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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>July 25, 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 1667<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 am very pleased to announce Shawn Callaway will be our national representative for this year’s state convention. Shawn serves on the National Board of Directors of the NFB and he is the President of the Washington D.C. affiliate. Shawn will do a great job as national representative, and he will add a great deal to our convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> There are only nine days remaining (August 3) to pay your $80 preregistration fee for the 2018 NFB of SC state convention which will be held at the Columbia Marriott Hotel the weekend of August 10-12. The $80 preregistration fee will cover the Friday evening reception, the Saturday luncheon and the Saturday evening banquet as well as a continental breakfast Saturday and Sunday morning. Please send your $80 preregistration fee to the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205. We are offering a discount for families with children regarding the preregistration fee. Parents will pay the $80 preregistration fee and each child eighteen years of age or younger will pay $20. We are also offering a discount to college students in the amount of $50 during the preregistration period. After August 3, the registration fee will increase to $100. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> This year, the exhibit area will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday, August 10. Please make an effort to visit the exhibit area and let the exhibitors know you appreciate their participation in our convention. Everyone is welcome to attend the NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting which will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon, August 10. The reception Friday evening promises to be a great deal of fun. The theme for the reception will be “Marti Gras night” and there will be live music, food and dancing. Let the good times roll! The last agenda item on Saturday afternoon of the convention will be the first annual “NFB Has talent Showcase”. All talent is welcomed! This should be a lot of fun as we will have judges and prizes for the most talented acts. If you wish to participate, you can contact Shelley Coppel at (803) 796-8662 or you can email her at frankandshelley51@gmail.com no later than August 1. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As I reported last week in the Positive Note, we will be holding the annual Fun Day Festival during the Labor Day weekend (August31 - September 2). Four meals will be served including three on Saturday, September 1, and breakfast on Sunday morning, September 2. The board voted to charge $30 for adults and $15 for children under twelve years of age to cover all four 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 $8 for lunch. Room reservations for the weekend 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 August 24. I hope that you are selling your $5 Fun Day tickets as this contributes to the profits. 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! We need to bring new items for the auction which will take place on Saturday afternoon September 1, starting at 1:30 p.m. Let’s have a great turnout for the Fun Day Festival as Rocky Bottom very much needs our financial support. <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 we are spotlighting one of our more musical members. In fact, there are many musical members like Parnell Diggs who plays guitar and sings, Sarah Massengale who has sung at many events including NFB of SC conventions RBRCCB special events, and baseball games singing the National Anthem, Jim Jackson who is Minister of Music in his church, and Marty McKenzie who plays an excellent piano. These are only a few. Today we are spotlighting Doug Hudson who likes to play the Saxophone and the Piano and likes to sing. Born and raised in Bishopville, Doug attended K-6th grade at SCSDB and 7th grade through 12th at Sumter High School. He then received a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology at USC. For the past three decades Doug Hudson has guided many listeners on eight or nine area radio stations to their destinations safely as he did their radio station traffic reports. Doug has also worked part-time in various vending concession stands, performed light assembly line work and was a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. Using his musical talents, Doug Hudson played and sang both solo as well as in a variety of bands. His musical performances included a wide range of styles from gospel to country and western, rock and roll, disco and beach music. He has played and sang in a variety of churches as well. In 1974 Doug first joined the Sumter Chapter where he was its Vice President for a few years. Then he moved to Columbia where he joined the Columbia Chapter. He is active in the chapter’s annual barbecues and promotes the federation wherever he can. He attended the 1974 Chicago NFB convention and eight NFB of SC conventions over the years. His hobbies include singing, swimming and bowling. He once served as the Minister of Music at Grace Nazarene Church and he now attends the Shepherd Nazarene Church in Lexington. He still sings and plays in many area churches. Let’s salute Doug Hudson this week as someone who “lives the life he wants” in a variety of ways.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “In good times and bad, we know that people give because you meet needs, not because you have needs.” - Kay Sprinkel Grace<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>