1. education
2. school

Greater Bridgeport
Retired Teachers Association
FALL, 2014
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From the President’s Desk
Dear Colleagues,
Officers and
Committee Chairs
2
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Fall Trips Planned
2
Shoebox Project
3
Menus for Fall Meetings
3
Scholarship Winners
3
Teachers know that the New Year begins with Back to School sales, continues with
meetings and professional development activities and reaches its high point when you spot
the first yellow school bus practicing its run.
With that in mind, I’m sharing a few New Year’s resolutions with you.
Check out those back to school sales and stock up on supplies for GBRTA’s Shoebox
project. In November we’ll be collecting those boxes for shipment to needy children
throughout the world through the auspices of Billy Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse.
See page 2 for more details.
Pay attention to the Connecticut legislature’s November elections. Know the
candidate’s position on implementing the promised 10% reduction of the
Connecticut income tax on your pension. Does the candidate support the State’s
statutory contribution to your Health Insurance Premium Account? Past
legislatures have set that aside, claiming that the account was healthy and the full
contribution could be omitted from the budget. (We all know what happens
when we stop putting money into our checking account and keep writing checks!)
Get ready for the Teachers Retirement Board’s changes to prescription
drug coverage on January 1. The switch will be from Caremark to Express
Scripts. The TRB will be sending multiple mailings – ranging from a FAQ
sheet in September to a 100+ page booklet in late October listing of
President Barbara Kmetz and First Vice-President Bob
Pitzschler thank Reverend M. Todd Shipley, the guest
speaker at the Memorial Service in May.
pharmacies in the network and the formulary. GBRTA knows how unlikely
it is that each of us will read and understand the documents, so we’ve
made it easier for you. Our November 13th meeting will feature Dr. Joe Fields,
insurance consultant to the TRB and architect of the new plan. Special note: Dr.
Fields is probably the only person who understands the full plan! Membership cards
and forms for mail orders will arrive in late November/early December.
Do something special for yourself. Take advantage of the trips offered by the
GBRTA. See the full descriptions on page 2 and on our website at www.gbrta.org.
Join your colleagues at the Association of Retired Teachers fall general meeting on
October 21. GBRTA is an affiliate of ARTC— a state-wide organization focused on
protecting your pension and health insurance benefits. ARTC’s president, Tom
Singleton, will be at the GBRTA October 9th meeting to discuss legislative concerns.
New Year, new beginnings. Happiness and health to each of you.
Barbara Kmetz
Photo by Helen Scinto
Help the Shoebox Project Again in 2014
New GBRTF officers are 1st Vice-President, Gloria Francesconi;
Corresponding Secretary, Carolyn Dzurka; President, Andrew Figlar;
Treasurer, Jo-Ann Olsen; 2nd Vice-President, Walter Drozeck; Absent from
photo: Recording Secretary, Mary McIntyre.
GBRTA OFFICERS 2014-2015
President:
Varied Trips Scheduled for Fall
203-268-8814
[email protected]
1st Vice-President: Bob Pitzschler
203-723-8488
[email protected]
2nd Vice-President: Pat Yacovacci
203-371-7158
[email protected]
Treasurer:
Bonnie Drozeck
203-929-4940
[email protected]
Recording Sec.:
Helen Scinto
203-375-1921
[email protected]
Corresponding Sec.: Sandra Petrucelli-Carbone
203-463-8404
[email protected]
Barbara Kmetz
CHAIRS OF STANDING COMMITTEES
Activities
Chaplain
Communications
Health Insurance
Investments
Legislative
Lunches
Deborah Ruby
Lucille Baver
Catherine Larson
Roz Schoonmaker
Virginia Loch
Greta Stanford
Barbara Chuga
Kathleen Feller
Member Services Peggy Vaugh
Membership
Eleanor Gonzalez
Parliamentarian Gloria Francesconi
Newsletter
Helen Scinto
Scholarships
Marilyn Mitchell
Social Services Veronica Hendrick
Trips
Lois Hoyt
Pat Jacobson
At the November GBRTA meeting, Social Services chair
Ronnie Hendrick will again be collecting shoeboxes filled with
gifts for needy children around the world. The boxes will be
distributed through Samaritan’s Purse, a charity headed by
Franklin Graham. To participate in the Shoebox Project just fill
an ordinary shoebox with small toys and personal objects for a
child ages 2- 4, 5-9, or 10-14. Label the box with the sex and
age of the child. Boxes may be decorated but not sealed. Some
gift suggestions are school supplies such as pens, pencils,
sharpeners, erasers, crayons, solar calculators, coloring books;
toys like small cars, balls, stuffed animals, jump ropes, yo-yos;
hygiene items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs, bar soap
(in a plastic bag); and sundry items like socks, hair clips,
flashlights (with extra batteries), chewing gum. Do NOT
include war-related items, chocolate or food, liquids or lotions,
any breakable, glass or aerosol items. Monetary contributions
to defray shipping costs ($7 per box) will be solicited at the
November meeting. If you have questions, contact Ronnie at
203-795-6606.
203-373-9256
203-459-0708
203-491-2275
203-264-9161
203-255-5246
203-878-8081
203-268-4535
203-380-1945
203-452-8219
203-366-2246
203-268-4985
203-375-1921
203-261-4767
203-795-6606
203-261-6693
203-374-7471
Co-chairs Lois Hoyt (203-261-6693/ [email protected]) and Pat
Jacobsen (203-374-9217/ [email protected]) have planned
a variety of fall trips. Contact them for reservations and check
the website (www.gbrta.org) for up-to-date information.
•October 15-17, 2014
Millennium Sight and Sound Theater, Lancaster, PA
3 days in PA: “Moses” and much more
Cost: $455 pp. double; $440 pp. triple; $579 single
Includes bus, shows, lodging at Country Inn of Lancaster, PA,
2 breakfasts, 2 dinners, admissions, gratuities
Optional trip insurance-$32 or $42 per person
Payment due by September 6, 2014
•October 21, 2014
“Octoberfest” at Platzl Brauhaus, Pomona, NY
$85 includes bus, lunch, festivities, gratuity
Payment due by September 10, 2014
•October 30, 2014
“South Pacific” at Westchester Broadway Theatre
$93 includes bus, lunch, show, gratuity
Payment due by September 20, 2014
•November 6, 2014
“It’s All about the 50’s”
Costa Azzurra, Milford, CT
(Formerly at Dock and Dine)
$65 includes bus, lunch, show, gratuity
$35 without transportation
Payment due by October 3, 2014
•December 2, 2014
Christmas Show at Cinzano’s in Fairfield
$51 includes lunch and show
11:00 AM—No bus
Payment due by November 3, 2014
.
IN BRIEF
Join Us for Lunch
Join Us for Lunch
Testo’s Restaurant, Bridgeport, CT
October 9, 2014
Honey baked ham
Chicken piccata
Baked sole oreganda
$21
Reserve by 10/3
Cancel by 10/7
November 13, 2014
Turkey with dressing
Sole with lemon
Roast beef with gravy
$21
Reserve by 11/7
Cancel by 11/11
December 11, 2014
Prime rib au jus
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Salmon with dill sauce
$25
Reserve by 12/5
Cancel by 12/9
•Make checks payable to GBRTA. Note date and menu choice on check. Only one date per
check. Checks must accompany reservations. No checks accepted at the door.
•Members may attend the GBRTA meeting without staying for lunch. Meetings start at 10:30
AM. Reservations required only for lunch.
Program: Tom Singleton
ARTC Issues
Program: Dr. Joe Fields
TRB Insurance
Program: Trumbull HS
Chamber Singers
•Reserve/cancel with:
Barbara Chuga, 27 Kitcher Court, Trumbull, CT 06611 (203-268-4535, [email protected])
Kathleen Feller, 35 Cameo Road, Stratford, CT 06614 (203-380-1945, [email protected])
Area Graduates Receive GBRTA Scholarships
Graduates of fifteen Greater Bridgeport area high schools recently received
GBRTA scholarships in the amount of $1100 each. These awards were based on
scholarship, leadership, and plans to pursue a career in education.
Congratulations to the recipients of the 2014 awards: Bassick, Vochan Fowler;
Bullard-Havens, Nashelly Aquino; Bunnell, Alexandrea Sajda; Central, Jose Lopez;
Fairfield Ludlowe, Elizabeth Revay; Fairfield Warde, William Jeffries; Foran, Lauren
Alberti; Harding, Luis Ortiz; Joel Barlow, Tara Dooley; Jonathan Law, Matthew
Capobianco; Masuk, Sarah Dezlin; Platt Tech, Luis Almodovar; Shelton, Franki
Russo; Stratford, Nora Scott; Trumbull, Rebecca Feurerberg.
2014-2015 MEETING DATES
• Please contact Member
Services chairperson Peggy
Vaugh (203-452-8219)
whenever you know of a
member who is hospitalized,
shut-in, or homebound.
• Notify Eleanor Gonzalez at
203-366-2246 or at
[email protected] if you
change you phone number
or address.
• Around October 1, look
for a very important letter
explaining the insurance and
health care benefits offered
to you by the Greater
Bridgeport Retired Teachers
Fund (GBRTF).
• Check the mailing label on
your newsletter. The date
next to your name tells
when your dues are payable.
For most people that is July
1. Lifetime members are so
designated.
• The scholarship winner at
Jonathan Law is the grandson
of GBRTA member Roger
Capobianco.
In Memoriam
GBRTA
General Meetings
10:30 AM
GBRTA
Executive Board
10:00 AM
GBRTF
Executive Board
10:00 AM
October 9, 2014
November13, 2014
December 11, 2014
April 9, 2014
May 14, 2014
September 18, 2014
September 3, 2014
November 5, 2014
March 4, 2015
May 14, 2015 (annual)
June 3, 2015
October 23, 2014
December 4, 2014
March 26, 2014
April 23, 2014
• The fall meeting of CEA-R
is September 16 at Aquaturf
in Southington. Contact the
CEA office at 860-725-6337.
The ARTC fall meeting is
October 21, also at
Aquaturf. For details call the
ARTC office at
866-343-2782.
Philip Granger
Ethel Bede
Jane Levinsky
Rita Murphy
Norma Clark
Denise O’Connor
Phyllis Kriksciun
Richard Scinto
Jean Shelton
Rose Marie Barone
Katherine Barrett
Claude Phillips
5/31/14
6/5/14
6/5/14
6/18/14
6/25/14
7/12/14
7/23/14
7/24/14
7/25/14
7/27/14
7/31/14
8/10/14
GBRTA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Annual Dues: $20 (credited toward Life Membership). Life Membership: $250
Membership year runs from July 1-June 30. Please keep your dues current. Anyone behind in dues for two years or
more will be dropped from the membership file and must repay two-years’ back dues to be reinstated.
Mail form and dues (payable to GBRTA) to Eleanor Gonzalez, 72 Roseville Street, Fairfield, CT 06825-4220.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------Name _________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________________________________________________
City____________________________________________ State _______________ Zip code __________________
Phone _________________________________________ E-mail__________________________________________
Year retired _____________________________ School system __________________________________________
Amt. Enclosed $_________________________
New Member ________________
Renewal ________________