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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>March 22, 2021<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 1806<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>803-960-9977 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Jhipp25@sc.rr.com">Jhipp25@sc.rr.com</a><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 a successful first annual talent show hosted by the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, NFB of SC! Ten participants entered the contest with various talents including: singing, playing the guitar, clogging, playing the piano and more. Participants were from the Palmetto state and other affiliates and were from age 12 and up. A total of $4,074 was brought in. First place received 10% of the earnings, second place received 5% of the earnings, and third place received 3% of the earnings. The NFB of SC cleared $3,340.70 after winners were paid their monetary prizes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>First place, Marcia Harton 1417 votes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Melinda Ham 1227 votes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Kimberlynn Michele Mitchell 672 votes<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Congratulations to all individuals who boldly entered the talent show! Thank you to all who supported the contestants with their paid votes. Thank you to Debra Canty and the fund-raising committee for their hard work and thank you to Steve Cook for the behind the scenes work in uploading all entries to the website, tracking votes, helping individuals vote electronically if needed. Thank you to David Houck at the Federation Center for collecting votes via mail. We were successful because we worked together! We look forward to this being an annual fund-raiser for the Palmetto affiliate!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>IN the last several Positive Notes, I began sharing blind women in history who made a difference in our movement. I continue sharing stories of influential blind women through President Riccobono’s 2018 national banquet speech in Orlando, Florida. You can read the entire speech at the link below.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/convent/banquet-speech-2018-2.html">https://www.nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/convent/banquet-speech-2018-2.html</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>“A woman who was not born in the United states and who was not blind at the time of our founding came to be a force for sharing our message around the world. Isabelle Lyon Dean was born in 1896 in a fishing village on the northern coast of Scotland. At the age of twenty-eight, Isabelle and her husband, Dr. Alexander Grant, left Scotland to build their life together in the United States. In 1927 Isabelle began teaching in the Los Angeles County schools where, aided by her fluency in Spanish, she became a vocal advocate for the sizable population of Mexican American students. In 1940 she further enhanced her teaching credentials by earning a PhD in comparative literature.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Her career took a turn when she developed glaucoma and, by the fall of 1948, Dr. Grant was totally blind. She found no hope among the agencies for the blind she visited, and her uncertainty grew regarding how to manage her job as vice principal at Belvedere Junior High School. Hope and opportunity returned to her when a friend introduced her to a blind man who was a member of the National Federation of the Blind—an encounter that put her on the road to mastering the skills of blindness, to internalizing our shared philosophy, and to becoming an active member in our California affiliate.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Dr. Grant’s own determination, the unwavering support of her professional colleagues in the school, and the shared bond with her sisters and brothers in the Federation assisted in rejecting the school district’s attempt to force her to retire based on her disability. Yet, Dr. Grant would endure more than a decade of maneuvers by the district to sabotage her work by regularly shifting her assigned school and the students on her caseload. The discrimination she faced caused her real pain. One example is that the district assigned her a sighted teaching assistant to be with her at all times. When the sighted person left the classroom, the door was required to be locked as a safety precaution—a circumstance she described as “the blind teacher in a glass cage.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>As the first blind teacher in the California public school system, Dr. Grant worked tirelessly so that future generations of blind educators would not face similar barriers. She advocated for new state laws, organized conferences for blind educators, and innovated quality educational services for blind children based on the authentic experience of blind people. A trip to an international conference in 1957 sparked a passion for working on issues of education and self-organization of the blind outside of the United States, which would drive the final twenty years of her life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>During the 1959-60 school year, she took a sabbatical from teaching to make a remarkable journey through twenty-three countries, traveling alone, with the aim to learn from the educational and living conditions of other blind people, and to raise expectations through self-organization. She chronicled her adventures in a manuscript entitled, “Crooked Paths Made Straight,” which went unpublished until 2016. She would make many more international trips and correspond regularly with hundreds of blind people around the world. Significantly, 1960 also marked Dr. Grant’s election to the Board of the National Federation of the Blind on which she served until her death in 1977. In everything she did, no matter the continent, she was a constant promoter and information gatherer for the Federation. Blindness was what brought Dr. Grant to the Federation family, but it was only one of many dynamic characteristics that added synergy to our movement.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Isabel Grant was most certainly influenced by a blind educator from New Mexico named Pauline Gomez. Blind from birth, Pauline was educated at the New Mexico School for the Blind, where she graduated in 1940. A scholarship from the Perkins Institute for the Blind gave her an opportunity to meet blind people from around the country and set her on the path to be a teacher. In the fall of 1941, Pauline became the first blind student to enroll at the University of New Mexico, where she had to pioneer methods for gaining access to instructional materials and navigating the campus independently.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Upon successful graduation from the university, Pauline returned home to Santa Fe, where she planned to teach in the public schools. Despite her qualifications, the public-school administrators could not imagine a blind teacher working with children, but Pauline was determined to build her own opportunity to share her talents with the children of Santa Fe. On October 1, 1946, Los Niņos Kindergarten School opened in the back room of Pauline’s home. There were eight children in her first class, and Pauline served as the only teacher, in addition to managing the administrative details of the school. From that modest beginning, Pauline expanded her school over the following decades, serving the children of all of the most prominent families in Santa Fe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Pauline’s school had been open almost a decade when she assisted in organizing the New Mexico affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind in 1956. When Pauline became president of the affiliate in 1960, she began aggressively working on legislative proposals to improve opportunities for the blind. A keen educator, Pauline recognized the efficacy of Kenneth Jernigan’s Iowa training program using the Federation’s philosophy. She wanted that level of training in New Mexico. In 1963 she persuaded the state legislature to study the value of establishing an adult rehabilitation training center in the state, which threatened the monopoly that the workshops for the blind had on the employment pipeline. Workshop supervisors attended the 1963 Convention of the NFB of New Mexico where they were able to coerce their blind employees into electing four agency supporters to the affiliate’s board of directors. Pauline took swift action to guard against the hostile takeover of the organized blind movement by sending affiliate documents to the President of the Federation, securing the treasury, and reorganizing the affiliate, all of this while running her own growing school in Santa Fe.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black'>Whether it was in the president’s chair or another position within the Federation, Pauline had a hand in more victories than we can do justice to this evening. From leading New Mexico to be the first state in the nation to pass the Federation’s model White Cane Law in 1967, to developing the teachers division of the National Federation of the Blind in 1970, for Pauline the Federation was personal. Her community contributions outside of the Federation were extraordinary and widely celebrated. Her school was admired for its quality and innovative practices. It would have been easy for her to decide that the organized blind movement did not matter. Except for her it did matter. She was a blind person, she felt the pain of discrimination, and she understood the synergy of equality. The National Federation of the Blind fueled Pauline’s hope for the future, and we helped her to know she could do something to shape that future. She brought perspective, diversity, knowledge, and determination to us, and we gave to her the place where her blindness was a most important factor in her leadership, but the least important factor in her success.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;color:black;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='color:black'>As we continue to focus on women during the month of March, we would like to spotlight a member who has offered to give a percentage back to the NFB of SC when you purchase products from her during the month of March:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='color:black'>In Carolyn’s own words:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I have been an official Federation member since 2020 having attended NFB events over the years in my role as a Vision Teacher and Orientation and Mobility Specialist. I have been an Independent Mary Kay consultant since May of 2020. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>MARY KAY'S MISSION IS TO ENRICH WOMEN'S LIVE<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>They do this in tangible ways, by offering quality products to consumers, financial opportunities to independent beauty consultants, and offering fulfilling careers to employees.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>They reach out to the heart and spirit of women,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>enabling personal growth and fulfillment for the women whose lives are touched by Mary Kay.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mary Kay's products include skin care products for all skin types, cosmetics, and fragrances. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>During the month of March, I will donate 40% of all sales to the SC NFB. If you are interested in a complimentary pampering sample for either skincare, spa treatment or color matching, please contact me. <o:p></o:p></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><span style='color:black'>My business website is Marykay.com/CACooley. I can also be reached by text or call at 803-727-3347 or email</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='text-align:justify;background:white'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> The following meetings are scheduled on the Zoom platform this month. You are welcome to attend any of these meetings, even if you are not a member of the chapter or committee. All Committee meetings are open to the public for listening. Contact President Bazer if you would like to be added to any NFB of SC committee so that information stays current on our website and membership list. Here is what is coming up on Zoom for the month. All meetings are on the main Federation ID of 803-254-3777, unless noted.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dates & Times of meetings are subject to change.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Monday, March 22, 2021 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anderson Chapter Meeting 6:00 PM, in-person, contact demetrius for location details<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Doing Our Fair Share Committee Meeting 7:00 PM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Tuesday, March 23, 2021 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Get Fit with Sports and Rec Division 5:30 PM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Diversity & Inclusion Committee Meeting 8:00 PM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thursday, March 25, 2021 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Social Media Committee Meeting 7:30 PM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Friday, March 26, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Touch the Top of the World Audio Described Movie 8 PM<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Saturday, March 27, 2021<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Get Fit with the Sports & Rec Division 8:00 AM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> NFB of SC Federation Center is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Topic: NFB of SC Chapter and Committee meetings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Times are in Eastern Time (US and Canada)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Join Zoom Meeting<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09">https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Meeting ID: 803 254 3777<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Passcode: 124578<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>One tap mobile<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>+19292056099,,8032543777# US (New York)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Palmetto Connects<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We will have our next palmetto connects meeting on Thursday, April 1, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. Eastern time. Please encourage your chapters, divisions, committees to attend to learn about the latest happenings in the NFB of SC! All are welcome from everywhere!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Advocacy Committee:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will be developing an Advocacy committee which will meet the third Wednesdays of each month at 6:00 PM Eastern starting April 21. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please contact me at 803-960-9977 via text or phone, or, you may email me your interest at<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:Jhipp25@sc.rr.com">Jhipp25@sc.rr.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Let’s advocate for blind South Carolinians through the advocacy committee under the NFB of SC. Below, I have shared some text from the <a href="http://www.nfb.org">www.nfb.org</a> website that may give you insight on the interests and responsibilities of the advocacy committee that we will launch on April 21 at 6:00 PM!<o:p></o:p></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>The National Federation of the Blind is continuously working toward securing full integration, equality, independence, acceptance, and respect for all blind Americans.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white;box-sizing: border-box;font-variant-ligatures: normal;font-variant-caps: normal;orphans: 2;text-align:start;widows: 2;-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;text-decoration-thickness: initial;text-decoration-style: initial;text-decoration-color: initial;word-spacing:0px'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><img border=0 width=566 height=424 style='width:5.8916in;height:4.4166in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D71EAF.EDF95710" alt="A crowd of NFB members gathers outside near the capitol dome in Washington, DC."></span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Our advocacy work has centered on issues related to education, employment, transportation, voting, and civil rights, and is directed by the <a href="https://nfb.org/resources/speeches-and-reports/resolutions"><span style='color:#005AA3'>resolutions</span></a> that are passed every year during our <a href="https://nfb.org/get-involved/national-convention"><span style='color:#005AA3'>national convention</span></a>. As the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans, we are able to provide expert advice in these areas to blind people, their families, agencies for the blind, corporations, and the government. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Movie Night March 26:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>We will be having an audio described movie night on Friday, March 26 at 8:00 PM Eastern. All are welcome to attend from anywhere. Bring your favorite popcorn, candy, friend, and four-legged friend and join us!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#202124;background:white'>Touch the Top of the World</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#202124;background:white'> is based on an incredible and inspiring true <b>story</b> about Erik Weihenmayer. The <b>story</b> follows his life from childhood, when he lost his eyesight due to a rare disease, through his amazing climb to the <b>top</b> of Mount Everest. </span><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:15.0pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Conway and Loris chapter Interest<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will be having a Conway and Loris chapter interest meeting on Monday, April 5 to revitalize the Conway and Loris chapters. If you are interested in attending this in-person meeting, please contact David Rebocho at 401-484-4525 or you may email him at <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:drnfbsc@yahoo.com">drnfbsc@yahoo.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If you have contact information of previous members or perspective members in these areas, please feel free to contact David Rebocho so we may have a large turn-out for this meeting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sports and Rec Fund-Raising Meeting All Invited:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Sports and Rec Division invites the Public Relations and Meet the Blind committees along with anyone else interested in their October walk-a-thon held in many cities in SC to their April 7 meeting on zoom. Times can be found in the April zoom events in the March 29 Positive Note.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For more information, please contact David Rebocho, President of the Sports and Rec Division at 401-484-4525 or email him at <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:drnfbsc@yahoo.com">drnfbsc@yahoo.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> PAC Plan Challenge:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> We will be running a contest from December 5, 2020 through May 31, 2021 for our NFB of SC affiliate. We are currently 13 and would like to be in the top 10 or higher. One of our members would like to see us as an affiliate contribute $1,500 to PAC each month between chapters, divisions, individuals and our NFB of SC affiliate. If you join PAC, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $100 visa gift card. If you increase your PAC donation, your name will be entered into a different $100 visa gift card drawing. I have a list of chapters, divisions, and individuals who are on PAC at this time. On June 1, I will ask the national office for another list which I will use to have the two drawings on June 1. There are many ways to give. Below, is a little about PAC.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Thank you for your interest in the National Federation of the Blind's Pre-Authorized Contribution (PAC) program. This program allows you to contribute to the NFB through recurring monthly donations. These can be direct withdrawals from a checking account or charges to a credit card. Please contact <a href="mailto:pac@nfb.org">pac@nfb.org</a> with any questions. Thank you for your generosity.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> You can go to <a href="https://www.nfb.org/pac">https://www.nfb.org/pac</a> to complete the online form.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> You may also call the national office at 410-659-9314 extension 2622 or email <a href="mailto:PAC@nfb.org">PAC@nfb.org</a> with questions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> There are several chapters and divisions within our state who are on PAC and we are grateful for those contributions. There are individuals who are on PAC and we are appreciative of those members who give each month. As an affiliate, we are averaging $17.41 per person and less than 10% of our members are on PAC. Let’s see if we can increase those percentages to over $20 per month and have at least 20% of our members on PAC. I appreciate you considering to get on the PAC plan or increasing your donation each month!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following individuals and chapters have jumped on the PAC plan or increased their PAC plan.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>New donors and currently inactive donors that reactivated: </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Cheri Euton</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Lori Coley</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Dale and Pat Wolthoff</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>NFB SC At Large Chapter</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>NFB SC Lancaster Chapter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Melanie Torrance <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>David Rebocho</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Increases:</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>David Bundy</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Debra Canty</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>NFB SC Sumter Chapter</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Steve and Shannon Cook</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> SUN Shares<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Shares Unlimited NFB (SUN) is a rainy day fund. Shares are just $10 each. We collected and others pledged toward this giving at our statewide seminar. You can donate in increments of $10 for this rainy day fund. The Palmetto state is currently 13 and we would love to be in the top five. You are welcome to send checks made to NFB of SC with SUN in the memo line to the Federation Center, 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. You may also donate using our pay pal link on our page<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbofsc.org">www.nfbofsc.org</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Please when you donate give a little extra to help cover the cost of administration fees from pay pal, $.30 for each $10. Thank you for considering if you can donate to this fund.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The following individuals made a pledge at our statewide seminar. If you have not fulfilled this pledge, please make an effort to do so as soon as possible. If there is a discrepancy and you mailed a check, please contact David Houck at the Center at 803-254-3777. If you paid using Pay Pal, please check with Steve Cook at 803-254-0222.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SUN SHARES pledged– 70<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>63 collected<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 3 Sumter - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 6 Coppel’s - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 1 Diane Haycraft - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2 Pearl Riley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 3 Houcks – paid Paypal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 2 Loretta Green - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 4 Ed Bible – paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 3 Cooks – paid, Paypal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 2 Marty McKenzie - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 2 Pam Schexnider – paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#336600'> 4 RogerWebb - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2 Spittles – paid<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 2 Janice Crosby – paid, Paypal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2 Nancy Irwin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#4F6228'> 3 Cheri Euton - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 6 Melanie Torrance - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2 Linda Dizzley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 3 Malaya Reese - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 2 Demetrius Williford - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <b><span style='color:green'>2 Herbert Boykin<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#336600'> 2 Pat Wolthoff - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>2 Jamela Carmera<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#336600'> 2 Donna O’Neal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 7 Jennifer Bazer – paid Pay Pal<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'> 4 Casey Rose - paid<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <span style='color:green'>2 Roosevelt Burgess - paid<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>1 David Rebocho : paid<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Leadership Seminar:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Our next leadership seminar will be April 10, 2021 at the Federation Center. All presidents of divisions and chapters along with Federation Center board members, Rocky Bottom board members and NFB of SC board members are encouraged to attend in-person or through zoom. Others who are interested are welcome to attend via zoom or in-person as well.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> If you notify David Houck by April 5, 2021 whether you plan to attend on zoom or in-person, your name will be entered into a $50 gift card drawing. You must be present to win. There will be additional door prizes throughout the seminar; only individuals who notify David by calling 803-254-3777 or emailing <a href="mailto:nfbsc@sc.rr.com">nfbsc@sc.rr.com</a> about your zoom or in-person attendance will be entered into the $50 gift card drawing. All are welcome from everywhere!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you to the following individuals who have recorded your attendance. We appreciate your promptness in letting us know so we can plan appropriately! We currently have around 55 individuals signed up and look forward to doubling this number by the seminar!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>LEADERSHIP SEMINAR APRIL 10<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deadline April 5<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>IN PERSON <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jennifer Bazer<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>David & Darlene Houck<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Steve & Shannon Cook<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy and Thom Spittle<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Frank & Shelley Coppel<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Melanie Torrance<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ed & Julie Bible<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>David Rebocho<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pat & Dale Wolthoff<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ike Nelson<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Doug Hudson<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>ON ZOOM <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Debra Canty<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Regina Mitchell<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jamie Allison – morning only<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Gail Cummings<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>George Johnson<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronald Benjamin<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Paul and Charlis Borodin<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Debbie Zaleski<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Bobby Joe Medlin<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Courtney Rone<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Demetrius Williford<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Frank Loza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phillip Outland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Diane Haycraft<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Melissa Staley<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tomecki Williams<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jennifer Duffell-Hoffman<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Laverne Addison<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Patricia Anthony<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dorothy Barksdale<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Cheri Euton<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pathronda Anderson<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>From Phil Marret <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>IT is with much sadness that the Upstate Blind Fishing committee has deemed it necessary to call our tournament off again this year.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Nationally:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Open House: Information for Non-Members Interested in Joining:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please share with non-members the following: The National Federation of the Blind invites blind people to learn more about being a member and the benefits of membership on Wednesday, March 24, at 8:00 p.m. eastern. This is a great opportunity to hear from active members and leaders on the myths and uncertainties of the Federation. Sign up for the open-house gathering call by emailing <a href="mailto:membership@nfb.org">membership@nfb.org</a> or calling 410-659-9314, extension 2509.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final Thought:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Avenir-Next;color:black;background:white'>“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – <strong><i><span style='font-family:Avenir-Next'>Malala Yousafzai</span></i></strong><em><span style='font-family:Avenir-Next'>, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate<o:p></o:p></span></em></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>NFB Pledge - 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 - “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>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><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>