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TSRA NEWSLETTER Publication of the Textron Systems Retirees Association Vol. 9 No. 3 www.tsretirees.org August 2009 TEXTRON VP CATHY STREKER PROVIDES FEEDBACK ON HEALTH PLAN CONCERNS The attendees at TSRA’s Annual Spring Luncheon While this conclusion may not satisfy some TSRA in May of this year heard the Textron VP of members, it does illustrate Textron’s willingness Human Resources and Benefits, Mrs. Cathy to explore suggestions of other alternatives to Streker, and her colleague, Ron St. Pierre, those offered. In this regard, the TSRA Board was Director of Benefits Strategy, describe Textron’s pleased that Textron has embraced the idea of existing health benefit plans and the guiding issues providing a top-level summary with the health that led to Textron’s offerings to its employees benefit options package that is distributed annually and retirees. Mrs. Streker and Mr. St Pierre also in the fall of each year. The objective of this described the interplay between the new RAP summary is to make it easier to understand the Pension Plan and the traditional Defined Benefits health plan options proposed for 2010 and Plan under which almost all of our current retirees highlighting any changes being made to the are covered. In a Q & A session that followed, existing options. We are pleased that Textron, in one TSRA member cited difficulties with finding an effort to engage a wide range of input, has health care professionals in his area who would invited the TSRA Board to review and comment accept the Humana Plan. The member suggested upon the summary being developed for this fall’s that he and others would pay a premium to be able mailing. The Board views this as further evidence to retain his former United Health Care (UHC) of the value of the collaborative relationship that Plan if Textron would make that possible. we have endeavored to build with Textron, Although other attendees pointed out that the Textron Systems Corporation and Textron Tufts Health Plan HMO was offered as an Defense Systems. alternative, Mrs. Streker graciously offered to Ron Milauskas assess the implications of providing such an alternative for the UHC Plan. ALSO INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE Following up on that commitment, Mrs. Streker Page recently informed the TSRA Board that Textron 9th Annual TSRA Golf Tournament 2 did assess this possibility and after careful Traveling with Elderhostel 3 consideration concluded it was countervailing to Volunteer Opportunities for TSRA Members 4 Textron’s objective of providing the best "overall value" for the greatest number of retirees by In Memoriam 5 offering viable health plan options at manageable TSRA Welcomes New Members 5 cost to both users and Textron. Textron continues Upcoming Events 5 to believe that the dual choice concept offered What’s New at Textron Systems? 6 (Humana and Tufts) provides the best health care Lowell Spinners Event 7 plan approach at this time. Published by the Textron Systems Retirees Association, P.O. Box 2702, Acton, MA 01720 See our web site at www.tsretirees.org 1 9TH ANNUAL TSRA GOLF Closing out the competitive events, Bill Stuart TOURNAMENT won the Closest to the Pin contest. Ron Milauskas At the end of the day, all of the competitors gathered in the lounge, enjoyed a great selection On June 16th, under partly sunny skies, 32 of hors d’oeuvres washed down by a glass or two members of TSRA gathered at the Hillview of refreshment, recalled golf shots made and Country Club to vie for honors in the 9th Annual missed, and committed to doing better next year! TSRA John J. Mahoney Memorial Golf Tournament. Under the guidance once again of Chairperson, Art Dunford, eight teams were formed and assigned handicaps using a unique system devised by Art to assure the fairest of Left to Right: playing conditions! Tom Henze, Bob Daverin, Eve Beauchesne, & Gus Andrade Left to Right: Jamie Cardillo, Phil Donaghey, Ray Kahre, & Gordon Bishop When the last putt had been made and all scores tallied, the team of Ray Kahre, Phil Donaghey, Jamie Cardillo, and Gordon Bishop prevailed as the Low Net Winners and were awarded the prized Hacker Gus Trophy that is retained by the reigning Left to Right: Rocky Walsh, Ted Langley, champions until next year’s event. Tom Boyle and Al Guimond Left to Right: Left to Right: Tony Scorpio Joe Pelletier, Art Dunford, Dick Preble, Ron Milauskas Angie Caiani & & Bob Evans Bill Stuart Prevailing in the Low Gross category was the Thanks to Tom Henze who once again arrived team of Art Dunford, Bob Evans, Ron Milauskas, with camera in hand to enable us to retain a and Tony Scorpio. Tony also won the Longest photographic memory of another day well spent Drive competition for men and Eve Beauchesne with friends and former colleagues. See more prevailed as the women’s Longest Drive winner. photos on our web site at www.tsretirees.org . Published by the Textron Systems Retirees Association, P.O. Box 2702, Acton, MA 01720 See our web site at www.tsretirees.org 2 A GREAT WAY TO GO: Special features include backstage forays with TRAVELING WITH theater or music professionals, such as a visit with several Rockettes in New York City. ELDERHOSTEL John Lescher The next benefit of Elderhostel is price. Their trips include nearly everything―lodging, meals, Elderhostel is now my first choice for travel. In guides, museum or concert tickets and lecturers. the past, we have traveled on our own and as part They always have trips under $600 plus last of various groups. But now, our last seven trips minute specials. For every trip we have taken, have been with Elderhostel. Trips have varied Elderhostel has been the best deal when we could from one-day music courses at the Boston find a comparison. For our last trip, they even Conservatory to 15 day international trips. I have added free airfare as a special. also gone to two Elderhostel jazz camps. Our most recent trip was a riverboat trip starting in Customer service is excellent. Elderhostel actually Amsterdam and sailing along the Rhine, Main and answers its phone and respond to emails. They Danube rivers, ending in Budapest. We visited have patiently and promptly responded to all of Koln, Vienna and many other cities seeing great my questions. Their home office is right here in museums and many castles. It was a good example Boston, and they keep good track of what's of what makes Elderhostel vacations enjoyable― happening on their trips. On one of our trips, a price, education and great people. young lady from the home office (she designs the catalogs) came along as a guest so she could Elderhostel is a not-for-profit educational travel understand the experience. organization for adults 55 and over. The Elderhostel experience starts with a great selection But the very best part of the Elderhostel of trips―one stop shopping on a well-designed experience is the people; leaders and fellow web site (www.elderhostel.org) or from frequent travelers. The travelers have ranged from age 55 catalogs. About 8,000 available tours include all to over 90 and have been mostly couples with 50 states and more than 90 countries. You can some male and female singles. Most have been sign up for cruises, bus tours, visits to national retired and were Americans or Canadians. There parks, train trips or educational weeks. You can have been businessmen (and women), scientists, enjoy activities like cycling, birding, golf, tennis, farmers, engineer, historians, sociologists, walking, hiking, boating or skiing. There are economists, librarians, doctors, teachers, nurses special tours for women, service learning and and artists. Everyone is friendly and interesting grandparents with their grandchildren. sharing great stories and (sometimes very strong) opinions. At meals, everybody rotates around to Another great benefit is the educational sit and talk with everyone. There are no cliques. experiences available. You can learn about On one trip, a talented amateur artist provided us history, art, music or culture. You can enjoy all with portraits, landscapes and caricatures. The music or Shakespeare festivals. You can learn to leaders have been uniformly excellent, friendly, sing, paint, take pictures or cook. Many times, accessible and knowledgeable. On our there are no comparable trips from other sources. international trips, they have all spoken excellent Our experiences with their guides, lecturers and English. experts have been excellent. Lectures are by distinguished university faculty, historians, So my advice is to give Elderhostel a try. I think authors, diplomats, local experts and philosophers. you'll like it as much as I do. Published by the Textron Systems Retirees Association, P.O. Box 2702, Acton, MA 01720 See our web site at www.tsretirees.org 3 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES competition was so large it was held in the FOR TSRA MEMBERS Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Jim Stamboni and George Perna In order to accomplish the monumental task of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of building a functional robot within six weeks, high Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by school students are paired with professional Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway Human engineers, college students, teachers, parents, and Transport. The goal of this worldwide program is other mentors who all must work as a team in to inspire thousands of youth every year to take an order to build a robot that succeeds in a interest in engineering, mathematics, and science. competitive environment. During this process, During this process, students build self- these students are exposed to the design and confidence, as well as teamwork and leadership manufacturing process (including brainstorming, skills. FIRST accomplishes all this and more; but planning, designing, prototyping, testing, what is most interesting, is that the participants are fabricating and assembling) as well as budgetary having fun while doing all this! and material constraints.

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