<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:x="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:excel" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>May 2, 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 1655<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> I want to take this opportunity to thank those of you who participated in the Midlands Gives fund raising event which was held in Columbia yesterday. I want to especially thank Valerie and Larry Warrington for all of their hard work during the past few months with this project which made it possible for the NFB of SC and Rocky Bottom to again participate in this program. I also want to thank Jennifer Bazer and our staff from the NFB of SC’s Successful Transitions program for their assistance yesterday as they were stationed at businesses located in Columbia, Irmo, and Lexington to raise funds through Midland Gives to assist Rocky Bottom. I would also like to recognize the Greenville and Rock Hill Chapters for their generous contributions of $250 and $100 respectively made to the Midland’s Gives program to assist Rocky Bottom. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Congratulations to Thom Spittle for his work in securing a date to have a NFB of SC Night at the Columbia Fireflies minor league baseball game on Saturday, May 12, beginning at 6:00 p.m. Thom Spittle will be throwing out the first pitch of the game. This will be a wonderful opportunity for us to educate the public about blindness and the NFB of SC, as we will be handing out NFB literature and displaying an audio and video PSA announcement for our organization on the score board. We currently have a block of tickets with seats located behind the first base dugout. Tickets are only $5. If you would like tickets, and be part of this special and fun evening, call David Houck at (803) 254-3777. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shannon Cook, Chairperson of the NFB of SC Scholarship Committee. “Scholarship Season has begun in the NFB of SC! Since the state convention is August 10-12, the deadline for all scholarship applications is June 15th. The committee will select the top three applicants, and they will be notified prior to the convention. The Scholarship Committee will meet via teleconference on July 15th, and winners will be notified soon thereafter. The updated scholarship application is now available at www.nfbofsc.org. Please also remember that the scholarship program operates on donations exclusively. If you or your chapter would like to contribute a scholarship or make a donation to the Metro Fund, please get in touch with both me, Shannon Cook, and Valerie Warrington, NFB of SC Treasurer. Also, please help us get the word out about the program. If you or someone you know is in school full time, please let them know about the program. Thank you. For those who get their completed applications in by May 15th, their name will be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card. A scholarship committee member cannot write a letter of recommendation for an applicant. This is to eliminate the perception of unfairness or a bias toward that individual.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We also have an announcement from Tiffiny Mitchell, chairperson of the NFB of SC state picnic planning committee, regarding the Saturday, June 2, state picnic to be held at Saluda Shoals park in Columbia from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. “There will be a teleconference held on Sunday evening, May 6, at 7:00 to further discuss plans regarding the state wide picnic. The number for the teleconference is (862)902-0241. The access code is #3588716. Please join the teleconference Monday evening and let’s continue to plan a great picnic!” <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> This week’s spotlight falls upon an active and longtime serving local chapter President. In fact he has been its President since the chapter’s inception in the year 2000. I am speaking of none other than Bob Martin who heads up the Hilton Head Island Chapter. The chapter averages about 25 members. Bob Martin was born in Trenton, New Jersey where he was also married. He has three children and eight grandchildren. He attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey where he earned a degree in Chemical Engineering. He then went to Loyola University in Chicago where he received his MBA in Business. He served in the Army Reserves for 22 years where he retired as a Colonel. He worked at the John M. Roebling Company in the steel industry where he performed wire coating. This company built the George Washington and Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Later he worked at Hobart Brothers which did welding equipment where he was a Director. Bob Martin also worked as the General Manager of Airco where he worked in the plastics industry for fifteen years. After this he retired to Hilton Head. As Hilton Head Chapter President Bob Martin likes to secure adaptive equipment for those with low vision such as Zoomtext software, assistive reading devices and talking book machines. When adaptive equipment is turned in when it can no longer be used, he will donate the equipment to the Beaufort County Schools to be used by blind and low vision children. Bob is also a representative for the Optelec Company. Bob Martin likes to play bridge as a hobby. He serves on several Cypress community committees including one for those with low vision. Bob Martin enjoys helping people and deserves a hearty salute for his efforts on behalf of the blind and others in Hilton Head. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It happened during the 65th annual barbecue – a phone call came into the Federation Center about mid-morning from NFB of SC President Frank Coppel, causing all barbecue production to grind to a halt for a minute as it was announced that Frank Coppel’s daughter Laura had birthed twin boys at 7:41 and 7:42 a.m. Luke came in at 4 pounds and 13 ounces while Hayden came in at 5 pounds and 2 ounces. It was reported that the twins were in good health and their parents and grandparents were also doing fine. Everyone clapped and shouted for joy about the birth of the twins as barbecue production got underway once again.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Any job very well done that has been carried out by a person who is fully dedicated is always a source of inspiration.” - Carlos Ghosn<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>