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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>April 18, 2018 <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 1653<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> Just a friendly reminder - the Spring meetings of the Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind Board of Directors and the NFB of SC Board of Directors will be held at the Federation Center of the Blind this Saturday, April 21 , 2018. The RBRCCB Board of Directors meeting will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. and will adjourn at 12:00 noon. The NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting will begin promptly 1:00 p.m. and adjourn at 4:00 p.m. There will be much to discuss a both meetings, and so I would like to strongly encourage Federation members who are not on either board to come Saturday and actively participate in the meetings. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> You can now begin to make your hotel reservations for the 2018 NFB of SC State Convention which will be held at the Marriott Hotel in Columbia August 10-12. Room rates are very affordable. Rates for this year’s convention are $109 per night for up to four in a room. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 14 percent. The deadline to make reservations will be July 15, 2018. There will also be a limited number of rooms available for the $109 rate Thursday, August 9, for those individuals wanting to arrive to the hotel a day prior to the official start of the convention. You can make your room reservations by calling the Marriott toll free reservation telephone number (800) 593-6465 or (803) 771-7000 and inform the reservationist you are reserving a room for the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina state convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shelley Coppel, President of the NFB of SC Senior Division. “On April 19, at 4:00 p.m. eastern time, the National Senior Division will host a nationwide conference call. The topic will be: Newsline, moderated by Scott White from our National Center. He will discuss current and upcoming features of Newsline. Please join us. The conference call number has changed, here is the current number: 515-603-3166. The access code is: 759633 pound” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We also have an announcement from Tiffiny Mitchell, chairperson of the state picnic committee. “Attention all NFB of SC members! We are having a NFB of SC state picnic on Saturday, June 2, 2018 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Saluda Shoals state park in Columbia. There will not be any program or speakers, just great fun fellowship and food. We are planning a variety of activities for the day including a pie throwing contest as a fun way to raise money for the state organization. Voting will begin this Saturday, April 21, and end May 15, to select the three lucky individuals from throughout the state who will be on the receiving end of the pie throwing contest. You can vote as many times as you would like. One vote will cost $2 and three votes will cost $5. Please mail all votes and checks to Steve Cook, 2446 Harrison Rd., Columbia, SC 29204.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Finally, Kudos and many thanks to the members of the Chesterfield County chapter and their President Nancy Reyes for sending a generous contribution this week to the NFB of SC, Rocky Bottom, the Federation Center of the Blind, and the NFB of SC Metro Scholarship fund. <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> Thirty-one years ago in 1987 I visited a beautiful home in North Augusta occupied by two pleasant and congenial individuals. These persons were Essie Kaney and her late husband, James. Essie was born in Barnwell County. She has one sister and two granddaughters and two great-great grandsons. Their family also includes one brother and one son. Essie is a graduate of Allendale High School. There's much more to cover on Essie who is in the spotlight this week because of her success in the federation for over a quarter of a century. She has served a total of 17 years as President of two chapters - N. Augusta and Belvedere. She also has served as the Vice President of the Belvedere Chapter. She is 100% in attending state conventions. Essie has also attended at least 17 national conventions. She proudly wears around her neck a beautiful Louis Braille commemorative coin with the necklace highlighting this very attractive Braille coin. In the past she has also walked five miles in the Imagination Fund March for Independence in Atlanta. A proud senior, Essie is very active in all three levels of the federation, local, state and national. She is "fit as a fiddle." Always industrious, Essie was highly successful in sales. For many years she worked in pharmaceuticals and also as an Avon representative for seven years. Incidentally, Essie and her late husband James have loved RBRCCB from its inception and have been very supportive and continue to be financially supportive of this program. Now retired, Essie enjoys traveling, both on land and water as she (and James) have traveled throughout the country and they especially enjoy cruises. Still very active, a week ago Essie traveled with fifty-one other NFB of SC members to tour the NFB National Center in Baltimore. Her hobbies also include working with her "flowers." She enjoys her church participation and has been a member of Bell Ridge Baptist Church for 28 years. For these reasons and many other positive reasons, I'm proud to make Essie Kaney the spotlight feature of the week.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Barbecue is popular because it combines the maximum of temptation with the maximum of opportunity.” – George Bernard Shaw.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>