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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=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>January 21, 2024<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;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 1954<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-align:justify;text-indent:.5in'><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>843-939-8091 </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>president@nfbofsc.org</span></a><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <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'>For those of us who are native South Carolinians, the temperatures over the last week have reminded us of just what winter can be like. Remembering a long ago trip to the Rocky Bottom Board retreat, I traveled there with then NFB of SC President Parnell Diggs and his lovely wife, Kim. Dr Donald Capps and his lovely wife, Betty, were also present. We awoke Sunday morning to a blanket of snow in the mountains. It was a beautiful sight, but what about “going down the hill” as some of us call it? Needless to say, in the interests of safety, we did not leave the camp until the roads were clear. Now, others did not abide by that rule. Seeing Rocky Bottom with snow on the ground is a marvelous blessing! Such fond memories of days gone by at Rocky Bottom!<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 Andrew Adams and Debra Canty, Co-chairs of the Fundraising Committee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina Fundraising Committee invites you to the Sweethearts Ball on Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Cathy Novinger Girl Scout Leadership Center, Located at 1107 Williams Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Tickets are $30 per person or $240 for a table of eight. Dress attire is semiformal and you will enjoy food, music, dancing and good fellowship. Tickets can be purchased through PayPal at </span><a href="http://www.nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>www.nfbofsc.org</span></a><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> and click Donations or you can send a check or money order to 119 S. Kilbourne Road, Columbia, SC 29205. You must put Sweethearts Ball in the Notes block on the website or the Memo field on the check. Ticket sales will close on February 8, 2024. For more information, contact Andrew Adams at 803-269-3803 or Debra Canty at 803-775-5792.<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 the South Carolina Blind Merchants Division<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The South Carolina Association of Blind merchants has something beautiful for you. We all know that love is in the air as we approach valentine's Day, and our affiliates annual sweethearts ball. This year the Blind Merchants division will sell corsages and boutonnieres. Corsages are $20 and boutonnieres are $15. If you buy both the cost is $30. All money must be in by February 2, 2024. You can send the money to our cashapp at $blindmerchantsofsc, or send a check to our treasurer Sean Rachal at 64 Clary Hill Drive, Aiken, SC 29805. Please make all checks out to Blind Merchants of SC. For any questions feel free to reach out to our President Belinda Banks at 864-909-5587, or Tiffiny Mitchell at 803-603-2098.<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 several e-mail address changes to take note of for communication within the NFB of SC. Please see the current list below. I will provide additional updates as they occur. Thanks to Steve Cook for making this happen! It is something our affiliate needed in place.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Marty McKenzie, President </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>president@nfbofsc.org</span></a><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'>Shannon Cook, Secretary </span><a href="mailto:secretary@nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>secretary@nfbofsc.org</span></a><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'>Valerie Warrington, Treasurer </span><a href="mailto:treasurer@nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>treasurer@nfbofsc.org</span></a><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'>Theresa Jenkins, Assistant Treasurer </span><a href="mailto:assistanttreasurer@nfbofsc.org"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>assistanttreasurer@nfbofsc.org</span></a><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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Theresa Jenkins was recently appointed as Assistant Treasurer of the NFB of SC. Theresa can be reached at the e-mail provided above. When contacting Theresa to request any disbursement of funds, you must copy Valerie and myself. As Theresa moves into this role, I will share other responsibilities that she will take on in the coming months. We welcome Theresa to this new role!<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'>Applications Are Open<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>The 2024 online scholarship application is available at </span><a href="https://nfb.org/scholarships"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>https://nfb.org/scholarships</span></a><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>. All applications and supporting documentation must be submitted no later than March 31, 2024. A list of eligibility requirements, as well as documents containing answers to frequently asked questions, a submissions checklist, and other supporting material can also be found on the scholarship webpage. Throughout the application period, reminders and information about the scholarship program will appear in the Braille Monitor, on our website, and will be shared via social media. Please share!<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'>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'>SC Association of Blind Merchants Fundraiser concludes on February 2, 2024<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'>Sweethearts Ball on February 10, 2024<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'>National Scholarship Applications due by March 31, 2024<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'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>