November, 2012

We were a motley crew at our Halloween meeting.  Thank you to all who "got yourselves up" into some interesting costumes.  I think we had a contest for the best costume, but I forgot who won it.  Probably because it was not I.  Our newest members, Sue Kinnan and Johncyna McRae, are pictured as are some of our other members.

A highlight of the meeting was when members recounted their most terriflying moment in the classroom.  Some of the tales were really frightening.  You had to be there, folks.  So be there this month which promises to be just as entertaining.

Our meeting this month will celebrate the 50th Anniversary of MCREA.  We will have an exhibit of memorabilia of the past in education, so bring your relics of those bygone days to add to the collection.  Interim Superintendent, Dr. Gayler, will join us for lunch.  We have asked the school board members to attend also, but as of this printing, we do not have definite commitmentsfrom them.  Kathy Slusser, Manatee County Historian, will tell us about the history of education in Manatee County.  We will also honor those members who had taught for 50 years and share a 50th Anniversary Cake.

Again, the date is Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 11:15, at Renaissance on 9th.  Lunch is $15.  If your caller hasn't reached you before Sunday, please call Mary Ann Jensen at 756-7603 to make a reservation.  Bring your friends who haven't joined MCREA yet.  We know they will enjoy our trip down Memory Lane.

We will be collecting, as usual, for the Manatee Food Bank and for FELT.  If you don't have time to shop, a check will be gladly accepted by both groups.  As a matter of fact, because of the deep cuts in prices afforded to Manatee Food Bank, your money goes twice as far there.  FELT can also benefit from the Food Bank's coat tails, if you write the check to the Food Bank, and then in the subject line on your check, write " FELT account".  Ed Ethridge asked to me to tell you that we collected 140 pounds of food for the Food Bank at our Sept. meeting.

There is always some confusion about our scholarship drives.  We participate in two awards, the State Florida Retired Educators Foundation (FREF) Scholarship and the Manatee County Retired Educators Scholarship.  The FREF Scholarship is an ongoing award through college for students who plan to become educators. Each state unit may nominate one candidate for that award.  We were pleased that our candidate last spring received an FREF award.  We also awarded the MCREA Scholarship to two local high school seniors who plan to become educators.  Please remember to donate to our MCREA Scholarship.  We award as many scholarships for which we  raise funds.  The FREF Scholarship is also asking for donations, and they sponsor a fund drive each year with their door prizes. 

By the way, we really would like to have some new members on the MCREA Scholarship Committee.  Please see Julia Forkgen, Terry or Joan MacDonald, or me if you would like to join us.  It is fun to read the applications and to get to know some great Manatee County students.

Someone has asked if the names and email addresses of members are shared with any outside groups.  The answer is no.  By reading this Blog, you are not allowing advertisers into your computer.  Perhaps I should say, I am not allowing that, but in cyberspace there is always a chance of hacking.  We have to hope that a group of retired teachers would probably not be the first choice of a hacker who was looking for money or for susceptible, naive senior citizens.  Probably they would instead run in horror at the very idea of meeting their severest critics, classroom teachers, in any venue since they probably were not esteemed students.

See you on the 14th,

Ellen