SPRING 2017

Carol’s Corner - A message from the MNEA-R President Ruth Keeling, Marie Theerman, Betty, Graham, Shep Woolford, Martha Karlovetz, Cecil Sharp… do you know what these people all have in common? They have all served as presidents of MNEA-Retired, an organization celebrating 30 years of advocacy on April 21 at The Lodge of Four Seasons.

Some of the accomplishments of MNEA-Retired include the following:~Spearheading efforts (in 1987) to pass legislation that guaranteed that all retired Missouri educators would have the opportunity to benefit from a group health plan through their district after retirement~Recognition as a “Quality Local” 12 times since 2003, when the award was established~Establishment of the CHEER Fund in 2014 to provide funds to enhance students’ learning conditions~Fundraising for MNEA’s HOPE Fund~Fundraising for MNEA-PAC, NEA’s Fund for Children and Public Education and the Ballot Issue Crisis Fund~Collections and fundraising for food pantry collections and school supplies~Supplies for babies to groups like Nurses for Newborns~Scholarships from regional groups to future and current educators~Establishment and staffing the St. Louis “Homework Hotline” ~Participation in “Read Across America” activities~Hosting Pre-Retirement workshops for retiring educators~Establishment of “Regional” retired organizations in all areas of the state~Constant monitoring of PSRS issues and how legislation might impact retired and active members

Please plan to be with us at The Lodge of Four Seasons on April 21 to attend our annual meeting and celebrate 30 years of “Something Better” for retired educators across the state. Our celebration will take place during our (extended) lunch break, and we are looking forward to greeting and thanking past officers, past MNEA Board members who represented MNEA-Retired, and members from across the state (and nation). We are honored that all officers of NEA-Retired (including our own Martha Karlovetz who serves as NEA-Retired Secretary) will join us for our celebration.

You’ll find details on how to register to attend our annual meeting, how to book a hotel room for the event and how to register to attend our special luncheon celebration. Following the annual meeting, you’re also invited to attend a special reception honoring Peggy Cochran, (one of “us”) who has served as MNEA’s Executive Director and then returned from retirement to serve MNEA again as interim Executive Director of MNEA.

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SPRING 2017

Schedule for April 21st meeting and celebration

9:00-10:00 - Registration

10:00-10:30 - PAC Auction and Visit Displays

10:30-4:30 - Annual Meeting (Awards, elections, update from PSRS)

11:30-1:30 - Lunch break & 30-year celebration with many honored guests!

Deadline for registration is April 7th!

MNEA-Retired Presidents:

Ruth Keeling - 1987-90

Marie Theerman - 1990-1994 (pictured, right)

Betty Graham - 1994-1998

Shep Woolford -1998-2001

Martha Karlovetz- 2001-2007

Cecil Sharp - 2007-2013 (pictured below)

Carol Weatherford - 2013-Present (pictured below)

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SPRING 2017

More “fun facts” about MNEA-Retired:

• The MNEA Board of Directors passed a motion at the May 1985 meeting to seat a non-voting retired member on the Board. Ruth Keeling filled the seat, and in January, 1986, she submitted a recommendation to President Shirley Cromer to form a steering committee to investigate the feasibility of organizing a retired affiliate. MNEA-R, begun in 1987, elected Ruth Keeling, Shep Woolford and Marie Theerman as its first officers.

• In 1987, Springfield retired teachers were already organized and working to address the issue of health insurance for retired educators. Springfield-R, therefore, was the first “regional” unit of MNEA-Retired.

• Our current MNEA-Retired regional units: Springfield, Metro St. Louis, St. Charles, East-Central, Southeast, Jefferson County, Greater Kansas City, Southwest, Mid-Missouri

• MNEA-Retired members Ira Anders (Independence), Nancy Copenhaver (Moberly), Sara Lampe (Springfield), Dick Franklin (Independence) and Margo McNeil (Ferguson-Florissant) have served or are serving in the Missouri House of Representatives. Several of our MNEA-Retired members have run for the House of Representatives.

• We are proud of all of our MNEA-Retired members who have served or are serving on local school boards.

• Ruth Keeling (Normandy), Ruthanne Phillips (Independence) and Martha Karlovetz (Parkway) have served as Retired Directors on the NEA Board of Directors

• Martha Karlovetz, former MNEA and MNEA-R president, is currently serving as an officer of NEA-Retired

• MNEA-Retired members Terry Reger, Susan McClintic and Mary Lou Anderson have served on the PSRS/PEERS Board of Trustees, and Pre-Retired member Jason Steliga currently serves as a Trustee.

Officer/Executive Council Positions open at the 2017 Annual Meeting

President/RA delegate - 2-year term, 3-term limit Vice-President/RA delegate - 2-year term, 3-term limit Historian - 2-year term, 3-term limit Budget - 2-year term, 3-term limit At-large Executive Committee positions: 2-year term, 6-year limit - 4 positions open

MNEA-RA Delegate Positions open at the 2017 Annual Meeting: 12 (2-year term) positions are to be filled by election at the April, 2017 meeting

NEA-RA Delegate Positions open at the 2017 Annual Meeting: 5 positions are to be filled by election at the April, 2017 meeting

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SPRING 2017

In this issue you’ll find… • All you need to know about our

Annual Meeting and 30th Anniversary Celebration, along with registration information for the meeting and luncheon, and how to make hotel reservations. Deadline for registration is April 7th!

• Information on elections to be held at the annual meeting and how to declare your candidacy.

• A little of MNEA-Retired’s rich history - Please plan to come to our annual meeting and 30th anniversary celebration to find out more about our organization and how we continue to advocate for our public schools and those who have retired from service in our public schools!

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Missouri NEA-Retired 1810 East Elm Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 www.mnea.org/retired

Meal tickets will be provided at Registration on April 21st from 9:30am – 10:30am. Come to the Granada Foyer for Registration and Activities

10:00 a.m. – Exhibits Open

10:30 a.m. – Morning Business Meeting

11:30 a.m. -- Luncheon and “Celebrating Success”

PAC Auction: Bring new items to donate and cash for the drawings!

1:30 p.m. – Afternoon Business Meeting

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. – Celebration for Peggy Cochran Celebration “Hosted by MNEA Board” will be in Granada C Ballroom

☐ I am a first time attendee

☐ I will attend the Luncheon

☐ I will attend the MNEA-Retired Annual Business Meeting

I will bring additional people with me: ___________________________________________________

Lunch Choices: $20.00

☐ Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich, Avocado & Monterey Jack Cheese, Chef Choice of Bread, Fresh Herb Mayonnaise ☐ Sliced Roast Beef & Bleu Cheese with lettuce & tomato on a Kimmelweck Roll

All Entrees with chef’s choice of salad; whole fruit, cookies, choice of coffee, iced tea and water. ☐ Special Dietary Requirement _________________________________________________________.

If you have food allergies or other dietary needs, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your request. We can accommodate most special requests.

Name(s)_______________________________Phone #:________________Email:________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________________________________

Guest Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

☐ Check Enclosed $ ___________

Credit Card: Visit www.mnea.org/Retired Look for “Register for MNEA-R Annual Meeting” or call Pam Koetting at 573-644-9601.

Return completed form to: MNEA-Retired, Attn: Pam Koetting 1810 E Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101

DECLARATION OF CANDIDACY TO BE AN OFFICER

MNEA-Retired Annual Meeting

April 21, 2017 Lodge of Four Seasons Registration Form

Deadline: April 7, 2017

TO REGISTER ELECTRONICALLY, GO TO: www.mnea.org/retired

Silent Auction: ☐Yes, I will bring an item(s) to contribute to the silent auction to be held during the Annual Meeting. All voluntary contributions benefit MNEA PAC and are not deductible as charitable contributions. If you cannot bring an item, we invite you to help support public education and have fun at the same time by participating in the auction.

OF MISSOURI NEA-RETIRED Election at MNEA-Retired Annual Meeting – April 21, 2017

If you are interested in running for any of the following MNEA-Retired positions, go online at www.mnea.org/retired and click on the Declaration of Candidacy link or print the form and email to

pam.koetting@mnea.org or mail it to

MNEA-Retired Candidate Declaration Attn: Pam Koetting, 1810 E Elm Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

POSITIONS OPEN: • President: (two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19) • Vice President: (two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19) • Historian: (two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19) • Budget Chair: (two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19) • Executive Council Member-At-Large (two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19 –Four to be elected) • Delegate to NEA-R and NEA-RA - June 27 – July 5, 2017 in Boston, MA (Six (6)* to be elected, one-year

term. MNEA-R President will serve automatically) Those that are not elected as delegates will serve as alternates.

• Delegate to MNEA RA Fall 2017 through Spring 2019 (Twelve (12)* to be elected, two-year term 2017-18 & 2018-19) MNEA-R President and Vice President will serve automatically. Those not elected as delegates will serve as alternates.

*Number of MNEA-R, NEA-R and NEA-RA delegates may change due to membership numbers.

Volunteer of the Year

Missouri NEA-Retired – 2018 Nomination Process Everyone knows a retired member who volunteers countless hours for MNEA, for MNEA-Retired, for public education and/or for their community. Many of these MNEA-Retired members go unrecognized for their efforts and don’t expect to be honored. However, you can change that! Look around and nominate a person you know who deserves to be the nominated! The award winner will receive recognition and an award at the MNEA-Retired Annual Meeting in 2018. Watch the MNEA-Retired website for the 2018 Volunteer of the Year Nomination form. Go to www.mnea.org/retired.

Jim Coen Silver Citizenship Award Missouri NEA-Retired – 2018 Nomination Process

Start thinking now about your 2018 nomination for the Jim Coen Silver Citizenship Award! This is an award that was instituted in 2012 in honor of Jim Coen, an MNEA-Retired member dedicated to public education and public service. It is awarded to an MNEA-Retired member who made significant contribution in the area of political action in support of public education, retirees, educators and students in Missouri. See form for examples of contributions to public education.

Nominations must include your form along with supporting documentation, which must include two letters of recommendation, with the total nomination documentation not to exceed six (6) pages. The award winner will receive recognition and an award at the MNEA-Retired Annual Meeting in 2018. Watch the MNEA-Retired website for the 2018 Jim Coen Silver Citizenship Award form. Go to www.mnea.org/retired.