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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>July 26, 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 1615<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> Congratulations to longtime Federation members Marshall and Lois Tucker as they celebrate their forty-fifth wedding anniversary Saturday, July 29. Thank you both for your many years of service and support to the NFB of SC! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who volunteered your time to help to sell items at the South Carolina table during the national convention. The NFB of SC made approximately $1,000 and special thanks goes to Tiffiny Mitchell and the Columbia Chapter for their outstanding work with this fund raising project. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> This morning, July 26, Shelley and I along with Ed and Julie Bible will be meeting with our Events Coordinator, Krystal Capps, and many of the Hyatt Regency staff for the purpose of conducting sensitivity training and to discuss final arrangements for our 2017 state convention which will be held August 18-20. As I have stated earlier, the NFB of SC has not had a state convention at the Hyatt Regency Hotel since 2003 and the staff has been very excited about us returning to their location. I want to remind everyone you are welcome to attend the Rocky Bottom Board of Directors meeting which will be held at 2:00 p.m. and the NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting which will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday afternoon, August 18. Friday evening, we will have our reception and Ernest Gallman will be providing the music for the evening. Our theme for the convention is “you can live the life you want”. Also, we will be conducting our annual banquet fundraiser Saturday evening, August 19. In recent years, money raised from this fund raiser was divided equally between the Federation Center and the NFB of SC. Since the Federation Center this year is doing very well financially, all funds raised at the banquet fund raiser will be given to the NFB of SC. We need individuals as well as chapters to “step up to the plate” and contribute during the banquet which will greatly help to fund our state organization. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you have not done so already, I would strongly encourage you to pay your $80 preregistration fee for this year’s State Convention to the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205. All preregistration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. 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> I am sad to report Mr. Lanny Smith, a much respected employee of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind, passed away Saturday afternoon, July 22. Through his work at the Commission for the Blind, Lanny made it possible for blind people to realize they can live the life they want. All of us need to keep Lanny’s wife Jane, and his family in our thoughts and prayers. <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> The Columbia Chapter of the NFB of SC is blessed in having an outstanding President in Tiffiny Mitchell who is spotlighted this week. Columbia Chapter President Tiffiny Mitchell was born and raised in Camden. She attended the public school system in Camden and graduated from Camden High School. She then went on to study Accounting at Midlands Technical College. These studies came in handy as Tiffiny has been a Business Enterprise Program (BEP) Blind Licensed Vending Stand Operator for the past eighteen years. Tiffiny Mitchell is in her fifth stand which is on Bull Street at DHEC. She first learned of the Federation in April 2006 when Fred Vercher recruited her to attend a Columbia Chapter meeting. She joined the chapter in September of 2006. Becoming active in all aspects of Federation activities, she became Treasurer of the Columbia Chapter for two years and she has served as chapter President for the past three years. She attends both national and state conventions and works hard as President to increase chapter activities, fellowship and recreation as well as fundraising for the NFB of SC and RBRCCB. It is not unusual for the Columbia Chapter to win the $300 prize for selling the most NFB of SC bus fund or RBRCCB Fun Day tickets. At the July 2017 Orlando NFB Convention, Tiffiny organized a team to purchase, label in Braille and sell a variety of preserves at the NFB Convention. It raised much funding for the NFB of SC. Tiffiny Mitchell is currently a member of the Church of The Harvest, Pastor Kern Jumper’s church, who also has been a longtime friend of the Columbia Chapter as his former late wife Connie was a blind voting chapter member. She enjoys helping other blind and visually impaired people and likes to get them involved in the Federation. Her hobbies include reading, cooking, and hanging out with her nieces and nephews. Under her capable leadership the Columbia Chapter has grown in size, strength and fellowship. Congratulations to Tiffiny Mitchell who is one of the state’s and national organization’s leading chapter Presidents. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I note that President Coppel has announced the National Representative for the upcoming state convention will be Ever Lee Hairston. Mrs. Hairston was a good choice to be our National Representative. I have known her for a long time when I served on the National Board. She is highly regarded nationally and she will enhance the convention program for our August convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I had a wonderful weekend as my loved ones from Louisville visited with us. The three great-grandchildren were wonderful. Juliet is only three months old. Elizabeth is three years old and Mason is five years old.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Are you thinking about your state convention banquet pledge? Help fund the NFB of SC!”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>