LAREA will be meeting at Cedar Creek. Please arrive before 11:15.
For more information about this meeting and future meetings: click here
Monday, January 16, 2023
WELCOME
If you have retired from any position in public education throughout Wisconsin, you are encouraged to join.
Why joining is very important:
1) Our pensions are dependent on the system working. We need to keep uppermost in our minds.
2) We must keep our pension is funded at 106%. It is the best in the United States.
3) The ETF is worth $29 million, and politicians can get tempted to raid it, as has happened in the past. WREA works with two lobbyists who are monitoring and protecting our retirement system.
4) AMBA benefits easily make up for the cost of membership. WREA members, whether retired or still working qualify for these benefits.
Learn more at wrea.net, which is the state organization, or check out this website.
Senior Life Publication: https://www.seniorlifepublications.com
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Programs - Link.
Special Event - Link.
WREA Lobbyists - Link.
WREA website - Link.
Volunteer Hours are important.
Sherry Kloety will be taking over collecting volunteer hours. Hours can be turned in at our monthly meetings, If needed, Sherry’s email is: skloety@centurytel.net or you can text her at: 608-498-3875.
Your volunteering can be anywhere in the community – with our youth (tutoring, volunteer teaching, church youth work), with our community (church activities, care giving, public office, mobile meals, service organizations), with WREA and LAREA (being an officer, attending district meetings, attending workshops and seminars).
There will also be envelopes with recording sheets on the tables at each meeting, where you can record your hours. Later in the year, we will be able to present an oversized "check" to a local/state official, showing the dollar amount of our members' volunteer hours. You can submit any time you have spent helping/assisting others, for which you did not get reimbursed.
Save Menards Receipts for LAREA to use:
A suggestion was made requesting LAREA members who do not use their receipts from Menards for the 11% rebates to donate them to the "We Care Bags" Committee. Combined, these receipts can be used to purchase needed items, especially blankets.
“We Care” Bags - Public Education Outreach Report
The simple equation for this project is ... LAREA Members + Community Supporters + Public School
Workers/Counselors = Many “We Care” Bags for Children in Need.
Our goal is $3000 again this year. Here are some ways you can help this happen:
o Our little donation bags will be on the tables for the next four months.
o Menard’s rebate receipts. (See above information.)
o Recommend community supporters. (With seven school districts being supported, there must be groups from these school districts that would be willing to help.)
o As of now, two of our main supporters are Gundersen Partners and Ashley Furniture; however, we do need to realize that they may not always be there for us as time goes on.
o Sewing bags. (Bags are filled and delivered in October.)
We Care Packages to students experiencing homelessness". Interview link: https://www.wizmnews.com/2022/05/31/la-crosse-retired-educators-group-delivers-we-care-packages-to-students-experiencing-homelessness/
Fireside Chats with Diane Wilcenski: WREA Executive Director, holds Fireside Chats on the 2nd Thursday of the month from 10am to 11am. If you would like to attend, please email Diane at dwilcenski@wrea.net to receive the Zoom link.
or go to votersfirstwi.org and finalfivevoting.info
Educators. We care about you!
The Wisconsin Retired Educators Association have items for you to consider now. The first one is for middle school teachers. The second is for all public school employees.
In-Person Retirement Seminar in the amphitheater at Pertzsch School in Onalaska sponsored by our local La Crosse Area Retired Educators Association. You may be ready or several years from retirement. Learn from your recently retired peers.
A huge thank you to all who assisted at the Retirement Seminars with Diane Wilcenski, WREA Executive, as the presenter:
Organizers: Barb Buswell, Sue Schettle, Margaret Wood.
Helpers: Carol Carlson, Joan Solberg, Kristina Stellpflug
Susan Schettle, President, La Crosse Area Retired Educators Association, 608-780-5824
Annual dues. The good news is there has been NO change in LAREA or WREA dues rates.
According to our records, your LAREA membership expires this fall. One year remains at $20, with $54 for a 3-year membership and $250 for lifetime. Many members add a gift to the LAREA scholarship fund with their payment. Those scholarships go to education students at UW-L and Western, and high school seniors planning education studies.
Your WREA membership also expires on August 1. You may pay your WREA dues directly to them or add them to your LAREA dues and the payment will be forward to WREA. However, please don’t send LAREA dues to WREA!
Note: WREA memberships no longer automatically expire in September. If you renew now, you will receive the full term from your due date, so nothing is lost. You may prefer to wait for the renewal notice from WREA and pay them directly. Whatever is easiest and most convenient for you.
The renewal form and the meeting dates and programs for this year are attached. We encourage you to fill out the form prior to our September 5th meeting and bring it with you to save time. Keep the portion with the programs to add to your calendar! Of course, you can also mail the form and payment.
Can’t print or prefer not to? Forms will be available at the meeting. You may also send your check to Barb Schultz without the form, but please include a note with your name and what dues you are paying if it’s anything more than the $20 LAREA renewal, so she doesn’t have to make any assumptions.
Have you moved, changed your email address or phone number? Please send an email with the new information by responding to this email or fill out the blue change form in September.
Thursday, January 12, 2023
PAST ANNOUNCEMENTS
Final-Five Voting - learn more here...
or go to votersfirstwi.org and finalfivevoting.info
The Short Stories are making a comeback! Contact one of the committee members for more information.
Food Share Boxes for Seniors
The Hunger Task Force has food share boxes available to any 60+ seniors who are having problems with buying food due to low/lost income. If you know of anyone who is in this situation, contact the Hunger Task Force for delivery to their home. (They may need to provide information about their current income.) The attached “stockbox” fliers provide the information needed.
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District 3 news:
Peggy Green is a new co-director for WREA District 3. She will assist eight of the sixteen groups within District 3 from Pierce to Vernon Counties.
Read to Success
Volunteer to read with a third grader for 30-60 minutes once weekly throughout the school year. You'll be matched with the same student to build a relationship. The teacher will have books for you. The Great Rivers United Way coordinates and provides comprehension games to play after reading with you choosing how to utilize them. Contact Julie Nelson at the United Way by clicking the link or call 608-796-1400. Please indicate that you are associated with the La Crosse Area Retired Educators.
Scholarships in Progress.
Barb Myers reports that all schools have been contacted with LAREA scholarship information. This year, our high school scholarship will be awarded to a Holmen High School graduate.
"We Care PROJECT ACCOMPLISHED!! “We Care” packages. "La Crosse retired educators group delivers We Care Packages to students experiencing homelessness". Interview link: https://www.wizmnews.com/2022/05/31/la-crosse-retired-educators-group-delivers-we-care-packages-to-students-experiencing-homelessness/
WREA Convention 2022 Update
At the WREA Convention, it was announced the WREA Membership goals for this year are to bring in 500 new members to achieve 15,000 total members. To do this, a “Membership Blitz” was held in October. Every Monday of the month, WREA hosted a virtual pep rally to encourage membership chairs in their efforts and provide materials and ideas to recruit. We are being asked to contact all lapsed WREA members and prospective members from the last five years preferably by phone, since it is the personal touch that is successful. We are proud to announce that the Membership Blitz for new WREA members recognized La Crosse County and Walworth County tied in October. Please continue your efforts to recruit new members to both WREA and LAREA. Remember that WREA is your pension insurance. We have two lobbyists! Many states have zero. Educational institutions vary in their willingness to names and contact information about retirees with WREA and/or LAREA, which makes it difficult to recruit new members. For more information, go to WREA.net or contact Mary Ann Ekern.
A new initiative aimed at students in Grade 7 through 12 called “Educators Rising” is working to inspire these young people to consider becoming educators as a career.
As mentioned in October, seven LAREA members attended the convention in Pewaukee on September 26-28. Those attending were Carol Carlson, Mary Ann Ekern, Barb Fischer, Peggy Green, Lois Sanwick, Sue Schettle, and Margaret Wood.
Save Menards Receipts and give to LAREA to use:A suggestion was made requesting LAREA members who do not use their receipts from Menards for the 11% rebates to donate them to the "We Care Bags" Committee. Combined, these can be used to purchase needed items, especially blankets.
Volunteer Hours are important. LAREA Volunteer Hours Form: PDF file.
Sherry Kloety will be taking over collecting volunteer hours. Hours can be turned in at our monthly meetings, If needed, Sherry’s email is: skloety@centurytel.net or you can text her at: 608-498-3875.
Please continue to keep track of volunteer hours that you contribute to any organizations including LAREA and WREA. You can compile them and turn them in at a meeting. Sherry will submit them in September of 2023. Include number of hours and the activity or organization to which you donated your time.
These volunteer hours are submitted to our legislators to emphasize the value and the impact of retiree volunteering. Your volunteering can be anywhere in the community – with our youth (tutoring, volunteer teaching, church youth work), with our community (church activities, care giving, public office, mobile meals, service organizations), with WREA and LAREA (being an officer, attending district meetings, attending workshops and seminars).
For the 2019-2020 organizational year, 3,525 service hours were submitted.
For 2020-2021, 2,014 hours were submitted.
Volunteers from the LAREA served over 35 different organizations with their efforts.
________________________________________
WREA Convention 2022 Update
At the WREA Convention, it was announced the WREA Membership goals for this year are to bring in 500 new members to achieve 15,000 total members. To do this, a “Membership Blitz” was held in October. Every Monday of the month, WREA hosted a virtual pep rally to encourage membership chairs in their efforts and provide materials and ideas to recruit. We are being asked to contact all lapsed WREA members and prospective members from the last five years preferably by phone, since it is the personal touch that is successful. We are proud to announce that the Membership Blitz for new WREA members recognized La Crosse County and Walworth County tied in October. Please continue your efforts to recruit new members to both WREA and LAREA. Remember that WREA is your pension insurance. We have two lobbyists! Many states have zero. Educational institutions vary in their willingness to names and contact information about retirees with WREA and/or LAREA, which makes it difficult to recruit new members. For more information, go to WREA.net or contact Mary Ann Ekern.
A new initiative aimed at students in Grade 7 through 12 called “Educators Rising” is working to inspire these young people to consider becoming educators as a career.
As mentioned in October, seven LAREA members attended the convention in Pewaukee on September 26-28. Those attending were Carol Carlson, Mary Ann Ekern, Barb Fischer, Peggy Green, Lois Sanwick, Sue Schettle, and Margaret Wood.
Save Menards Receipts and give to LAREA to use:
A suggestion was made requesting LAREA members who do not use their receipts from Menards for the 11% rebates to donate them to the "We Care Bags" Committee. Combined, these can be used to purchase needed items, especially blankets.
Volunteer Hours are important.
LAREA Volunteer Hours Form: PDF file.
Sherry Kloety will be taking over collecting volunteer hours. Hours can be turned in at our monthly meetings, If needed, Sherry’s email is: skloety@centurytel.net or you can text her at: 608-498-3875.
Please continue to keep track of volunteer hours that you contribute to any organizations including LAREA and WREA. You can compile them and turn them in at a meeting. Sherry will submit them in September of 2023. Include number of hours and the activity or organization to which you donated your time.
These volunteer hours are submitted to our legislators to emphasize the value and the impact of retiree volunteering. Your volunteering can be anywhere in the community – with our youth (tutoring, volunteer teaching, church youth work), with our community (church activities, care giving, public office, mobile meals, service organizations), with WREA and LAREA (being an officer, attending district meetings, attending workshops and seminars).
For the 2019-2020 organizational year, 3,525 service hours were submitted.
For 2020-2021, 2,014 hours were submitted.
Volunteers from the LAREA served over 35 different organizations with their efforts.
WE CARE PACKAGES 2021 update. Thank you for all you have done! We and the children appreciate you! In record time 200 We Care bags, to assist children in crisis, were packaged and disseminated to area elementary school social workers last week. Bags will be started for middle and high school level students with packaging planned in January/February. Contact Mary Henthorne if you would like to purchase items or assist with the project. Email mjhen@acegroup.cc or call 507-896-6226.
Congratulations and Thanks to Members! Mary Henthorne was honored with a WXOW Jefferson Award. Like a Nobel Prize for Volunteerism, the award recognized Mary for her dedicated work on the ‘We Care Packages’ project. She in turn recognized her fellow volunteers and shone light on LAREA.
Once again…thank you to Nancy Boehm, Lynn Lange, Mary Henthorne. On September 9th, after the Zoom meeting some people met with the committee in La Crosse’s Southside ShopKo parking lot to drop off supplies. We have gotten monetary donations from LAREA members and the community. So, if you are willing to shop for these items, keep your receipts, turn them over to Barb Schultz, and she will reimburse you.
2021 WREA Convention Videos click here
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We Care Congratulations 2020. Mary Henthorne acknowledges the numerous supporters/sponsors of the We Care project this year at the following link.
She also mentions that, through Mike Foster, we received an anonymous donation of 21 tied blankets and 6 quilts for elementary school age children. The great work that many of you have done to expand the We Care project this year, included bags designed for middle & high school students in addition to elementary age children. Way to go!!!
She also mentions that, through Mike Foster, we received an anonymous donation of 21 tied blankets and 6 quilts for elementary school age children. The great work that many of you have done to expand the We Care project this year, included bags designed for middle & high school students in addition to elementary age children. Way to go!!!
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LAREA "We Care" 2019 given Award - Link
LAREA "We Care" 2019 given Award - Link
Three Meal Sites. You must register in advance for seating.
Three Meal Sites. You must register in advance for seating.
- Saint Andrew Street Site M-F 11:30 608-789-8640 or 608-519-2088
- Onalaska Community Center M-F 11:30
- Holmen Area Community Center M-F 11:00 & 12:00 608-399-1870
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Welcome: All who have retired from any position in public education in Wisconsin encouraged to join. To learn more about the group check out this website or the state organization at wrea.net
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