Manatee County Retired Educators Association

April 2014

    I agree with Shakespeare that "April is the cruelest month".  I think he was considering an affair of the heart when he wrote that, but for educators, the remark describes the actions of the Florida Legislature.  You are probably, like me, constantly shocked at their complete disregard for kids and teachers as they scorch the earth to fulfill their own personal agendas.  Meanwhile, we citizens of Florida have to become more and more cynical about our representation which seems to have nested firmly in the pockets of companies that set up private schools, moneyed interests who wish to kill labor unions like FEA and, as a consequence, FREA, and our pensions.  Never mind that research shows that public schools do a better job of teaching all students.  Forget that the concept of schooling for every child is the way to insure that all learn about our democracy. 

    Red herrings are thrown around with abandon in Tallahassee.  The politicians use their own brand of religion (or that which will please some constituents), crazy gun laws, their disregard of and disdain for the poor and underemployed, and their desire to create a voucher system for schools which will eventually spell the end of public education..  They are cheered along by the Chamber of Commerce whose members do not wish to increase salaries for their workers,  the NRA, and those pseudo-educational companies which are anxious to set up cheaply run private schools.

    Well, I did go on, didn't I?  I hope you are writing emails to those sell-outs. (I can not rightfully call them legislators.)  Only at the ballot box can we straighten out this mess.  And with the money pouring in to support them with vile television ads that distort and lie and wave those red herrings, it will be an uphill battle all the way. 

    On a lighter note, Dr. Mona Jain was honored by Gamma Zeta Chapter, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. on March 15th as Woman of the Year for her community service and commitment to youth and non-traditional students in Manatee and Sarasota Counties.  Elaine Brown and Johncyna McRae are  members of the Sorority.  Dr. Jain, Elaine Brown, and Johncyna McRae are all members of MCREA.

    Debra Thomas says there is a great need for tutors at the Adult Education Center of the Manatee Technical Institute.  Many of the present tutors are winter visitors who will be returning home soon. 
If you are interested in volunteering for an hour or so a week, call Olga Rodriquez, Volunteer Coordinator, Adult Ed. Center, MTI.  Her number is 941-209-6800, Ext. 2244.  You may want to talk to Deborah for more information.

    Now for some housekeeping duties.  Please do not forget to feed the tax bag on your table at our monthly meeting.  If you recall, we do not want to charge more to take care of the sales taxes which Renaissance must collect on our lunches.  Next, please pick up a membership renewal form at the next meeting.  You can fill it out at the meeting, turn it in to Ron Schneider, and save a stamp.  Doing it now will save the membership chair hours on the phone reminding you during the summer.  We have made a new policy that anyone who has not renewed by the first of October will not be listed in the directory.  We plan to get the directory out in November next fall.  If you have any changes to make to your listing, be sure to give them to David Brown who is updating the information.

    The Sheriff Dept. Officer who spoke at our February meeting was Alan Fifield.  He was very entertaining and he left us with some thoughts on how to protect our safety at home and on the road.  He certainly deserved to named correctly. 

    If you have not bought your ticket for a door prize at the FREA Conference in St. Augustine in May, time is ticking by.  The prizes are great as usual: a Visa gift card of $500, an HDTV, an iPad Mini, $150 in cash, and $100 in cash.  Remember, the proceeds support the FREF Scholarships.  We have two students currently collecting yearly stipends from those funds.

    Julia Forkgen, MCREA Scholarship Chair, is collecting applications from high school seniors for the MCREA Scholarship.  Your contributions have been generous this year.  Thank you.  The Scholarship Committee will meet this month to read through the applications and select the winners. 

    We will meet at 11:30 at Renaissance on 9th, on Thursday, April 17th.  Fay Murphy, FREA State Director and member of our group, will bring us information about FREA and its role in Tallahassee.  Fay is well-versed in the actions of the legislative bodies and in FREA's work bringing reason to their follies.  If you do not hear from your caller, please call Mary Ann Jensen to make a reservation, 941-756-7603.

See you soon,
Ellen

   

MARCH 2014

 

 

    You know it is March if you have tried to venture out for shopping, dining, or visiting points of interest.  There were already 300 people ahead of you and if you paused a minute, 300 people behind you.  Still, they do bring much needed money to the county coffers.  We can bear it until Easter, can't we?  After all, we can sun in our own yards, take walks away from the busiest highways, rent Netflix, and just stay home.  Those poor babies have to return to the icy, barren tundra from which they came.  (My spell checker swears there is no such word as "tundra".  It must be one of those words which will be dropped from the new SAT.)

 

 

 

    Attendance at our February meeting was excellent as usual.  Membership numbers are rising which makes coming to meetings more fun for everyone.  Speaking of membership, renewal forms are now available for 2014-15.  Pick one up and renew your membership when you come to the meeting on March 20.  If we can get those memberships in earlier, perhaps we can get the yearbooks out sooner in the fall.  Next year, we are aiming for October, so those who have not renewed by Oct. 1, will not be listed in the yearbook.  Please check your listing for this year to be sure that your email, address, phone, etc. are correct.  If not, give your corrections to David Brown soon, soon, soon.  It would be a good idea to drop off or send any email changes, when they happen, to me as well if you want to continue receiving this blog.

 

    Lt. Esterbrook of the Manatee County Sherrif's Dept. spoke to us about safety at our February meeting.  I believe I was talking when he was introduced or otherwise not paying attention, so perhaps it was not Lt. E. after all but a great substitute.  Forgive my lapse which I am blaming on my advanced age.  (If you don't believe that excuse, I refer you to the above photo to prove it.)  Anyway, his picture, the policeman's, appears at the top of the photos.  He was very amusing even while speaking about such a serious subject.  Among the suggestions he gave us:

1. Get rid of the big purse.  Carry your credit card, license, etc. in your pocket.  Do not hang your bag around your neck for obvious reasons.  Muggers drive through parking lots, lean out, and grab purses.
2. Travel in twos.  Going to the mall alone is just too dangerous.  Husbands should accompany wives grocery shopping too.  (I think I would rather be mugged.)  At Publix, let them help you out with your groceries so you will not be alone.
3. Put a pair of size 13 work boots you purchased from Goodwill out on your doorstep.  Take your car keys to bed with you so you can activate the car alarm if you hear a prowler.  Lock your car when you pump gas.

There were many more and lots of jokes.  See what you missed?

 

    We are still accepting scholarship donations if you have not already made one.  Your check can be given to Ron Schneider at a meeting or mailed to him.  He will direct it to the scholarship fund. 

The FREF Scholarship Gala is also underway.  To be eligible for one of the great door prizes, you must purchase a ticket for $10.  You do not need to be present to win.  Our members who are attending the FREA Conference will be happy to bring your prize home to you.  Several years ago, Trish Bissell won a television and she got it!  MCREAers can be trusted.

 

    I graded all the books you donated and took them to Bill Evers to be sent out with FELT backpacks at spring break.  He is carrying on Jane's work and urged me to ask you for more snacks for the children and more books.  Jane was all about feeding hungry kids but she was also all about reading.  An avid reader herself, she knew how much joy there is in being able to escape with a good story as well as to score well on the SAT.  Good readers do both of those things.  Here I am preaching to the choir again.  Let's find those kids some good books to catch their imaginations.  If you visit the main library downtown, there is a second hand book shop available.  I have picked up some great children's books there.  Also, of course, the Good Will Bookstore in Tara is a wonderful source, not just for kids, but for you too.

 

    We are also still collecting for the Manatee County Food Bank.  If we all bring a little, it counts up to a lot.

 

    I forwarded Minnie Lee's list of events which she has organized for us.  She has worked so hard on this project and with great results. 

 

    Our March meeting is at Renaissance on 9th, 11:00 a.m., March 20.  Samantha Kennedy of the Florida Extension Service will be our speaker.  If you do not hear from your caller during the previous week, call Mary Ann Jensen 756-7603 to make a reservation.  Please hunt down those name tags and wear them.  Few of us are still good at remembering names.  The file for that kind of information got filled up by students' names years ago.  If we see each others' names hanging from our necks meeting after meeting, there is some hope that we will remember them.  Maybe.  But at least we won't be stumbling around trying to recall names instead of having good meaningful or meaningless conversations.

 

See you soon,

 

Ellen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





MCREA February 2014

      Sailor wants to know. What you are doing?  Why are you doing it?  Will you please throw the ball?  Where is dinner?  Where are the cats?  She is my daughter's dog that I inherited along with another cat -- now I have three.  But it is Sailor who keeps me busy.  I suppose it is good for me, but there are times when a little peace and quiet would be grand.  She is five now, so I figure I have to live at least seven more years to see her through.  It can be a motivational factor --kinda.

                                                            Where's the dog?

    I hope you have had an opportunity to read the email I sent you that came from Fay about the flurry of bills in the Legislature designed, I think, to confuse the issue and slip some way to do away with our retirement funds.  With FREA and Fay's help, I will try to keep you posted on their next steps.  I know there is a plot afoot to separate Law Enforcement and the Fire Fighters from the Educators.  Those groups are already being reimbursed more than we are.  No, I do not resent their getting special compensation for their dangerous jobs and their much earlier retirement rules.  Still, education can be hard on minds and bodies too, and we burn out early also.

    Our last meeting, with 87 in attendance, was fun as usual.  Jeff Rogers from the South Florida Museum told us about many activities there for everyone.  It isn't just Snoopy's house anymore.  I would encourage you to look at their website for information about movie night (with a cash bar), ongoing exhibits, and activities for visiting grandchildren.

    Minnie Lee Jones is planning a trip for us to the Holy Land (the one in Orlando) on March 6.  She needs 30 people to hire a bus.  If there are fewer, it may be possible to join another group on their bus.  The fee for the trip and entrance to the park is $69.  A buffet lunch is available which is not included in the price.  Call Minnie Lee at 739-2250.

    Remember to save your travel sized items like the ones you get in hotels for next Christmas's donations to the nursing home.  Makeup and edible items are not acceptable, nor is anything that has been opened.  We are still collecting food for the Manatee County Food Bank.  I believe we have enough books for another distribution for FELT.  Although the group lost its leader and founder, Jane Evers, it is determined to continue. 

    Would you like to win a free lunch to be used next year?  For every $10 you contribute to the MCREA Scholarship Fund, your name will be put in a hat for a drawing in April.  If you have already contributed, for each $10 you gave, your name will be added also.

    The Scholarship Committee selected and interviewed a candidate for the FREF Scholarship.  As you may remember, we have had two recipients in the last two years.  It is a lucrative source of funds for education majors which continues throughout their college career.  We are now selling door prize tickets for FREF at meetings. The prizes are exceptional.  Tickets can be purchased at a meeting for $10 each. 

    We will meet again on Thursday, February 20, at 11:00 a.m., at Renaissance on 9th.  Lunch is $15.  Come early and stay late to visit with friends.  If you do not hear from your caller, please call Mary Ann Jensen at 756-7603.

See you there,
Ellen





   

January 10, 2014

    How long does it usually take to get used to writing 2014?  It seems to be more difficult each year.  2014 is really an awkward number.  Oh for the days of 1952 or even 1999, but even that last number was almost too many years to contemplate.  All the numbers used to be smaller.  You could buy a perfectly good new house for $8,000, the amount you might pay for a new car these days.  TVs had only four or five channels and just required a little adjustment to the rabbit ears to see the picture. Now the watcher must remember a momentous number of channels to keep up.  And passwords?  Don't get me going on that.  We have a file box stuffed with those and more are added weekly.  Some have been changed too, so it can take a few tries sometimes to get the right one if we haven't been proactively changing them when we needed to.
  
     Now that is my rant for the year and I promise not to do it again.  But why did the technological age have to coincide with my increasing age related inability to keep up?

    Our December meeting was well attended and very entertaining.  We were serenaded by the Southeast High School Chorus who were charmingly young and beautiful.  Their singing was angelic and so were their faces.  The Choral Director displayed her humor and light handed leadership with her charges, and she was a great pianist as well.  Here are some pictures of many of us enjoying ourselves.  Unfortunately, the stage at Renaissance is very poorly lighted and pictures of the chorus were too dark to use.

    Susan Darovec,  Legislative Chair, reminded us at the meeting the Florida Legislature will be once again attempting to change our Florida Retirement System.  Although our FRS is one of the strongest in the nation, the propaganda always tries to show the system as a drain on the taxpayers-- which it is not.  Despite a slip in the investments during the early days of the recession, the account has made up for its losses with good investments.  There will be more attempts to change beginning teachers to IRA accounts.  Should that happen, of course, the fund would be lost over time because there would be no new money invested.  One has to wonder again, why the Legislature is so against educators.  They fail to realize that we accepted lower paying jobs in order to teach children, with a promise that we would have a decent income after we retired.

    We will begin our sales of FREF Extravaganza donations this month.  Of course, we are still happy to receive donations for our local scholarship fund.  Please help us give some good students a leg up in their studies in education.  Surprisingly, there still are some who were inspired by a teacher or teachers to want to follow in their footsteps.  We should be proud of our ability to shine in spite of the demeaning way we are treated by the Legislature and some others.

    If you have not heard from your caller, please let Mary Ann Jensen know you need a reservation for Jan. 15 (756-7603).  Brynne Anne Besio of the South Florida Museum will be on the program. Try to arrive before 11:30 to avoid the line and have time to chat.  The usual location, Renaissance on 9th, is the spot.

See you soon,
Ellen
   

Manatee County Retired Educators December 2013

    I am sure you are all gearing up for a happy holiday season.  Decorating, wrapping presents, attending events, and cooking all take a toll on our resilience to colds and other ills if we are not careful to stop, put our feet up, and just dream a little.  After all, it takes time to properly gaze at the Christmas tree and all the other items we have lovingly preserved through the years for just this one month of the year.

    I have found that I appreciate my decorating efforts more than anyone else does, so I spend lots of time just enjoying looking at them.  When there were little ones around, they loved the colors, scents, and promise of Christmas.  Remember how their eyes would shine as they contemplated the tree and Santa's visit.  Who loves the story of the Nativity or of Hanukkah more than a child?  If we can believe again as a child believes, what joy there is waiting for us.

    Our November program was outstanding.  Sandra Ford, Director of Food Services for the Manatee Schools brought us up to date on the tremendous responsibilities of the staff that feeds the children breakfast, lunch, and now at some schools, dinner.  Some of the statistics were incredible.  To begin with, 49% of Manatee County students are on the free or reduced lunch program.  35,000 students are served lunch each day.  The staff has served 5,000,000 lunches and breakfasts each year, with an 80% participation level.

    Several questions from members were fielded by Ms. Ford.  When she asked us what we remembered as our favorite lunch items, many replied the rolls.  Unfortunately, she told, bread making had become too expensive, time consuming, and worst of all -- the bakers had all retired.  It seems that baking bread is no longer a practiced skill.  I have heard it described as the female equivalent of plowing the back forty.  Still, those rolls were so good!

Sandra Ford

 

                                                  Walter Miller asks a question.

    We are making a final request for donations to our local MCREA Scholarship.  In January, we will be distributing the FREF Extravaganza donation material, so we would like to wrap up the MCREA fund raising this month.  Of course, we will always accept donations at any time in the year, but we are trying not to overburden you with monetary appeals.  Make a check out to MCREA Scholarship and give it or send it to Treasurer Ron Schneider.  'Nuff said.

    Our December meeting is on the 19th.  Please try to arrive as soon as 11:00 as possible.  We have had great attendance and to avoid standing in a line to pay for your lunch while you want to be seeing your friends, come early.  Renaissance on 9th is the place and lunch is $15.  Our program this month will feature a chorus from Southeast High School.  This would be a good time to bring a prospective member or a guest.  To make a reservation for a guest or to make one for yourself if you did not hear from your caller, Mary Ann Jensen will help you at 756-7603.

See you there,
Ellen

 

November 2013

    One more Halloween without a single costumed little visitor has passed.  Where did all the kids go who used to ring the doorbell and yell "Trick or Treat" at the top of their lungs?  I suppose if I were a mother of young ones now, I might be wary of sending them off into the dark.  I think my neighborhood is safe, but I wouldn't go for a walk at night by myself or even accompanied by my dog, so I get it.  How sad that the imaginary ghouls of the holiday have been replaced by the real-life ghouls of every day.  What happened?  I wonder if the little kids can still go out and wander around in my little town in Maine like my children could here when they were small. 
   
   Of course, we MCREAers can create our own neighborhood and our own party when we need it.  These pictures will establish that.  I hope next year, more people will put themselves out there in costumes.  A good time was had by all at our Halloween party.  The Bingo game was a blast as usual and what prizes the winners received!  Sandy Stephenson does a great job getting the Bingo together for our enjoyment.  It's fun and we made a beginning to the MCREA Scholarship account. 
   
   It is time to make a contribution to the annual local scholarships.  Remember that we do not do fund raisers and try to sell each other stuff because everyone got tired of that.  Now we just bare-facedly (is that a word?) ask everyone to contribute.  It doesn't have to be a lot of money.  If everyone could give $20 or more, we would be set up to give some hard working graduates a leg up on their textbooks, at least.  Sometimes textbooks alone can run into the $300 dollar range.  We should remember that we are encouraging students who have made a commitment to become educators, a rather hard sell in these times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't forget that we are still collecting food for the Food Bank, books for FELT, and small items for the nursing homes.  I will see you at 11:30 on Thursday, Nov. 21.  If you have not heard from your caller during the week preceding the meeting, call Mary Ann Jensen at

756-7603 to make a reservation.

 

Ellen

 

 

 

 

 

October 2013 Manatee County Retired Educators

We had a good turnout for our New Member Reception at the Library.  At last count, we had garnered 10 new members.  Then, if you attended our first meeting at Renaissance on 9th, you know we had a very large crowd there to enjoy the camaraderie and to hear Superintendent Mills speak.

I have some pictures of the retired educators who attended the reception.  As you can see, they were a handsome and a cheerful group.  I suppose being able to enjoy a leisurely morning after all those years of reporting early would cheer anyone up.  But I also think they saw some old friends and shared some memories.  Once an educator, always an educator.  We go around tamping down the rough spots and looking for the good in people.  It's our nature.

Cheryl Bennet, Judy Ussery, Margaret Mitchell

Pat Watkins and Rose Lucas

Roz Steward and Julia Garland

 

Bob and Valerie Jenkins

Becky Gingras, Eileen Merchant, Shirley Robinson

 

FREA District VII Leadership Training

The FREA Traveling Team of President Thelma Mosley, President Elect Cathy McCarthy, Treasurer Marie Grein, and our own Faye Murphy State Director presented the workshop.  We were represented by Judy Shostrom, Deborah Thomas, Susan Roe, Nancy Erwin, Ron Schneider, Tom Thompson, David and Carolyn Brown, and I.  We came home through the rain invigorated and ready for a great  MCREA year.

Carolyn Brown shows the check which represents the hours of volunteer services prformed by MCREA members and their worth in dollars.

Carolyn Brown presents the FREA Volunteer of the Year Certificate to Ron Schneider.

David Brown sells door prize tickets to support FREF scholarships.

 

 





 

 

At the last count that I heard, 90 people had made reservations for our first lunch meeting.  Rick Mills,  Manatee County Schools Superintendent, was part of the draw, of course.  He did not let us down.  I thought he was exceptionally forthright and open about his plans to improve education in our county.  His intent seems to be to work with school faculties and principals to bring about better learning.  His concern for morale of employees was encouraging.  And he said that curriculum planning and long range goals must be arrived at by a concensus of everyone, not just top down directives.  He also said that purchases for educational materials must be supported by concrete gains in learning.  To me and several others at my table, his approach seemed practical and well considered.  Perhaps teachers will be able to get off the merry go round and use their skills and creativity which make their calling so much more interesting and effective.  Teaching is a calling, after all, not just a job. 

 

We had a great outpouring of love in the form of bags and bags of donated food for the Food Bank, lots of small gifts for the nursing homes, and some lovely books for FELT.  Remember that you do not have to bring something every time, but when you can contribute it is all good.  We are not collecting food for FELT this year, just books.  We thought we might be asking too much of everyone. 

 

Again, we are hoping that you will donate to the MCREA Scholarship Fund.  At our October meeting, Sandy Stephenson will be calling those bingo letters again.  Please come with 20 quarters to play.  Those quarters will be applied to the fund while they are still hot.  Also, come in costume if you like.  We always have some great costumes and we will have prizes for the best, the scariest, the prettiest, etc. 

 

See you at 11:30 (sooner is better to avoid the long line at check-in), on Thursday, October 17.  If you do not hear from your caller in the week preceding the meeting, call Mary Ann Jensen at 756-7603.

 

Ellen