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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>August 1, 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 1668<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> Here are a few friendly reminders regarding this year’s state convention which is only nine days away. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>1. Please do not forget to come and participate in the NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting which will be held on Friday afternoon, August 10, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in Capital I. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2. Of course, Lenora Robertson of Rock Hill is the Chairperson of the Door Prize Committee. All door prizes ($5 or more) should be given to Lenora soon after you arrive at the State Convention. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>3. Please continue to consider how much you and your chapter would like to financially give to the banquet fundraiser Saturday evening which will greatly help to strengthen the NFB of SC. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>4. I have again asked Dorothy Barksdale to be responsible for the Memorial service which is usually held on Sunday morning at the convention. Please send Dorothy the names of those members who passed away since last year’s state convention. Dorothy can be reached at (803) 765-1622 or you can email her at dcbarksdale@bellsouth.net <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>5. The deadline to pay your $80 preregistration fee is August 3, which is only couple of days away. Please mail your $80 preregistration fee for this year’s State Convention to the Federation Center of the Blind, 119 S. Kilbourne Rd. Columbia, SC 29205. All preregistration fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable. If you wait until after the deadline of August 3, the registration will increase to $100. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>6. 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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>7. Openings still remain if you would like to participate Saturday afternoon, in the “NFB has talent showcase”. All talent is welcome! If you would like to participate, please call Shelley Coppel at (803) 796-8662 or email her at frankandshelley51@gmail.com. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The end of summer is always a busy time in the NFB of SC. Three weeks after the conclusion of the state convention, federationists from across the state will be traveling to RBRCCB on August 31, to participate in the Fun Day Festival. Most of us will be arriving on Friday evening, August 31. 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> Last week public television did a 60th year documentary on Ted Williams. It is genuinely believed that Mr. Williams was the greatest baseball hitter of all time. His entire career was with the Boston Red Sox. At the present time all-time greats include such players as Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, etc. The 1958 NFB convention was held in Boston, MA. Four delegates from the NFB of SC attended the 1958 convention. They included Lois Boltin Tucker, the late John Cooley of the Spartanburg Chapter, and Billy Potter with my being the fourth attendee. Betty was unable to make the trip as she was only a month away from giving birth to our second child. Her physician was correct as Beth was born on August 7, 1958. The four of us boarded the train in Columbia and a strange incident occurred shortly after boarding the train as the conductor insisted he take me to the rest room. After this went on for an excessive time, I finally told the conductor my problem was blindness and I do not have any kidney ailment. I also told him I knew the way to the rest room. To this day I do not what caused him to pester me. Upon our arrival to the convention hotel we discovered that none other than Ted Williams resided in the same hotel. He was not outgoing but he was polite. By the way, Mr. Williams was a loyal American, participating for a total of five years in World War II and the North Korean War. I managed to shake his hand in the hotel lobby. I had the good fortune of attending a baseball game in historic Fenway Park participated in by the Red Sox team. This was my third NFB convention. The first two being in San Francisco and New Orleans. I recall the issue of creating a limited number of terms in the NFB constitution. I supported the administration who did not support limited terms and I spoke supporting unlimited terms. The administration’s position won by a large margin. Dr. Jacobus tenBroek, NFB Founder, gave me my first assignment, placing me on a special study committee in West Virginia called for by the Governor and carried out by the NFB. This special team lasted a week, affecting my work situation and having to find someone to take care of the children as Betty did all of the driving as we visited several blind West Virginians. The 1959 convention, held in Santa Fe, was when I received my second national assignment. Much to my surprise, I was not only elected to the national board but I was also elected to the Second Vice President’s office. You will note that my participation in the 1958 NFB convention was followed by further development in the national organization. It all got its beginning 60 years ago in Boston which is also a famously historical American city. Ironically enough, the Boston Red Sox now features a star outfielder who attended and played baseball from the Gamecocks who is Jackie Bradley, Jr.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Good health and common sense will serve you well all of your days.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>