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ACB OF SOUTH CAROLINA
NEWS LETTER
Br> OFFICERS

President: Patsy Jones
First Vice President: Karen Bays
Second Vice President: Susan Jones
Secretary: Gwynette Hatcher
Treasurer: Todd Turansky

The American Council of the Blind is the nation’s leading membership organization of blind and visually impaired people. It was founded in 1961 and incorporated in the District of Columbia.

The Council strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people by: serving as a representative national organization of blind people; elevating the social, economic and cultural levels of blind people; improving educational and rehabilitation facilities and opportunities; cooperating with the public and private institutions and organizations concerned with blind services; encouraging and assisting all blind persons to develop their abilities and conducting a public education program to promote greater understanding of blindness and the capabilities of blind people.


From the President’s desk
Hello everyone:
Welcome to the first edition of the ACB of SC newsletter. This is the first newsletter for this affiliate as far as I am aware, so we are very excited about this new venture. Please read all of it and let us know what you think of our first effort. A big thank you goes to our editor and publisher, John Harden. He deserves most of the credit for getting this newsletter up and going. I urge you to support and assist him as much as possible.
I think all of us have experienced a long hot summer! It's time to start thinking about the fall--football, the world series, holidays--and most of all our upcoming ACB state convention. This year's event is taking place in Charleston at the Airport Holiday Inn. Our program committee has planned an exciting program. The convention will take place the weekend of Nov. 13:15. Reservations must be made by no later than Oct. 12th. Room rates are $62 a night for singles through quads.
Most of all, don't forget that we are having a talent show or a "Mini" ACB Showcase. Each chapter is to provide some talent so get your voices tuned or your dancing shoes shined! Malinda Goff of the Columbia chapter will be heading up this effort. She hopes to receive some able assistance from Mrs. Lynn Hedl of Birmingham, AL. For more information, contact Malinda at telephone 803-765-0520.
Please don't forget about the auction. As most of you know, this is our main fund raiser for the state, so clean out your garage, your closets, etc. Feel free to obtain items from store merchants as well.
Have you sold any raffle tickets? Ticket sales have been brisk in Columbia and I hope the same is true for Charleston and Greenwood. Remember, the member who sells the winning raffle ticket gets 10% of the proceeds. Sell yourself the ticket and win the $300 and 10% of the proceeds. Let us know if you need more tickets. The drawing will be on Saturday night at the banquet. The winner need not be present to win.
Earlier this year, Keith Moreland who was elected to be treasurer at our state convention last fall informed the board that due to personal reasons, he could no longer continue in this office. At the June board of directors meeting, Mr. Todd Turansky of the Columbia chapter was selected to replace Keith. Thank you, Todd. We are looking forward to working with you!
Well, this message is long enough. Feel free to call me at any time if you have questions or just want to talk ACB. I can be reached at 803:791:3368. Hope to see you all at the Convention!


AFFILIATE NEWS

News from Charleston
We are selling tickets for Jim Booth's painting The Hurricane to be given away November 14th. Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5.
Susan Jones, Anne DuBose, and Harold Elrod will be on channel 5 mid day October 12th to promote the raffle and the State convention.
Fantastic Sam Frazier attended the Lions club Fishing Day at Sante and caught 4 fish.
April Shinholster is the national slalom water ski champion of totally blind women. She won the national championship in Alabama in August.
We look forward to seeing you at the state convention in November. Karen Bays will not be there because she is going to New Jersey to get her baby, (guide dog.)
Columbia Chapter

Things are going well with the Columbia Chapter of ACB-SC. We have been pleased to welcome several new members this year.
Our meetings have been enlivened this year with interesting talks by guest speakers. Police officer Suzzane McWhirter led the group in a discussion on crime prevention. Several of us ertisipated in her hands on demonstration of self defense techniques which can be used by the totally blind.
We also enjoyed hearing from Joe Schwab, Coordinator for the Andy Thomas radio network. The network provides programming for eleven affiliated radio stations throughout the state. Joe, who is totally blind says he can not remember a time when he wasn’t interested in radio.
We are also exploring strategies designed to improve public transportation in Columbia. We are beginning by exploring the possibilities of improved bus access to area shopping malls.
Our yard sale last spring was so successful that we are planning one for this October.


Upper Savannah Regional Chapter

Hello to all of our fellow ACBer's.
Greetings from the Upper Savannah Regional Chapter of the ACB. We have some exciting things going on in our chapter. Coming up we have a hash sale on Saturday, September 5th, with a hash plate sale on Labor Day, September 7th. We are also looking into the possibility of starting a collection of Descriptive Video Service (DVS) tapes to be kept at our 2 local libraries that would be donated by our club. 3 of our members were able to attend the ACB National Convention in Orlando, Florida, and got to see one of the movies that this company has produced. Their excitement at what is available is shared by all the members, and we are looking forward to spreading the excitement through our community.
Speaking of the convention, Keith and Joyce Moreland and Betty Jones were the ones who were able to go to the convention, and all said it was quite a learning experience. The voting part, and several of the speakers were interesting, and much was learned by all.
For activity fun, our club loves playing bingo with a large print deck available from Maxi Aids. All the members chip in $1 each month, and we buy prizes out of that for the winners. We are also going to be planning an outing in which we will have outdoor games and grilling at a local park in the coming months, after the thermometer slinks downward a bit.
We are also planning for a website on the Internet that will be linked by the National page, and will tell all about our chapters comings and goings. If you have internet access and would like to visit us, the website address is https://members.tripod.com/greenwoodacb/index
That is it for now, and we hope everyone is doing as great as we are.


The following article was sent in by Buelah Brazzell. We encourage others to send articles to the News Letter Editor.

RACISM:

A LEGACY OF FORMER COMMISSIONER GIST

by Buelah Flynn Brazzell

During the past 31 years of the turbulent history of the SC Commission for the Blind, there have been five administrations--four of which ended in failure and dismissal. Three of these administrators left their positions, probably with relief, to find other employment. Not so, former Commissioner Gist. He had to use his crutch "discrimination" in making his departure. It had been rumored months earlier that Gist had boasted that he would never be fired because he was black.
No one owns a job, and there is certainly personal behavior that cannot be tolerated in a high profile position such as being head of a state agency. We owe the former Commission Board a vote of thanks for quickly investigating the charges that Gist had struck a black, female, state employee in the face with such force that she needed medical attention. It was her black son who brought this matter to a head by appearing in the Commission's parking lot to fight Gist in vindication of his mother. This incident could hardly be called discrimination, yet Gist is now suing the present Commission Board in Federal Court for a million dollars.
The Commission was founded because the blind have unique needs which require unique services. Its aim was and still is, to serve all blind persons regardless of age or race. There are blind persons among us, both black and white, who have often felt their needs were not met by the agency. This was not due to the principles laid down by the Commission's founders but rather by inadequate counseling or even unrealistic expectations of a client.
Racial overtones is a legacy of the Gist administration that the blind do not need. Solomon Bradford has taken up the banner to have Gist reinstated, or to have more blacks on the commission board. To accomplish his aim, he unearthed a federal, rehabilitation regulation passed in 1992 to increase the number of legally blind persons to four on the Commission Board. This regulation had lain like a smoking gun to be used when it was necessary to say the Commission Board was not in compliance with Federal regulations at the time Gist was fired. There was a demand to immediately comply.
The lead story on the 6 P.M. news, August 26, related to the Commission for the Blind Lynn Smith, representing the first Congressional District had resigned. This came as a shock. Smith had just been elected as chairman of the Commission Board. Smith was amply qualified forth position. The first effects of compliance had occurred. She was the only board member who was waiting to have her second term as board member reaffirmed.
By having Smith resign it made it possible to appoint Vicki Ray, a young white blind attorney from Conway to the position of representative from the First Congressional District. The Commission was in compliance by having four blind members on the Board.
One would have expected Bradford to have been satisfied over his victory. Instead he was angry. It was not fair. There should be two black blind persons on the Board because 48% of the Commission's clients are black.
Bradford does not realize that the blind themselves are a minority composed of all races, age groups, and genders. Our group is too small to start dividing them in racial segments and there is nothing in compliance with Federal regulations that deals with race--just blindness.
Bradford seems to be enjoying his role as the defender of the former Commissioner and the limelight he has created for himself through demonstration and press conferences. Yet one cannot help but wonder if his zealous behavior for Gist could not have some personal overtones.
It has been rumored or alleged that Bradford received his doctorate degree under the Gist administration through Commission funding. This seems odd because rehab counselors seldom sponsors a student beyond the Bachelor's Degree. It is also alleged that he has received a truck and tractor to get him started in the greenhouse business. Why would a person need a doctorate in any profession if he intended to spend his life in a greenhouse? Shouldn’t training in the Commission’s greenhouse program been more appropriate? It is also rumored that Bradford was expecting to receive some grant money at the time Gist was dismissed. It makes one wonder if perhaps Bradford had his hand in a cookie jar that is not known about by clients.
It may be prudent for the new Commission Board to look into these financial rumors just to set the record straight.
Former Commissioner Gist has left the blind community and the new Commission Board with unnecessary racial problems. On behalf of the American Council of the Blind, we wish the new Commission Board great success and much enjoyment as they go about their task of trying to improve the lives of blind citizens of this state.


From the Editor’s Desk

Thanks for reading the first news letter of the American Council of the Blind of South Carolina. As of yet there is no name for this news letter. At the convention in Charleston we are planning a mini contest to name the news letter. Come with suggestions. If your suggestion is used then you will receive a small gift.
The annual convention of the American Council of the Blind will be held in Charleston South Carolina November 13/15, 1998. This year the theme of the convention will be Employment Issues. Take a few minutes to fill out the reservation form and return it with your check to:
Emily Elrod
P.O. Box 52
Goose Creek, SC 29445

Also be sure to call the hotel today to make your reservations. It is important that you call the Holiday Inn before October 12. When you call the Holiday Airport at (843) 744-1621 be sure to tell them that you are with ACB.
Comments, suggestions, and articles for the News Letter should be sent to the editor:
John Harden
1741 Decree Avenue
West Columbia, SC 29169
Phone: (803) 796-4887
e-mail: jharden@gte.net

I hope to see all of you there.