Positive Note

October 11, 2026

Memo To:  Executive Officers, Board Members, Chapter and Division Presidents and Others

From:  Marty R. McKenzie, President

843-939-8091  president@nfbofsc.org

Positive Note: 2096

 

Dear Federation Family,

 

We are well into Blind Equality Achievement Month (#BlindMonth), and chapters are already holding events across the state. For those who have done so, thank you for sharing your events with me. If you wish to send a brief recap of your event to be shared in the Positive Note, please do so by Thursday of each week.

 

Fall Senior Camp 2026: Another Great Time at Rocky Bottom – Frank Loza

We had another great time at Senior Camp this fall. Thirty-four of us gathered at Rocky Bottom for good food, good fun and good fellowship.

 

The kitchen staff served us well, and we thank Lenora, Caroline, Karen, Barry, Isaiah and Gerald for the good food. Thanks also go to Emo, who helped campers with whatever they needed, and to Maureen, our nurse, for all the help she provided. We also thank Anita for driving the van that brought campers up to Rocky Bottom.

 

We kept busy at camp. We played bingo and Bible trivia. Linda led a craft session where the men learned to make wallets and the women made earrings and wallets. We also held a talent show, and everyone had a good time. The show proved once again that we have some great singers in our affiliate.

 

We got out and about, too. On a trip up to Sassafras Mountain, Marvin led an exercise class that we all enjoyed. At Table Rock State Park, we had a cookout with barbecued hot dogs and hamburgers, along with chips and drinks.

 

Back at camp, we enjoyed fellowship out on our newly built deck. It's the same deck our own Barry Chavis told us about in his Rocky Bottom workday article. Everyone who worked on it did a great job.

 

I thank everyone who was involved. You all made it a blessed and great time.

 

 

Hotrod Car Show

All makes and models welcome!

Date: October 17, 2026

Time: 1 to 4 PM

Location: Fork Grove BBQ, Anderson, SC

Entry Fee: $20

Presented by Alignment Plus Performance, Complete Auto Repair and Performance, and Fork Grove BBQ

All proceeds benefit Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind.

Raffle prizes!

50/50 drawing!

 

NFB of SC Dues and Chapter Elections

Chapters should begin collecting dues for 2027 and holding elections from October through December. Please provide Thom Spittle with a list of all dues-paying members by December 31, 2026. As elections are held, provide the results to each of the following:

 

This will greatly assist us with recordkeeping. I appreciate your assistance with this request.

 

AI Tip or Trick

There is always something around me that needs fixing, and for the past several weeks, it has been the use of my Bose computer speakers with two computers: my work computer and my desktop PC. I used AI to get suggestions without telling it all of the details, and it came back with a computer speaker mixer and cables, none of which worked.

On Monday morning, I started out by explaining to my AI, Claude, exactly what the setup looks like, and I described what the major problem was in detail. The major problem is hum and static from my very inexpensive desktop PC. Claude suggested that I use a USB sound card (I happen to have two of them on hand) to bypass the computer’s built-in audio output. In this process, I also discovered that the Bose computer speakers, about 12 years old now, have two inputs from computers or devices. This alleviated the need for the computer speaker mixer.

Voila! Everything works just as I wanted, and I do not need a computer speaker mixer! The lesson in this for me is that I need to provide Claude the entire story and not just the parts that I think are important!

Clarendon Chapter Fundraiser: Christmas Afghan

The Clarendon Chapter of the NFB of SC is selling raffle tickets for a beautiful handcrafted Christmas afghan made by our very own Glenda Culick. Tickets are $5 each or three for $10. The drawing will take place at the Annual Board Retreat on November 21, 2026. The winner will be notified by phone. Tickets are available from any of the following:

 

Let’s support one of our smallest chapters.

 

Things to Remember

  • Blind Equality Achievement Month (#BlindMonth) – October 2026
  • Dues and Elections – October 1 through December 31, 2026
  • Rocky Bottom Car Show – October 17, 2026
  • Clarendon Christmas Afghan Drawing – November 21, 2026

 

 

Marty

 

Marty R. McKenzie, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Carolina

119 S. Kilbourne Road

Columbia, SC 29205

Phone: 803-254-3777

Mobile: 843-939-8091

Website: www.nfbofsc.org