PDF Bulletin Board - 1 Feb - Mar '10 temp

BULLETIN BOARD

DIABLO VISTA DIVISION 52, AREA IV

OF THE CALIFORNIA RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION SINCE 1963

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Lois Sherwood, President

Judging by the enthusiastic remarks of those attending, the December luncheon was a huge success. So many members volunteered to ensure that everyone had a

good time. We thank you all for your hard work, so cheerfully given.

Those helping Betty Hodge check members into the luncheon were: Ruth Chickering, Joan Cunnings, and Brenda Kerby. Nellie

Hinds and Delia Hewins sold See's Candy certificates.

Jeanne Walker and Pat Martin co-chaired the Christmas Bazaar. Many of us walked away with gifts for Christmas, items for ourselves, and wonderful baked goods and fruit. Gail Sangenitto's beautiful Christmas wreaths were very popular with the crowd.

Joyce Parson played lovely Christmas music at the piano, adding to the festivities. Diane Johnson presented the double quartet, Beauty Shop, from Monte Vista High School in Danville. We all truly enjoyed the gift of music offered by these talented young women.

Thank you so much to everyone who worked so hard to make the day a tremendous success.

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Shirley and Chuck Parent took this opportunity to announce that after seventeen years of leading so many delightful and successful tours, they are retiring. The West Coast Swing will be the last tour they lead for DVRTA. Thank you, Chuck and Shirley, for the wonderful tours that you have provided. You are greatly appreciated.

Food Bank

Of Contra Costa and Solano

Thank you, one and all, for your donations to the Food Bank of

Contra Costa and Solano counties. We contributed 119 pounds of food and $85 in cash at our December meeting. Each dollar will buy six dollars of food. Your contributions helped our community during the holiday season.

CARPOOL REMINDER

Our return to Zio Fraedo's means it's time to encourage you to carpool again. Parking will be available at Walgreen's, but only after all spaces are filled, front and back, at the restaurant. Thanks for your continued cooperation.

February ? March 2010

FEBRUARY LUNCHEON MEETING

Diane Johnson, Program Committee Chair

LUNCHEON AGENDA

Date: Wednesday February 3, 2010

Place: ZIO FRAEDO

611 Gregory Lane Pleasant Hill

Cost: $22.00 We're back at Zio Fraedo's and the regular price

S Contact person for this luncheon is Betty Hodge.

11:00 a.m. Social Hour 12:00 p.m. Luncheon, Business Meeting 1:00 p.m. Program Speaker: Carol Severin, East Bay Regional Parks

Reservation Deadline: Saturday, January 23, 2010 (Please note that any reservations postmarked or phoned after the deadline will be charged a $2.00 late fee. You are encouraged to make your luncheon reservations ASAP to avoid last minute problems.)

PROGRAM NOTES

Are you ready to try new leisure activities during your retirement? East Bay Regional Parks offer opportunities to enrich your lives. Carol Severin will inform us of many activities available to all of us. She will also bring us up to date on how our cities will benefit financially from the WW Bond Issue money available to cities in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

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PLEASE NOTE THESE FUTURE LUNCHEON DATES AND RESERVATION DEADLINES:

Wednesday April 7, 2010 ? Deadline March 27, 2010 Wednesday June 2, 2010 ? Deadline May 22, 2010

Christmas

Bazaar

a Huge

Success!

What a thrill it was to see your Christmas Bazaar teeming with customers. We thank all of you who gave, purchased, served and cleaned up. We collected $875.00, an amount that benefits our General Fund.

Members of the committee were: Barbara Diskowski, Jackie DeGroodt, Joyce Nelson, JoAnn Morgan, Andrea Moran, Linda Rose, Carole Meylan, Paula Kerr, Anita Bolanis, Robin Kling, and last but not least, Joyce Parsons.

Pat Martin & Jeanne Walker, Co-Chairs

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February ? March 2010

DVRTA BULLETIN BOARD

RESOURCE SERVICES

Casey Gonos, Chair

YOUR TEEN GRANDKIDS ARE DRIVING! Get Driver-Zed 3.0, an interactive risk-management training program for teen drivers. This program will help teens become safer drivers and avoid life-threatening vehicle crashes. Contact AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety at 1-202-638-5944 or for a free copy.

THINK ABOUT REPLACING YOUR WATER-GUZZLING LAWN During this continuing drought, the Contra Costa Water District has initiated a pilot Water-Efficient Landscape Rebate Program to provide financial support to its customers who want to change to landscaping that needs less maintenance and uses much less water. CCWD will pay customers 50 cents per square foot of lawn removed. Contact the District at conserve or by calling 1-925-688-8320 for program guidelines.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Mario Beria, Treasurer FINANCIAL REPORT FOR PERIOD 7/1/09 TO 12/3/09

CHECKING ACCOUNT BALANCE 7/1/09

INCOME

State Dues Division Only Dues Luncheons Yearbooks Sacramento Trip Bazaar Interest Miscellaneous See's Candies

8,835.50 8,945.00

875.00 2,523.40

Total Income

739.62

20,303.90 21,043.52

QUICK HEALTH TIP ? REPLACE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH! To stop the spread of germs, discard your brush after an illness, and keep brushes at least an inch apart.

TAX-FREE VACATION MONEY You can rent out your own home for up to 14 days while away. Stick to this time frame, and it's legal to pocket the money ? no taxes! (Ask your tax preparer about this.)

FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST Install and maintain smoke detectors. Use smoking materials safely ? never smoke in bed! Pay attention to your cooking ? keep pot handles turned inward, avoid wearing loose clothing with flowing sleeves while cooking. Heat your home safely ? have a professional service all heating equipment annually. Practice electrical safety ? never overload the electrical system Keep matches and lighters away from children. Know what to do in case of fire ? get out as soon as you discover a fire.

DON'T FORGET OLD SAVINGS BONDS According to the Treasury Department, $16 billion worth of bonds have not been cashed in, even though they are no longer earning interest. To check the status of Series E bonds bought from 1974 onward, plug the serial number into Treasury's Savings Bond Calculator (bc/sbcprice). For pre-1974 bonds, write the Bureau of Public Debt, P.O. Box 7012, Parkersburg, WV 26106-7012.

INTERNET PUNS ON THE LOOSE! Practice safe eating ? always use condiments. Without geometry, life is pointless. Nothing is foolproof to a sufficiently talented fool.

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DISBURSEMENTS

Budgeted Items Luncheons Sacramento Trip See's Candies Total Disbursements

6,098.55 9,079.00

2,480.00

17,657.55

BALANCE IN CHECKING ACCT. 12/3/09

3,385.97

INVESTMENTS Concord Diablo FCU

13,293.10

TOTAL FUNDS AVAILABLE

16,679.07

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MEMBERSHIP

Dick Merrill 1-925-939-7838 and Pat Seaman 1-925-691-9616

DVRTA Totals through November 31, 2009

Dues Deduct Cash Members* Life Members Total

735 358

58 1,151

* CalRTA reports 23 unpaid cash members.

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

Luncheon December 3, 2009

Little Red School House $257.00 (Proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund)

Luncheon attendance: 175

Lorraine Osborn Lynne Dennler Roselyn Siino Bernadine Yeghoian Luann Duggan Shannon Merrill Sharilynn Russo Ronald Houston

Doris Hasegawa Lynette Irwin Sally Powers Karen Smith

Jake Van Akkeren Fay Fehd

Geraldine Lawson Joan Lundahl

DVRTA BULLETIN BOARD

LEGISLATION

Joan Conley As I write this, the main

topic at the federal level is still health care. The 2004 page proposal has passed the House and is not moving very fast in the Senate. If it passes the Senate, it will then go to a conference committee that will consider the amendments as well as the main bill. The next step is for the president to sign it and we will see how the changes to our present health plans work out.

On the state level, Governor Schwarzenegger's choice of Senator Maldonado for Lieutenant Governor to replace Garamendi needs confirmation or rejection. It would be a case of a Republican replacing a Democrat. If confirmed, it would open up Maldonado's legislative seat. At present, Democrats have a 44.6 % registration rate, compared to a Republican rate of 31% and a 20% rate for those who decline to state. The election for this seat would be in mid-April (primary) followed by the June 8th special general election. So we see the movement of Garamendi causes various actions. We are pleased that at the end of a long wait, Congresswoman Tauscher's seat has been filled and we now can easily contact our 10th Congressional District person.

We are planning a trip to the Capitol to lobby on March 18th. More details will be available at the February luncheon or send me a note at 1519 Sunny Court, Walnut Creek, CA 94595 nearer to the trip date.

February ? March 2010

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RECOGNIZING THE SIGNS OF A STROKE

Neurologists say that if they can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours they can totally reverse the effects of a stroke. They said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness can spell disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S ? Ask the individual to SMILE. T ? Ask the person to TALK and speak a simple sentence

coherently. (e.g. It is sunny out today.) R ?Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

NEW SIGN OF A STROKE Another sign of a stroke is this: Ask the person to STICK OUT HIS

TONGUE. If the tongue is crooked, if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

Children in Church

A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was coming down the aisle, he would take two steps, stop, turn to the congregation, and put up his hands like claws and roar.

So it went ? step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR ? all the way down the aisle.

As you can imagine, the congregation was near tears from laughing so hard. By the time he reached the pulpit, the pastor asked what he was doing. The boy said, "I was being the Ring Bear."

NOMINATION BALLOT

CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE IN THE DIABLO VISTA RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

Any member of DVRTA may submit the name of a potential candidate for any elected DVRTA office to the nomination committee before the start of the February luncheon. Nominated candidates will then be announced at the February luncheon. Voting will take place by written ballot to all members through the April-May Bulletin Board and the results announced at the April luncheon. Installation will take place at the June luncheon.

CANDIDATE NOMINATED FOR THE OFFICE OF (NO MORE THAN ONE NOMINEE PER OFFICE):

PRESIDENT FIRST VICE PRESIDENT SECOND VICE PRESIDENT TREASURER

Signature of the person nominating the above:

RECORDING SECRETARY CORRESPONDING SECRETARY FINANCIAL SECRETARY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION BOARD

Signature of each nominee, giving approval of the nomination before it is submitted:

Send or give to the Nominating Chair Dick Bergamini, 180 La Sonoma Way Alamo, CA 94507 925-837-2954

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February ? March 2010

DVRTA BULLETIN BOARD

CALSTRS NEWS

LOW INFLATION MEANS REDUCED OR ELIMINATED SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS

Low inflation is usually a good thing for California's retired educators because it means basic CalSTRS benefits are keeping up with costs. But for those who have been receiving supplemental benefit payments, it will also mean reduced or no payments beginning Oct. 1, 2009.

The quarterly supplemental benefit payments, established in 1989, were designed to keep retirement income in line with inflation and to maintain the purchasing power of retirement benefits at 85 percent of their initial amounts. But because inflation is at very low levels today, those quarterly payments will be reduced or eliminated for [this] year.

The changes do not affect retired members' monthly benefit payments or their annual benefit adjustments.

Why the change? From July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, inflation failed to reach 2 percent, according to the California Consumer Price Index, the measure CalSTRS uses to determine its quarterly supplemental benefit payments.

That means the 2 percent automatic annual benefit adjustment will more than offset the effects of inflation. Annual benefit adjustments, calculated at 2 percent of a member's initial benefit, are added to monthly retirement checks starting with the Oct. 1 payment.

Beginning Oct. 1, 2009, the two groups most likely to be affected are

Members who retired before 1990 and who will see a reduction in their quarterly supplemental benefit payments this coming year. Members who retired between 1990 and 1994 and who began receiving quarterly payments in the last year or two. They will not receive a quarterly supplemental benefit payment this coming year.

HOW TO REPORT A DEATH

TO CALSTRS

CalSTRS should be notified as soon as possible of the death of a member, retiree, member receiving a disability benefit, or any payee receiving CalSTRS benefits. Notification can be made by either calling 1800-228-5453 or 1-916-229-3870, or by writing to CalSTRS Public Service, P.O. Box 5275C, Sacramento, CA 95851.

When notifying CalSTRS please provide the following information:

The deceased person's name and social security number Date of death Deceased's status such as retiree, disabled, active member, option beneficiary, etc. Deceased person's benefit coverage, either A or B; and The name, address, and phone number of a contact person.

We will send a beneficiary application packet to the contact person upon notification of death. The application should be completed and returned to CalSTRS as soon as possible, together with any other required documentation.

CalSTRS will inform CalRTA of a member's death only if the deceased was a dues-deduct member. The names of cash paying members wouldn't necessarily be removed from CalRTA mailing lists unless a family member calls 1-800-523-2782 or 1-916-923-2200. In any event, a phone call also to CalRTA would be advised.

2009-2010 Directory

Pat Seaman, Chair, & Dan Pope, Assistant Chair

The 2009-2010 Directory will be distributed at the luncheon, Wednesday, Feb. 3rd. You may also have your copy picked up by a friend at this meeting. If you will not be there, please fill out the form below so we can mail you a copy and honor you as a Golden Ager at the appropriate time. Please enclose $3.00 to cover shipping and handling expenses and send to:

DVRTA P.O. Box 4292 Walnut Creek CA 94598

I will not be attending the February or April luncheons. Please mail my Directory to me. I've enclosed $3.00 for postage, shipping and handling.

Please print the following information:

Name:

Telephone:

Address:

Date of Birth (Optional):

Age (Optional):

Retired from:

Date Retired:

Last School and/or Employer

DVRTA BULLETIN BOARD

February ? March 2010

5

INSURANCE

Russ Rackow

INITIATIVES ATTACKING PENSIONS There are currently two pension attack initiatives at

the Attorney General's office for title and summary. They will not be circulated until early January. CalRTA urges everyone NOT to sign these initiative petitions.

While these initiatives do not limit retirement benefits for existing public employees, they would severely limit benefits for new public employees hired after July 1, 2011. The initiatives would result in a replacement ratio of 30 percent, as opposed to the current average of 62 percent. There would be no cost of living adjustments in the first 5 years of retirement. Many other provisions in the initiatives, such as raising the age for early retirement to 62, are included. More information from CalRTA on these initiatives will be forthcoming.

ECONOMY AFFECTS PURCHASING POWER PROTECTION The quarterly supplemental benefit payments,

established in 1983, are designed to keep retirement income in line with inflation. Last year CalRTA fought for and won an increase in that protection to maintain the purchasing power of retirement benefits at 85 percent of their initial amounts.

However, from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009 inflation failed to reach two percent, according to the California Consumer Price Index, the measure CalSTRS uses to determine its quarterly supplemental benefit payments.

Beginning October 1, 2009, two groups could be affected by the drop in inflation. 1) Members who retired after 1980 could see a slight reduction in their quarterly supplemental payments this coming year. 2) Members who retired between 1990 and 1994 and who began receiving quarterly payments in the last year or two will not receive a quarterly supplemental benefit payment this coming year.

COMMUNICATIONS

Barbara Russell Cambra

This is a friendly reminder to report your volunteer hours to me on or before February 21st. We made an excellent showing last year with many hours of volunteer services reported. You may use the enclosed flyer/mailer in the BULLETIN BOARD for reporting your hours by either mailing or bringing them to the February luncheon. Estimate your hours for February.

Please continue to bring your old reading glasses, pet coupons, and BART tickets to the luncheons.

DIRECTORY CHANGES

Please note this new information in your directories accordingly.

Lucia Brandon 239 Brannan St., Unite 16G San Francisco, CA 94107-4088

Martha S. Hepokoski 63 Juniper, Ave. NW Menahga, MN 56464-3204

Charlotte Hollenbeck 1283 New York Dr. Concord, CA 94521-4617

Robert Johnson 90 Kelok Ct. Clayton, CA 94517-2035

Joanne Macomber 2608 Saklan Indian Drive, #6 Walnut Creek, CA 94595-3033

Mary L. Metcho 260 Park Lake Circle, Apt. A Walnut Creek, CA 94598-5231

Lucille W. Rudik 1700 Broadway St., #307 Concord, CA 94520

Edwin R. Simon 12 Totterdell Ct. Orinda, CA 94563-4214 (Street name spelling correction)

Norman McRae 1-925-376-6691

Verena Won 1-925-677-2168 (unlisted)

IMPORTANT REMINDER All members are reminded to send changes to their address,

phone number and/or the district from which they retired. These can be sent directly to Johanna Hobbs, Membership Operations, CalCRTA, 800 Howe Avenue, Suite 370, Sacramento, CA 95825 or Johanna@, or phone 1-800-523-2782. CalRTA will forward the changes to us.

While CalRTA appreciates the fact of low inflation, we believe the current inflation measure needs to be reviewed to better reflect the costs faced by seniors. This review will be a 2010 priority for CalRTA. Watch for updates.

FEDERAL HEALTH CARE PLAN The CalRTA Health Insurance Committee is in

agreement on the items to be included in health insurance legislation. Among the items are guaranteed issue of health care for all citizens, affordable premiums, regulation of prescription drug costs, public option, preventive care and no gender discrimination regarding health care costs.

FOR THE GOOD OF THE MEMBERS

Our Vision

Retired educators join DVRTA to keep in touch with friends and colleagues, to continue their support for public schools, to provide financial aid to continuing students, and to secure and enhance their own lives in retirement.

Sunshine

If you know of a member's hospitalization, illness, bereavement, etc., please telephone Barbara Diskowski (1-925938-7374) so an appropriate message may be sent. If you know of a member who is homebound, please let Barbara know so that she can lighten their hearts and brighten their day and let them know they have friends who care.

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