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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">March 12, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Memo To: Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter & Division Presidents & Others<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">From: Marty R. McKenzie, President<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Positive Note 1909<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">843-939-8091 marty2music@outlook.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Dear Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">On Thursday, March 9, 2023, First Vice President Lenora Robertson traveled to Jefferson to meet with the Chesterfield Chapter of the NFB of SC. Lenora was received warmly and
provided an excellent meal. She offered the chapter members first-hand information about what is happening in the NFB of SC. This included fundraisers, the Statewide Seminar, the upcoming Statewide Leadership Seminar and many other items of interest. The
Chesterfield Chapter is excited about what comes next and plans to attend upcoming meetings. A hearty thank you to Lenora for making this trip!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Statewide Leadership Seminar will take place Saturday, March 25, 2023 at the Federation Center of the Blind. Currently, it is open to Chapter and Division presidents and
state board members. Please contact David Houck by Monday morning, March 20, 2023 if you plan to attend. You can reach him at 803-254-3777 or via e-mail at
<a href="mailto:nfbsc@sc.rr.com">nfbsc@sc.rr.com</a>. Please make sure you receive an acknowledgement as their have been recent challenges with e-mail.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">There are only two weeks left in the Rocky Bottom ticket fundraiser. Currently there are 358 tickets sold totaling $1,790. Please make a hard push during the last two weeks to
make this fundraiser a huge success! We all love Rocky Bottom and it requires significant funding to keep it in good order. Reach out to David Houck at 803-254-3777 if you need additional tickets. Thank you all for making this important program a priority!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">From David Houck<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Assistive Technology Expo, WLTX Channel 19 interviewed me about our training services and Successful Transitions. Today, we just completed another
interview with WLTX which included Shannon Cook, Isaiah Nelson and myself being interviewed about the Columbia Chapter and Federation services. We talked about the April 27 BBQ and gave a tour of our facilities including using JAWS and braille production.
Everyone did a great job. There were good reviews from WLTX viewers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Important Things to Remember:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0in" type="disc">
<li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Annual Vision Summit on March 17, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Statewide Leadership Seminar on March 25, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Rocky Bottom ticket sales (Drawing on March 25, 2023)<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">SCPOBC on April 13, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Lions Vision Services Fishing trip on April 21-22, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left:0in;mso-add-space:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1">
<span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Houston ticket sales drawing on May 30, 2023<o:p></o:p></span></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">If you need additional information about any of the items above, please contact David Houck at the Federation Center at 803-254-3777. You can also contact me as shown above.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Here is David Houck’s Federation Fun Fact for this week! Let’s continue to read and learn together about our rich history in South Carolina.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"> Success in rehabilitation for the blind and more lessons learned: Before 1965, the Department of Public Welfare housed services for the blind which were dismal at best.
As Marshall Tucker and Dr. Capps would say, “There is nothing well or fair at the Department of Public Welfare.” It took three years of hard work to establish a separate state agency for the blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">7. 1965 - Legislation providing for 9 member legislative study committee to study the feasibility of establishing the Commission for the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">8. 1966 - Act #2127 establishing the SC Commission for the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The old workshop for the blind known as the SC Association of the Blind in Columbia was closed and the property was given to establish the Commission’s Training and Adjustment
Center.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">10. 1970 - Act #1286 authorizes the Association of the Blind of South Carolina to transfer certain real estate to the SC Commission for the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">12. 1971 - Bill #S580 gives authorization to the SC Commission for the Blind to construct an Adult Training and Adjustment Center.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">The Board of Commissioners of the Commission for the Blind was enlarged and representation by the blind was also made.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">17. 1975 - Bill S106 enlarges the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind from 5 to 7 members.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">After all this progress, certain legislators wanted to restructure or abolish the Commission. Some even wanted to make it a part of the Department of Mental Health, what a contradiction!
Others wanted the Commission to be a part of other agencies like Vocational Rehabilitation which would water down services specific to blindness.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">26. 1993 - Successfully fought restructuring the Commission for the Blind on a vote of 95 to 11.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">Even in budget cutting years, the Commission for the Blind survived better because the blind showed up in the galleries of the General Assembly daily to support the Commission.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">34. 2001 - The NFB of SC fought to reduce a 17% budget cut to a 9% cut, saving the Commission for the Blind $300,000<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">36. 2002 - Proviso 14, Amendment 86 - Reversing the abolishment of the South Carolina Commission for the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">38. 2003 Commission for the Blind excluded from restructuring efforts H.3370
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif">40. 2004 Commission for the Blind and School for the Deaf and the Blind removed from Restructuring efforts. S.841.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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