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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>September 14, 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: Jennifer Bazer, President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Positive Note 1779<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>What an exciting week in the NFB of SC last week! So much going on! I want to thank all of you who have called, texted, emailed with your ideas, suggestions, thoughts regarding the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the Federation Center, and Rocky Bottom! We all know there is a lot of work to be done in our affiliate, and I am confident that with all of us working together, we are going to do amazing things in the Palmetto state. We are going to transform dreams into reality and live the lives we want!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I want to wish Tiffiny Mitchell, President of our Columbia chapter the very best as she prepares for her wedding this Friday. We will be thinking of you as you begin the marriage journey.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am so grateful for the overwhelming response for my request for members to serve on committees for the 2020-2021 year! Thank you for your commitment to serve and build the Federation in South Carolina! Those committee assignments will be in a separate email to the listserv and in the positive note next week. If you are not on the listserv and would like to receive messages about the NFB of SC and other resources, please contact Steve Cook at <a href="mailto:cookcafe@sc.rr.com">cookcafe@sc.rr.com</a> or call him at 803-254-0222.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>There will be a South Carolina Connects meeting this Thursday, September 17 at 5 pm on the Zoom platform, the information is below.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Join Zoom Meeting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://zoom.us/j/8032543777">https://zoom.us/j/8032543777</a> Meeting ID: 803 254 3777 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you have a smart phone, just click below and it will dial in for you:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>+19292056099,,8032543777#<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Or, you can dial in from your land phone:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>929 205 6099<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meeting Id no. 803 254 377<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you know of any chapter meetings happening via Zoom, conference call ETC and you would not mind others joining you, please post the information here! This would be a great way for others outside your chapter to view how other meetings are conducted. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to those chapters, divisions and others who have posted their meetings on the listserv. If you have trouble posting to the listserv, please contact Steve Cook at <a href="mailto:cookcafe@sc.rr.com">cookcafe@sc.rr.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>We have access to masks that are available to affiliates, chapters, and divisions to order. They are split with the right half of the mask being royal blue and the left side being yellow/gold. There is an NFB logo on the yellow side showing the circular Whozit symbol in full color. Just below the logo are the letters “NFB of SC.” That can be altered to fit your needs. Katy in Colorado is the designer and maker of these masks. They feature a wire sown in at the top to keep the mask in place. They also have a pocket on the inner layer for anyone who may need to use a filter with their mask. The cost is $5 each, regardless of quantity. Katy recommends selling the masks for $10 to make a profit for your affiliate, chapter, or<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>division. You can reach Katy by using either of the following methods: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><a href="mailto:rohdekaty@gmail.com">rohdekaty@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>(720) 636-1581.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Also, if anyone in SC would like a mask, limited quantities are available.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText>Contact Shelley Coppel at (803) 796-8662.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We are getting ready to stock our gift shop at Rocky Bottom retreat and Conference Center of the Blind. The gift shop will include items that are made by the blind, represent the blind, or that people who rent Rocky Bottom ask for on a regular basis. If you would like to contribute items to sell in the shop, please let me know. Do you crochet? Do you make specialty items? Do you just want to donate items for the shop that others may wish to purchase, we would love to hear from you!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Most of the items for the first opening of the gift shop will be in Columbia September 23. We are planning a packing, labeling, and work party at the Federation Center, 119 Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205 on Thursday, September 24 beginning at 10:00. We will have individuals labeling index cards in print, then labeling them in Braille, placing the items in clear zip lock bags, and then stapling the print and Braille labels on the packages.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We welcome all hands on deck to join this time together, working as a team to bring something new to Rocky Bottom! If you are in Columbia and would like to help and need transportation, please text or call me at 803-960-9977 or email me at <a href="mailto:jhipp25@sc.rr.com">jhipp25@sc.rr.com</a> by Tuesday September 22. If you are out of town and wish to assist, we welcome you to join us at the Center by 10:00, Thursday morning, September 24.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will all be wearing masks and there is a station with hand sanitizer on your right as you enter the center from the parking lot to use liberally when you are there.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Rocky Bottom is yours, Rocky Bottom is ours. Rocky bottom is owned and operated by the blind of South Carolina. Let’s work together to build a gift shop that we are proud of, and that guests are excited to visit. Come join us on Thursday, September 24th at 10:00, at the Federation Center. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With “meet the Blind Month” quickly approaching, we would love to know of events your chapter has planned. Please help us include more statewide content on our NFB of SC website nfbofsc.org by sending Steve Cook pictures from your chapter’s event(s) with labels of who is in them and a description of the activity being shown. Though COVID may have changed how we do things in the NFB of SC, it does not have to change the fact that we still do them! If you need help learning how to send photos electronically, please get in touch with Steve at <a href="mailto:cookcafe@sc.rr.com">cookcafe@sc.rr.com</a> or by calling (803) 254-0222. Thanks for being part of the team that will show the world how the NFB of SC gets things done<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Great News! The Federation Center is preparing to have new flooring installed in the main meeting hall. Since there is very little traffic in and out of the center these days with COVID restrictions, it is a great time to tackle this project. The new flooring will take approximately 2-3 days to install. Future projects to be completed are renovating the lounge and updating the bathrooms. The Federation Center has gone through some major changes over the past few years. If you have not been able to come to Columbia to see for yourself, there is a slide show on the nfbofsc.org website that is available. Just click on the Federation Center link. There is no audio description yet, but please stay tuned. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Because of how much the NFB of SC has been using the Zoom account we signed up for last year, we find the need to add another meeting space. The Zoom account our affiliate has been using over the past year is adding a second meeting ID. Now, in addition to the existing room we have been using, 803 254 3777, we are adding a second room with a familiar number, 864 878 9090. This is the number to Rocky Bottom. We wanted to use numbers that everyone was already familiar with to make it easier for us all. If you need to use Zoom for a meeting, please contact Thom Spittle at (803) 331-3344. He is scheduling the meetings. He can let you know which meeting ID you will need to use for your meeting. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If your chapter, division, board, or you personally have something for the good of the affiliate to announce, please send the information to me via email by Sunday night so I can add it to the Positive Note.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am trying to have the Positive Note out on Mondays. I have slowly moved it to Tuesdays, but ultimately, would like it out on Mondays so all of you know what is happening for the week in our state.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This can include, but not limited to:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Chapter and division and committee meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Fund raisers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Local NFB of SC events<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Announcements like members’ marriages, births, passing’s, and more.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We want to know what is going on in our affiliate; how we can support one another; come together as a family that we are and make our affiliate stronger.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have a lot taking place in our affiliate and through the national office. The NFB of SC is a part of a larger movement. Let’s go build the Federation, invite others to join our family, and welcome new members!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought: <strong><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:#202020'>Gandhi said, "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." And neither should you!<o:p></o:p></span></strong></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFB Pledge<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I pledge to participate actively in the effort of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFB One Minute Message<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white'>“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></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white'>If this message was forwarded to you and you would like to receive it directly in your inbox, as well as, receive messages regarding the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, please email Steve Cook at <a href="mailto:cookcafe@sc.rr.com">cookcafe@sc.rr.com</a> or call him at home at 803-254-0222 and he will be happy to add you to the listserv and the Positive Note.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>