Newsletter July 2009 VOLUME 33, NUMBER 2 Kickoff luncheon set for Sept. 14 All Purdue retirees are invited to join former colleagues and bring their friends to the PURA Annual Kickoff Luncheon at the University Plaza Hotel on Monday, Sept. 14. The luncheon, with featured speaker France A. Córdova, Purdue’s 11th president, will begin at noon. Doors to the Grand Ballroom will open at 11:30 a.m. Attendees will be eligible to win door prizes including a Purdue Convocations gift voucher, a University Plaza Hotel Conference Center & Suites certifi cate for an overnight stay, an Hour Time Restaurant gift certifi cate compliments of the Best Western Charles Hibberd (center), director of Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, accepts the 2009 Arthur G. Lafayette Executive Plaza and Conference Hansen Recognition Award during the annual retirement banquet June 3 at Purdue Memorial Union. Center, MCL Cafeteria gift certifi cates, a Presenting the award were Randy Woodson, Purdue executive vice president for academic affairs and Purdue University Residences open dining provost, and Lois Wark, PURA president for 2009-10. card, a University Spirit gift, Sparkletone Dry Cleaners gift certifi cates, Wal-Mart Super Center West gift cards, Von’s Book Purdue Extension honored by PURA Shop video rental coupons, a box of Soller- Baker Funeral Homes golf balls, McDonald’s Purdue Cooperative Extension Service The award is given annually to a Purdue Sagamore Parkway West meal gift cards, a has won the 2009 Arthur G. Hansen school, department, offi ce or division Follett’s Purdue West Bookstore gift, and a Recognition Award for its relationship with that cultivates and maintains meaningful Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union gift. its retirees. relationships with its retirees. The reservation form for this special The award, sponsored by the Purdue Some Purdue Extension activities occasion is on page 8 of this issue of the University Retirees Association and the that foster the continuing involvement PURA Newsletter. Offi ce of the President, was presented June of retirees include inviting them to Reservations must be received no later 3 at the University’s annual retirement attend the annual Extension Professional than Sept. 1. banquet in Purdue Memorial Union. Development Conference held on campus Purdue Extension received a trophy to and the Extension family picnic at the be displayed in the department and will be Indiana State Fair. listed on a plaque in the corridor of Purdue The Epsilon Sigma Phi-Alpha Lambda Inside this issue Memorial Union. The award also includes Chapter, a professional organization for ■ PURA Web site adds new features, $2,500, funded by TIAA-CREF, that can be Extension coordinators that is part of page 2 used to help strengthen the department’s Purdue Extension, also helps retirees stay ■ New offi cers, committee members ties to its retirees. connected through its Nifty 50’s Plus for 2009-10, page 3 The award is named for Arthur group. Nifty 50’s, coordinated by the ■ Campus/community trips offered this Hansen, Purdue’s eighth president, who chapter’s Retiree Committee, plans trips fall, page 6 established the retirees’ association in 1976. and cruises for retirees. 2 July 2009 PURDUE UNIVERSITY RETIREES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER PURA Web page updated for you The PURA Communications Committee and the Offi ce of Marketing and Media recently upgraded the PURA Web page in a number of important ways to provide you with retiree information as well as information about Purdue and Greater Lafayette. We hope you will make frequent use of the Web page. Just type purdue.edu/retirees in the Web bar if you are accessing the page at home, or in a library or other away- from-home location. If you use your own computer, be sure to bookmark the page for future use. Below the heading and above the center picture, you will see a navigation bar with key information about PURA: Home Page, As shown above in its former design, the PURA Web site offered a variety of useful information, including About PURA, Events, Perks, Committees, news that affects retirees, event listings and information about the organization. As of late July, other and Newsletter. On the left side of the features have been added that will provide retirees with more information about Purdue and the Lafayette- PURA Home Page you will see faculty, staff West Lafayette area. A photo showing the new look will be included in the November PURA Newsletter. and Purdue news items that are regularly updated. In the center, under a changing Visitors Bureau, and the Greater Lafayette if you have suggestions or corrections, series of PURA pictures, you will see news Volunteer Bureau. And fi nally, under please contact Valerie O’Brien at vobrien@ of particular interest to Purdue retirees. the PURA heading, there will be links to purdue.edu or (765) 494-9573. On the right side you will see links to Benefi ts Committee information, Campus/ PURA members also are encouraged a great variety of information. Under the Community Activities, Exploring Senior to submit their e-mail addresses to receive Purdue heading, you’ll fi nd links to Boiler Living, Resources, and Trips and Tours. notices about monthly PURA luncheons, Volunteer Network, Campus Map, Calendars, PURA members are encouraged to the PURA Annual Kickoff Luncheon, Purdue Convocations, The Exponent, Purdue assist the Communications Committee by wellness events and PURA-sponsored Musical Organizations, Purdue Athletics, suggesting articles and topics of interest seminars. A form is available on page 12 and Purdue Theatre. Under the Community for the Web page and the newsletter, and to submit e-mail addresses as well as to heading, you’ll see links to the Lafayette to point out in what ways membership update addresses and phone numbers. Journal and Courier, Veteran Services Offi ce, communication can be improved. So Lafayette-West Lafayette Convention & these items are kept as useful as possible, From your Benefi ts Committee JULY 2009 • VOLUME 33, NUMBER 2 UnitedHealth offers additional benefi ts Enrollment is initiated by showing UnitedHealth (Pacifi Care) added benefi ts your Pacifi Care medical card at a The Purdue University Retirees Association for 2009. participating health club. You can use your Newsletter is published for offi cial retirees of These include: membership anywhere in the country Purdue University by the Offi ce of Marketing and * Health Discount Program, which at a participating health club. There are Media. For change of address, please include the may be useful to some of our members — 2,600 participating locations, and you can address label from the back page and send it to PURA Newsletter, Room 417, Engineering Admin- possibly more to the PFFS plan. identify one when traveling by going to istration Building, 400 Centennial Mall Drive, West * NurseLine, which can be useful www.silversneakers.com. Lafayette, IN 47907-2016. to plan for a doctor visit or decide if Any suggestions or ideas for PURA should be symptoms are such that a member should Benefi ts questions referred to Offi ce of Retiree Affairs, 401 S. Grant St., seek medical help. If you live outside the Purdue area and West Lafayette, IN 47907-2024. Telephone (765) * SilverSneakers fi tness program, need help resolving a PURcare medical or 494-1779. which provides a standard health club prescription issue, call Kate LaMar, benefi ts Editor: Valerie O’Brien membership at participating health clubs. customer service supervisor, at (765) 494- Writer/editor: Dan Howell The health clubs in the Purdue area include 1694. PURA communications committee Newtone, Curves and Miracles Fitness. chair: Richard Nelson July 2009 PURDUE UNIVERSITY RETIREES ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3 New offi cers, committees take charge for ’09-10 New offi cers for the Purdue University ■ Historian: Mary Alice Nebold. ■ Trips and Tours Committee: Norma Retirees Association were chosen at the Committee chairs for 2009-10 are: Sue Abney and James Marciniak. April 6 luncheon at MCL Cafeteria. They ■ Benefi ts Committee: Martha Chiscon. Scott Rumble will serve as past took offi ce during the May 26 annual ■ Communications Committee: Dick president. planning meeting and luncheon. Nelson. In addition to these offi cers, three Those who are serving during the ■ Endowment Committee: Betty ad hoc committees are chaired by: Sue 2009-10 PURA session are: Nelson. Hume Graham — the campus/community ■ President: Lois Wark. ■ Hospitality Committee: Eldon activities committee; Ann Pickett and ■ Vice president and president elect: Fredericks and Sue Hiser. Marilyn Yoder — the kickoff luncheon Christian Johannsen. ■ Program Committee: Eldon committee; and Bill Baumgardt — the ■ Secretary-treasurer: Pat Lawson. Ortman. purposeful living in retirement committee. PURA committees include new, continuing members Assignments for the 2008-09 PURA agriculture, chair; Marion Baumgardner, Trips and tours: Norma Sue Abney, standing committees are: agronomy; Ken Burns, executive vice student health center, co-chair; James Benefi ts: Martha Chiscon, biological president and treasurer; Gene Courtaney, Marciniak, division of recreational sports; sciences, chair; Marion Bonacorsi, registrar’s offi ce; Howard Doster, agricultural Donald Gustafson, veterinary medicine; university collections; Charles Brown, economics; Jack Fessler, veterinary clinical Esther Madren, human resource services. pharmacy; Charles Ehresman, mechanical sciences; Joyce Koelzer, development; Endowment: Betty Nelson, dean engineering; Jeris Eikenberry, biochemistry Norman Long,