Fort Bend-Harris Retired Educators News and Notes Editor: Eleanor Blain Vol. 8 Issue 4 December 1, 2020

Fort Bend County Library Data Bases and Online Features At our November meeting, Librarian Christine Tam, pictured here and on Row 5, Column 3 above, explained Fort Bend County Library’s digital data bases and other online features we can access. We need to update our library cards to best utilize these features. The older ver- sion of the library card has expired. Access an application for an e-card or a full- service card at www.fortbend.lib.us. George Memorial Library in Richmond, Cinco Ranch Branch Library in Katy, Missouri City Branch Library, and Sienna Branch Library are open for Grab-and-Go services. These libraries will re-open with limited capacity to patrons wearing masks. To reduce the possibility of exposure to COVID- 19, patrons are required to conduct library business and exit the premises in a timely manner. Social distancing is mandatory. Hand sanitizer is available. Except for computer use, seating is unavailable. Grab and Go allows you to check out books, CDs and DVDs, spend two hours on the computer you reserved online or by telephone, print, and use the copy machine. All libraries offer Curbside Service. An e-card affords plethora of features including virtual computer classes. If you are into genealogy data bases, Ancestry Library Edition, a huge data base of American newspapers, obituaries, and 1867 to 1970 maps are available. For students, online tutoring can be accessed at https://www.brainfuse.com. --Eleanor Blain

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Legislative Update November 8 was the Calendar of Events starting date for the filing of All meetings are on Zoom at 10 bills for the next legislative a.m.-Noon the second Thursday session. mLegislators we of the month. can contact are Dec. 10 - Christmas music by Representatives Jacey Jetton Methodist Church. Games led by Mary Ann (HD 26), Ron Reynolds (HD Dolezal 27), Gary Gates (HD 28), Phil Ongoing Projects Stephenson (HD 85), Alma Allen (HD 131), Mike Food Pantry: Contact Mary Crochet. Schofield (HD Schofield (HD 132), Gene Wu (HD [email protected] 137), Shawn Thierry (HD 146), and Herbert Vo Children’s Book Project: Contact Sue Bridges. (HD149) and Senators Paul Bettencourt (SD 7), [email protected] Borris Miles (SD 13), Joan Huffman (SD 17), and Lois Kolkhorst (SD 18). Free pillow to the first one who calls Debbie Contact representatives by substituting their Reynolds at (713) 444-3995!! names into this email address: firstname.lastname@house.texas.gov. Contact senators by substituting their names into this email address: [email protected]. Address mail to representatives at Texas House of Representatives, P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910. Address mail to senators at Texas If you are interested in Senate, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, TX 78711-2068. and has been sitting on a nautical items, I have a really Issues we want legislators to address: bench at my house, never nice hand painted pillow and • Preserve the pension funding plan (SB used (just for looks). There is would like to find a new th no cost, first person to call or 12) enacted during the 86 legislature. home for it. This pillow was email me, it is yours. • Ensure SB 12 phase-in plan with painted by the Art teacher at --Debbie Reynolds contribution rates of 8% for Lexington Creek state/educators and 1.8% for ISDs. • Secure a financial structure that will Ideas for Single Serving Christmas Desserts

enable us to receive a COLA. • Maintain contribution for TRS-Care health insurance and create a long-term

funding structure. Federal Issues for Rep. Nehls and Sen. Cornyn Chocolate cup- Mini tarts filled Oreos or cup- and Cruz cake with with pecan pie cakes and Santa Reform current WEP and GPO formulas that cookie, pretzel, filling or your caps made with penalize retired educators. --Eleanor Blain candy and mini favorite pie filling. frosting and marshmallows. ______strawberries. Jello, whipped Candy cake Lemon Yoghurt, topping, mint, Squares strawberries, Politics is not about big money or and cherries or use fruit cake and mint. power games; it’s about the squares. improvement of people’s lives.” —Paul Wellstone, former US Senator

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Phone Scams and Blocking Unwanted Calls

1) Dish Network users, a scam is going around. Your caller ID displays either a wireless or a Dish Network number. The caller says they have to upgrade outdated Dish receivers because of new satellites. They ask for your account number and request you pay an upgrade fee or lose service. Dish Network advises this is a scam, so hang up. Call Dish customer service at 1 (800) 333-3474 to confirm. 2) A phone scam using the 90# buttons on landline telephones is still around. Someone calls your office claiming to be a telephone company employee investigating technical problems with your line or checking up on calls supposedly placed to other states or countries from your line. The caller asks you to aid the investigation by either dialing 90# or by transferring the call to an outside line before hanging up. By doing this, you may be enabling the caller to place calls that are billed to your telephone number. What you should know • Telephone company employees checking for technical and other types of telephone service or billing problems do not call and ask a subscriber to dial a specific series of numbers before hanging up. • Telephone company employees do not request subscribers to connect the caller to an outside line. • These types of calls are used to trick subscribers into taking actions that will enable the caller to place fraudulent calls. • Call Dish customer service to confirm. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/ Call blocking is a phone company tool that stops illegal and unwanted calls. Many phone companies take advantage of FCC rules that allow consumers to be enrolled automatically in call blocking services by enrolling in a service or installing an app. Consumers can also adjust certain phone settings, sign up with a third-party service, or download a third-party app to block suspected unwanted calls. Depending on your service provider, a blocked call may go straight to your voicemail, you may hear a single ring and get caller ID information from the blocked call, or you may get no notice at all. Many companies offer call labeling to help consumers determine which calls they want to answer. The caller ID labels potentially unwanted or illegal calls as "spam" or "scam likely." Contact your phone company to learn more about available blocking and labeling solutions. Also, check with your wireless device manufacturer about built-in features you can use to block unwanted calls from specific numbers using your cell phone's settings. ~ Arleigh Kalinowski, FBHRE Informative/Protective Chair

TRTF Online Tutoring TRTF Foundation Donations

Online tutoring positions still Donations are tax deductible. available. Money goes to Retired professional, experienced Beginning Teacher Scholarships teachers needed. Classroom Assistance Grants Virtual setting powered by Knack. Helping Hand Tutor students in one-on-one setting. Disaster Relief. Benefits: Chance to give back to Donate in honor of or in mmmmmmcommunity. mmmmemory of someone. mmmmmmEarn extra cash. --Source: Ann Thompson, November meeting --Source: Carla Meuth, November meeting For more information and to donate online For more information and to apply click on this link. click on https://trtf.org/. https://www.trtf.org/TRTF/Tutor/Tutor_User_Guide 3

Winter Blues: How to Cope

Tis the season…for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The leaves are changing color, the temperatures are dropping and the days are becoming shorter. For many people that means the “winter blues” are coming.

Seasonal Affective Disorder affects approximately 500,000 individuals. According to WebMD, there is “less sunlight during fall and winter, which leads to the brain making less serotonin, a chemical linked to brain pathways that regulate mood”. The sunlight also plays a critical role in the levels of vitamin D, circadian rhythms, and production of melatonin. When nerve cell pathways in the brain do not function normally, the result can be feelings of depression, change in sleep patterns, fatigue, and weight gain.

According to various medical articles, here are some recommendations to reduce your symptoms of SAD:

1. Sunlight is critical for your Vitamin D requirements. Try to spend time by a window or outside in the daylight, to receive the benefits of the UV rays. Experts often recommend the use of a light box, called phototherapy. www.verilux.com 2. Hobbies and exercise both play an important role in improving your mental health. Mayo Clinic recommends mind-body relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, art, or music therapy. Start a new project, play a game, read, cook a new recipe, walk outdoors or plant winter flowers. Psychologist, Kelly Rohan stated “This is an opportunity to redefine what it means to have fun when things are canceled or closed” because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 3. Keep a schedule- have a consistent wake-up time, maintain a routine on eating meals and bedtime. These can all positively affect your mental health. 4. Limit Media Consumption- exposure to large numbers of media sources and the amount of time is definitely associated with mental distress. It is recommended to limit your time on COVID related news to no more than 30 minutes per day. 5. Practice positive thinking-monitor your thoughts and distract yourself from negative thoughts. It is recommended to distract yourself from those thoughts with mood-boosting activities, such as calling an up- lifting friend and encourage yourself to focus on positive aspects.

It is normal to have some days when you feel down. But if you feel down for days at a time and you can’t get motivated to do activities you normally enjoy, the Mayo Clinic recommends for you to see your doctor. Sounds like we all need to get in the sunlight, turn the music on and just enjoy the holidays. Wishing you a Happy Healthy Holiday and New Year!

--Debbie Reynolds

Since 2015, FBHRE has donated 3,406 books to Title 1 students for the TRTA Children’s Book Project. Check out the following pages to see which schools were the recipients of these books from 2015-2020.

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Your Book Donations 2015-2020 Photos submitted by Evelyn Smith

mmm December 6,2016 285 Books Gr. K,1,2

September 9,2005 325 Books Gr. Pre-K,K, 1, 2 Mission Glen, May 24, 2016, 295 Books Gr. 3,4,5 May 25, 2017 Gr. 3,4,5 295 Books

EA Jones Elementary 285 Books Gr.K,1,2

December 20, 2016 666 Books Gr. K-5

December 18,2017 489 Books Gr. K-5

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December 11, 2019 Burton Elementary

114 Books Gr. 2,3 December 11, 2019 Goodman Elementary 227 Books Gr. 2,3 To be delivered December 2020 To Grades 2 and 3 Briargate Elementary 145

Ridgemont Elementary 159 Arizona Fleming Elementary 155

268 books ready for 2021 Thank you, FBHRE Members! ______

September 25, 2020 Goodman Elementary 260 Books “The more that you read, the more things you Gr. 2,5 will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.”—. Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!

Important message from TRS: Webinars are Register early. Webinars fill quickly. Click on available to explain TRS-Care health insurance. the link in the following page to register.

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Will you be eligible for Medicare soon? The Teacher Retirement System of Texas is offering a new quarterly webinar called “TRS-Care Medicare & You” just for you! This webinar will help you understand the Medicare enrollment process and benefits available to you through the TRS-Care Medicare Advantage plans. There are key difference between the TRS-Care Medicare plan and others available on the marketplace. Some of these are: • In-and-Out of Network Coverage • One Copay Per Hospital Stay • Separate Part D Premiums • No Donut Hole

• The TRS-Care Medicare & You webinar will help you understand those differences on a deeper level. TRS also has two resource pages to help you through the decision making and enrollment processes: • Turning 65: Your guide to all things related to Medicare and TRS-Care Medicare plans • Medicare Comparison Checklist: Questions to ask your Medicare agent. The next TRS-Care Medicare & You webinar will be held on Dec. 4 from 1-3:30 pm CT. If you’re turning 65 soon, be sure register to learn more about the benefits available to you through TRS. TRS will post a webinar schedule for 2021 soon. These will be listed on their Health Care Events page.

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