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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>September 12, 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 1674<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> Before we turn our attention to other activities in the NFB of SC, I would like to share with you numbers regarding the Fun Day Festival which occurred at Rocky Bottom on September 1. Considering the limited time we had to plan for this event, we were able to raise approximately $4,000 in net proceeds. We were able to sell 694 tickets state wide and after paying out $850 in prize money we were able to clear $2,620 in Fun Day tickets sales. Frank Loza, of the Belvedere chapter won the $550 as he bought the winning ticket two hours prior to the drawing. The Columbia chapter won $300 for finishing first place selling 131 tickets, Linda Bible, the resident manager of Rocky Bottom, finished second place selling 80 tickets, Sumter chapter finished third selling 70 tickets, and Rock hill chapter finished fourth selling 66 tickets. The auction was very successful as we were able to raise $1,346. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I am sure most of you have heard by now, that the 2019 NFB National Convention will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Mandalay Resort hotel next year from July 7-12, 2019. At the NFB of SC Board of Directors meeting held during the state convention, I appointed a committee chaired by Tiffiny Mitchell to investigate ways how the state organization could best financially assist our members to attend the 2019 National convention. Thursday evening, September 6, a teleconference meeting was held and Tiffiny presented the following information to the more than twenty people who were on the conference call. The date we will be flying to Las Vegas will be Saturday, July 6, 2019 and we will be returning from Las Vegas on Saturday, July 13, 2019. Currently, the group rate for a round trip, nonstop ticket on American Airlines from Charlotte to Las Vegas is $439 which includes taxes and fees. A minimum of ten people are needed to qualify for a group rate. Because seats on flights were going quickly, Tiffiny felt we needed to sign a contract with American Airlines as soon as possible. For this reason, she is planning to sign a contract with American Airlines on September 21, 2018. Once Tiffiny signs a contract, individuals will have fourteen days to make a $50 deposit to reserve and hold their seat. The deadline to pay your $50 deposit is October 5, 2018. Airline tickets must be paid in full ($439) to American Airlines no later than June 6, 2019. To assist members financially, the NFB of SC will provide transportation to qualified individuals from Columbia to the Charlotte airport and from the Las Vegas airport to the hotel. If you want further information regarding these arrangements, feel free to contact Tiffiny Mitchell at (803) 603-2098. Let’s do all we can to have a maximum turnout of South Carolinians in Las Vegas next year for our national convention! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Isaiah Nelson, president of the SC School for the blind Alumni Association. “Greetings! Those of you who would be interested in going to Spartanburg on Saturday, October 20, 2018 to assist in developing future plans for activities and programs for the SC School for the Blind, I would like to take this time to invite you to a planning meeting. The cost of the trip will be fifty ($50) dollars which includes your dues, lunch and gas. The van will be leaving from the federation center at 8:00 a.m. on the above-given date. All monies should be paid no later than Thursday, October 11, 2018. If you have any questions or interested in this meeting, feel free to contact me at (803) 413-2434.” <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Finally, I would like to say to all of our chapters and members who are located on the coast and who are in the path of Hurricane Florence, you are in our thoughts and prayers. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to call on us. <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> President Coppel’s figures on the Fun Day Festival are most impressive. We appreciate the extensive work which was done on the Fun Day Festival. There’s another funding program which greatly benefits all three entities, the NFB of SC, the Federation Center and Rocky Bottom. This is known as the “Living Memorial Program.” At about the same time the Fun Day Festival came into being in the early 1980’s, the living memorial program was also established. Bill Richardson who served on the Advisory Board of the Federation Center, approached me about creating a federation living memorial program. He provided us with a copy of a living memorial form he had used elsewhere and all we needed to do for the Federation Center was changing the wording on the form. Not long thereafter we received a contribution from a contributor who wanted to assist the federation by remembering a loved one who had passed away. Throughout the years this program grew. Today it’s not unusual to receive more than one living memorial each week. My granddaughter, Laura Setters who lives in Louisville, recently sent a living memorial for her dear mother and my daughter, Beth Holdcraft, whose portrait is displayed prominently in the board room at Rocky Bottom. Laura explained that the $90 contribution was to go for the 90 years of my life. Incidentally, a record breaking number of greetings about my birthday were received. Living memorials for the federation come from persons in all walks of life. Federationists also participate in the living memorial program. Recently we received numerous living memorials given in memory of Mary Maness, a member of the Union Chapter. These memorials were generous and raised funds in excess of $300. A number of years ago, Ben Rushton, a member of the Edgefield County Chapter, who lost his sight in an automobile accident. His wife divorced him because of his loss of sight and she also wanted custody of their children. Frank Coppel went to the court hearing and Frank was very persuasive. The judge granted custody of the children to Ben Rushton. Recently Ben passed away. Memorials in his memory were received from contributors from throughout the state, as far as from Charleston. I hope that members from throughout the state will participate in this program when the situation presents itself. We must support our statewide programs and this is an excellent way of doing so.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As I dictate this Positive Note Tuesday we are concerned about the reports we are receiving from the weather bureau regarding Hurricane Florence. I hope all of you remain safe. I vividly recall Hurricane Hugo which occurred in September 1989 as I was attending a board meeting of the SC School for the Deaf and Blind. We agreed to spend the night at the School and I recall Betty and I stayed in the Walker Hall apartment. I liked everything except the twin beds. Late that night I woke up and thought I heard a person talking but it turned out to be my dear wife who had her small radio and she was playing it under the cover. When I asked about it she said she was trying to get Hurricane Hugo news from Columbia. We did receive damage to our property but our next door neighbor had serious damage to his roof as a large tree fell across his roof. Let’s all keep everyone in our thoughts and prayers.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Thought without action is meaningless. Action without thought is reckless.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>