FOURTH QUARTER 2015 TEXAS RETIRED TEACHERS FOUNDATION The Heart of TRTA Cover–5 Member Benefits 9–10 Annual Appeal Raises Membership Update 6 TRTA Awards Program 11 $37,000 So Far! 15 63rd TRTA Annual Convention TRTF Scholarship and Grant Congressional News 8 News and Registration 12–14 Applications Available 16 The w THE OFFICIAL NEWS BULLETIN OF THE TEXAS RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION 2015 has been a remarkable year for the Texas Retired Teachers The Heart of TRTA: Local Units Association (TRTA). We faced many challenges and met them with remarkable determination and resolve. Our 80,000 members banded together to secure $768 million for the TRS–Care retiree Local units play a vital role within TRTA. These health insurance fund, ensuring its continued existence groups meet, often monthly, to discuss everything with no increase in premiums for the next two years. from legislative strategy, to voting, to volunteerism opportunities within their communities. Members Additionally, our membership has been incredibly active gather for fellowship and use the meetings to in fighting premium increases to Medicare Part B and communicate with their legislators. Local unit meetings working to repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision provide the perfect opportunity to be an activist within (WEP). TRTA’s success is directly linked to the passion, your community. dedication and consistent activity of our members! Local units truly are the heart of TRTA. In this article TRTA’s membership includes both at–large members we feature several units and some special ideas and and local unit members. At-large members are people activities that may inspire you as you plan your own who are members of the state organization only. Local meetings for the year. Each local unit is unique in unit members are people who belong to one of TRTA’s choosing its educational, informative, legislative and 254 local units, in addition to being a member of the state charitable activities, but there is also a common thread. organization. More than half of TRTA’s membership belongs to a local unit! CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE THE HEART OF TRTA: LOCAL UNITS That similarity is the Lamar County Retired ability to rally together Teachers Association, and our powerful, grassroots was organized on January team of retired school 12, 1970 when 21 charter personnel to fight for members met at the First better retirement security Federal Savings and Loan for all 350,000–plus TRS Association building in annuitants. TRTA’s local Paris, Texas. units are in every corner of Texas, working for you Local unit President Sandy every single day! Lassiter feels that it is “vital for TRTA members If you are not a member of to join a local unit in order a local unit and want to get to stay connected to their involved at the grassroots profession and their fellow level to advocate for your Brenham Area Retired School Personnel members honor co-workers, to stay informed retirement security and Senator Lois Kolkhorst and Representative Leighton Schubert of all current issues that also want to enjoy the affect retiree benefits, and to fellowship of retired school stay ready to respond to the personnel who live in your area, please retired educators, including HB 2 legislative call to action by our director consider joining a local unit! The local which provided funding for TRS–Care. Tim Lee.” unit experience is one you will value always, as it helps you expand your For Veteran’s Day, the members According to Sandy, LDRTSEA has knowledge about issues that impact of BARSP filled and wrapped care a very active executive board that is your livelihood and develop strong packages for the veterans in local responsible for retention and recruitment relationships with fellow advocates and nursing homes in honor of their of members. “Two weeks prior to our influential legislators. service to the United States. “Last monthly meetings, the board takes care year's Veteran's Day speaker inspired of all business so that our meetings can You can find the unit nearest you and us so much, we are making care be devoted to relevant issues affecting locate contact information by using packages to put his words into our our membership.” TRTA’s Local Unit Interactive Map, actions,” says President Oertli. Some of found on www.trta.org, TRTA Near the other unique activities happening LDRTSEA kicked off its first meeting You, Find a Local Unit. in the unit include providing goodie of the year this fall with special guest bags to the local nursing home folks on speaker Ronnie Jung, former Executive The Brenham Area Retired School Valentine's Day. Director of TRS and current TRTA Personnel (BARSP), located in District Pensions Consultant. Jung serves as a 6, enjoys good fellowship and good The BARSP local unit has annual dues vital member of the TRTA legislative food during their monthly meetings. of $10, and includes retiree members team in Austin. Local legislators The group gathers on the second from Washington, Austin and Representatives Gary VanDeaver Tuesday of school months and always Burleson counties. The group will meet (R–New Boston) and Larry Phillips features a timely program. “We get to January 12 to hear from Dr. Walter (R–Sherman), as well as Senator Bob fellowship with other former teachers Jackson, Superintendent of Brenham Hall (R–Edgewood), were honored and see those that we might not ISD, who will provide an update on for their support during the 84th see anywhere else,” says local unit local public schools. To learn more, Legislative Session by LDRTSEA this President Nancy Oertli. contact BARSP President Nancy Oertli fall as well. by emailing her at [email protected]. In October, BARSP met with local One of President Lassiter’s favorite Texas legislators Senator Lois The very successful Lamar–Delta memories being a part of LDRTSEA Kolkhorst (R–Brenham) and Retired Teachers and School was the 2015 TRTA Day at the Capitol Representative Leighton Schubert Employees Association (LDRTSEA) event in Austin. Several local unit (R-Caldwell) for an update on the has 549 members, the largest members made the 300–mile trip. “To most recent session of the Texas membership of any organization put icing on the cake,” says Lassiter, Legislature. BARSP presented in its community, and meets on “Lamar–Delta was interviewed by the personally signed proclamations of the fourth Monday of each month. local Austin TV station KVUE, an ABC gratitude to Kolkhorst and Schubert Located in TRTA District 8, the unit affiliate, and the interview was aired on for their work in passing bills to help originally was named the Paris– the nightly news!” 2 The VOICE Fourth Quarter 2015 The Voice (USPS 658-950) is published by the Texas Retired Teachers Association, 313 E. 12th St., Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78701. The Voice is published quarterly, $2.00 a year, which is included in the $35.00 annual membership dues by TRTA. Periodicals postage paid at Austin, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TRTA, 313 E. 12th St., Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78701. THE HEART OF TRTA: LOCAL UNITS LDRTSEA is planning many other Patricia Macias, special events for the near future, TRTA State including "The History of the Alamo Second Vice– Building" and holiday festivities such President, and as favorite holiday treat–tasting. Ray Spivey, TRS Director The LDRTSEA local unit annual of Government dues are $5, plus $5 to help pay for Relations, were scholarships. LDRTSEA meets at the keynote Paris Junior College Student Center speakers. After Ballroom, beginning with a luncheon a delicious meal, at 11:00 a.m. (cost is $6.50 per person) entertainment and followed by the meeting program was provided by at 11:40 a.m. To learn more, contact Jack Motley, a local unit President Sandy Lassiter at local musician. [email protected] or visit the local unit webpage at www.localunits. JCRSP also org/lamar. sponsored a Scholarship The Jackson County Retired School Holiday Tour Personnel (JCRSP) motto is "Learn of Homes on More to Do More," a concept its December 6 showcasing six area “I think it is very important for members abide by to assist retired homes. All of the proceeds from ticket retirees to join local TRTA units,” says school personnel and future retirees in sales benefitted the unit’s scholarship JSCRSEA President Patsy Helmcamp. their area, TRTA District 3. “When a fund. On February 15, Texas Senator “I think numbers make a difference TRTA member joins a local unit, many Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham) will when we are attempting to pass great things will happen! One of the be the guest speaker. This meeting legislation for our benefit, and we most important things is learning what will be held at the St. James Lutheran can continue to enrich our learning is going on in the Legislature and in Church in Ganado. experiences through the information our area. Our Legislative Committee offered by both our local and does an excellent job of keeping President Baker’s favorite personal state organizations.” members informed of laws being memory is when JCRSP took baskets passed or needing to be passed, dates filled with goodies to the area schools Some of Patsy’s best memories with to remember and what we as members for Teacher Appreciation Week. “Our JSCRSEA include being the unit's of our local unit can do to ensure members contributed so many baked Head Hostess for many years and the future of retired teachers,” says goods and bought so many items that creating the unit's scrapbooks. “I love President Carrie Baker. the baskets were overflowing. We put scrapping and love to share my books the extra items in plastic bags so the with others!” With 110 members, the organization baskets could be refilled.