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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>August 24, 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 1619<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> This past weekend, the sixty-first annual State Convention of the NFB of SC was held in Greenville and from all indications it was very successful. 134 individuals attended this year’s convention which began Friday afternoon with the RBRCCB Board of Directors meeting followed by the meeting of the NFB of SC Board of Directors and other division and committee meetings. Many thanks go to Jamie Allison, President of the Cherokee County Chapter, and her team as well as Ernest Gallman, our DJ for the reception Friday evening, who got the convention festivities off to a resounding start. Hats off, to J.W. Smith and the Greenville Chapter for doing a great job as the host chapter of this year’s convention. Lenora Robertson, Door prize Chairperson, as always did a great job dispersing door prizes throughout the weekend. This year we were honored to have Ever Lee Hairston, member of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind and state president of the NFB of California, as our National Representative for the convention. Mrs. Hairston gave a thorough National Report and she did an excellent job participating on the “Why am I a Federationist” panel Saturday afternoon. Ever Lee’s banquet Speech Saturday evening was outstanding as was noted by the audience who gave her a resounding standing ovation. The NFB of SC recognized Tiffiny Mitchell of the Columbia Chapter, as the recipient of the Donald C. Capps Award and Juanita Frink of the Conway Chapter as the recipient of the Associate Member of the Year Award. The Morley Company, a subsidiary of B&W was the recipient of the Employer of the Year Award. The NFB of SC recognized Rhonda Thompson of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind for her commitment to provide quality services to the senior blind of the state as she was the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Ed Bible was recognized for his outstanding work with the blind during the past thirty-two years in the areas of training and employment as he was the recipient of the NFB of SC’s Presidential Citation. Another highlight of the banquet was the awarding of scholarships totaling $4,650 to three outstanding college students. I also like to thank the membership of the NFB of SC for their awesome generosity which was demonstrated during the Banquet fundraiser. We were able to quickly raise $8,121 which will be used to promote the programs of the NFB of SC. Elections were held Sunday morning and the following individuals were unanimously elected to the following board positions; District one, Loretta Green of Upper Dorchester, District three, Keith Redding, of Laurens, District Five, Linda Dizzley, Lee County, and the two members-at-large Isaiah Nelson and Ed Bible, of Columbia. Tiffiny Mitchell was unanimously elected by the convention to fill the one year remaining on the member-at-large position previously held by Loretta Green. As all of you know, many details need to be considered when planning and presiding over a state convention. I would like to thank David Houck who did a great job coordinating registration, the exhibit hall, and taking care of many other details of the convention prior to his leaving for vacation. I especially would like to thank Catherine Williams who did a great job as Registration Chairperson during the weekend of the convention. Finally, I would like to thank the staff of “Successful Transitions” who assisted me with taking pictures during the convention and overseeing the exhibit area. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In nine more days, federationists from across the state will be arriving at RBRCCB on Friday evening, September 1, to participate in the Fun Day Festival. Seven meals will be served including three on Saturday, September 2, a continental breakfast, bbq luncheon with all the fixins’, supper; three meals on Sunday, September 3 a full breakfast, lunch, supper and a continental breakfast on Monday morning, September 4. At the RBRCCB Board of Directors meeting on August 18, the board voted to charge $40 for adults and $20 for children under twelve years of age to cover all seven meals including the lunch on Saturday. Those individuals who are only attending the Fun Day Festival Saturday will need to pay Valerie and Larry Warrington $10 for lunch. Individuals need to make sure they pay Valerie Warrington $40 for their meals sometime during the weekend. Reservations for room accommodations are filling up quickly and, therefore, you will need to get your reservation in now. As always we are expecting a full house. Reservations are taken on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need to make a reservation for the Fun Day weekend, you can call the Federation Center (803) 254-3777 or call me (803) 796-8662 no later than Wednesday, August 30. I hope that you are selling your $5 Fun Day tickets as this contributes to the overall profits of the festival. Remember, the winning ticket drawn will yield $50 to the seller and $500 to the buyer or $550 if you bought your own ticket. The chapter selling the most tickets will receive $300 for its treasury! It is my understanding we are collecting a variety of very nice items for the auctions which will be held Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. We are pleased that Columbia Chapter member, Jeff Bazer, has again very graciously agreed to serve as auctioneer. Jeff was the auctioneer last year and he did an outstanding job in that role. If you would like to donate items for the auction, craft store, or yard sale please contact Jennifer Bazer at (803) 661-6622 or you can email her at jhipp25@sc.rr.com.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I am sad to report J.W. Smith’s sister Bessie L. Smith Williams passed away Monday August 21. Our Federation family needs to keep J.W. and his family in our thoughts and prayers during this time. <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> Welcome back to our Center Executive Director David Houck and his lovely wife Darlene. The Houck’s have just completed a ten day Alaska vacation. This is the longest period of time David has been out of the office at one time but he certainly deserved the time off to make this wonderful trip. Darlene who is always by David’s side deserved this wonderful experience the trip offered. David and Darlene spent some time in Fairbanks, Alaska which is only about 160 miles from the Artic Circle. It was 50 degrees in the morning when the sun rises at 5:00 a.m. and 62 degrees in the afternoon while the sun sets at 10:00 p.m. Summer highs are 70 to 90 degrees with a record of 99. Winter lows are minus 40 to minus 60 with a record low of minus 66 degrees. David came to work at the Federation Center in April 1983 and has contributed to the success of the Federation Center’s programs. The Houck’s left Fairbanks at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday and arrived in Columbia at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, covering 5,000 miles in less than 24 hours. The trip included a seven day cruise from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, an up close view of two glaciers, Whittier and a land trip from Whittier to Anchorage, Talketna, Denali, and Fairbanks.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> President Frank Coppel has given detailed information about the 61st annual NFB of SC Convention. It certainly appears we had a great convention with NFB of SC leaders contributing greatly. Our National Representative, Mrs. Ever Lee Hairston obviously was involved in helping to make the convention a great experience. We note that several awards were made to deserving recipients. My home chapter of Columbia received two distinguished presentations for President Tiffiny Mitchell receiving the Donald C. Capps Award and Ed Bible receiving the Presidential Citation. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Federationists from across the state will hardly get settled before they will be leaving for Rocky Bottom to attend the Fun Day Festival. Obviously, this promises to be a “full house.” We have some several persons involved in this big statewide program as well. Finally, our thanks goes to Dorothy Barksdale for keeping the office while David was out of state.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: A local Columbia billboard read, “The eclipse is just a big cover up.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>