five established state meetings including two senior blind meetings, children’s week, the Fun Day Festival weekend and the Christmas board retreat. The Rocky Bottom constitution is patterned after the state and NFB constitutions as the goals of all three entities are designed specifically to improve the quality of life for the blind. President Coppel knows as much as anyone about Rocky Bottom, having been involved with the program from its inception. While a relationship can be enhanced, the Rocky Bottom and state board will need to be included. The blind over the state can now call Rocky Bottom and make reservations, participating in a simple manner. Nevertheless, no one would deny that the more people that Rocky Bottom can serve, the better for all concerned. I look forward to working with all concerned as we strive to serve the blind the best we can.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Raising Expectations: A sailor who had been stranded at sea for days was asked how he survived in a lifeboat for so long with nothing but a calendar on board. He smiled and replied, “First I ate all of the dates and then I proceeded to eat all of the Sundaes!” <o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>