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                       Don Capps



	Donald C. Capps Receives the Jefferson Award



	by David Houck

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	From the Editor: David Houck is the Treasurer of the NFB of 

South Carolina and director of the Federation Center of the 

Blind.

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	On Monday afternoon, May 24, 1999, at the Embassy Suites in 

Columbia, South Carolina, a special annual luncheon was hosted by 

WLTX-TV 19, the CBS affiliate in Columbia, to bestow the 

Jefferson Award for outstanding community service upon NFB of 

South Carolina President Donald C. Capps and two other 

recipients, Charlotte L. Berry and William L. Hamilton. The award 

is sponsored by the American Institute for Public Service, which 

was established by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Robert W. Taft, 

Jr., in 1973. The invocation was offered by Dr. George E. Metze, 

the Chaplin of the State Senate. The Honorable Bob Peeler, South 

Carolina's Lieutenant Governor, also addressed the audience. 

Brief video presentations of each of the three recipients, to be 

aired later on WLTX, were screened during the ceremony. The 

recipients were presented with their awards and made remarks to 

the gathering, which were videotaped as well.

	The program agenda spoke of Mr. Capps as follows: "Longtime 

[NFB of South Carolina] President, Donald Capps began a legacy of 

serving the blind which spans almost half a century. In 1953 

Donald became interested in the organized blind movement and was 

elected President of the Columbia Chapter of the National 

Federation of the Blind, where he presently holds the office of 

President of the NFB of South Carolina. One of Donald's major 

accomplishments was the establishment of the South Carolina 

Commission for the Blind as an independent agency in 1966. Among 

his many activities Donald is editor of the Palmetto Blind, a 

quarterly publication, and he also served as President of the 

Forest Acres Rotary Club. He is currently working on a project 

for the development of Rocky Bottom Camp of the Blind [the Ralph 

M. Ellenburg, Sr., Lodge], where he serves as founder of the 

camp. In respect for his many accomplishments the Federation 

Center of the Blind named its fellowship hall in his honor for 

his lifetime service to the blind."

	Upon receiving this prestigious award, President Capps 

thanked the South Carolina blind community, the National 

Federation of the Blind of South Carolina, the Federation Center 

of the Blind, the School for the Deaf and Blind, his faithful 

wife Betty, and WLTX-TV 19 for its community-minded spirit.

	The award is a large bronze medallion which displays on its 

obverse an eagle with the words "Jefferson Award--American 

Institute for Public Service," and the reverse side reads, "In 

recognition of outstanding public service," and is signed by 

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; R.W. Taft, Jr.; and Samuel S. Beard.

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