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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>May 16, 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 1657<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 Saturday evening, May 12, Shelley and I along with 48 other Federationists attended the Columbia Fireflies’ minor league baseball game. It was Community Organization night at the ball park and the NFB of SC was the featured organization. Not only did we watch a very competitive baseball game and fireworks display, but we also distributed a great deal of NFB literature and Braille alphabet cards to individuals attending the game. Thom Spittle did an outstanding job throwing out the ceremonial first pitch and we had an excellent 60 second video PSA announcement appearing on the score board prior to the start of the game as well as three excellent 30 second PSA announcements which were announced at various times between innings. I would like to thank Anthony Nelson for his assistance in distributing NFB materials throughout the evening. Many kudos go to Thom Spittle and Ed Bible for their leadership in organizing this Public Relations project for the NFB of SC. This is a very effective and fun way to publicize the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and I hope many of you will use this information to raise awareness as to who we are and what we do as an organization in your local communities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The much anticipated NFB of SC state picnic which will be held at Saluda Shoals Park in Columbia on Saturday, June 2 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. is only 3 and ½ weeks away. I know much hard work has been done in the areas of planning for food and scheduling a variety of activities for the afternoon. If you want to bring a side dish, call Tiffiny Mitchell, Chairperson of the state picnic committee, at 803-603-2098. No meetings, just food, fun and recreation! A pie throwing contest is also being held. Vote for your favorite candidate to get hit with a pie by contacting Steve Cook at 803-254-0222 prior to the picnic or you can cast your vote on Saturday, June 2. Votes are $2 each or three for $5. Monies collected from this fun fundraiser will go to the NFB of SC. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have received a phone call from Lavern Wilson, President of our Conway Chapter, who reports that Kay Ellen Bernardo, longtime member of the Conway chapter passed away recently. Even after she moved from the Conway area to Calimesa, California, she kept making donations to the chapter. She will be greatly missed. All of us need to keep the Bernardo 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> In this week’s Positive Note we are featuring another McKenzie, Marty McKenzie, President of the Clarendon County Chapter. When I informed Marty we had already featured Padgett last week, he stated, “That is fascinating as folks can look out of my back door at my home and see Padgett’s home.” Marty was born and raised in Lake City, South Carolina. He has lived in the Barrineau community for his entire life. He is the third of four boys and is the only one who is blind. His Mom and one brother continues to reside with him. His Father passed away in 1996. Marty graduated with honors from Kingstree Senior High School in 1986. His Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Mrs. Margery B. Holliday, was extremely instrumental in his success. He attended USC Columbia during his freshman year and then transferred to Francis Marion College. He experienced a serious illness during his undergraduate work and graduated with a B.A. in English with a secondary teacher certification in 1992. He was the last graduating class of Frances Marion College before it moved to University status. He immediately moved to graduate school at USC – Columbia and earned a Master’s of Education with emphasis in Visual Impairments in 1994. In 2007, he enrolled at Nova Southeastern University in Florida and earned his Educational Specialist Certificate (Ed.S.) in educational leadership/administration. He held every administrative credential except that of superintendent. He could have achieved that but chose not to do so. Marty McKenzie began his career as a teacher of the visually impaired at A.C. Flora High School in 1993. He worked there until 1997 when he began to work at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind as an Access Technology Consultant. He served in this capacity until 2004 when his time was split and he became the Access Technology Coordinator for SCSDB Vision Outreach and the Statewide Vision Consultant for the SC Department of Education, Office of Exceptional Children. He served in this capacity until 2010 when he became the Principal of Vision Outreach, succeeding Elizabeth McKown. He served in this capacity until 2014 when he was split again and now serves as the Principal of Vision Outreach Services and the Statewide Vision Consultant for the SC Department of Education, Office of Special Education Services. Marty was recruited by Tim Cox and David Bundy in 1992 when he was a graduate student. He joined the Student Division and the Columbia Chapter and attended there until 1997 when he moved his residence back to Lake City, South Carolina. Mrs. Patty Filyaw, his former music teacher, recruited him to participate in the Clarendon County Chapter of the NFB of SC. He became the President in 2001 when Mrs. Patty decided to step aside. Marty still serve as the Chapter President. The Convention voted him in as the District 6 representative in 2000 and he served until 2016 on the Board of Directors of the NFB of SC. Marty received the Donald C. Capps Award and the NFB of SC Teacher of the Year Award. Marty loves to read and constantly keeps a book available in audio format from the SC State Library. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the SC State Library. He loves spending time with close friends and Federation folks. Marty began to work as a church organist in 1985 when he was a high school senior. He served as the organist of Floyd Chapel Pentecostal Holiness Church from 1985 until 2003. He now serves as organist at Cornerstone Ministries from 2003 until the present. During these years, he has also served as a deacon and has completed the weekly bulletin for most of this time frame. Marty values relationships and his faith above all else in this life. As he has grown older, his time seems much more precious. He adores his church and Federation families and loves every minute of being a Federationist. Marty works hard to achieve balance in his life. Congratulations to Marty McKenzie who “lives the life he wants.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Success comes from not being afraid to grasp every opportunity.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>