Local retired educators group kicks off new year
The Calhoun Gordon County Retired Educators Association kicked off the year with an inside picnic, due to Hurricane Irma, for the September meeting. Wesley Chapel United Methodist Church hosted the group. New retirees and new members, Toni and Brian Queen, were welcomed. Local Unit President, Netha Dunlap, welcomed members and Barbara Howard, GREA Area 16 District Director, to the meeting.
Meeting dates and projects for the year were discussed. Meeting dates to mark on your calendars are: Oct. 11, 2017 at the Gordon County Historical Society; Nov. 8, 2017 ( annual Auction to benefit the Scholarship Foundation) at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Calhoun campus; Dec. 13, 2017 at Calhoun United Methodist Church; Feb. 14, 2018 at the Calhoun Gordon County Library; March 14, 2018 at Barbara and Charles Long’s Daffodil Farm in Fairmount; May 16, 2018 at Jim Lay’s Home and Garden. A meet and greet time begins at 10 a. m. for each meeting with the business meeting beginning at 10: 30 a. m.
The unit has nearly 100 members with the numbers still rising. CGCREA and GREA continues to seek retirees of the Calhoun City Schools and the Gordon County Schools in hopes that they join the unit. More than two hundred retirees are still “missing in action.” Membership is open to administrators, teachers and staff of both systems. Joining CGCREA and the state organization, GREA, provides a strong and loud voice to state leaders. The state organization is over 27,000 members strong. When GREA speaks, legislators listen. Members also have the option of obtaining vision and/ or dental insurance coverage.
State President, Myrtice Johnson, has initiated a project to assist Shriners Children’s Hospital this year. The local unit is assisting. Canned drink tabs will also be collected this year. Members were also reminded to be getting auction items ready for November.
The local unit continues to help students have a better start to school. Members brought school supplies to the September meeting. These supplies will be delivered to the advocates for each system and given out as needed to the students.