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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>November 27, 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 1685<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> We are writing this edition of the Positive Note earlier than usual in order that you may receive it prior to the Christmas Board Retreat which will be held this weekend, November 30, December 1, and December 2, at Rocky Bottom. Saturday, December 1, promises to be a very busy day. We will kick things off Saturday morning with the Rocky Bottom Retreat and Conference Center of the Blind Board of Directors meeting at 9:30, followed by the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina Board of Directors meeting which will begin at 2:00 p.m. We will have our holiday dinner at 6:30 Saturday evening and immediately afterwards we will gather around the Christmas tree and celebrate the Christmas season as we sing carols, exchange gifts, fellowship, and sample a variety of delicious desserts which I am certain many of you are planning to bring. If you wish to participate in the Christmas gift exchange Saturday evening, ladies will need to bring a ladies’ gift and men will need to bring a men’s gift. I am asking Julie Bible and Dianna Singleton to be responsible for the distribution of the Christmas gifts Saturday evening. Additionally, we are asking each board member and chapter president who will be attending the Board Retreat, to contribute such items as Toothbrushes, toothpaste, Kleenex, shower jell, shampoo, lady’s and men’s socks, and candy. These will be placed in gift bags and will be donated to residents of a small assistive living facility located in Pickens and which is owned and operated by Jimmie Masters a member of the RBRCCB Advisory Board. The schedule for meals throughout the weekend are as follows: Saturday morning breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m., lunch at 1:00 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday morning we will have a continental breakfast at 8:30 a.m. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The month of December is a busy time in the NFB of SC as many chapters hold parties to celebrate the Christmas season. If you would like for me to attend your Christmas party please contact me at (803) 796-8662 or you can email me at frankcoppel@att.net and I will try to attend. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> As we approach the end of 2018, I would like to remind everyone that this is a great time to pay your 2019 state dues of $10. Article XII of the NFB of SC state Constitution states “The dues of this organization shall be $10 per year, payable during the month of January. No person may vote who is delinquent in the payment of his/her dues.” The dead line for submitting dues is January 31, 2019. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Constance Miller, President of our Belvedere chapter. “For the second year in a row the Belvedere Chapter will be participating in our community parade, which will be held December 2nd, at 3 p.m. Our chapter will decorate our van and walk. We had a great time last year! Looking forward to being among our community participants and spectators alike, meeting new people to show that blindness is not what holds us back, we can live the life we want, and have FUN!”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Finally, I hope all of you had a blessed Thanksgiving. We currently are expecting approximately forty people to attend the Board Retreat. Remember to check in with our Resident Manager, Linda Bible, for your room assignment Friday evening. Shelley and I look forward to seeing many of you this weekend and as always, we are looking forward to celebrating the Christmas season at Rocky Bottom with our federation family. <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> Now that the 2018 Thanksgiving holiday is history, we will be busy full-time with the Christmas season. I wish it were possible for me to attend the annual Christmas board retreat at RBRCCB but that is not feasible. RBRCCB is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The annual board retreat will once again be hosted by RBRCCB the first being before the Conference Center was constructed in 1991, as the first one was held in 1979. Travel with me down memory lane to touch base on some of the early federation activities. In 1953 I joined the Columbia Chapter which was known then as the Aurora Club. The original chapter was founded by Dr. Sam M. Lawton in the summer of 1944 in Spartanburg. The third chapter of the Aurora Club was organized in 1955 in Charleston. Incidentally, the Columbia Chapter was established in 1947. Dr. Lawton and I met in Charleston in 1955 and we were successful in organizing the third chapter. The three chapters came together in Columbia in April 1956 and elected a constitution and elected state officers. Virtually all of us have been approached by some blind person to join the Aurora Club. I remember in the 1950’s a very nice but also very shy young lady who was a student at SCSDB when I was there in the early 1940’s. This was Mildred Yon Kirkland who became elected as President of the Charleston Chapter. Incidentally, a significant event had just occurred as our own Marshall Tucker has just celebrated his 95th birthday. I believe Marshall is the only surviving charter chapter member still living. Thank you Marshall (and your dear wife Lois) for all you have done for the blind throughout the years. I have been thoroughly blessed by my participation in the organized blind movement throughout the years. I have met some wonderful persons who happen to be blind. I’m sure the average federation member would acknowledge that the NFB of SC has enhanced our well-being. There are too many to report on everyone but I do recall at least one who got their beginning from attending the week set aside at RBRCCB for blind seniors. I refer to Dorcas Campbell who became acquainted with the NFB of SC by attending the week long senior camp. She then attended the Chesterfield County Chapter and helped in its development. Ms. Campbell who just celebrated her 97th birthday recently moved to be with her son in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Chesterfield County Chapter continues to do well as the result of Ms. Campbell’s leadership before she moved away. I would also like to thank President Frank and Shelley Coppel for heading up the successful NFB Senior retreat hosted by the NFB Senior Division which included persons from nine states. My thoughts will be on the Christmas Board Retreat at RBRCB this weekend and no doubt this will be an excellent event.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: During Thanksgiving we are grateful for what we have. During the Christmas season we share our thankfulness with others.<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>