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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>July 22, 2020<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 1771<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> Wow, what an awesome, awesome national convention! Hats off to our national leadership who took on a very difficult and complex project and made it work extremely well. When the announcement was initially made by President Riccobono that our 2020 national convention was going virtual as a result of Covid-19, I had questions as to how the convention would be carried out utilizing a variety of virtual platforms. However, as time went on, I soon realized this convention was going to be as comprehensive and informative as any other convention. I enjoyed the National Board of Directors meeting a great deal and was proud when Matthew Duffell Hoffman was recognized as a 2020 national scholarship winner. This is the second consecutive year a student from South Carolina has been a recipient of a national scholarship as Derique Simon was a scholarship winner in 2019. I felt the agenda items during the general sessions were outstanding and President Riccobono’s Presidential Report and Banquet address were excellent and extremely inspiring. I was also very proud of the 231 South Carolinians who registered for the convention placing us tenth in overall attendance. Although I must admit, I missed being with our South Carolina delegation, seeing federation friends from other states, and also missed hearing the excitement of the crowd during the convention, it is my feeling the 2020 national convention of the National Federation of the blind was one of the best I have attended. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> I am very pleased to report 168 individuals have already registered for the upcoming NFB of SC state convention. Keep up the great work as the dead line to register for our state convention is July 31. Remember, there is no cost for registration. To register online for the 2020 NFB of SC state convention, go to our website nfbofsc.org. If you need assistance with the online registration, call Steve and Shannon Cook (803) 254-0222 or David Houck at the Federation Center (803) 254-3777. If you do not register you will not be eligible for door prizes. More importantly, to be eligible to participate in the election of state officers and five board positions, you must be registered for the convention and a dues paying member of the NFB of SC. I am strongly urging all chapter presidents to work closely with those members of your chapter who have not registered to ensure maximum turnout for this year’s state convention as the dead line is only nine days away. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We have an announcement from Shannon cook, Chairperson of the NFB of SC scholarship committee. “Great news! The NFB of SC Scholarship Committee has just met to determine the three winners for this year’s scholarship program. The winners are . . . . . ... Oh no! You didn’t think I was going to tell you now, did you? We will reveal that on Saturday, August 22nd at our NFB of SC state convention banquet. Until then, if you, your chapter, or your division would like to give a named scholarship, or donate to the Metro Fund, please get in touch with David Houck at the Federation Center. Mr. Houck will then send the money to our state Treasurer Valerie Warrington and she will let me know of the scholarship donation. No amount is too small. If someone wants to give $5, $10, $25, and so on, it will be applied to the scholarship recipients this year and you, the chapter, or the division will be recognized during the banquet. Donations can be made via PayPal or by sending a check made out to the NFB of SC to the Federation Center. Please be sure to specify that the donation is for the Scholarship Program in the “for” line of the check or on the PayPal page. As always, your support is appreciated. http://nfbofsc.org/?page_id=31”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Finally, after the adjournment of the national convention this past Saturday evening, , all of us should feel very proud of being a federationist and to be a member of an organization who is unafraid and more than willing to take on the most difficult challenges to make it possible for the blind to live the lives they want. <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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: Transforming dreams into reality: Doing the opposite can often be to your advantage: if no one is buying houses and plenty are available, buy a house. If restaurants are going out of business and you need a new stove, buy a good used one and get a great deal! (The Center has a commercial gas stove available).<o:p></o:p></p></div></body></html>