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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>May 31, 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 1607<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> As I reported in last week’s Positive Note, Shelley and I have been in Rocky Bottom since May 16, where we hosted a “drop-in” for the Rocky Bottom community on May 17, and directed the spring edition of Senior Camp which was held May 21-25. Shelley and I remained at Rocky Bottom through the Memorial Day weekend where we had a fun time with the Columbia Chapter. We also had a great time seeing Valerie and Larry Warrington and their family as they spent a couple of days at Rocky Bottom as well. Kudo’s to Tiffiny Mitchell, President of the Columbia Chapter, who did an outstanding job organizing and planning the weekend at Rocky Bottom. I would also like to thank Tiffiny for her donation of bottles of hand soap, dish cloths, towels, and pot holders for the Ellenberg Lodge. Also, thanks go to Isaiah Nelson who donated new baking pans and to his brother, John who assisted Linda Bible, our Resident Manager in removing a load of lumber from behind Osterneck Cottage. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Now that Senior Camp has successfully concluded, I will be spending much of my time planning the program for the 2017 NFB of SC state convention. Again, if you have any thoughts regarding program items for the agenda, please contact me at (803) 796-8662 or you can email me at Frankcoppel@att.net.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Please continue making 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. If you wait until after the July 27 deadline, it may be difficult to reserve a room. If you pay in advance, your reservation will be guaranteed; however, you will not have to pay as long as you arrive by 6:00 p.m. Any amount you pay, of course, will be applied toward your bill. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>https://aws.passkey.com/go/natfedblind.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We are now accepting your $80 preregistration fee for this year’s State Convention. Please send your $80 preregistration fee to the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205. For the 2017 state convention, we are offering families with children a discount regarding the preregistration fee. Parents will pay the $80 preregistration fee and each child eight teen years of age and younger will pay $20. All preregistration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. As in past years, the $80 preregistration fee will cover the reception on Friday evening, continental breakfast Saturday morning, the luncheon, banquet, and a continental breakfast Sunday morning. The deadline to accept your $80 preregistration fee is August 9. If you wait until after the deadline of August 9, the registration will increase to $100. Save $20 and preregister early! <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> Many years ago we began to spotlight interesting and deserving members of the federation. Obviously we had spotlighted just a handful of deserving members but I believe you will find the federationist featured in this issue of the Positive Note to be most deserving and interesting. We are honored to spotlight David Bundy who was born in Deland, Florida. He was raised in Starr, South Carolina located in Anderson County. David attended and graduated from Crescent High School, Attended Anderson University and received his Master’s in Social Work from the University of South Carolina. By the time of his blindness, David served one year in the Army Reserves. David became blinded in a random shooting many years ago. Jenny Smith of our Anderson Chapter contacted David the day he came home from the hospital, resulting in his joining the Anderson Chapter and the rest is history. This was the beginning of his federation participation. David has an outstanding professional career working at the Commission for the Blind first as a Customer Service Instructor in 2001 and now as an Assistive Technology Consultant. He also recently earned Certified Public Manager credentials. His volunteer participation includes serving as Vice President of the Anderson Chapter, serving on the Columbia Chapter’s board three separate times, serving as Secretary and President of the Student Division, serves on the Computer Science and Technology Division of the NFB of SC and has served on the NFB of SC state board a few times. David Bundy is an active member of the Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church in West Columbia. He is active in the church’s service to RBRCCB by participating in two of their mission’s trips to Rocky Bottom. He has been a Cub Scout leader for a decade as well. He has not missed a state convention since 1987 and has attended five national conventions. It will be noted that David has broad experience in serving his community and his country. We are honored to spotlight David Bundy who richly deserves this recognition.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: June begins tomorrow – cookouts, baseball, swimming pools, recreation, vacation, and travel to the beach or to the mountains - summer is just around the corner!<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>