DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 The Slate rict Dist 10 RT O Mary Jane MacArthur *PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE * DISTRICT 10 EXECUTIVE President Mary Jane MacArthur As I prepare this report the beginning of April, the snow is slowly melting and I can see the spring flowers attempting to make their way through the frozen soil. It has been an extremely cold winter and all of us are desperately in need of some warmer weather. Nothing lifts one’s spirits like sunshine, rising temperatures and the signs of spring. At the District 10 Executive meeting held in March, we were informed that our revised Constitution had been approved by RTO Provincial. Please see the amendments to the Constitution that appear in this newsletter. These amendments will be voted on at our AGM which is being hosted by the Dufferin Unit on May 28th, 2015 at the Ag Hall in Shelburne. We are thrilled to have June Szeman, President of RTO/ERO Provincial, as our guest speaker. June will come prepared to share the latest news from the Provincial office and to answer any questions our District 10 members may have. I hope to see many of you there for a delicious meal and for the opportunity to connect with friends. District 10 is pleased to support a Project Service to Others application submitted by the Dufferin Unit this year titled, “Intergenerational Writing”. This worthwhile project will link elementary school students with seniors in the Orangeville area who will share their stories so that the students may create memory books for each of them. This application will be sent to the Provincial STO Committee by the first of June for funding consideration and a decision should be forthcoming by the first week of September. I am attending a Presidents’ Workshop on April 19th and 20th in Toronto. The theme of t h i s y e a r ’s w o r k s h o p i s “ B u i l d i n g Relationships”. We will be discussing strategies for engaging District members. In addition, we will be provided with updates on Group Insurance Plans, a new Code of Conduct and the use of social media. One of our mandates this year is to create a District 10 website in order to better share information with our members. I am looking forward to bringing back as much information as I can which may assist with this process. District 10 is once again providing a Community Service Award in the amount of $100 to one deserving recipient at each of the seventeen public and Catholic secondary schools located in Bruce, Grey and Dufferin Counties this year. We are encouraging [email protected] 705-352-0673 1st Vice President & Political Advocacy Donna Henderson [email protected] 519-942-0917 Secretary Jan Chamberlain [email protected] 519-371-3559 Treasurer Pat Lamb [email protected] 519-323-3767 Membership Pat Kalapaca [email protected] 519-928-5396 Health & Insurance Shirley Greenwood [email protected] 519-369-3035 Newsletter Editor Laurie James [email protected] 519- 371-0063 Pension & Retirement Bill O’Sullivan [email protected] 519-925-5515 Past President Malcolm Beddoe [email protected] 519-369-2012 PAGE 1 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS each of the schools to choose a student who has volunteered with seniors within their community if at all possible. District 10 will be hosting a Pre Senate meeting at the Guelph Golf and Country Club on May 6th for Senators and Observers attending Senate from May 11th to 13th, 2015 in Toronto. Donna Henderson and Malcolm Beddoe will be attending as our hosts and Senate representatives. Unfortunately, I am unable to attend Spring Senate as my stepson is getting married that week in the Dominican Republic. I look forward to hearing all that I missed upon my return. Shirley Greenwood SPRING 2015 District 10 is hosting a Retirement and Pension Workshop on April 18th at the Chesley Administration Centre. At this point, we have had numerous online registrations from educational personnel planning to retire from Bruce, Grey and Dufferin. We anticipate an informative day of presentations by Provincial RPW Committee and Johnson Insurance representatives. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Annual General Meeting and luncheon on May 28th. In the meantime, enjoy these longer days and the increasing sunshine. * HEALTH & INSURANCE * If you are thinking of traveling out of province this summer these are things that Alliance Global Assistance suggests that you should keep in mind. 1. Using the pre-trip assistance provided by Allianz can help in pre-planning: telephone numbers to access Allianz in respective countries, required inoculations, travel advisories, and visa requirements. 2. A physician’s consent to travel does not establish your medical stability nor override the definition of “sudden and unforeseen.” 3. This insurance is intended to cover you for a sudden and unforeseen medical emergency. The intent of the travel plan is to stabilize members and return them to their home province for on-going care. It is important to emphasize that members cannot remain on their trip for continued care if they are stable and can be safely transported to their home province. Stroke is the number three killer of Canadians and not enough Canadians recognize the signs of stroke. As a result the Heart and Stroke Foundation has launched a new national campaign to raise awareness based on the acronym FAST. FAST stands for: Face - is it drooping? Arms - can you raise both? Speech - is it slurred or jumbled? Time - to call 911 or your local emergency service right away An article supplied by the Heart and Stroke Foundation will appear in the summer 2015 edition of Health Matters. The provincial Health and Insurance Committee reports that RTO/ERO Group Benefits holds the market share for education retirees: 8 in 10 for whom an OTPP pension deduction is made for their benefits premium payment continue to choose RTO/ ERO. I have been the District and Unit Health convenor for about the last 14 years and I feel that it is time I gave someone else the chance to do this fulfilling work. I am willing to work with anyone who is interested in taking over this job. Please contact me and I can send you a copy of the Roles and Responsibilities for the district or unit health rep. Shirley Greenwood [email protected] or 519-369-3035 PAGE 2 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 AMENDMENTS TO DISTRICT 10’S CONSTITUTION 1) 2.23 Duties of the Secretary and Treasurer b) The Treasurer shall: iii) allocate the funds when they are received from RTO/ERO according to the following procedures: Amount to each unit is based on the proposed budget submitted annually by the units on or before April 30. Monies coming back to the units will be based on the proposed budgets and 50% will be deposited to each unit by February 28 and June 30. The proposed annual budget is not to exceed the amount distributed by the District Treasurer in the preceding year unless agreed upon by the District Executive. The remaining balance from Provincial RTO/ERO remains with the District. 2) Duties of the District Executive 2.16 The following procedures will be used when an electronic vote is taken by the Executive between Executive meetings: i) the President or designate shall propose a motion with rationale and email it to the Executive; ii) members of the Executive shall vote by return email via reply all within five days of receipt of the motion; iii) a quorum of the Executive must vote on the motion or it is deemed lost; iv) the President shall declare the motion passed or lost and inform the Executive; v) the motion and its disposition shall be reported as information at the next Executive meeting and the minutes shall include the report. These two amendments to the Constitution shall be voted on by the District 10 RTO membership in attendance at the Annual General Meeting to be held May 28th, 2015 at the AG Hall in Shelburne, Ontario commencing at 11:00 a.m. DISTRICT 10 ANNUAL MEETING Thursday, May 28, 2015 Ag Hall, Shelburne 10:00 Social R.S.V.P. to Pat Lamb 519-323-3767 or 10:30 Meeting 12:00 Lunch 12:45 Speaker [email protected] Send your cheques to: Pat Lamb #103 - 440 Durham St. West, Mt. Forest, ON N0G 2L1 PAGE 3 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS Pat Kalapaca SPRING 2015 * MEMBERSHIP * Thank you to Sheila Mudge and Roberta Davidson, my counterparts in Bruce/Grey for Membership and Goodwill, and to all the captains in the communities who help with Goodwill. In Dufferin, June Maycock, Nancy Noble and Judy Smart look after Goodwill. Thank you all. My reports to the membership are rather boring, I suspect, but it is important that you be aware of the facts. Our rebate to run the District 10 business is based on our numbers, as are grants to the units. Unit 101 is Bruce/Grey; Unit 102 is Dufferin. I have spent the last 2 years trying to encourage members to update their Unit preference, address and email changes with head office. Our newsletter address labels come from there, so accuracy is vital to you receiving communications. With our last newsletter, NO mailings were returned! Please contact [email protected] with any update. Bruce/Grey Unit 101 has 1236 full members and 134 associate members. Since December, 2014, 11 members have passed away. Dufferin Unit 102 has 255 full members and 32 associate members. There were 2 deaths in the same time period. So the District has 1481 full members * PENSION NEWS * I am very pleased to bring this report to your attention, especially when the future seems so uncertain at times. "Ontario Teachers' Plan, [Teacher's] today, [March 31st 2015] announced a net rate of return on investments of 11.8% for the year 2014 resulting in net assets to a record $154.5 billion from $140.8 at the end of 2013. “These strong results were achieved in a turbulent investment environment” said Ron Mock, President and Chief Executive Officer. “We will continue to carefully manage the plan's assets to provide retirement security for our members for generations to come. ‘Teachers’ continues to be the leader in pension service among global pension funds, according to CEM Benchmarking Inc., an independent company that measures and 166 associate members, for a total of 1657 members, down 8 since last June.. I have the new retirement packages in hand, so please let Sheila Mudge or me know of anyone retiring from education and we’ll get a kit to them. They need to make an informed choice for extended health and travel benefits in retirement. This is my last report as Membership chair. Feel free to contact me with concerns and/or questions. Respectfully submitted, Pat Kalapaca [email protected] 519-928-5396 We remember: Mary Chatterton Elsie R. Wilkins E. Jean Wagner Malcolm B. McLeod Igor Sokur Marie E. Morris Vern E. Norman Franklin W. Meredith Robert S. Rourke Dale Haldenby Harold J. Henry Douglas McKee Kenneth R. Trumpour performance of global pension funds. The plan's Quality Service Index was 9.2 out of 10 in 2014. The OTPP is the largest single-profession plan in Canada. An independent organization, it invests the pension fund's assets and administers the pensions of 311,000 active and retired teachers in Ontario.” The Retirement Pension Workshop slated for April 18th at the Bluewater Board of Education in Chesley has 44 participants as of April 7th. If you know of anyone who wishes to be more informed about retirement choices in the future over the next 5 years let them know that we will be running another workshop next year. Anyone who has questions may email me at - [email protected] or call 519-369-2012 Submitted by Malcolm Beddoe PAGE 4 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS Donna Henderson SPRING 2015 * POLITICAL ADVOCACY REPORT * Maybe winter is taking its cool self away to other climes and we can get out our community hats and make a difference to our municipalities. Get involved with something as simple as clean ups or something as strenuous as supporting a Federal candidate. These are just a few highlights that have come from the Provincial Political Advocacy Committee Liaison Report for our District that might be of interest to you. • O n t a r i o ’s p r o v i n c i a l h i g h s c h o o l graduation rate has increased, with more students gaining the skills and knowledge they need to thrive and prosper. • Ontario is kicking off the third year of an innovative pilot that brings schools and local farmers together to raise funds for schools with healthy foods. Ontario is supporting celebrations across the province to connect residents and visitors with the spirit and cultural diversity of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. On June 11, torchbearers in the Pan Am Torch Relay will carry the flame through Meaford and Owen Sound and Larisa Yurkiew, our Olympic Skier, will be the bearer. On June 12, torchbearers will carry it through Markdale, and on to stops in Flesherton, Shelburne, Mono, and Orangeville. On Saturday, June 13, the torch will stop in Palgrave, Bolton, Inglewood, Belfountain, Alton and Caledon East. The equestrian events take place at Will O’ Wind Farm in Mono and at the Caledon Pan Am Equestrian Park in Palgrave. Plan on volunteering or visiting some of the venues. • Ontario birth certificates will now be more durable and secure, thanks to a new polymer material and innovative security features that make them difficult to counterfeit and easier to verify. • Ontario is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the largest permanently protected greenbelt in the world and looking to the future by reviewing the land use plans of southern Ontario. The Greenbelt protects farmland, green space and clean water. I mentioned this grant in a previous newsletter but want to once again remind you that if you are volunteering for a community group, the demographic of the group might work for this grant. The grant is the Ontario Seniors Community Grant Program. This grant can be applied for by a not-for-profit group that encourages greater social inclusion and community engagement for seniors across the province. Supporting these Games is part of the government's economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people's talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives, and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire. We all know that there will be a Federal election in the Fall. Volunteer in whatever way you can. Sometimes it can be as simple as taking more senior people to the polling stations to vote. Organize questions for community debates or when discussing your issues with family and friends. Examine the issues that affect our District and our lives. But above all VOTE. PAGE 5 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 * More Pension News * For the second consecutive year the Ontario Teachers Plan has shown a surplus. As reported in the 2014 report to members, the Plan has a 6.8 billion dollar surplus and represents 104% funding based on current benefit and contribution levels. In 2014 OTF and the Ontario government filed a funding valuation with the regulators using a $5.1 billion preliminary surplus to partially restore inflation protection for those members with service after 2009 (including recent retirees). Members will be notified should the sponsors decide to file the latest funding report with the regulatory authorities. Some interesting facts outlined in this report are: Average age of teacher 42 Average age of pensioner 71 Number of pensioners age 100 years or more 135 Ratio of active teachers to pensioners in 1990 4 to 1 Ratio of active teachers to pensioners in 2014 1.4 to 1 Have a very healthy and enjoyable summer. Submitted by Bill O'Sullivan Arts & Crafts Legacy Show 2nd During March, the Owen Sound Artists` Co-op hosted a secondary school art and craft show. Grade 11 and grade 12 students enrolled in secondary schools from both the Bluewater Board and the Separate School Board were invited to enter their art work. The entries were excellent. Over 70 entries were received and the judges had a difficult time selecting the students for the gallery show held in the Legacy Gallery of the Co-op during March. The quality of the the students` work indicates the creative talent of the young artists in our secondary schools. 1st The Artists` Co-op would like to recognize the financial support from the Bruce/Grey Retired Teachers. Our Unit donated $200 for prizes. The prize money went to the following categories: a) 1st Prize-3D ($100) Olivia Conway - K.D.S.S. - Title - “Timid Creature” b) Curator`s Choice ($75) Jessie Nusselder - S.D.S.S. - Title - “Within” c) People`s Choice $75 ($25 from RTO) Bethany Boville - S.D.S.S. - Title - “Portrait” INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING???? The Wiarton and District Family Literacy Association could use your help!! If you are interested in tutoring or in supervising young tutors and learners, or if you are technologically inclined and are interested in computer maintenance, we could use your help! Please contact us at 519 534 4040, or email us at [email protected] website is www.wiartonfamilyliteracy.com PAGE 6 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 FACTS SHEETS B-4 Spouse’s Allowance and Allowance for Survivor The following may be particularly useful to you. They are available (for RTO/ERO members only) at: https://www.ero-rto.org/fact-sheets C-4 Mail Order Pharmacy Programs C-1 Assistive Devices program and Home Oxygen Program C-5 Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) Program B-1 Canada Pension Plan C-6 Special Drugs Program B-2 Guaranteed Income Supplement C-7 Telehealth Ontario B-3 Old Age Security C-8 Trillium Drug Program * MEMBERSHIP * Calling All New Retirees If you or someone you know is retiring in the near future, we need you! Everyone in our unit benefits if we grow and attract new members, so we all need to work together to see that potential members receive the facts they need. Our fees are extremely reasonable, our social activities allow us to keep in touch with colleagues and friends, our optional insurance plan is recognized as one of the best in the province, and our newsletter keeps us informed. Please send the name and contact information of anyone who is retiring this year to me. It is especially helpful if you know a home address, phone number or email address, since a school contact only allows me to be in touch before the end of June. Sheila Mudge 519 363-5556 or [email protected] WINE TOUR - GEORGIAN HILLS WINERY A social afternoon planned by Bruce/Grey Unit RTO/ERO Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 1:00 pm Georgian Hills is located at 496350 Grey Road 2, The Blue Mountains, Ontario A tour of the winery and its operation will be followed by a wine tasting with a cheese tray. Cost of the tour, wine tasting and cheese tray is $18.00 -to be collected at the Winery. We plan to car pool. Meet at Heritage Place parking lot behind Kelsey’s Restaurant at 12:00 noon. Please contact Don Sankey to register and sign up for the car pool by May 25. [email protected] or 519-376-1348 PAGE 7 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 FORE TED ONTARIO TEACHERS’ GOLF TOURNAMENT Monday, July 6, 2015 Shotgun Start 1 pm Legacy Ridge Golf Club, Owen Sound, Ontario Cost $125.00 Format: 4 Golfer Team Scramble Registration includes: lunch, buffet dinner, 18 holes, golf cart, a prize and a bonus: a free round of golf at Legacy Golf Club (Sunday afternoon) To register or for more details contact Don Sankey- [email protected] or Larry Kreis- [email protected] This tournament is being dedicated to the memory of Ted Hopper. The Goodwill Committee Needs your Help! We are searching for a Goodwill Captain in the Owen Sound area. If you could spare an hour or two per month to help brighten the day of some of our most senior RTO/ERO members by recognizing a birthday with a card, or sending a get well or thinking of you card, please contact; Roberta Davidson, 519 534-2903, [email protected] or Sheila Mudge, 519 363-5556, [email protected] WHAT ARE THEY DOING NOW? During the winter months in Florida, I direct a keyboard orchestra. Yes, 25 keyboards playing at the same time !!! It sounds like you might need a minor miracle to stay together but we have developed a system where the lead keyboard plays the bass guitar and drums through an amplifier and all the remaining players must keep with the beat and add the melody and harmony. We develop our songs with different backgrounds that are in the keyboards. We decide which group of instruments play the lead or harmony, etc. ( flute ,strings, brass, guitars,) We get quite creative with what sounds best. I've developed a full orchestra sound for the climax of many songs. We now have a repertoire of 200 songs that we can play almost perfectly. We don't worry about mistakes since we are all seniors and have our "moments". We have been doing two programs a season for the last 14 years. Who can do this? You need a leader with some musical background and players with about grade three reading level in music. Oh yes, we all have our own Yamaha keyboards so we can help each other along. An investment of a few hundred dollars is required unless you get some seed money to purchase a few keyboards to share. These keyboards are like little computers . We enjoy the process of producing beautiful music and the creative process. We practise once per week. If you could find a group of about four people to start rehearsing in a home or church hall, choose three or four easy songs to start with and you will be amazed at the results. This is a very enjoyable past time and before long you can play for groups, churches or singsongs. For more information about starting a group, email Vera at [email protected] Submitted by Vera Struthers PAGE 8 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS SPRING 2015 CAROUSEL Drayton Theatre Tuesday, May 26, 2015 This trip is full but you may contact Laurie James, to be put on the waiting list. [email protected] or 519-371-0063 Medieval Times and Casa Loma Day Trip This trip is currently not scheduled. Watch for a new schedule in 2016. Wednesday, October 7, 2015 Performed at the Avon Theatre in Stratford, the musical Carousel features music and lyrics by Rodgers and Hammerstein. "Against the backdrop of a sun-drenched New England summer, a pair of starcrossed lovers, carnival barker Billy Bigelow and millworker Julie Jordan, discover the power of love to transcend turmoil and even time itself in a show graced by a luscious score, filled with soaring melodies and unforgettable lyrics". The coach will depart from Staples in OS at 8:30 a.m. with pickups along Highway 6. After the matinee, dinner will be at the Crystal (formerly King's) Buffet restaurant in Stratford. Cost: - for coach and theatre $111.70 Make cheque out to Tourmasters - for dinner, bus driver gratuity and taxes $28.60 Make cheque out to District 10 RTO Travel Please note: this is a new price and refunds will be given to those already paid Cheques may be postdated to August 15, 2015 Waivers will be sent out to you when you register your seat with Kay Simpson. [email protected] or 519-371-3990 Mail cheques and waivers as soon as possible to: Kay Simpson 990 10th Ave. East, Owen Sound, ON N4K 3 H7 6 Day Gettysburg & Philadelphia Excursion 6 Day Corning, Washington & Baltimore Excursion June 21 – June 26, 2015 September 28 – October 3, 2015 Tour includes: Gettysburg Battlefield, Independence Visitor Centre, National Constitution Centre, Liberty Bell Centre, Congress Hall, Independence Hall and the Welcome Park. A 24 hr pass on a Jump on, Jump off Trolley Tour where you can explore a variety of historical and interest areas including: Betsy Ross House, Chinatown, Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter & St. Paul, Rodin Museum, Museum of Art, Rocky Steps, Penn’s Landing and the Eastern State Penitentiary is part of the package. A visit to the beautiful Longwood Gardens will complete our last day in Philadelphia. Tour includes: Corning Museum of Glass and the Glass Market Café in Corning before travelling on to Washington. Arlington Cemetery, Pentagon Memorial and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the home of the first president of the US are some of the highlights we will see in Washington. Also on the itinerary are the Torpedo Art Centre where 160 professional artisans work and the historic homes and museums of Alexandria. A day to explore the Smithsonian and dinner, an opportunity to eat at one of the 100 places at Union Station and a Monuments by Mooonlight Trolley Tour will end the day. The last day in the area will include a Harbour Cruise in Baltimore and a visit to Maryland’s 9/11 Memorial. Price includes: Coach, Tour Guide, supplementary insurance, 5 breakfasts and 1 dinner, gratuities for guide and driver, and hotel. It is based on a minimum of 35 participants. Double Occupancy - $1290 Single Occupancy $ 1630 Please send a deposit of $500, immediately, made out to MacDonald’s Tours, to Jan Chamberlain, 189 Somers St., RR 7, Owen Sound, N4K 6V5 Call (519-371-3559) or e-mail [email protected] for more information and a full itinerary. Price includes: Coach, Tour guide, supplementary insurance, 5 breakfasts and 1 dinner, gratuities for guide and driver, and hotel. It is based on a minimum of 35 participants. Double Occupancy - $1200 Single Occupancy - $1500 Please send a deposit of $500 immediately, made out to MacDonald’s Tours to Jan Chamberlain, 189 Somers St., RR 7, Owen Sound, N4K 6V5. Call (519-371-3559) or e-mail [email protected] for more information, PAGE 9 ! DISTRICT 10 RETIRED TEACHERS ✂ SPRING 2015 DATES TO REMEMBER April 18, 2015 April 28, 2015 May 26, 2015 May 26, 2015 May 28, 2015 June 3, 2015 June 21 - 26, 2015 June 30, 2015 July 6, 2015 July 28, 2015 Sept. 28 - Oct. 3, 2015 Oct. 3, 2015 9:15 9:15 1:00 9:15 9:15 Retirement & Pension Workshop Monthly Recess Coffee Break Legends of Rock & Roll Monthly Recess Coffee Break District 10 Annual General Meeting Wine Tour & Tasting Bus Tour Monthly Recess Coffee Break Fore Ted Golf Tournament Monthly Recess Coffee Break Bus Tour Carousel Chesley Administration Centre Local Coffee Establishments Drayton Local Coffee Establishments Ag Hall, Shelburne Georgian Hills, Thornbury area Gettysburg & Philadelphia Local Coffee Establishments Legacy Ridge, Owen Sound Local Coffee Establishments Corning, Washington & Baltimore Stratford Changed your address or your email? We encourage you to always inform head office of RTO/ERO if you have changed your address or email. Please contact Dianne Vezeau at [email protected] or 1-800-361-9888 ext. 223 District 10 RTO 15 Bielby St. Grand Valley, ON L9W 5M3 Publication Mail-Poste Publication Agreement Number 7107141 Postage Paid
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