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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>August 28, 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 1672<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 upcoming weekend many of us will be traveling to Rocky Bottom to attend the 37th annual Fun Day Festival. Over 45 Federationists are planning to be at Rocky Bottom on Saturday, September 1, to participate in all the festivities. One of my favorite activities during Fun Day is the auction which will take place Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. Many thanks go to Jennifer Bazer and Valerie Warrington who have been very instrumental in securing items for the auction. Items for the auction include a photograph signed by Clemson head football coach Dabbo Sweeney, a black and silver football autographed by the Carolina Panthers, tickets to River Bank Zoo, Wonderworks in Myrtle Beach and Dollywood, gift baskets, and bakery items just to name a few. We will be selling yard sale items and we will also be selling RBRCCB merchandise. Four meals will be served throughout the weekend. Times for meals are as follows; Saturday, September 1, breakfast 8:30, lunch 12:00, and supper 6:00 p.m. Sunday, September 2, breakfast 8:30. You will need to see Valerie Warrington and pay $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 attending the Fun Day Festival Saturday and who are only eating lunch will need to pay Valerie and Larry Warrington $8 for adults and $4 for children. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> It is extremely important we all do what we can to sell as many $5 Fun Day tickets as possible as this greatly contributes to the overall profits of the festival. 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! Please mail your ticket stubs and money to the Federation Center no later than Thursday, August 30 or bring your stubs and money to Rocky Bottom on Saturday, September 1, and give them to David Houck. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We need to do all we can to support Rocky Bottom. There needs to be a large Federation turnout for this very important fundraising event. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Tiffiny Mitchell, Chairperson of the 2019 NFB national convention transportation committee. “By now, just about everyone has heard that the 2019 NFB National Convention will be held in Las Vegas next year from July 7-12. Our committee is preparing to find out approximately how many in SC plan to attend and use the transportation arranged by the state organization. We will hold a conference call on Thursday, September 6, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. We are asking that you call in to find out more information about transportation arrangements thus far. We will be able to answer some questions also, so please be thinking of what you’d like to ask during the call. The call in number is (862) 902-0241. The access code is 358-8716. To keep the background noise to a minimum, once you have entered the conference, please press *6 to mute your phone. If you would like to make a comment press the same keys to unmute. Also, please state your name before asking a question or making a comment. This will help ensure that everyone can hear all comments and get the most from the information provided. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call at (803) 603-2098. I look forward to talking to you soon!” Finally, I know many of you would like to join Shelley and I in wishing Dr. Capps a very happy ninetieth birthday as he will be celebrating this special occasion on Thursday, August 30. <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> Two weeks ago I gave a short history of the Osterneck Cottage. I realized a couple of days later I did not include the screened in porch when Osterneck was being expanded. Throughout the years many of us have enjoyed the screened in porch which overlooks Chimney Top Creek. This creek provides an outstanding acoustical sound as the waters cascade over the rocks in the creek. The porch also features several high back type chairs which provide much enjoyment. I have spent many hours occupying one of these chairs enjoying the creek. The porch opens into the dining hall and dining room. The porch also provides an outside exit down a flight of stairs. No doubt some of you will enjoy the screened in porch at this week’s Fun Day. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> About ten years after Osterneck was completed, the Conference Center was dedicated in July 1991. Some 500 persons from throughout the area attended the dedication of the center in July 1991. It was the largest gathering to date in the area. The Conference Center has a deck which is nice but it is not enclosed but it is enjoyed just the same. The Conference Center deck is used for open air gatherings and live music, etc. Because the Conference Center is much larger than the rest of the facilities, it afforded an opportunity for many blind people to contribute to the center. Some 300 dining room chairs were needed to accommodate seating. The late LP Armstrong-Garrett who was an associate member, owned and operated General Sales of Columbia and ordered the 300 chairs. These dining room chairs are still in use. They are of high quality. We paid $45 per chair but the retail price was $75. There is an area on each chair providing for the installation of a name plate. Most of these 300 chairs were purchased by the blind. When a blind person made a contribution new plates were engraved with the person’s name and were sent from Columbia to Rocky Bottom. No doubt many have their name plates on the chairs. The late Vern Freeman of the Salem Lions Club installed the name plates as they were delivered to him. Mr. Freeman would set a day aside to travel from Salem to Rocky Bottom to meticulously install each and every name plate. There were other contributions. The late Odell Austin, former President of the Orangeburg Chapter loved Rocky Bottom. He also took pride in his business dealings. One evening when several were present, Odell was talking about his business success and I approached him about giving a substantial contribution accompanied by his name in a prominent place in the center. After the meeting that day Odell agreed to make a contribution of $10,000. To the best of my knowledge this is the largest contribution to the center by a blind person. Incidentally, the most expensive item for the new center was the commercial kitchen which was valued at $75,000. Mrs. Garrett who had helped with the chairs also got the commercial kitchen at a substantial discount. Some blind persons and others also made substantial contributions having their name placed on different rooms in the center. Once again, for the second straight year we have been unable to participate in the Fun Day weekend but we wish much success in this most important occasion. Meanwhile I’ll celebrate a special day in my life as I will have my 90th birthday take place this Thursday, August 30. A lifelong friend has invited me out to dinner and this is appreciated as well as other greetings, cards, etc.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Sinful pleasures will make you worthless. Holiness will make you priceless.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>