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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>April 24, 2018 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Memo To: All NFB of SC Members and Others<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>From: Frank Coppel, President <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The 62nd Annual State Convention of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina is drawing near. The 2018 NFB of SC state Convention will be held the weekend of August 10, 11, and 12 at the Marriott Hotel in Columbia SC. We have not held a state convention in Columbia since 2015 and I hope you will be making plans to attend! This will be our best Convention to date.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> General Convention registration and pre-registration pick-up will begin at 1:00 pm Friday, August 10, in the hotel lobby. The total registration package is $100 (if you do not pre-register by August 3). This includes the Luncheon and the Banquet as part of the total registration package. If you pre-register, the cost will be $80 for the entire Convention. The NFB of SC board of directors again voted to offer a discount for families with children regarding the pre-registration fee. Parents will pay the $80 pre-registration fee and each child eighteen years of age and younger will pay $20. The board also voted to offer a discount to college students in the amount of $50 during the preregistration period. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Information about the pre-registration process is enclosed in this letter. There is also a pre-registration form provided for your convenience. Simply complete the form and mail it to the State Office with your check or money order for $80 per person, and pick up your packet at the Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It will be necessary to register for the convention to be eligible for the special room rate of $109 per night. In addition to the room rates there will be a tax, which at present is 14 percent. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Exhibit tables will be set up by 10:00 am on Friday. Should you want exhibit space, there will be a $125 charge ($50 for NFB of SC chapters and divisions) and an application to complete. David Houck is in charge of all exhibits. Any questions pertaining to exhibits should be directed to him. The Reception and party will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, August 10. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Division and Committee meetings will be held on Friday as well as the third quarter meetings of the Rocky Bottom Board of Directors and the NFB of SC Board of Directors. We will have a free continental breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings which this year will be in the convention session meeting room. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The Convention will be called to order at 9:00 a.m., Saturday, August 11. As usual, there will be a Saturday noontime Luncheon. The Banquet will be held Saturday evening at 7:00 pm. We will begin precisely at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 12, and adjourn around 12:00 noon. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Please make your reservations by calling the Marriott Hotel reservations at (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. The Marriott hotel has also made available a reservation link to book your room online. The link is: Book your group rate for National Federation of the Blind of SC 2018 . Book your group rate for National Federation of the Blind of SC 2018 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Be sure to make your reservations as soon as possible, but no later than July 15. While this is the cut-off date for the NFB of SC room block, rooms will not last that long. For those who are arriving Thursday, August 9, the same room rates will apply. It is strongly recommended that you immediately make your reservations to be assured of room accommodations. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The Hotel is obligated to retain the block of rooms reserved by the NFB of SC until July 15. After that time, reservations will be honored if there are still available accommodations. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Please be sure to be clear on the type of reservation you want--one, two, three or four person rooms, etc.--and be sure to specify that this is for the NFB of SC Convention to get these special rates. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 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> We will have door prize drawings as usual. Lenora Robertson of Rock Hill is the Chairperson of the Door Prize Committee. All door prizes should be given to Lenora at the State Convention. See you in Columbia on August 10!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>CONVENTION PRE-REGISTRATION & REGISTRATION<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> At the April 21, 2018 NFB of SC board meeting, we discussed streamlining convention registration by continuing the pre-registration service for this year’s state convention in Columbia, August 10—12. Here is how the procedure will work.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Pre-registration for the state convention will be $80 per person. Pre-registration for families with children will be $80 for each parent and $20 for each child eighteen years of age or younger. There will also be a preregistration fee of $50 for college students. Registration at the convention will be $100 per person. Those wishing to save $20 in registration fees by pre-registering will need to send to the state office the following: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> * Name(s) of those pre-registering,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> * Whether they are a blind Voting member or a sighted Associate member,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> * The chapter or division they are a dues paid member of, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> * Whether they want a large print or Braille agenda, and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> * A check or money order payable to the NFB of SC for $80 for each pre- registering member. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Pre-registrations are to be mailed in by no later than Friday, August 3, so that all information concerning registration will be available prior to the beginning of the convention. Pre-registration funds received are non-refundable and non-transferable. When you arrive at the convention, your name tag and Braille or print agendas will all be ready for you at the registration table. A Pre-registration Form is attached for your convenience. This will be especially helpful if a chapter is pre-registering its chapter members. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> In this way, we hope to reduce the long registration line and make your arrival more pleasant and relaxed. Those arriving at the convention can register for a flat fee of $100 per person, but we are certain that you will find our pre-registration flat fee of $80 worth the savings and the advanced effort.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>August 10-12 NFB of SC Convention Pre-registration form $80<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deadline for pre-registration is August 3, 2018<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>After August 3, registration is $100 per person<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Member Chapter/Division Agenda<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Name Voting(V)/ or Organization Print (P)<u> Associate(A) Braille (B) <o:p></o:p></u></p><p class=MsoNormal>1<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>3<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>4<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>5<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>7<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>8<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>9<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>10<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>11<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>12<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>13<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>14<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>15<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>_____________________________________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Total X $80 = $__________ <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mail to Convention Pre-registration<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> NFB of SC<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> 119 S. Kilbourne Rd., <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Columbia, SC 29205<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(4-24-18)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>