<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>October 17, 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 1679<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> Hello from Rocky Bottom where Shelley and I are participating in a week long training program for seniors sponsored by the National Federation of the Blind Seniors Division. Shelley and I traveled to Rocky Bottom on Friday, October 12, to do some last minute preparation prior to the start of the program which began on Sunday, October 14, and will conclude on Saturday, October 20. Twelve seniors representing nine states (Utah, Oklahoma, Michigan, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey and South Carolina) are learning blindness skills such as: cane travel, Braille, home management, organizational skills, and assistive technology. These seniors are wearing a sleep shade while learning these skills and they are participating in daily group discussions which are designed to reinforce appropriate choices when encountering a variety of blindness issues. Although there have been NFB groups such as the National Association of Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) and a group of students from the Louisiana Center for the Blind’s summer program who have conducted similar programs in the past at Rocky Bottom, we have not had this type of training occur at our facilities for many years. It is my hope this important program occurring this week will lead to other national divisions and state affiliates of the NFB to utilize Rocky Bottom for workshops, meetings and future training programs. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Steve Cook, NFB of SC Website Content Administrator. “It is time to begin thinking about upcoming events for 2019 in the NFB of SC! If you have an event in 2019 and you would like for the information to be posted on the NFB of SC website. Send it to me at steve.cook@nfbofsc.org. This is a great way to bring in people to the NFB and let them know about local events in your area! Be sure to include as much information for the event as possible.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Constance Miller, President of our Belvedere Chapter says, “The Belvedere Chapter had its White Cane Awareness Walk and Meet the Blind Month activity this past Saturday, October 13th, at the North Augusta Recreation Center, from 10:00 a.m. until noon. We walked on the greenway. We handed out NFB flyers and information on the white cane.”<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> As all of you know, October is Meet the Blind Month and this is an important event as the blind need to do everything possible to improve relations with sighted persons. In last week’s Positive Note we provided readers with the White Cane Safety Day Proclamation signed by Gov. Henry McMaster. Federationists across the state are giving a lot of attention to promoting public awareness and you have my appreciation. One of the memorable legislative initiatives I recall was the White Cane Law which was authored by our founder, Dr. Jacobus tenBroek. Some valuable information is provided in the White Cane Law adopted by this state in the late Summer of 1972. The preamble of the White Cane Law which is prominently displayed in the Center’s Legislative Hall of Fame states that, “It is the policy of this State to encourage and enable the blind, the visually handicapped, and the otherwise physically disabled to participate fully in the social and economic life of the State and to engage in remunerative employment.” The section creating the White Cane Safety Day is as follows, SECTION 43-33-50. White Cane Safety Day. Each year, the Governor shall take suitable public notice of October fifteenth as White Cane Safety Day. He shall issue a proclamation in which: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(a) He comments upon the significance of the white cane; <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(b) He calls upon the citizens of the State to observe the provisions of the White Cane Law and to take precautions necessary to the safety of the disabled; <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(c) He reminds the citizens of the State of the policies with respect to the disabled herein declared and urges the citizens to cooperate in giving effect to them; <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>(d) He emphasizes the need of the citizens to be aware of the presence of disabled persons in the community and to keep safe and functional for the disabled the streets, highways, sidewalks, walkways, public buildings, public facilities, other public places, places of public accommodation, amusement and resort, and other places to which the public is invited, and to offer assistance to disabled persons upon appropriate occasions.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> You will note that this important legislation is the basis of equal treatment of the blind in society. When we approached the SC General Assembly several decades ago about the White Cane Law, as I recall, there was not one vote against the bill in either the House or the Senate. The White Cane Law created the federal Americans with Disabilities Act. I am glad to have this opportunity of providing you with the actual language used in the statute and we are indebted to Dr. tenBroek for authoring this invaluable tool.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: “Learning new skills makes one more independent. Sharing those skills with others makes many independent.”<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>