The PALMETTO BLIND, published quarterly in large type, cassette tape and Braille by the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. Donald C. Capps, Editor.

The National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina is chartered under the laws of the state of South Carolina to promote the spiritual, social and economic well-being of all blind South Carolinians. The state organization is an affiliate of the nation's oldest and largest organization of the blind--the National Federation of the Blind.

The PALMETTO BLIND is the voice of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and is available free of charge to any blind individual or member in large print, Braille or cassette. Other subscribers are encouraged. If readers desire to do so, donations to cover the annual subscription cost of $10.00 per year may be made payable to the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina and sent to:

Readers receiving the cassette edition of the PALMETTO BLIND are requested to handle the tapes with care, returning them promptly for the benefit of other readers. In the event that you receive a bad tape, before returning it, please enclose a note or attach a rubber band around the cassette tape to prevent further circulation. Braille or large print copies may be retained for personal libraries; however, if you do not wish to keep a Braille copy, please return it for reuse.

If you or a friend would like to remember the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina (also known as the SC Aurora Club of the Blind, Inc.) in your will, you can do so by employing the following language: "I give, devise, and bequeath unto the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina (aka SC Aurora Club of the Blind, Inc.), a non-profit organization, the sum of $________________ (or "_______________ percent of my ___________estate" or "the following stocks and bonds:____________") to be used for its worthy purposes on behalf of blind persons and to be held and administered by the direction of its Executive Committee and Board of Directors."

On Tuesday, May 3, Dr. Capps attended his final meeting as a member of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Governing Board. Dr. Capps is one of the two longest serving members of the School's governing board and completed 24 years of service with the expiration of his final term on May 15.

Four governors have appointed Dr. Capps to the school's Governing Board including Dick Riley, Carroll Campbell, David Beasley, and Jim Hodges (2 democrats and 2 republicans). To understand fully the impact of Dr. Capps' contributions to the School for the Deaf and the Blind, one need only consider the sentiments of friends and supporters who worked with Dr. Capps over the years.

At the 10:00 a.m. Board meeting, Dr. Capps was presented with a proclamation adopted by the SCSDB Governing Board (recognizing his outstanding work over the proceeding 24 years) and a beautiful framed portrait of Walker Hall. At the conclusion of the Board meeting a noontime luncheon was held in the Dalton room in historic Walker Hall at the School for the Deaf and the Blind.

For many years, Dr. Capps served as vice chairman of the SCSDB Board, an indication of the high esteem in which he was held by his Board colleagues. With Dr. Capps' permission, we are publishing in this issue of the "Palmetto Blind" three letters which express the feelings of the many admirers who have recently called or written him.

I am writing to congratulate you on almost a quarter of a century of outstanding service to the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Board of Commissioners. Thank you for your continued commitment to the school and to individuals who are blind, deaf or sensory multidisabled.

As I look back over your service to the SCSDB Board and the greater community of sensory disabled individuals in our state and across the country. I am struck by the great leadership you have demonstrated, often in the face of adversity. You have made history as the school's first commissioner who was appointed to represent the blind community at large. You have led admirably as the school's vice chairman for two decades. And, you have worked tirelessly for more than 50 years to promote the employability of individuals who are blind through your service as a member and leader of the National Federation of the Blind.

You have achieved great accomplishments in improving educational, employment and recreational opportunities for individuals who are blind or deaf. Your initiation of advocacy groups and legislative action have resulted in a significantly improved quality of life for thousands of individuals and increased awareness of the capabilities of individuals who are sensory disabled.

Your public accomplishments have been momentous, but you and your wonderful wife, Betty, have also taken the time to make a difference in individual lives. I am often told of your visits, phone calls and kind words of encouragement to individuals who need assistance.

It has been an honor to serve alongside you, and I wish to extend my appreciation to you on behalf of the Board, students and staff of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind. I would also like to encourage you to visit us often, to be an active participant in the school's activities, and to continue to serve as an encourager to us all.

It is with bittersweet feelings, indeed, that I write to you on behalf of our entire school family, as you conclude your many years of service as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB). For all of us at SCSDB, it has been a great joy to work with you.

We have been privileged to have benefited from your exemplary leadership — not only for SCSDB but also for many other programs for individuals with visual impairments. Your visionary leadership and tireless efforts have been instrumental in so many successful initiatives in the field of blindness, both for SCSDB and for the broader areas of our state and nation. This letter would be pages long if I tried to list all of the initiatives you have led in our field, but just a few of the highlights include the following accomplishments for South Carolina. South Carolina Vision Partnership. Teacher Preparation Program for Visual Impairment at USC-Upstate, Instructional Resource Center for Braille and Large Print Books, and the Braille Prison Project.

Even though these major state initiatives took considerable time and energy, you still found a way to help SCSDB with many of our agency's specific projects, such as alumni reunions, campus renovations (particularly Walker Hall), immigration issues for our Ms.D., and a host of other SCSDB projects. No matter what the need for SCSDB, you have always been there for us. We have also been privileged to work with your partner in life and work - Mrs. Capps. Together you two have left your lasting mark on this school through the incredible contributions you have made on behalf of our students and staff. The South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) is a far better agency because of the many years of exemplary service you and Mrs. Capps have donated to us. But, even more than that, you two have changed, for the better, services for individuals with blindness in our state and nation.

Although you will be sorely missed as a member of the SCSDB Board of Commissioners (along with Mrs. Capps), we are counting on you both to continue your association with us in the years ahead through our many other connections. We hope to see you at many SCSDB events, ranging from alumni reunions to graduations and other activities in between. You will always be part of our school family.

I will close this letter with the hope that you will accept our words of deepest appreciation and congratulations for your 24 years of exemplary service to SCSDB. As you complete your membership on our Board of Commissioners, we at SCSDB know you will never be forgotten here. We hope that you and Mrs. Capps will enjoy your new free time (if you ever find any) for your personal interests. We cannot think of anyone who has worked harder on behalf of others who better deserve some leisure time to reflect on a life of challenges met and conquered.

Word has reached me that you have completed twenty-four years of service on the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind on May 15th. What a wonderful record of service to one of South Carolina's most outstanding educational institutions.

As one proud graduate of SCSDB, I want to thank you for your many years of service and for the many contributions you have made to make my Alma Mater a better school in the years to come. I can not think of anyone who would be willing to serve so long and who could have served so well.

As you continue to lend your strong support to the NFB, the NFB of SC and the Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind, and to service clubs in your local community, please remember that your successful accomplishments are admired and appreciated by your many friends.

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps has been a dedicated supporter of the special students of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps has been an exemplary servant of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Board of Commissioners since 1981, having served as the Board Vice Chairman since 1985; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps was the Board's first Commissioner appointed by the Governor of the state of South Carolina to represent the blind community at large; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps has been a visionary leader in numerous activities in the field of blindness for the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind and for South Carolina; having been instrumental in successful initiatives for the South Carolina Vision Partnership, Teacher Preparation Program in Visual Impairments at the University of South Carolina Upstate, Instructional Resource Center for Braille and Large Print Books, and the Braille Prison Project; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps has initiated advocacy groups and legislative action that have resulted in significant improvements in quality of life for individuals who have sensory disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps, along with his wife and life partner Betty Capps, has worked tirelessly for more than fifty years to promote employability of individuals who are blind through service as a member and leader of the National Federation of the Blind and the National Federation of the blind of South Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps was awarded the Order of the Palmetto in recognition of his meritorious service to South Carolina; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Donald C. Capps was honored for his lifelong contributions at the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind Board of Commissioners meeting on May 3, 2005;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Norman F. Pulliam, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind, on behalf of the Board, the staff and the students, honor Dr. Donald C. Capps with this Resolution for his devotion to the Board of Commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind.

The 2005 Legislative Session was much like any other for the NFB of SC. It is well-known that blind South Carolinians are accustomed to winning battles at the Statehouse against fairly significant odds. In this respect, observers in work with the blind were not surprised when the NFB of SC added two more victories to its ever-growing list of legislative accomplishments.

It is now a tradition for Representative Rex Rice of Easley to introduce his proposal to merge the Commission for the Blind and all of its programs with the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation. In the first weeks of this year';s Legislative Session, it became evident that (once again) Rice's bill would receive little or no support.

It should be noted that Rice's bill is still pending in the House of Representatives and that it has been referred (along with a similar bill introduced by Representative Ralph Davenport of Spartanburg) to the House Ways and Means Committee.

Neither bill is likely to become law this year; however, it is anticipated that blind South Carolinians will be asked to step up to the line once again in 2006 and show officials of state government how important separate programs for the blind are in the ongoing struggle to achieve first-class citizenship status in society.

This task seems somewhat daunting considering the lack of knowledge some public servant's have regarding the blindness field. For example, the Governor suggested that the Commission's Radio Reading Service was a duplication of Talking Book Services, a program operated by the State Library.

Sadly, we are not aware of any efforts on the part of officials at the Commission for the Blind to correct the Governor's misunderstanding. Without assistance from the Commission, blind South Carolinians were able to convince legislators that the Radio Reading Service should be funded much to the Governor's chagrin.

While victories regarding the Commission's survival and the continuation of the Radio Reading Service were achieved fairly early in the Legislative Session, the set-aside battle rages on into the weeks and months ahead.

Though the General Assembly passed a set-aside tax in its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, the blind of the state question the propriety of the procedure used to develop the set-aside scheme, which the Commission proposes to use against blind businessmen/women.

We are sorry that only one Commission Board member opposes set-aside taxes against blind workers in the Business Enterprise Program. Other Board members seem to be more concerned about retaining their position than listening to the blind themselves.

As a result of the hard work of blind businessmen/women across the state, however, the set-aside tax burden will be much less than Representative Rice initially proposed assuming that the set-aside measure stands after all legal remedies are exhausted.

We can only speculate about why citizens of this state were not permitted to testify at Legislative Hearings as in previous years before the set-aside initiative reached the floors of the House and Senate. When the blind have been permitted to give input, we have made an impression upon legislators.

We believe that certain legislators were aware of this fact and acted accordingly in causing this controversial proposal to move through the General Assembly so quickly. In our experience over the years in being involved with legislative matters affecting the lives of blind South Carolinians, we have never seen such a phenomenon.

Ultimately, our state's approximately 120 vending facility operators would like the Business Enterprise Program to be self-supporting. The procedure for arriving at this goal, however, should be consistent with the Randolph/Shepherd Act and applicable regulations.

We believe these regulations were violated because the development of the Commission's set-aside scheme did not include input from blind vendors. Input should be sought not after the Commission's Governing Board votes on the matter, not after approaching the legislature, but in the initial stages of planning.

While we believe in separate programs for the blind, we also believe these programs should be administered within the parameters set by the governing authority responsible for formulating regulations designed to protect consumers and prevent agencies from abuses of discretion or incorrectly applying the law.

As we look ahead to 2006, we do not know the outcome of any legal challenge to the set-aside initiative, which the Commission took to the General Assembly in 2005. We can only look back and be pleased with our accomplishments in the knowledge that we can reach our goals by working together in this big program of work with the blind.

(Editor's Note: In recent weeks several well-known members of the NFB of SC have passed away. In this issue of the Palmetto Blind we are remembering these individuals.)

It was a cold New Year's Day in 1960, 45 years ago, when we visited with a young mother who has just lost her sight from a brain tumor and her 5 year old daughter. Irene Hudson Doyle was trying to cope with her blindness but was understandably depressed and discouraged. In talking with Irene, my wife Betty and I determined that Irene and her little daughter Wanda were in need of assistance. We told Irene among other things that there is life after blindness and that we were going to be supportive of her. Irene was encouraged to join the Federation which she did right away. She immediately made friends with members of the Columbia Chapter of the NFB of SC and her outlook on life was noticeably better than when we visited with her on a cold New Year's Day 45 years ago. When Irene joined the Federation in 1960 the Columbia Chapter was meeting at the old Jefferson Hotel which, at that time, was considered "the hotel" in Columbia as it was swanky and was the site of many prestigious meetings and conferences. The Jefferson was located on the corner of Main and Laurel Streets. In later years the Jefferson was torn down to make way for the construction of the Citizens and Southern National Bank building. The year 1960 was also significant in that is was the first time businessmen in Columbia met at the old Laurel Street Restaurant to launch a Capital Campaign to erect the Federation Center of the Blind. The Capital Campaign under the direction of Mr. David Baker, Honorable Hyman Rubin, Mr. Joe Edens, Sr. and Mr. Bob Hudson was successful. The Columbia Chapter continued to meet at the Jefferson Hotel until October of 1961 when the first meeting was held in the Federation Center to dedicate the center. Irene was among the fortunate members of the Columbia Chapter who rejoiced at the success of this Capital Campaign enabling the blind of the area to own and operate this beautiful new facility. Soon after the center was dedicated a young blind man by the name of Edsel Doyle joined the Columbia Chapter. As the years went by, Edsel and Irene fell in love and were married in the Federation Center. They would enjoy life together for many years until Edsel's death 2 years ago. Not only did Irene grieve over the death of Edsel but as many friends also suffered grief as Irene and Edsel were admired throughout the state as they were dedicated Federationists and extremely generous to the Federation and Rocky Bottom programs. Irene's life was not the same for the next two years and she died March 24, 2005 after an extended illness. Throughout the years Irene faithfully served the Federation in various capacities. During her 45 year service in the Federation she served several times as an officer of the Columbia Chapter. She also served several terms as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Federation Center. The State Organization also benefited by Irene's unswerving support as she served many different terms on the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. During Irene's long tenure in the Federation, she attended many State and National conventions. She was interested in every phase of activities that benefited her fellow blind. Irene and Edsel loved the Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind. They visited the area as often as they could. Throughout the years, Irene and Edsel made many generous contributions to Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind. Although quite ill, Irene last attended RBCB the first weekend of December of 2004 during the annual Christmas board retreat. She even sat in on both the RBCB and NFB of SC board meetings and participated. Irene's death which occurred March 24, 2005 during the annual Columbia Chapter's barbecue campaign along with Edsel would donate the many loaves of bread needed for the barbecue. To continue this tradition, her daughter Wanda Sheck and Steve Sheck along with Brandon Roof, Irene's grandson contributed the bread for the April 28th barbecue. Irene had a sweet disposition and a beautiful smile for everyone. She has joined the heavenly host and left a legacy of a lifetime of service to her fellow blind who she loved dearly. She will be greatly missed.

Viola Jones Harris, affectionately known as Granny, was a dedicated and loving member of the NFB/Lancaster, SC Chapter. She joined the NFB as an associate member more than fifteen years ago. Granny was extremely supportive and inspiring says chapter President Hattie M. Duncan. Granny was more than a member of the NFB, she was family. She was dedicated to our cause and was a progressive and positive influence to us all.

Granny knew first hand that blindness did not mean being helpless. Her father, the late Kelly Jones of Lancaster, SC was totally blind.; but he successfully supported a wife and fourteen children by running a pool room and tuning pianos. Kelly Jones saw to it that his children became well educated. Granny was a school teacher for many years before moving to Heath Springs, SC. She and her husband, Benjamin Harris (Gramps) loved music and loved to sing. The two lived in North Carolina and later lived in Washington DC, New York and Evanston, Illinois. While in New York, Granny had the distinct honor of singing in Carnegie Hall.

When Granny and Gramps retired and moved from Illinois to Heath Springs, SC, they formed another singing group, The Jones Family & Friends, who traveled and sang at various churches and events. Granny also formed a choir at her church — Granny's choir. Granny loved people. She loved family, good friends, music, traveling and dressing up. Granny traveled extensively with her chapter. Hattie recalls Granny being one of the first to commit to attending any NFB event including conventions, meetings, picnics and parties.

Granny passed in February 2005 at the wonderful age of 97. She truly lived a glorious life and inspired others to do the same. We'll all miss Granny.

For nearly 35 years Mary Jane Austin, the wife of Odell Austin was an associate member of the Orangeburg Chapter and later the Greenwood Chapter. When the Orangeburg Chapter was organized around 1970 Mary Jane Austin and her husband Odell Austin were charter members. Odell, who was elected president of the chapter at that time, was fortunate in having the benefit of a loving and caring wife who equally loved and participated in the Federation. Mary Jane attended several national conventions. I recall that she attended the NFB convention in Anaheim, California in 1996. During that convention Mary Jane became ill and was admitted to the hospital where she was diagnosed as having sustained a heart attack. While this illness did not stop Mary Jane's participation in the Federation, she was never quite the same. She developed other health conditions which were debilitating and required numerous periods of hospitalization. A few years ago Mary Jane and her husband Odell decided that they were no longer in a position to live in their home located in nearby Elloree in southern Orangeburg County and moved to Greenwood to be near their son Danny who resides there. During the last few years of Mary Jane's life she relied primarily and principally upon Odell for needed assistance. Odell was extremely faithful in his service to Mary Jane. She attended the University of South Carolina and subsequently worked many years for the Bank of Elloree and became an official of the bank. Mary Jane also assisted Odell in several different business ventures in which they were successful. Mary Jane, as long as she could, attended chapter meetings, state conventions and even national conventions. She and Odell also enjoyed visiting Rocky Bottom and were generous to this program. While Mary Jane was quite reserved. She was a very gracious and pleasant lady and well liked by everyone who knew her. She was genuine in every aspect of life. Mary Jane enjoyed her church life, as she was a devout Christian. She is survived by two children and several grandchildren. All of us in the Federation knew and respected Mary Jane and she will be greatly missed.

The NFB of SC has always been supportive of the Commission for the Blind Radio Reading Service to the blind. Many blind South Carolinians look forward each day to enjoying the programs of the Commission's Radio Reading Service which otherwise would not be available to them. As indicated elsewhere in this issue the Governor was given incorrect information indicating that the Commission's Radio Reading Service was duplicated by the State Library for the Blind. This erroneous information nevertheless appeared in the Governor's proposed budget. It would therefore appear that the necessary research on this issue was not done. The media including several newspaper articles were responsible for providing correct information to the public and this coverage was also highly instrumental in the legislature restoring funds for the Radio Reading Service. The NFB of SC was also active in support of the legislation in restoring funds for the Commission's Radio Reading Service. In this regard, the following e-mail was sent by the NFB of SC to the Ways & Means Committee.

I'm writing to you on behalf of the 5,000 blind South Carolinians who live in all 46 counties of the state.

More than 35 years ago the Commission for the Blind established the Radio Reading Service for the blind of the state. Today, some 5,000 blind South Carolinians who may be your relative, friend, neighbor or other fellow citizen are enjoying this special service. The broadcast studio is located in the facilities of the Commission for the Blind at the corner of Confederate Ave. and Bull St. in Columbia. The broadcast is transmitted on a sub-carrier FM frequency which requires special receivers designed solely for this purpose. Newspapers including The State, the Greenville News, the Charleston Post and Courier and other local newspapers are read each day, disseminated through these special receivers. Virtually all of the reading is done by volunteers from all walks of life including attorneys and business people, etc.

There is no duplication of this service by any other state agency. The Executive's proposed budget is incomplete and inaccurate in that he says this same service is provided by the State Library and by radio and television. South Carolinians take for granted their local newspaper and frequently read it with a hot cup of coffee around the breakfast table. It is different for blind South Carolinians. We, the blind, want access to daily newspapers. The Radio Reading Service provides this accessibility professionally and economically. In the Executive's proposed budget, the amount of $129,990 formerly earmarked for Radio Reading Service has been deleted and transferred instead to the Commission's Prevention of Blindness Department, "... we believe this funding is better utilized to support the commission's Prevention of Blindness Program." (see page C-12) . While eyeglasses and surgery to prevent blindness, etc., might enable a blind person to remain sighted is certainly meritorious, it is tragic to us that a 35 year old special service to 5,000 blind South Carolinians (1/3 of the state's blind population) will have their quality of life diminished.

In conclusion, the 5,000 sub-carrier receivers now in the possession of blind people across the state, costs about $40 each. If this unique state service is eliminated, these special receivers which costs about $200,000 would no longer be useable and will have to be discarded. I have been personally been involved with the legislature for more than 45 years as an unpaid volunteer (I enjoyed a 35 year career with Colonial Life) advocating on behalf of my fellow blind. I can not recall during this long period of time being so dismayed and affected as I have relative to what seems to be indifference toward these 5,000 blind South Carolinians who are doing the best they can to live life to the fullest and at the same time, retain their dignity and self-respect. We appeal to you to restore the $129,990 to the budget that will rescue this wonderful service as the state is in the service business.

I have your fax of February 25, 2005 submitting a proposal from the South Carolina legislature to create a statutory scheme mandating a set-aside for licensed blind vendors in South Carolina, and I thank you for sending it.

The Randolph-Sheppard Act authorizes a set-aside from the income of blind vendors for five purposes only. These are maintenance and repair of vending equipment, purchase of new equipment, guaranteeing a minimum return to blind vendors in the program, providing management services to blind vendors, and providing retirement benefits or health insurance benefits to blind vendors. There is no authorization to create a set-aside under the Randolph-Sheppard Act for any other purpose.

The amount of the set-aside (if one is to be charged) must be approved by the Secretary of Education. My memory tells me, but I have not been able to put my hands on the federal advisory circular, that the set-aside may be collected only on net proceeds from a vending facility. The proposal you sent me appears to contemplate that the set-aside would be collected on the gross proceeds. Furthermore, my memory of the federal regulations is that the percentage that can be collected on net proceeds is under ten — in the 3 percent to 5 percent range.

In as much as the set-aside plan is required to be approved by the Secretary of Education, I suspect that a legislative enactment in South Carolina would be in conflict with federal law.

The money being sought from blind vendors is a tax. If the South Carolina legislature wants to propose new taxes for the blind only, it should be forthright in saying so. When this proposal is properly characterized, as much as a 20 percent tax on the gross revenue of a person's business, a tax designed only to apply to the blind, it has an ugly aspect.

The Randolph-Sheppard Act authorizes a set-aside to be collected if the committee of blind vendors votes for it. In other words, those who are being subjected to a charge on their income are expected to participate in the decision making about it. To require the decision to be made without participation of the blind vendors is contrary to the Randolph-Sheppard Act.

I have reviewed this matter quickly. There may be more to say about it. If there is, I will send along further information. On Friday, you asked me to show this legislative proposal to Mr. James Gashel. He has been under the weather and out of circulation these several days. I shall ask him to look at the document when he returns. Please keep me informed about your progress.

I am writing to request your support for the continuation of meaningful rehabilitation services in the United States. As a blind American, I have become increasingly worried that our programs of rehabilitation will be diminished and that consequently disabled Americans will be denied the opportunity to enter the work force, pay taxes, and enjoy the same quality of life to which other Americans have become accustomed.

It is no coincidence that in recent decades blind Americans have entered fields such as science, medicine and education while a strong rehabilitation system has been in place. I fear that this system is in serious jeopardy due to a belief that rehabilitation programs are no longer important.

For example, some politicians believe that the nation's highest office in the field of rehabilitation is not worthy of a Presidential Appointment and Senate confirmation. They would reduce the position of Rehabilitation Services Administration Commissioner to the status of a Director and would eliminate RSA's Regional offices and much of its staff.

The Workforce Investment Act Plus Consolidation proposal would further diminish the quality of rehabilitation programs because it would allow individual states to co-mingle rehabilitation funds with other state programs. Blind since birth in 1969, I benefited from a strong rehabilitation system; when I entered Law School in the early 90's, my opportunities were unlimited because I had acquired the skills necessary to compete on terms of equality with my sighted peers.

I am part of a generation of blind Americans who have entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers in jobs which blind Americans in previous generations could only dream about; but we reached this level of accomplishment because of a meaningful rehabilitation system.

Diminishing the importance of rehabilitation programs at the Federal and State levels would have the effect of turning the clock back 50 to 100 years on blind Americans. Accordingly, I would ask that you insure continuation of a strong rehabilitation system by supporting separate rehabilitation programs in the United States. With kind regards, I am

With the active support and assistance of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the blind vendors of the state, in an effort to get their message across to the public, sponsored two different ads. The first ad was carried in the March 8, 2005 edition of the Easley Progress. In 1999 Senator Rex Rice of Easley attempted to secure passage of legislation that would have reinstated the set-aside tax on blind vendors which had been outlawed 35 years ago in 1964 by the General Assembly. The NFB of SC was successful in opposing Rep. Rice's legislation within the committee considering this legislation. However, for every subsequent legislative session Rep. Rice continued what the blind regarded as a vendetta against blind South Carolinians whether it involved the set-aside issue, the restructuring issue or disproportionate cuts in annual appropriations to the Commission for the Blind. Therefore when Rep. Rice introduced legislation to the 2005 legislative session which would have resulted in punitive and exorbitant set-aside taxes on blind vendors, the NFB of SC and blind vendors felt that they had had enough. Our democratic form of government requires that each legislator, whether in the House or in the Senate, is accountable for their legislative record to the public including blind citizens as well as citizens residing in their particular county or district. The 2005 legislative session was the 7th consecutive General Assembly in which Rep. Rice actively sponsored or participated in legislation that would have adversely affected the quality of life of not only blind vendors but all blind citizens. Thus blind vendors across the state in collaboration with the NFB of SC placed the following ad in the Easley Progress.

In a year when the state is poised to spend an additional $300,000,000.00 for state programs, Representative Rex Rice of Easley has proposed to cut funding to the single most successful employment program for blind South Carolinians.

South Carolina spends some $229,000.00 annually to operate the Business Enterprise Program, an employment initiative giving priority to blind workers in the operation of vending facilities on Federal and State properties and highways. This $229,000.00 amount has been used to purchase inventory sold at vending locations and to repair and replace state-owned equipment such as vending machines.

To make up the shortfall Representative Rice proposes budget proviso 14.4, a measure which would impose a sliding scale fee schedule whereby blind merchants would pay up to 20 % of their net income to the state of South Carolina as an additional tax above and beyond income and sales taxes. This is not the first run in involving Representative Rice and the states 15,000 blind citizens. In 1999, Representative Rice proposed a sliding scale tax of up to 35% for some blind merchants, a measure which was defeated in committee. In 2001 Rice proposed a 17% budget cut for the Commission for the Blind compared to much smaller budget cuts for agencies serving other disabled population groups. In 2002, Representative Rice led a five member legislative contingent requesting a Legislative Audit Council Review of the Business Enterprise Program; and in the 2003/2004 legislative session, Rice introduced various bills to diminish programs for the blind in South Carolina.

On February 16, 2005, Rice introduced H. 3568, a bill to eliminate the Commission for the Blind and create a division of services for the blind within the much larger Vocational Rehabilitation Department. After 6 years of such antics we must ask what Representative Rice has against blind South Carolinians. In it's more than 60 years of existence, the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina (the states largest consumer organization of the blind with two chapters in Pickens County, 12 chapters in the upstate, and 60 chapters statewide) has never been involved with a legislator who so consistently and relentlessly attacks programs designed to benefit blind South Carolinians.

While state spending may increase by as much as $300,000,000.00 in the upcoming fiscal year, we are perplexed as to why the Governor and Representative Rex Rice of Easley are proposing to eliminate all funding for the single, most successful employment initiative for the blind in history in this week@#39s budget debate.

To make up for the loss of funding, about $229,000 annually, Governor Sanford and Representative Rice would impose a special income tax upon the 119 blind businessmen and women who operate vending facilities on federal and state properties and highways under the supervision of the Commission for the Blind.

Blind vendors who earn as little as $30,000 in gross income would be required to pay an additional ten percent set-aside tax (or $3000) to pay for the repair and replacement of state-owned vending machines; and in many cases, blind vendors would be required to pay much more. A blind vendor earning $50,000, for example, would have to pay $6500 each year (if Representative Rice has his way) for the privilege of having a job.

A blind vendor earning $60,000 per year would be forced to pay $8400 in additional taxes (or 14 percent of his/her gross income) to earn a living. These taxes would be assessed in addition to ordinary income and sales taxes, which blind vendors already pay.

The Rice fee schedule is based solely upon a vendor@#39s income and, therefore, amounts to an additional tax. Blind South Carolinians are pleased to do our fair share, but this exorbitant tax (imposed only upon blind citizens) is "beyond the call of duty".

Indeed, this proposal is so fundamentally unfair that we doubt the Rehabilitation Services Administration in Washington DC will allow the Commission for the Blind to enforce it. In short, it is ludicrous to require blind business men and women to pay for the repair and replacement of state property.

We question whether the Governor and Representative Rice are required to pay for the maintenance of state-owned equipment they use to do their jobs. Perhaps, they should be if this measure passes.

The NFB of SC has had plenty of reason to believe that The State newspaper for a number of years had an agenda from especially the restructuring state government issue, in which the blind of the state would be adversely affected. Since the Federation felt that it was next to impossible to have its views objectively covered by The State, the Federation placed ads in The State as early as 2003 so that the general public could have the benefit of our voice. These earlier ads were also participated in by the Commission which felt that the agency was being unfairly targeted by The State including an article concerning the agency's head Dr. Nell Carney's meeting with the editorial board. Since articles appearing in The State for several months beginning with the 2005 legislative session and before were aggressive in their support of restructuring state government and because the NFB of SC knew that its position as well as the blind vendors position would not be favorably or fairly covered by The State it was determined that once again it would be necessary to generate the necessary funds to sponsor an ad in The State that would adequately and fairly represent the views of the Federation and blind vendors. Thus the following ad was carried in the March 14, 2005 edition of The State newspaper. (Editor's Note: It is indicated in the ad that it was paid for by the Federation Center of the Blind but this was an error by The State.)

The recent announcement by Dr. Nell Carney Commissioner for the South Carolina Commission for the Blind to her staff that she would be resigning November 1, 2005 came as no surprise. When Dr. Carney was hired some five and a half years ago in March of 2000 she made a commitment that she would be available as the agency's head for at least five years. She has kept that commitment. Some of us feel that Dr. Carney gave an advance notice of several months to allow time for her to control or significantly influence the selection of her successor. Also, Dr. Carney's resignation as of November 2005 did not catch us off guard as she had stated on more than one occasion during the past several years that this particular position with the Commission for the Blind is the most difficult of her long and distinguished career. While I personally had nothing to do with Dr. Carney's applying for the Commissioner's position or her acceptance of the offer to head the agency, I was especially pleased that she was coming to South Carolina as I had known her for 30 years at that time and was familiar with her professional experience in the blindness field. The late Dr. Kenneth Jernigan and I were close colleagues for 40 years and I knew that Dr. Jernigan had been Dr. Carney's teacher and mentor. However, Dr. Jernigan would not be pleased with Dr. Carney's behavior for much of the time Dr. Carney has been in South Carolina. At Dr. Jernigan's encouragement, Dr. Carney was elected President of the NFB of Tennessee in the late 1960's and also served on the Board of Directors of the National Federation of the Blind. I served with Dr. Carney simultaneously during these years. While I had known for a long time that Dr. Carney was far more loyal to Dr. Jernigan than to the NFB during her long professional career, she nevertheless had my respect, as she was a recognized authority in rehabilitation programs for the blind. Additionally, Dr. Carney was appointed by President George H.W. Bush in 1988 as Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services Administration - U.S. Department of Education. She served in this high office from 1988 until 1992. At the time Dr. Carney applied for the Commission's executive head she was President of the New Mexico School for the Blind and enjoyed her position and harmony with that state's blind community. It was only after Dr. Carney assumed her high office in the Commission for the Blind in March of 2000 that I really got to know her in a different light. I continued to respect Dr. Carney for most of the five and a half years but we had our moments. It was clear that Dr. Carney had not worked in a state where the state organization of the blind was as powerful and influential as the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina. This situation had its good points as it enabled the NFB of SC and Dr. Carney to work in close harmony to benefit blind South Carolinians. There would be developments however which created a strain in the relationships between the NFB of SC, Dr. Carney and myself. While the Hodges Administration respected the NFB of SC, conferring the Order of the Palmetto upon myself and the Order of the Silver Crescent upon my wife Betty which occurred during the luncheon of the 2000 NFB of SC Convention, the administration clearly wanted to restructure the Commission for the Blind. Honorable Wilbur Cave, Director of Constituent Service in the Hodges Administration prior to Dr. Carney's arrival in March of 2000 met with myself as well as other Federation officials and representatives of other organizations. The primary goal of that meeting was to have the group sign on to legislation that would restructure the Commission. In a firm but polite manner I advised Mr. Cave that the NFB of SC would vigorously oppose any attempt to restructure the Commission. Meanwhile, Mr. Cave was instrumental in the persons appointed to the governing board of the Commission including Ms. Jacqueline Brown of McCormick, Mr. Thomas Williams of Barnwell, and Mr. John Shuler of Orangeburg. The Federation learned that these sighted Commission board members met together prior to any scheduled full board meeting and decided among themselves who should be the chairman of the Commission's board. Our source indicated Ms. Brown and Mr. Williams initially felt that Mr. Shuler should be the chairman but then backed off and supported Ms. Brown as Chairman. Thus in the very beginning it became crystal clear that these three sighted individuals were perfectly willing to circumvent and undermine the four additional blind members who had also been appointed to the board. These three sighted individuals never liked the NFB of SC. The information we received from our source indicated that the three sighted members were aware of the consequences of their actions and indicated it would be disruptive if it became public knowledge they had held a session among the three of them before the official board meeting. The board election went as planned by Ms. Brown, Mr. Shuler and Mr. Williams as Ms. Brown was easily elected as chairman. All these three members would need to have is the support of one of the four blind members to be able to control board meetings and this was accomplished. All seven board members attended the 2000 State Convention of the NFB of SC. Publicly it appeared that all was well. However, Dr. Carney, during the convention, stated that she had known me for 30 years and was generally complimentary. This apparently infuriated chairman Jacqueline Brown and soon thereafter, according to information furnished to us, advised Dr. Carney not to make any plans to purchase a home in Columbia. In the earliest stages of Dr. Carney's administration, the sighted board members made it clear to her that Commission must keep its distance from the Federation. This left no doubt that the three sighted board members had been counseled by someone possibly in the Hodges administration not be too cozy with the NFB of SC. This untenable relationship made it extremely difficult for Dr. Carney as she had to walk a chalk line between pleasing her board and at the same time work cooperatively with the organized blind of the state. Understanding and allowing for this unwholesome policy, Dr. Carney and I continued to work closely together for the first three years of her five and a half year tenure. Early in her administration Dr. Carney and I met with the former Rep. Rick Quinn who was an important member of the Ways & Means Committee. Dr. Carney and I were not in agreement with each other as I felt Mr. Quinn was not being totally upfront with the Commission whereas Dr. Carney stated she liked Rep. Quinn and was not going to fight him. Palmetto Blind readers are well aware that Mr. Quinn became a strong adversary to the blind vigorously pushing legislation that would have restructured the Commission. It was at that early meeting that it became clear that I had seen Dr. Carney's "other side" as she proved to be temperamental on that occasion as well as subsequent occasions. While programs of the Commission have improved during Dr. Carney's administration, I found her to be inflexible on occasions to the point that it was harmful to the overall situation among the blind. In 1999 Rep. Rex Rice of Easley proposed the reinstatement of the set-aside tax on the take home pay of blind vendors. This set-aside issue had not been discussed in 35 years as the tax was outlawed in 1964 until Rep. Rice resurrected the issue in 1999. While his attempt failed, Rep. Rice proved to be a worthy adversary and every year since 1999 Rep. Rice has not been a friend to the Commission. As an agency head Dr. Carney is required to cooperate with the General Assembly. In March of 2003 the Ways & Means Committee was considering legislation that would restructure the Commission whereupon Rep. Rice told the committee and others assembled that Dr. Carney had signed off on the legislation he was proposing that would do away with the autonomy of the Commission. Dr. Carney was approached about Rep. Rice's allegation and she quickly denied that she had signed off on the legislation. She was requested to send a fax to the Ways & Means Committee correcting Rep. Rice's allegation but instead became angry and stated she would not do so. We explained that we would present the Ways & Means Committee with her statement that she had not signed off on the proposed legislation. We were troubled as from time to time we would receive information from legislators which did not square with Dr. Carney's position and this resulted in some ackwardness during those times. During the year of 2004 the NFB of SC once again vigorously opposed any effort to restructure the Commission but felt on occasions that Dr. Carney did not fully support this effort. In a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2004, Dr. Carney was called upon by the committee chairman, Senator Glenn McConnell for her presentation to which she replied she was not prepared to make a presentation and had not requested to be on the program. The presentation she did give was less than stellar. She later questioned me about her being called upon whereupon I assured her that I had nothing to do with this development. There were policy differences between Dr. Carney and the Federation. She announced at a Statewide Seminar of the NFB of SC that state cutbacks had made it necessary for her to release several Commission employees including some blind employees. She stated that it was her policy to treat the blind employees and their termination no differently than treatment of sighted employees. I believed this is short sighted. After all the qualified blind have more than a 70% rate of unemployment as opposed to the sighted having slightly more than 5% unemployment. Thus a terminated blind employee will find it far more difficult to locate another job than that experienced by a sighted employee. Incidentally, Sheila Brietweiser, President of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind has not terminated any blind employee or any other handicapped employee as a result of the state's shortfall. This is not a petty difference but a major philosophical difference. Almost from the beginning Dr. Carney has experienced difficulties with blind vendors across the state. During the first 3 or 4 years I tried to assist Dr. Carney as well as blind vendors in resolving their differences. Some blind vendors felt that I was taking sides with Dr. Carney but it was always my goal to resolve the differences in a fair and equitable manner. I suggested that Dr. Carney sit down with blind vendors and try to work out their differences but she would have no part of this. As a matter of fact, she became annoyed and would hang up abruptly with this occurring at least three times which incidentally is unprecedented in my work with many people throughout the state in this big program of service to the blind. Dr. Carney's unresolved differences with blind vendors has resulted in at least two violations of the Randolph-Shepherd Act and perhaps a third violation. These rulings have been made by the Rehabilitation Services Administration - U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Carney was infuriated when the 2004 NFB of SC Convention adopted a resolution in support of blind vendors and called upon the Commission to resolve this issue in a fair and equitable manner. In conclusion, let me reiterate that Dr. Carney has done many good things in the Commission for the Blind during the past five and a half years and it is regretted that extenuating circumstances as discussed herein were the root of many of our differences. We wish Dr. Carney the very best after she concludes her service to the Commission beginning November 1st.

Several Federation members from across South Carolina led by President Parnell Diggs, included Frank and Matthew Coppel, Lenora Robertson and Ellen Taylor, Debra Canty and Diane Singleton, Fred Vercher, Richard Thompson, and David, Darlene and Kevin Houck joined four hundred Federation delegates from all across the nation which were gathered together to affect legislation improving the quality of life for blind Americans. We were greeted in Washington on Monday, January 30 with a few inches of freshly fallen snow which arrived over the weekend. For the next two days, we would learn about and promote the following three issues among our South Carolina Congressional delegation.

"The Great Gathering In" on Monday afternoon was where the legislative issues were presented to the eager Federation delegates. One piece of legislation involved Congress amending the 2005 Defense Authorization Act so that blind licensed vendors would have priority in military dining facility operations. This would allow the blind to operate these dining facilities and even employ other blind individuals, whereas under the Javitz-Wagner-O`Day Act those with disabilities employed in these facilities would only work menial labor jobs and would most likely never operate the dining facility. We believe that the Randolph Sheppard Act takes priority and increases the opportunities for many blind vendors across America, including South Carolina. NFB of SC President Parnell Diggs is a strong proponent of this action being taken to benefit blind vendors managerial capabilities nationwide.

The second legislative initiative brought forth concerns taking the next logical step in access to books for the blind by amending the Higher Education Act, creating an electronic database center whereby post graduate textbooks and other materials can be sent and be accessed by blind college students. In this way, greater access to text in the ever-changing higher educational arena can be achieved, giving the blind greater equality among their sighted peers.

The third legislative issue deals with making certain that disability benefits for the blind under Social Security (SSDI) are not decreased for any individual who becomes blind before retirement age and receives the highest possible benefit upon reaching retirement age. In this way, the blind have assurance that as Social Security undergoes any future changes, the blind are not cut off from benefits they are entitled to receive. Another aspect of this bill would be to give the blind the same earnings limit as seniors are entitled to earn. These earnings limits were linked with the seniors until 1996 when senior citizens were allowed to earn more than the blind without losing benefits. Therefore, since that time the blind have been left far behind in earnings limits as compared to senior citizens.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, January 31 and February 1, our National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina delegation met with the South Carolina members of Congress, presenting our issues as listed above. Our scoring sheets showed that our House and Senate members were quite supportive of our issues but when we attended the evening report meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday, we were quite pleased to find out that some of our Congressional delegation went the extra mile and took the lead in co-sponsoring legislation. It was well worth walking all over Capitol Hill for two days to get the positive response we received.

Some time was available during our stay in Washington DC to take in the new World War II Memorial and the American Indian Museum which were located not too far from the hotel. On our way back to South Carolina we were all enthusiastic that good progress had been made for the blind in the areas of education, employment and Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.

For many years I have listened to my friends talking about how much they enjoy going to Senior Camp at Rocky Bottom. Since I became eligible this year to attend Senior Camp, I decided to fill out an application to see what all I had been missing. I was one of 24 senior campers from all across South Carolina who participated in the spring session of Senior Camp, which was held from May 2 to May 6. The ages of the group ranged from 55 to 84 years young.

Bob Bell, Senior Camp Director, did a wonderful job in creating a relaxed and easy going atmosphere during the week long camp. We all had a great deal of fun participating in such activities as playing BINGO, eating lunch at the Harbor Inn which is located near Asheville, shopping and performing in a talent show. Although everyone thoroughly enjoyed the scheduled activities, the most favorite time was spent fellowshipping with others and building new relationships. Many hours were spent swapping tales (all of which were true, I'm sure) either on the deck of the Administration Building or on the screened in porch in Osterneck Cottage.

After being in Rocky Bottom this week, it was very evident to me that there was a great deal of love and respect for each person who attended Senior Camp. I believe one of the high points of the camp was when the senior blind themselves contributed over $400 to Rocky Bottom to be used for Senior Camp expenses. I thoroughly enjoyed myself at Rocky Bottom and I would encourage anyone who is blind and is 55 years of age or older to apply for the next Senior Camp which will be held the third week in September. Finally, I'd like to say that Rocky Bottom is a very unique and special place. Rocky Bottom belongs to all of us and we should continue to do all we can to financially support the camp and all of its programs.

The 35th annual Leadership Seminar was held on Saturday, April 2, 2005. The one-day seminar was well attended as approximately thirty Federation leaders from across the state took time from their busy schedules to travel to the Federation Center in Columbia to participate in this worthwhile meeting. Frank Coppel, First Vice President of the NFB of SC, presided over the meeting since state President, Parnell Diggs, was prevented from conducting the seminar due to other commitments and obligations.

The meeting was called to order promptly at 10:30 a.m. at which time a moment of silence was observed in memory of Irene Doyle, a longtime Federation leader who passed away on March 24. The morning session dealt with such issues as fundraising, different ways to motivate members to participate in fundraising events and other chapter activities as well as recruiting new members. We were very honored to have the President Emeritus of the NFB of SC, Dr. Donald Capps, and Mrs. Capps participating in this year's seminar. Dr. Capps shared some of his experiences and expertise in the areas of recruiting new members and in the legislative process.

Our thanks go to the Executive Director of the Federation Center of the Blind, David Houck, and his wife, Darlene, for sponsoring, preparing and serving lunch which was enjoyed by all. During the afternoon session, the participants discussed such topics as problems associated with providing adequate transportation to members to attend chapter meetings in rural areas, options for purchasing a van through government grants and combating "localitis" among members and chapters. A short period of time was spent discussing Suggested Guidelines for conducting a chapter meeting. Many excellent ideas and information was exchanged among the participants in this year's Leadership Seminar. It is hoped that those leaders who attended this meeting will return to their chapters better able to serve the blind more effectively whether it is on the local, state or national level.

We were amazed at the attitude and adaptability of the NFB members at Rocky Bottom during this years outing. They had their own talent show. They had their own MC@#39s and took charge. They had more fun than we could have provided. I was thee walking around to make sure everything was going as it should. I was not needed in this role. When will I learn to get out of the way and let the blind lead the blind? As you know by now, the fishing was a washout. Lighting and pontoonsdon@#39t mix, so we stayed in the club house at Keowee Keys Marina. Here again, the participants took over and played the piano and sang. The entire weekend was a fellowship time and all had a great time. We literally filled the camp and everyone did great. I am so grateful to be able to work with people like you and watch others move up and fill the jobs that we sighted people take for granted. I will continue to work along side the blind against the efforts of a few to ruin the programs that you and others have worked so hard on. I am calling on all lions to defeat those that oppose the programs for the blind and visually impaired. I am even tempted to ask God to allow these politicians to know what being without site is like, but I am not sure that would be right. Tempting though isn@#39t it?

Morgan Stouffer was perfectly dressed for the classic car cruise-in and beach night activities at this year's Blue Ridge Fest. She was one of many who took to the dance floor Friday evening at the Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative headquarters in Pickens. She was accompanied by her father, Dustin Stuoffer and grandfather, Wayne Stouffer.

Record crowds of nearly 6,000 visitors were entertained by the sweet, soulful sounds of Carolina Beach Music as performed by The Coasters, The Rickey Godfrey Band and Clifford Curry. There were 550 antique autos and custom cars of particularly every make and model.

During the evening, CEO Charles Dalton, presented Pickens resident, Billy Singleton an award for his years of service to the Blue Ridge Fest and the Pickens community

On Saturday morning the cars had cruised on back home and motorcycles took their place when the Blue Ridge Fest Charity Ride got underway. More than 500 motorcycles were registered for the event which included a 100 mile scenic ride. This event has raised about $110,000 for charities in the four Upstate counties served by the cooperative.

The 5th annual Vision Summit took place March 18 at the Columbia Conference center. This cooperative venture hosted by the Vision Education Partnership is represented by seven agencies/organizations including, the University of South Carolina-Upstate, the SC Department of Education, the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind, the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the SC Commission for the Blind, the SC State University Orientation and Mobility Program and the Association of Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired-SC Chapter.

The large meeting room was packed with hardly an available open seat. The large gathering heard about technology, adaptive technologies and the blind. A panel discussion consisting of blind students who are computer users spoke eloquently concerning their experiences with computers and adaptive technologies. One blind panelist stated that his greatest success was to have the world opened up through computer access and that his greatest challenge was in keeping up with the rapid expansion of technology, to constantly learn new things which offer even greater access and independence.

Following the panel discussion representatives from all partnership groups signed the new partnership agreement in a formal signing ceremony with the exception of the Commission for the Blind which did not have a representative available to sign the historic document. A group picture was taken of the partners after the signing ceremony was completed. The singing of "Tomorrow" from "Annie" by School for the Blind 4th Grade student, Miss Amber Baskin, resulted in a standing ovation from the audience. It was only fitting that this song was sung as technology offers more opportunities and opens more doors than ever before. Tomorrow brings hope for the future of the blind.

The afternoon session consisted of Teachers and Technology and Refreshable Braille matters. It is certainly true that today's technology places the world at the fingertips of the blind. I know that when I was attending college in the 1970's, Closed Circuit TV's and talking books were the major means of equal access. Today there's so much more (and not just computers) out there to make independence and success more possible than ever before. The enthusiastic participants left the Vision Summit better educated and better informed of the potential which lies in all blind people.

You won't find very many organizations in Columbia which have annual events existing without interruption for more than a half a century. But, that's exactly what the Columbia Chapter of the NFB of SC has done as the April 28, 2005 annual barbecue was the 52nd consecutive barbecue without a miss. Thursday April 28, 2005 was a beautiful spring day with cool temperatures in the 40's during the early morning rising to the mid 70's in the afternoon. The beautiful weather brought out the thousands of customers who were participating in this well-known annual event. Participants included doctors, lawyers, secretaries, factory workers, bankers, state officials, various types businesses and people in all walks of life. You could not possibly purchase that kind of public relations which improved the attitudes of many concerning the true nature of blindness what it is and what it is not. Some 4,000 plates of barbecue chicken with the trimmings were either delivered or served at the Federation Center of the Blind. This special day went off without a hitch. But, this didn't occur without a lot of assistance by many people who cared about the success of this project. First of all, some 4,000 plates would not have been sold if the public didn't feel this was a highly worthwhile project. And then, the members of the Columbia Chapter demonstrated their commitment to the barbecue as they sold their tickets to many different contacts including their neighbors. But we mustn't forget the support people who organized well and made it possible for some 4,000 plates to be processed in one day promptly and expeditiously. There were two serving lines capably worked by various groups of people and individuals including the Telephone Pioneers, members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club and others. Also, the blind pitched in and provided their own support, attending to the service of plates in the same manner handled by the sighted. On each plate there had to be a half barbecue chicken, an ear of corn, slaw, and a piece of bread plus a napkin and silverware. The assembly lines performed to perfection but it was no easy task. We mustn't forget the several Boy Scout troops who provided curb service the afternoon of the barbecue making it much more convenient for driving customers. Also kudos to the Boy Scouts who served as guides for members participating in the three night canvass. The blind has no better friend than "M.B. Red Shaw" who has been involved with the barbecue since its beginning more than a half a century ago. "Red" as he is affectionately called, is an associate member of the Columbia Chapter as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the Federation Center. Mr. Shaw served many years as scoutmaster and was very instrumental in the first Boy Scout troop to assist blind canvassers more than 45 years ago. Incidentally, the first order of barbecue plates were picked up on the day of the barbecue at 9:15 a.m. or more than 2 hours before the official noontime beginning but the workers were ready to serve the first pickup. By noontime, however, the dining hall of the center were filled to capacity by customers who were thoroughly enjoying their barbecue chicken and wonderful iced cold sweetened tea. Too many Federationists were involved to begin naming all of them but certainly we would be remised if we did not congratulate Frank Coppel, President of the Columbia Chapter who did a wonderful job in organizing the all day event. No doubt Frank is also proud of his officers, board members, and rank and file membership of the Columbia Chapter as well as all others who participated which was necessary in order for this to be perhaps our biggest year to date. It is contemplated at this particular time that approximately $20,000 in profits will be realized ensuring significant support to members attending both the National and State conventions. These funds will also be helpful in support of other Federation programs including the Federation Center, Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind, and the national organization. We would also be remised if we did not single out for praise our wonderful caterer Little Pigs Barbecue located on Alpine Rd in Columbia. They were cooperative in every manner. It is essential that a good caterer be involved in order to facilitate a project of this magnitude. While the 2005 annual barbecue was a huge success, all of us involved in the event are glad that it is held only once a year.

Education is more than the formal courses taken at a university or college. Education is life experiences. The NFB of SC has more to offer their scholarship winners than financial assistance. This year at the NFB of SC convention in Spartanburg we will be requiring the scholarship winners to attend the entire convention. Spending a weekend with successful blind people will educate these students beyond the textbooks. Like our National convention we hope to offer more than financial assistance to these blind students. We will not only cover their basic expenses for their state convention involvement but also offer mentoring and share information on adaptive techniques and much more! The goal of the scholarship committee is to introduce these scholars to the NFB philosophy in a big way and we feel that spending a weekend with us is the best approach. Involvement in our student division and participation in the luncheon and banquet addresses are experiences we hope they will not easily forget. We hope to instill in their hearts that blindness is a mere inconvenience and not a tragedy. We hope to bring them into the big family of NFB committed to changing what it means to be blind!

The scholarship committee is asking local chapters to get involved in this Sponsoring A Scholar program. We plan on developing a fund through the state office to keep this program running year after year. Please also look for your NFB 2006 calendars to be sold at the state convention by your scholarship committee and student division committee members.

Mr. Ralph M. Ellenburg, Sr. of Easley who is the distinguished Chairman of the Advisory Board of Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind, is making available an upscale six-bedroom facility at Litchfield Beach. A week has been reserved for Saturday, June 3, 2006, to Saturday, June 10, 2006. Imagine you and a group of family or friends spending a week at this luxurious facility! The person or persons who make the highest bid for this one-week vacation at Litchfield Beach will be the winner. Sealed bids will be welcome. All proceeds will be given to Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind during the 2005 Labor Day Fun Day Festival. The presentation will be made during the time of the Labor Day Auction. The winning bid will have access as the facility's check in time is 2:00 p.m. Saturday, June 3, 2006, and check out time will be Saturday, June 10, 2006, at 11:00 a.m. In addition to six bedrooms the Ellenburg facility has a full kitchen, dining room, and a great room. The facility is spacious and has central air and heat. In June, however, you won't need the central heat, but the central air will feel good. Since the Ellenburg facility has six bedrooms that could accommodate six different couples, this arrangement may well result in the highest bid. On the other hand, two large families might wish to go together and place a competitive high bid. The Ellenburg facility rents for $1,600 a week. June 2006 will be here before we know it, and therefore, you'll be wanting to be making plans resulting in the highest bid. Everyone is invited to participate in this project including not only the blind but the sighted public as well.

Never take your sight for granted - that's the message from the president of the Union County Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind. Vernon Smith and Vicki Trammell, a sighted person who is an associate member of the local chapter, recently returned from a visit to the federation's newly renovated headquarters in Baltimore, MD. They said that they were amazed at the new products and technology that are available to blind people. They said they wish more members and associate members would become involved in local, state and national chapters because there is a voice in numbers.

"Sighted people take too much for granted," Smith said. "I have met people who lost their sight in car wrecks; I met a man who was kicked in the head by a horse. You can go blind tomorrow or next year."

He pointed out that blind people have the same interests as sighted people, they get married and have children and have jobs.

Smith, who has limited sight, said it is uplifting to see totally blind people at headquarters and at conventions who have not let their handicap limit them.

"When you see blind people at these conventions they are all over the place, up and down the streets, on tours,
" he said.

Smith and Mrs. Trammell traveled by bus with members of several other chapters to see the headquarters, which recently underwent $20 million in renovations, including a technology center and a conference center with auditorium. They were amazed at new technology to the blind, including a Braille keyboard. It has a voice box which repeats the information the blind person has typed in; that way the user knows if he has typed correctly.

"They can fax information, do research and send information to others Justas a sighted person would," Mrs. Trammell said.

Smith and Mrs. Trammell said technology is being developed that may allow blind people to drive.

"They have talking watches, canes, home appliances that aid the blind and talking thermometers," Smith said.

Those who went on the trip to Baltimore were provided free lodging and meals at headquarters. Mrs. Trammell said that those who are able are asked to clean their room and change the linens before they leave.

"We also left a modest donation," she said.

Smith said that the local chapter of the federation recently lost its United Way funding. Donations are being accepted. Funds help pay for chapter needs and functions. New members and new associate members also are welcomed. The Union group has 12 members but Smith said he knows there are other blind people living in Union who could benefit from being in the group.

Smith has been president of the local chapter for 17 of its 26 years. He has missed only three national conventions in those years and has traveled to conventions in such states as Texas, Minnesota, Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

"Blind people have been fighting for rights for over 50 years,
he said. "I guess that's why there's a National Federation of the Blind."

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Helen Harvey has missed reading the newspaper since her sight deteriorated some four years ago.

Without a daily dose of legislative news, she was left feeling "caught in a vacuum," said Harvey, wife of former Lt. Gov. Brantley Harvey.

Then about 6 months ago, the 72-year-old Beaufort resident was given a special radio receiver that allows her to tune into the Commission for the Blind@#39s Radio Reading program and listen to news read from papers across the state and region.

"It just has made my year to be able to listen to the statewide programs," Harvey said. "The reading of the papers has been my biggest joy because I@#39m such a news junkie. I@#39ve always kept up with what@#39s happening in the Statehouse."

But her radio - along with about 4,600 others - could go silent if lawmakers agree to cut funding for the program.

The House will debate whether to fund the program when it takes up the state@#39s $5.8 billion spending plan this week.

Gov. Mark Sanford said the state should divert the $105,000 from the Radio Reading program to other blindness prevention programs. The House Ways and Means Committee, which writes the budget, agreed to the cut.

In his executive budget released in January, Sanford said the reading program duplicates the Talking Book Services program at the State Library.

"It boils down to identifying programs that are duplicative and trying to consolidate resources in a way that meets the needs that are out there and protects the taxpayers," said Sanford spokesman Will Folks. "These were difficult decisions made after detailed, intensive prioritization of government function."

But Beth Jones, the radio program@#39s manager, said the Radio Reading program offers local news and in-depth analysis pieces, while the Talking Book program offers books and magazines on tape.

Jones said her program goes beyond the news and allows listeners to follow newspaper staples such as obituaries, Dear Abby columns, editorials and grocery ads. She also includes topical programs - such as health stories.

They@#39re items that sighted readers take for granted, Jones said. But the blind have no other source for obtaining these standards - local television stations don@#39t cover them - aside from asking someone else to read to them each day, she said.

Jones is one of two full-time employees of the program, which broadcasts 24 hours a day. After suffering other budget cuts over the years, the program relies heavily on volunteers.

Randi Olafson has volunteered with the Radio Reading program for 25 years. She says the cost of running the program is a value compared with the service it provides.

"It helps them stay truly connected and feel not so isolated," which is especially important for listeners who suffer late-onset impairment and are trying to adjust to a new life, Olafson said.

"The radio ... has been very, very helpful," Harvey said. "Those of us who are more shut-in and don@#39t read are able to keep up with what@#39s going on in the state."

Folks said that during the governor@#39s public budget hearings, officials from the Commission for the Blind were asked to prioritize their programs. Commissioner Nell Carney testified the Radio Reading program was at the bottom of the list, the governor@#39s spokesman said.

Carney said that listeners could find similar access to stories from other sources, such as the Internet. But she says the Radio Reader program is highly valuable to the elderly who don@#39t have access to a computer or are not technologically adept.

The Radio Reading program is not the only program for the blind that faces changes in the upcoming budget.

Sanford proposed cutting the $230,000 in state funding from the Business Enterprise Program, which helps blind vendors run concession businesses set up by the state.

House budget writers restored that funding, but added a proviso that would set up a fee on the net earnings from vendors. Carney said all but 11 states have a similar fee on vendors that pays for repairs to buildings and equipment.

Parnell Diggs, a Myrtle Beach attorney and President of the National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, said he@#39s been disappointed in some of the financial decisions made regarding the Commission for the Blind.

"This is cold, hard, budget-crunching analysis they@#39re engaging in, but it@#39s disappointing because it will affect the quality of life," for so many blind South Carolinians, Diggs said.

Diggs was a member of the governing board of the Commission for the Blind until he was removed by Sanford last month. Diggs thinks he was removed because of his outspoken views against agency cuts and vendor fees.

"I decided not to quiet down because I think these programs are important," Diggs said. "I@#39m just not in tune, or on board with, his agenda."

Folks said Diggs was not asked to leave the board because of these specific budget issues. "It was a general philosophical disconnect on the larger note of government restructuring and efficiency at the Commission," Folks said.

Sanford seeks board members who are open to new ideas and look out for the best interest of the taxpayer, Folks said. "We have a tremendous amount of respect for Mr. Diggs, but he wasn@#39t a willing participant on those fronts."

On March 11, 2005, I had the privilege of traveling to the National Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Along with the Upstate we traveled with the Georgia chapter as well. President Anil Lewis and I over a period of time, were able to communicate in order to make this journey possible. This has been an idea for the chapters for several years, and was finally made possible.

Although miles apart, but united in purpose, we have tried to unite chapters with hopes of bringing them closer together. By doing so, our fellowship would have much more meaning as well as unity.

We had a successful trip and as we hoped, the members enjoyed each other's company and the opportunity to get to know each other better.

At this meeting, Anil Lewis became E.O., and although unable to attend, Vice President Robert Smith was there in his absence. Robert did inform us that their state convention would be held in October in Macon, Georgia. We are all invited, and hopefully we can make the right connections and head down south in October.

Our trip to the National Center took place April 15 - 17.

The South Carolina group consisted of nine Belvedere Chapter members, four Aiken Chapter members and ten from Rock Hill.

We used Lewis Bus Lines out of Augusta, GA. The bus was a bright, cheerful color, so easy to see, and not too expensive. Our driver was Robert Stanley. He did a good job taking care of the bus. Robert was a caring, considerate person, and assisted each one of us as needed.

We arrived at the National Center about 6:30 p.m. Friday. Nancy Helm greeted us at the front entrance. Nancy ushered us to the front lobby for our room assignments. As soon as we placed our luggage in our rooms, we were directed to the cafeteria.

Mrs. Cobb was in charge of all the meals. The food was delicious. We had dinner music as our own Raven Ramsey and the bus driver provided us with piano music.

At breakfast, on Saturday, I had the pleasure of sitting with Mrs. Maurer and Dr. Maurer';s brother, Dr. Matt Maurer. I enjoyed visiting with them.

We were invited to sit in on the Baltimore Chapter meeting. They are a very enthusiastic group and seemed to get much done.

We then had lunch and were allowed to shop in the aids and appliance store, also to see all the technology! At that point we toured the entire facility. Later, our bus driver drove us to Cactus Willies for dinner. That was a great treat. We all enjoyed the food.

We had a safe trip home on Sunday.

Seeing the National Center really helps us to understand what the National Federation of the Blind is all about.

This is the time of year when I usually become excited about the approaching National and State Convention';s; 2005 is no different, as plans for the convention season are already being finalized. Soon, those who have registered to ride the chartered buses to Louisville will be receiving detailed information regarding the July 2nd departure from Columbia and the July 9th return trip.

As everyone in South Carolina knows, we have little time to transition from the National Convention to the State Convention because these events are only one month apart. This year, the State Convention is scheduled for the weekend of August 5th-7th at the Marriott Spartanburg at Renaissance Park. This recently opened facility is magnificently furnished and will make an excellent convention site. The NFB of SC has secured a nightly rate of $65.00 plus tax with no deposit required at the time the reservation is made as long as the guest arrives by 6.00 p.m. Convention rates are available on the evening of Thursday August 4th- Sunday August 7th to those who register for the convention

The cut off date is July 15th; after this date, the hotel will release any remaining rooms in the room block. Since there is no deposit required, there is no reason not to make reservations now. You should call the Marriott toll free reservations line at 1-800-327-6465 and indicate that you wish to make reservations for the NFB of SC convention during the first weekend of August.

It should be an excellent summer for the NFB of SC, and I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming conventions and other Federation activities.