CCREA Newsletter

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Newsletter: April 4, 2013 Editor: Nancy Overman

BACK TO NORMAL: We are back to our usual meeting room at the Charlotte County Family Services Center located at Easy and Gibralter Sts. on Wednesday April 10, 2013 starting at 9:30a.m. for our social time. Be prepared to laugh with our member participation “What a Character!!” for our program. Also, we don’t want to forget our food boxes for the hungry and our Back Pack Kids individually wrapped snacks (no peanut products).

& = APPLEBEE’s : Yes, we are again going to Applebee’s for lunch after the April 10^th meeting. Thanks to MaryHolly’s efforts we can have another fund raiser all day on April 10^th. On this day only, we can get up to 15% of our bill returned to CCREA for scholorships by Applebee’s. EACH PERSON MUST HAVE ONE OF THE NEW FLYERS to qualify. This is the King’s Highway location only. I am enclosing it as an attachment for your convenience. Make some extra copies for friends to use any time on Wednesday.

ELECTION: Officers for the next two years will be voted on at the April 10^th meeting. As of now the following slate is being presented: President-Gloria Smith, 1^st Vice President-Sonja Rozier, 2^nd Vice President-MaryHolly Allison, Secretary-Pam Gates, Treasurer-Nancy Overman. Please call Ann Stout if you would also like to run for any of these offices. Ann is also looking for chairpersons for some of our committees. Please call her for more information.

KUDOS: Sonja Rozier has been nominated as our volunteer of the year. As you know she stepped right up as president pro tem during our president, Gloria Smith’s, medical absence. We also would like to acknowledge the unselfish volunteering of Charles Churchill. Chuck will be stepping down as our treasurer and scholarship chairperson after many years of service to CCREA. It will be strange to see him sitting with the main group rather than at the officers’ table during our future meetings. Maybe this is just a short “time off” for Chuck.

SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON: Believe it or not our year is coming to an end. Remember that our luncheon is on the FIRST WEDNESDAY in May. This year it is May 1^st with a theme of “Hooray, Hooray! It’s the first of May. Scholarships are on the way!”. There will be sign up sheets at the April meeting. The cost will be $5 per person for members and $5 for any guests that they would like to bring. We also ask that you bring a dish. We have many scholarship winners, their parents, and school personnel attending. It would be nice to have a very large member turnout. If you can’t attend the April meeting and would like to come to the luncheon please call Nancy Overman 637-8140 and I will add your name to the list. You can then pay at the door.

We are in need of items for the silent auction. Maybe you have a gift around the house that you have not used or other objects that you think people would want. Please bring them with you on May 1^st and give them to Laurel at the silent auction table. We are also having out 50/50 raffle and a special raffle of 2 beautiful bears dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus.There will also be a beautiful doll which was donated by Sue Dalson.

More information will be in the May newsletter. Please plan on attending.

VOLUNTEERS: There are plenty of volunteer activities available for our members. Please check your April minutes to read about a few. Readers are still needed for helping with the FCAT at Meadow Park Elementary School on April 15^th and 16^th. Please call Sonja regarding this activity.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of our April birthdays. Remember your April showers bring the May flowers.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Newsletter March 6, 2013 Editor: Nancy Overman

Irish Proverb: There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea.

But the best ships, are Friendships, and may they always be.

VERY IMPORTANT CHANGE: Due to Spring Break we need to change the Wednesdy, March 13, 2013 meeting location. We will meet at the regular time of 9:30 for our social. We will be in the new CC Family Services building. Jessica or one of our members will escort you to the conference room. Directions:

From Midway (heading east) you would travel to Loveland Blvd. (just before Kings Highway-Salvation Army is on corner) and turn Left. We are about 2 miles down on the right hand side (our building is located between Peachland and Midway). We are the smaller bldg. closest to the street. The building has Charlotte County Human Services located on the wall so you and your attendees should be able to locate our doors. We have an American Flag and Veteran Flag located directly outside our door (if that helps as there is a County Medical Clinic in our same bldg).

Our program will be Karin Stewart presenting “Who Are the Yah-Yah Girls? Remember the box as you walk into the meeting for the Back Pack Kids items? This is the group who organizes the program. Wouldn’t it be “The top of the morning” if she could leave the meeting loaded down with our donations to be put in the children’s back packs! If you can, please bring lots of individual packed snack items for the back packs and place them in the marked box. Remember: no peanut products in the ingredients.

GREEN EGGS AND HAM: After the meeting we are going to APPLEBEE’S on Kings Highway (just a short distance from our new meeting place this month) for a DINING TO DONATE Scholarship Fundraiser. 15% of your bill will be donated to the fund by Applebee’s. The catch is that each person needs to bring a flyer for the donation. A flyer has been attached. Call your friends, neighbors, relatives, enemies etc. and head for Applebee’s. They will be honoring this flyer ALL day on Wednesday, March 13^th, so if you can’t make lunch try to take the family for dinner, just copy off enough flyers for your entire party.

With our low interest rates that are generated by the CD these fundraisers are what help us to continue to fund our scholarships. We need all members to help if possible. Mary Holly is still accepting checks for our annual fundraiser that began last month.

IRISH EYES ARE SMILING: Thanks to Laurel we enjoyed the winning 5^th grade essays at the February meeting. Chuck has sold all but 5 of the FREF raffle tickets. Let’s sell out at the meeting. Charlotte Whaley has information about a mature driver’s class given through AAA on March 21^st. You may qualify for an insurance discount (call your company). Give Charlotte a call if interested for info. Our membership chair, Sue, is reminding us that she is collecting our dues for 2013-2014. Pay early so you are included in the new yearbook which will be printed in the summer. If you know of any retirees, ask them to join our group. Jo Stancil is keeping us updated on the legislature affecting our pension.

NO BLARNEY: A committee met to update our By-Laws and Standing Rules. These will be sent by e-mail so please be looking them, read them over, and be ready to vote on their ratification at the April meeting. Our new slate of officers will be presented at the March meeting and voted on at the April meeting. Please call Ann Stout if you are willing to step forward and volunteer to be considered for one of the open positions. We need items for our silent auction at the May 1^st Scholarship Luncheon (please note that the May meeting is always the FIRST Wednesday of May so we need to mark it on our calendars.) Please start setting items aside to bring with you on May 1^st. More info will follow.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR MARCH LEPRECHAUNS

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Newsletter February 7, 2013 Editor: Nancy Overman

GYM SHOES: Our meeting will be on February 13, 2013 at the Charlotte County Family Services Center on Easy and Gibralter Sts. starting at 9:30a.m. After a short meeting the program will be presented by Gregory Whyte entitled “Stay Fit and Balanced”. Drag out those gym shoes and join us. We will be going to lunch after the program for those who would like to partake of this activity.

VOLUNTEER HOURS: Be sure to fill out and bring your volunteer hours blue sheet and give it to Laurel Aumend. This covers from March 2012 through February 2013 (guesstimate for the rest of Feb.) Be sure to include your transportation time and time at CCREA meetings. The hours are to be separated as volunteering with adults or youth. You only need the total for each listed monthly or yearly. If you do not have one of the blue sheets they are available at the meeting or use a regular sheet of paper. Laurel needs to send in the total to the state FREA to see if we qualify for an award. Let your time count.

GOOD WORK: Have you seen our historical scrapbook made by Carolyn O’Kelley? She did another super job for CCREA. Give her a pat on the back and tell her thanks.

THANKS TO ALL: A big THANKS for all of the members who sold tickets, bought tickets, and attended the Visani Comedy Club scholarship fundraiser. It was lots of fun and many laughs. Mary Holly reported that we sold all 60 tickets so $600 will go for a scholarship.

KICK-OFF: We are not talking the football Super Bowl but the Super Bowl of Fundraisers. It is time to kick-off our Annual Scholarship Drive. If anyone would like to make a donation that goes directly to funding scholarships for future teachers, please complete the enclosed or attached form and include your check to the address provided. Due to the low interest rate on our principal every dollar helps.

VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: The board nominated Sonja Rozier as our volunteer. The floor will be open to any further nominations at the meeting and a vote will be taken.

INTERVIEWS: Chuck Churchill and his committee interviewed the scholarship applicants from our local high schools in January. We will be awaiting their important decision.

RAFFLE: Chuck is also selling raffle tickets for the state FREF at $10 each. Our unit is expected to do its share. There are many nice prizes such as an I Pad III, 2 Kindle Fire units, $200 in cash and $100 in cash. Your checks should be payable to FREF and get the tickets from Chuck.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all of our Valentine babies born in February of any year!!!!!!!!

BE A CCREA SCHOLARSHIP DONOR!

Now is the time for our Annual Scholarship Drive .

Let’s help keep our support to future teachers alive.

Our scholarship recipients are quite grand.

For sure, we want to continue to give them a hand.

So, now is the time to make a plan to contribute as much as you can.

We appreciate your support. All donors will be listed in the May Scholarship Luncheon Program.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Newsletter January 6, 2013 Editor: Nancy Overman

MEETING: January 9, 2013 is our first meeting of 2013. Let’s see a big turnout. There will be one big difference for the before meeting social. Your will need to stop on your way and bring YOUR own cup of coffee, tea, breakfast treats etc. For the first time we have had no volunteers to set up the social. The meeting will be at the Charlotte County Family Services Center on Easy and Gibralter Sts. starting with the social at 9:30. Our speaker will be Dr. Sharon McLauren on the topic “Be a Life-Long Learner” Some members have been going to a restaurant after the meeting for lunch. Everyone is welcome.

THANKS FOR STEPPING UP: Last month we had a new member, Barbara Roduner, step up an offer to be the new secretary. Welcome to CCREA and thank you for taking on this task.

Talking about stepping up, Ann announced that we dressed and donated 70 bears to the Salvation Army plus the stockings and being bell ringers.

More stepping was in order by the ABC crafters. Arlene announced that from Oct thru Dec. ABC crafters have donated $500 to the scholarship fund!

STEPS IN THE FUTURE: Chuck Churchill will be selling FREF scholarship raffle tickets at $10 each at the meetings. Our unit is expected to sell our fair share so step on up. Remember that a donation in honor of or in memory of someone to our CCREA Scholarship Fund makes a nice gift.

THE BIGGEST STEP: Yes, they are here, the tickets for our CCREA “Fun Night Fundraiser”. Visani Comedy Club on Kingsway Hwy. has given us Wednesday, January 30, 2013 as our big night. Tickets are $10 each and this gets you into the comedy show starting at 8:00pm. You are expected to purchase two (2) items during the night. These could be coffee and desert, appetizer and drinks or you can come before hand for dinner. They open at 5:00pm. CCREA GETS TO KEEP THE ENTIRE $10 FOR OUR SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THOSE WHO SHOW UP. So, get your group together (friends, neighbors, relatives, strangers etc.) and purchase your tickets. You must get your tickets ahead of time. Then, ONE member from the group calls Visani and lets them know if you are coming for dinner or just the show with the CCREA group. Visani then reserves the number of seats under CCREA, but NOT in specific group. So, in other words arrive as a group or have someone save enough seats for your group if they get there first. It really is not as complicated as it sounds. Mary Holly Allison can give you more information. Joanne Bradley and Nancy Overman will have the tickets at the meeting or give one of the three above a call. We need to sell all 60 tickets and have everyone attend to help meet our scholarship goals.

EYES FORWARD: Jo Stancil wants us to keep an eye on the Florida Legislature regarding our pensions, HIS, and other items pertaining to our retirement. She will speak more on this at the meeting. It is your $$$’s.

BE HEARD: Did you respond to our CCREA survey that was e-mailed to you. Now is your chance to be heard or come up with ideas to better our unit. Contact Nancy Overman if you need another sent e-mail.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR BABIES OF THE NEW YEAR WHO WERE BORN IN JANUARY OF PREVIOUS NEW YEARS!

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

Newsletter: December 6, 2012 Editor: Nancy Overman

Oh Come all ye Faithful: Our last meeting of 2012 will be held at the Charlotte County Family Services Center on December 12^th, starting with a coffee social at 9:30a.m. Our Christmas Luncheon will follow the meeting. Eighteen members have signed up to bring snacks etc. We would like to see a nice turnout for this social event. If you are able to attend try to bring a “Finger Food” type of dish to share. If you are unable to bring something please still plan on attending.

Angels we have heard on High: We will be treated to “The Sounds of the Holidays” by the Charlotte High School Charisma Group under the direction of Jaci Cushman. This should put us in the Christmas Spirit.

What Child is This: It is the child who enjoyed the Read-a-Loud story read by one of our members or a volunteer from the community. A big hug to JoEllen Gantner for organizing the event at Meadow Park Elementary. Our older children, the veterans, received our donations for Veterans Day. Thank you to all of the members who brought items.

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells: That was the sound heard at Publix as our members rang the bells for The Salvation Army. Please remember to

bring your dressed bears and Christmas stockings to the meeting so Ann can take them to the Salvation Army. Thank you.

Go tell it on the Mountain: Do you know of any recently retired employees of any school district that you could invite to join us? If so, give them a call or bring them along with you. We would like to increase our membership. A survey has also been sent to all members for their input on our unit. Please return your responses before January 15, 2013. Take a look at the units Historical Scrapbook, which Carolyn has

been keeping up to date, at the meeting. You are probably in it!

Deck the Halls: Our ABC Crafters have been busy little elves making items for Christmas gifts. Stop by their display at the meeting and buy a few stocking stuffers.The money raised goes to our Scholarship Fund. Last month they presented another $100.

Christmas is Love: We continue to collect canned goods for the homeless. Please be aware of the condition of the cans. Dented or rusty cans cannot be used.Also, any boxes or bags that have been opened cannot be distributed. Thanks to all that have given when they can.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas: Merry Christmas to all. Are you one of those born in December? Happy Birthday to you, also.

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RETIRED EDUCATORS ASSOCIATION

NEWSLETTER: November 6, 2012 Editor: Nancy Overman

MEETING: Usual place and usual time. In other words we will meet on November 14^th at the CC Family Services Center on Easy and Gibralter Sts. in PC at 9:30a.m. The hostesses are Arlene, Louise R. and LaVaughn. Be prepared for another interesting program put on by our members. We will be hearing about our own families “Military Heroes” starting back with the Revolutionary War to the present. If you were unable to attend the October meeting you missed a very educational presentation on being a health advocate.

HOLIDAYS: It is hard to believe that we are in the holiday season. The ABC Crafters will be selling Christmas cards at the November meeting. There will also be many unique gifts that are available. Just think, you could do most of your shopping in one place and at the same time be adding to our Scholarship Fund. In October the crafters donated another $100 to the Fund. Let’s support their hard work for scholarships!

LOTS TO DO:

- Empty Bowls dinner is Nov. 13^th. The cost is $12. Call Arlene for tickets

- CCREA Read-a-Loud is Nov. 13^th. The cost is FREE. JoEllen G. is heading this important literacy activity. Please call her for details.

- Nov. 17^th the CCREA will ring the Salvation Army bell all day at the Charlotte Harbor Publix. Ann S. has the signup sheet if you need info.

- Fill a Salvation Army sock for a child. They are available at the meeting.

- Dress a bear for the children. Joanne B. has bears for sale for only $1.00. You can then, for another $1.00, buy a new outfit to dress the bear from Arlene K. or dress a bear on your own. These two ladies are quite the shoppers to locate all of these bargains for us. All bears and socks need to be returned before or at the Dec. meeting to Ann Stout.

- Mentor a child at Meadow Park once a week – call 255-7470

- Donate a children’s book for our literacy program, call Laurel A. for info

- Donate a turkey on Nov 17^th from 10a.m. – 6 p.m. at Phil Wilson Realty parking lot, 4485 Tamiami Trail, PC. for distribution to the needy by H.E.L.P. You can get more info by calling 941-625-4543 and ask for Elaine.

- Sue D. said that we still have some members who haven’t paid the 2012-2013 dues. Even if you are unable to attend the meetings your support helps with the CCREA’s ability to continue to award scholarships each year.

- Save the plastic screw on lids for the Charlotte County schools. They are recycled into benches. You can bring them to the meetings.

- Bring items for the local Veterans’ Home to the November meeting. They are requesting no trial size bottles. Call Virginia G. for more info.

- Don’t forget the hungry by bringing canned goods to the meeting

- Check out CCREA on Facebook and the Web

WHEW!!!!! Who says there is nothing to do in Charlotte County! What a list!

BUDGET: The 2012-2013 budget will be presented for your review at the November meeting.

BOLO: (Be on the lookout)

- Mary Holly is trying to get a date set for a fundraiser at the Visiani Comedy Club. More information will be coming.

- Our Christmas Luncheon will be after the December meeting. We will again have “finger foods”. There will be a sign up sheet at the Nov. meeting or if you are unable to attend that meeting you can call Nancy O. to sign up.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Chuck announced the committee to interview the applicants will consist of Sue D., Dixie and Chuck C., Gloria S. and Nancy O. He said that the packets have been sent out to the 5 schools.

YOU CAN HELP: The 50/50 seller and the ABC crafters would appreciate it if you could bring smaller bills or singles to make your purchases. Of course, if you want to spend $20, then a $20 bill would be more then welcome.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR NOVEMBER BIRTHDAY MEMBERS

NEWSLETTER: October 4, 2012 EDITOR: NANCY OVERMAN

WELCOME BACK - WELCOME BACK - WELCOME BACK - WELCOME BACK - WELCOME BACK

MEETING: Our first meeting of the 2012-2013 year will be held on Wednesday October 10, 2012. It will be at the CC Family Services Center located on Easy and Gibralter Sts. In Port Charlotte. Members have requested more social time so our social will begin at 9:30 and end at 10:15AM. We also will be cutting down on our meeting time. The meeting will begin at 10:15. We will try to finish by 11:00AM, and then the program will start. Everything should wind up by noon and then, for those so inclined, when can head for lunch. Try to bring a new prospective member to join the fun.

The hostesses for October are Carolyn O’Kelley and Lorinda Ku. The program will be presented by Rachel Struebing, RN dealing with being pro-active for our own health.

A PAT ON THE BACK: Our CCREA unit was the host on September 17^th for the District VII FREA meeting. There were 22 CCREA members who attended. What a nice turnout for our unit. Thanks to Jo Stancil and her committee for all of their hard work to make our unit shine.

We were also well represented at the State Conference held in May. Thanks to the attendees.

Louise Ratliff has offered to take over the Sunshine/Necrology position. If you know of any member who needs a card to help lift their spirits please let her know. 239-543-1476

ABC CRAFTERS: Who doesn’t like a bargain? The ABC crafters received a donation of items from a shop that was closing. These items will be on sale at a 50% discount during our October meeting. There will also be many items made by the crafters available. Why not do your Christmas shopping early!

TECHNOLOGY: Thanks to Sonja Rozier and her committee our unit has joined the techie world. We have a web address of hhtps://sites.google.com/site/charlottecoretirededucators/ or just type in Charlotte County Retired Educators and do a web search. Our e-mail address is: ccretirededucators@yahoo.com. Of course we are also on Facebook. Why not try us out and click on the LIKE button!

STEP RIGHT UP: Do to various reasons our unit is in need of a Secretary. Your duties would be to attend the board meeting and general meeting to take the minutes. After each meeting you would type up the minutes and e-mail them to the board members or general members. You will receive help to get you started.

The ABC crafters need a chairperson. They are also in need of members to help make the crafts. They have a good time getting together or you can do the crafts on your own. The sale of these items has helped to increase our scholarship fund over the years. Please talk to Ann Stout 627-6237 if you can help fill these positions.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Empty Bowls information can be obtained from Carolyn O’Kelley.

We will be collecting items for the Veterans Home at our November meeting.

On November 17^th our unit will ring the Salvation Army bells in front of Publix in Charlotte Harbor. We need bell ringers, so please sign up at the meeting.

Have you seen any bears? This year we will be supplying our own bears to dress for the Salvation Army children’s give away at Christmas. If you have any bears or you see one at the store please

consider donating it to be dressed or you can dress it yourself. The bears can be used as long as they are clean and in good condition. It is amazing how cute they look once they are dressed by our members. Check out the thrift stores flea markets and yard sales - you just might find THE BEAR.

Our November Program will be honoring our own Family Military Members whether they are active duty or veterans. Your presentation can consist of pictures, medals, stories etc. regarding the Military Member. Please sign up at the October as the presentation time will be limited.

IF YOU CAN HELP:

We all CAN one CAN at a time…………..help feed the hungry. There will be collection boxes at the meeting for any can goods or dry goods that you can spare. These are given to a local food bank.

There also will be boxes for after school/weekend snack items (no peanut products as an ingredient please) to be donated to the Back Pack Kids project in our elementary schools. The only meals many of our students have are the ones that they eat at school.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF OUR SUMMER BIRTHDAYS! WE HOPE THAT YOU HAD AN ENJOYABLE DAY AND WISH YOU A FULLFILLING COMING YEAR.