PRESIDENT’S CORNER — How would you answer these questions?  On behalf of the PCRTA, I would sincerely like to thank our Scholarship Committee of Kay Wise, Lowell Myers, Jan Fencl, Dave Gynn, Norm Park and committee chair, Jim Montaquila. The students selected seemed sincere, intelligent, well spoken, and well educated. The process for selection is a planned and methodical method, which consumes many hours of the committee's time.

Then, how encouraged and delighted I was to meet the scholarship winners at our last two PCRTA luncheons. During the July luncheon meeting, everyone seemed to enjoy the recipients' answers to several questions asked of them during a panel format. The answers to many of these questions are found in the minutes of the July meeting written by Ruth Weigand. (Look on www.pcrta.net.)

I thought that you might be interested in hearing some of our own membership respond to the same questions asked of the scholarship recipients. Here are their answers:

Why did you choose the school you did?

Georgia Darrah: I chose Kent State University for both my undergraduate and graduate work because they had an outstanding reputation for training teachers; and I wanted the experience of living on campus, but not be hours away from home.                                                                                                                                                           

Ruth Weigand: I chose KSU because I received a four-year tuition scholarship which I gave up to attend the cadet program, a two-year and two-summer training program at KSU which enabled me to begin teaching while finishing my degree.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Helena Parry: I, too, believed that KSU had a great teacher training program in the 60's, and I received a $360 scholarship from the Junior Chamber of Commerce which paid for six quarters of tuition.                                                                                                                                                         

Jim Montaquila: I attended Ashland College (now Ashland University) for my B.S. degree because it was a small school and they provided the personal care I needed at that time. I received my M.S. degree and further advanced education from the University of Akron. It had the programs I needed and wanted and was convenient to me.

What was your most memorable high school experience?                                                                                

Georgia: It was being a part of the Alliance High School Marching Band. We worked very hard under our leader's direction, and we knew that hard work paid off.                                                                                                              

Ruth: My most memorable experience was being chosen to go to Ohio Girls' State.                                                                         

Helena: I had two things that were really hard to choose between: getting the Womanhood Award as a senior and being Miss Portage County Queen in 1961. Jim: At my high school graduation, I received the School Spirit Award. It was one of the two highest awards presented to graduating seniors, and I had worked for it during my entire high school career. 

Which teacher had the greatest positive influence on you?                                                                                           

Georgia: My band director taught us to set high goals and then work to achieve them. He instilled a work ethic in them and allowed us to see what we could accomplish with hard work and dedication.                                                      

Ruth: My ninth grade Latin and English teacher had a huge influence on me because she convinced my mother that I needed eyeglasses.                                                                                                                                                                   

Helena: My most influential teacher was my first grade teacher who allowed me to tutor others and to help a needy student to get organized.                                                                                                                                                      

Jim: Ray Brannon was my high school football coach. He always spoke of giving that "second effort." In one word, that meant persistence.

Why did you choose to go into education?                                                                                                                      

Georgia, Ruth, and Helena:   All three women said they knew they wanted to be a teacher from when they were very young. Georgia played school with her friends; Ruth taught her brothers and sisters; and Helena played school with her dolls lined up on the stairs to the second floor.
                                                                                                                                                                       
Jim: I loved social studies and felt that the teaching of history and government would be something that I would truly enjoy. As a young man, I remember my mother encouraged me to go into education and get my teaching certification. She said it would always be something that I could fall back on. Well, I certainly did that. Still working with kids for the five years after I have retired and spending thirty-four years in schools, I think I accomplished what my mother suggested. There is no profession that touches as many people as does education. Both in the classroom and in administration, you have a permanent effect on everyone. 

When I called my brother, Bob Winkler, from NEOMED last month, his wife Dolores answered and told me they were just going out the door to get to the PCRTA luncheon.  "Hold on a  minute," I quipped.  "I need a flag for today's program."

She questioned her husband to see if he could bring his flag and stand. Telling her how far I had to walk to get to the main entrance to NEOMED, I suggested that perhaps he just bring the flag.  Well, about a half hour later, in walked Bob with his flag and stand; and he placed it to the right of the speaker's stand.  How very moving it was at the opening of our meeting to have our members and guests present who were veterans join with Bob and lead the Pledge of Allegiance for our PCRTA Luncheon.

Later, our featured speaker, Jan Merrick,  emotionally moved our crowd with the details of how Honor Flight Cleveland offers an all-expense paid trip to Washington for WW II and Korean veterans. Our members donated over $450 to this program on site that day , and many others took cards with the address  as to where to send donations.  At one time or another, our own John Lilly, Norm Park, Art Fesemyer and Tom Campana took the Honor Flight trip.

It was also the day for our Memorial Service to honor our deceased members of PCRTA/ORTA.  Dee Smith and Pat Mazzer did a wonderful presentation with a poem and told something about PCRTA members who died in 2012 or 2013 thus far.  They placed little tea light candles upon each table near the patriotic-colored   pinwheel arrangements created by our  Vice-President, Georgia Darrah; and they had several memory booklets printed about the deceased members.

This luncheon meeting of March 21^st was my  first as President of the PCRTA.  It was most  enjoyable to mingle in a crowd of 70 people all gathered in a common denominator, but we would like to have more of you join us at our next luncheon meetings. 

It is important to support PCRTA/ORTA and  help protect our benefits and pensions.  Bob Stein from the STRS Board was present with us to reiterate the importance of the voices of retired teachers.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for our group please call or email me.  Thanks.

330-673-0577      hmparry@att.net   

PRESIDENT’S CORNER — EXAMINING OUR GOALS FOR 2013 02-01-13

Happy New Year to all of you; and may blessings, good health, wealth, cheer and happiness follow you this year. With so many tragedies left behind us now, the effects will linger forever. As a changing culture, it seems that we need some changes that will restore values that relate to the worth and dignity of human beings. What these changes could be might take some time to resolve, but we seem to need to begin somewhere.

As a group of retired teachers, what can we do? Should we add to our continued mission and goals of providing our volunteerism to many causes, providing a trustee at the state level to be our voice in our ever-changing government, providing socialization activities for our members, and keeping tabs on our pensions and health care plans? If you have any suggestions as a possible new goal for PCRTA, please email or call me.

I asked the Executive Board at our January meeting to be thinking of examining our mission and goals as well. Should it be that we individually email or write to our government officials at the local, state and federal levels more, or should it be that we each volunteer, if able, just one more place where we can make a difference in the life of a child or needy adult? Should we encourage joining Silver Sneakers for more personal exercise? What should or could it be? Should we have more plays like the one we had at our Christmas Party? Should we individually lend a hand to our local schools and join a levy committee? Let me hear from you.

One of my personal goals as your new PCRTA President is to email our legislators more and to keep a more astute eye upon the changes at the local, state and federal levels. For example, I recently received a 28-page document from ORTA Director Ann Hanning via Dave Gynn with the topic National Council on Teacher Retirement Federal E News. ( Dave warned me that this document was heavy reading.) Also, I recently reviewed all the changes Governor Kasich has on his agenda: severance tax, lowering state income tax, turnpike tolls, school funding reform, and others.

Another goal is to give ample time to be the President of the PRCTA and to continue to lead and work with a very capable Executive Board. I hope this commitment to be President does not take too much time away from my family, other friends, choir, garden clubs, cooking, knitting, housekeeping, floral design, facebook, care for my dog and more.

Regarding the position of a trustee to ORTA is the fact that we only have the privilege to do so if we continue to be one of the top ten chapters in numbers of dual memberships in both ORTA and PCRTA. The top ten are not figured on the population of your local but just plainly the top ten in numbers of each local retired teachers' organizations across the state.

Well, I want you to be well aware that our own David Gynn, outgoing ORTA President, and Dan McCombs, our most recent past trustee (due to term restrictions), spent many hours in Columbus lobbying for us. David announced at the December luncheon meeting that it was stated that, if it had not been for the retired teachers' groups, we would never have maintained the defined benefit pension.

So you see, we are not a political organization; but as a group we can have some influence upon our political system. Folks, membership in both ORTA and PCRTA are vital to our cause. Please ask a retired teacher friend who is not a member with us to please spare $40 of their budget and join us. Also, please think about how you can further your personal involvement in the PCRTA and think about our goals and our mission.

Contact me with your ideas: 330-673-0577 hmparry@att.net Helena

Much has been accomplished this year. ORTA and PCRTA's work (especially Dan McCombs, who is our legislative chair) in protecting our pensions, our COLA, and our defined benefits were finally approved by the legislature in Columbus.

All of our board committees have come through this year with shining accomplishments. I want to call your attention to Judy Morgan and our many community activities.

And what would we do without Edie Scott and NEOMED? What a great way to accumulate volunteer hours. Speaking of volunteer hours, we are so close to a record-setting 10,00 hours, please report your hours to Judy and help push us over.

I may be missing some names, but I know I saw some recipes in the new ORTA Cook Book from Pat Gynn, Edie Scott, Dottie Emerick, and Georgia Darrah. The books have arrived and I will bring them to the November meeting. For those of you 37 who ordered books, please have your $10 each payment ready. We have 8 extra books left; call me if you would like one.

Please remember your reservations for the November meeting. Marlene will appreciate an early response. Along with an excellent speaker for November, Dave Gynn will install our officers for 2013.
Our Christmas luncheon and program of musical entertainment is planned for December. Then everyone will regroup in March of 2013. In the meantime, please contact any new retiree you know and invite them to become a member of one of Ohio's best organizations-PCRTA and ORTA.

And so...
If I feel depressed, I will sing.
If I feel sad, I will laugh.
If I feel ill, I will double my labor.
If I feel fear, I will plunge ahead.
If I feel uncertain, I will raise my voice
If I feel poverty, I will think of wealth to come.
If I feel incompetent, I will volunteer.

Thanks to every leader who volunteers at the many places you are needed. Judy Morgan collects your hours as we aim to meet our goal of 10,000 hours for 2012. Remember, "The best helping hand you'll ever find is at the end of your own arm."

Just a reminder to continue to keep a check on Columbus. Your comments to our legislators are really needed, especially when matters of concern affect retired educators. I'm looking forward to the September luncheon meeting and program...

What a great attendance we had at the May meeting. I've received many compliments on the table decorations....thanks go to Georgia Darrah.  Regina Brett, an excellent speaker, reminded us of miracles that occur every day in our lives.  We had 120 members in attendance, and three guests from NEOMED.  

I trust that we will have another great attendance in July as we recognize our scholarship students for 2012.  Jim Montaquila and his committee have worked very hard with the evaluations, and will present another great program.  Jim and I were on the same stage last month at Kent Roosevelt High School as he presented the PCRTA Award and I presented the Garden Club of Kent Award.

Thanks to Edie Scott our partnership with NEOMED has provided the necessary monies for several scholarships each year.  The coordination and organization of the proctors is priceless. If you haven't volunteered to proctor, you are missing out on the time of your life.  And you thought the tests you gave were tough!  Your help is always needed; image all the volunteer hours you can rack up.  Judy Morgan will be extra proud of you as you turn in your hours.

Many of you probably know someone who retired from active service this year.  Please consider inviting them to the luncheon in July and because of your caring, we just might have a new member join us.  Remember to add them to your reservation or call Maureen Strebler.  You truly are special as you work your daily miracles and they are continuing.  It is so important that we continue to strengthen our membership and continue to have a voice in legislative concerns through PCRTA and ORTA.

With a little break in the weather, I hope that you have been able to get out into your flower and vegetable gardens.  Most of us find our gardens an enjoyable place, and the exercise doesn't hurt us either.  Looking forward to our meeting in September, we have been able to obtain a district representative from the Silver Sneakers Program, along with a local trainer.  This will be a program you won't want to miss.  What a great way to stay fit and healthy.

In the meantime, please remember to keep up to date on legislative matters, which I sometimes call "The Columbus Games." I think you will enjoy scanning the web sites of PCRTA, ORTA, and STRS.  Thanks for accepting me as your president, and thanks to our wonderful board members; they make the president's job so easy.  See you in July!
Ron

PREZ SEZ:  You Are Somebody Special!

As a volunteer, YOU are somebody special.  Thanks to everyone as you continue to add to PCRTA's total volunteer hours for 2012.  I know Judy Morgan is very happy to record the hours you are reporting.

Richard and Mary Ann Brockett are to be congratulated for organizing the very successful pre-retirement workshop.  There were 38 educators in attendance, plus the PCRTA helpers-Ria Mastromatteo, Georgia Darrah, Saroj Sutaria, Pat Gynn, Barb Cribbs, Edith Scott, and Helena Parry.  Thanks to Ria for providing the 45-49 studios for the presentations.  PS: The pizza and cookies were great, too.

Ten members of PCRTA were apprised of ORTA and STRS happenings when they attended the recent ORTA Northeastern Area Conference in Canton.  The participants heard from an STRS speaker who reminded us to keep informed on pension reform plans.  STRS must make several assumptions regarding such factors as inflation, investments, salary growth, and mortality rates.

A group of panelists in the morning spoke about several volunteer opportunities, such as  Habitat, Junior Achievement, Hospice, and AARP.  During lunch, the keynote speaker spoke about teachers as heroes.  His company is looking for teachers to nominate as being heroic.  Know anyone to nominate?  After lunch, attendees participated in workshops of their choice.

As your trustee, I attended ORTA workshops in Columbus which included legislative and public relations.  ORTA President Dave Gynn gave his expectations for this year, which is being called "The Year of the Volunteer."

Our next executive board meeting is May 10, 9:30 at the Kent Free Library.  You are also welcome to attend...and you may be inclined to serve on one of the committees.  Also say hello to Dee Smith and Pat Mazzer. They have volunteered to co-chair the Memorial/Sunshine Committee.  Thanks, Dee and Pat.

Georgia Darrah has arranged to have copies of Regina Brett's two books available at the May 17 luncheon meeting.  You may want to consider a copy for yourself as well as for a friend.  Please make your reservations with Marleen Strebler as soon as you can-we expect a large attendance.  See you in May.                                                                                                             

We had a very successful 2011 year within PCRTA.  How lucky we are to have so many active educators. 

Dave Gynn, our own ORTA President, has named 2012 "The Year of the Volunteer."  I was able to report to ORTA that our PCRTA members produced 6,608 volunteer hours in 2011.  That was great, but I know we can do more (and we probably did had everyone remembered to turn in their hours to Judy). 

For 2012, my challenge to our members is to exceed 10,000  volunteer hours!  Judy Morgan does a fantastic job with the community services committee, and she will be thrilled to receive updates from you as your volunteer hours increase. 

Volunteer hours cover an array of areas:  church participation, PCRTA, school events, nursing and retirement home services, social services, county clothing center, helping the elderly with gardening, meals on wheels, deliveries, rides for medical needs, your good will helping a neighbor, community services, reading to a child, reading for the blind, and many, many more unending acts of kindness.  Let's make the "hours" this year a banner one for Dave's home chapter.

The powerful force behind volunteering is the social change that is made through the  inspiration of people to make a difference to help those in need.  Organizations like PCRTA really cannot function without the energy and input of volunteers like you!!

February 8 found Dave Gynn and me at the ORTA office in Columbus attending a work session on legislative concerns, along with an executive board meeting in the afternoon.  We should have a  report for you at the March meeting.

 Many thanks to Georgia Darrah for  arranging the programs for this year.  They all sound exciting; especially the May program with Regina Brett.   I believe this will be well attended as I have talked with several other RTA's  and REA's in the area and some of their  members have expressed a desire to attend this luncheon.

Marleen Strebler has new "over the neck" name tags for you this year. We will use them at our luncheons.

Thanks for staying involved in your PCRTA organization.  Please plan to involve a  non-active member or encourage a new member this year? "Yes" is much easier to say than "I don't have time." 

I wonder if that lesson should be applied to us as retired educators...if left inactive too long, do we also begin to deteriorate? Well, I say that will not happen to this great membership of PCRTA. We are active, effective, and we produce good quality... that's why I know we will all help our membership grow.

Our March meeting saw nearly 100 people in attendance. What a great reception for Mr. Lincoln. Perhaps with your bringing a guest, we will acknowledge over 100 at our May memorial program. As you encourage these retired educators to join PCRTA, remind them when they join at the July meeting their dues payment carries over through the year 2012.

I hope each of you reads with attention the ORTA Spring Quarterly, especially the articles by Executive Director Ann Hanning where she mentioned Dave Gynn's and ORTA President Karen Butt's testimonies given at the hearings for HB69 in Columbus recently.
With all the attention that the newly passed SB5 is getting in the local newspapers, it behooves each of us to keep abreast of all the developments as it progresses to a probable referendum on the November ballot.

Our chapter is not inactive-we are vital and growing. By the time you read this, Dave Gynn and I will have attended the NEOEA Spring Conference on April 13. Three new members, Kathy Lawson, Sue Dyett, and I completed the learning session for "proctoring" at NEUCOM last week. Thanks to Edith Scott, for the super job she does with scheduling for this program.

I believe that successful retired educators have developed the quality of relaxation. They don't allow themselves to be pressured, and they don't give in to a feeling of strain and stress. We have learned to take things in stride.

So, as we prepare for our memorial program in May.....Take time today to write or call your friends. Don't ever say, "Not now; some other day." It well may be you cannot make amends. Because those friends of yours are called away. Ron

PREZ SEZ - reMEMBERing By Dave Gynn November-December 2010  

The other night I had this wonderful dream.  I was reMEMBERing the PCRTA MEMBERS and events of the past several years.  I thought of how things have changed in PCRTA and in ORTA and how those changes have positively affected retired teachers.

During my dream I had this thought:  What if there were no PCRTA?  What if nobody volunteered in September 1966 to form this important chapter of Ohio Retired Teachers Association?

We would have missed many wonderful programs and luncheons.  Portage County would not have had collections for food, clothing, or school supplies for social agencies.  More than 70 future teachers would not have received financial and emotional support through PCRTA scholarships. Retiring teachers may not have eased into a new retirement lifestyle without the support and the encouragement of earlier retirees.  Deceased members may not have been  remembered.

My great dream started to become a nightmare as I pondered:  What if there were no ORTA?  What if nobody volunteered in 1947 to begin the state organization to work exclusively for Ohio's retired teachers.

Teachers retiring before 1947 would never have received pensions without ORTA.  Annual cost of living adjustments, health care benefits, prescription drug options, spouse coverage, and supplemental checks would not have happened without ORTA's legislative influence.  Leadership training and chapter development would not exist.

But it was just a dream.  PCRTA and ORTA continue to be strong and vital because of volunteer MEMBERS.  We continue to need new MEMBERS.  Since ORTA is the voice of retired teachers dedicated to preserving retirement and health care, we need the  loud and clear voice of everyone who receives STRS benefits.

We are excited about the recent increase in PCRTA membership.  Because of a change in the ORTA bylaws, we will lose our trustee seat if we are not one of the ten largest chapters.  We are close, and we need just a few more  MEMBERS to continue our influence at ORTA.  Every MEMBER should influence one or two retirees to join. Everyone is on the   MEMBERship  committee.

Retired teachers are looking at difficult times ahead.  An unsympathetic legislature will soon consider a revision to our retirement program during a time when Ohio has a huge budget deficit. ORTA will represent all the retirees. All retirees should be MEMBERS.

In a June 1955 letter sent to the ORTA  QUARTERLY, Harry Singer said, "I would say to each and every school teacher and educator in and from Ohio, ‘You are going to get what you deserve in the same degree you go after it.  Nothing is going to be handed to you'."  He could have been speaking to us today. 

PREZ SEZ — WATCH OUT FOR PENSION ENVY  By Dave Gynn September-Octobert 2010

When you began teaching, did your fellow grads or your friends envy the salary you would be earning as a teacher?

Did your friends and family envy your teaching position as they saw the work load you carried home nights and weekends?

Did your close friends envy your job as you struggled to find an approach to assist that very difficult-to-reach child?

Did anyone envy you as you returned to   college for additional education or to participate in workshops and seminars?

We entered the education profession with different goals - money was not a motivating factor in our decisions to teach. We taught and hoped to make a difference in the lives of children and the world.

We accepted a relatively low salary, and we knew there would be adequate retirement benefits. Contributions from our salary and from our employers (an employee benefit) were deposited to the STRS system. Their investment of the funds added to our earned retirement.

When we retired, STRS presented us with several options of how we could receive our defined retirement income. We knew how much we would receive each month and planned our retirement activities with that knowledge. With the confidence of a set monthly income, we can contribute to the community by volunteering for organizations, supporting school and library levies, and  serving on boards and committees. We do  not usually need to rely on any additional employment, thus leaving jobs available for younger workers.

Who knew our retirement benefits would  become the envy of many people, often with misinformation about the STRS program?  People with a defined contribution retirement program (like a 401K) feel the sting of reduced benefits and now envy our system. Legislators trying to balance the State budget forget that the STRS funds are not State funds and envy that potential income source.

Many Ohio newspapers have done a disservice by reporting incorrect information about   retired teachers‘ benefits. STRS is not funded by the State. The benefits have been earned by teachers.

Our legislature will soon be drafting a plan to change the rules governing all five State  retirement plans. Please contact your representatives and tell them we must continue the defined benefits retirement plan for all teachers. Give them a personal example of how this program lets you plan your retirement with security.

Dave

All STRS recipients must let Columbus know  that retirement without health care is not retirement. Retirees should remind legislators that our annual cost of living adjustment gives us the security needed in retirement.

A goal of your elevator chat should  be to have non-members sign UP for membership. We need to bring our membership numbers UP to become a more significant voice for all active and retired teachers. 

Teachers are natural story tellers. They need to be prepared when the see non-members and deliver their elevator chats. Membership will go UP. Our influence will go UP. Our elevator should always go UP.   

Your chat should mention that Ohio legislators will soon be making changes to the retirement system, and future retirees may not receive the benefits we are enjoying.   We need to speak in one loud, clear voice that our STRS system must not go to a 401K-type retirement plan.

All STRS recipients must let Columbus know  that retirement without health care is not retirement. Retirees should remind legislators that our annual cost of living adjustment gives us the security needed in retirement.

A goal of your elevator chat should  be to have non-members sign UP for membership. We need to bring our membership numbers UP to become a more significant voice for all active and retired teachers. 

Teachers are natural story tellers. They need to be prepared when the see non-members and deliver their elevator chats. Membership will go UP. Our influence will go UP. Our elevator should always go UP.