National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
December 2014
Volume 58 - Number 8
TUCSON CHAPTER 55
11200 S Sierrita Mtn Rd #338
Tucson, AZ 85736-1434
President 546-4947
“OLDEST CHAPTER IN ARIZONA”
Dianne Williams
[email protected]
The month of November we celebrate Veterans, those
serving now and who have served before. Our meeting
was dedicated to them. Remember to thank veterans
throughout the year, as we want them all to know we are
grateful for their service.
Open season for FEHB is in full swing. Every retired
and active Federal employee needs to review their
current plan and choose a new one if things have
changed. You have until Dec. 8th to decide to change or
not.
Many members of our Tucson Chapters are busy
participating in all the Health Fairs to recruit new
members. But you don’t have to attend a fair to recruit!
Remember, YOU can earn $20 from now until Dec. 31st
for each new member you recruit.
The Christmas luncheon is getting closer – have you
RSVP’d to Nola or sent in your payment? Please do it
soon as you only have a few days. We need an accurate
count Dec. 1st. See you there! Happy Holidays!
..........Dianne
1st Vice President –
Wally Ostby
909-3561
[email protected]
The Holiday Party on 8 December will again have Roxanna
Baker entertain us with Holiday favorites on her accordion.
Scheduled speaker for January 12th is Jennifer Phelps, Ms.
Fixit: Downsizing and organizing your house.
Margaret and Jim Carlson get ready to join the
White Elephant Parade in Green Valley with their
NARFE-logo pick-up truck.
Service Officer 628-7491
Nola Brumfield presents a Distinguished Member
Certificate to Helen Price.
Maria Campbell
[email protected]
Keep reading your NARFE Magazine. Read the articles under
the Legislative Report. Keep up to date on the latest focus of
NARFE advocacy efforts by receiving the weekly Hotline.
The Hotline is available free by e-mail to members who
include their e-mail addresses in their membership records, on
the NARFE web site at www.narfe.org or by phone toll-free
at 877-217-8234. If you need more help, you can contact me.
Contacting the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) can
give you many answers to your retirement questions. There
are toll free numbers which you can use:
TOLL FREE:
1-888-767-6738 or for hearing impaired: 1-800-.878-5707*
*Telecommunications Device for the Deaf
If you are calling OPM, call early in the morning just after
7:30 AM our time as they have Customer Service Specialists
available as of 9:30 AM Eastern Time or call just before 2:00
PM our time.
Active Employee Report –
647-7063
Karen Gustafson
[email protected]
Active Employees Want to Know . . .
I know NARFE provides legislative advocacy, information via
a monthly magazine and website and retirement support - does
it offer any other benefits to NARFE members?
Yes. NARFE Member Perks are designed to provide NARFE
members with a quality option in their search for commonly
used products and services. As with other membership
organizations, NARFE makes no guarantee on any products
and services it lists, and encourages its members to shop and
compare before making a decision on any product or service.
Current NARFE Perks include a credit union, insurance,
vacation rentals, hotels, car rentals, moving services,
emergency services and health screenings. Not a NARFE
member yet? It’s easy to join online at www.narfe.org and
click “Join NARFE” or call toll-free at 1-800-627-3394.
Next issue: Active Employees Want to Know . . . ......Karen
Treasurer’s Report –
885-9144
Balance 1 Oct 2014
Receipts
Expenses paid
Balance on hand, 31 Oct 2014
Chuck Brumfield
[email protected]
$6,677.08
$699.10
$484.69
$6,891.49
Alzheimer’s Report Kathy Ferguson
747-3114
[email protected]
The NARFE/Alzheimer’s fund was set up to be solely for
research. When you donate to this fund, no money is going to
administrative costs. The proceeds from the 50/50 drawing
and from recycling aluminum cans go to the
NARFE/Alzheimer’s Fund. Our current national goal is to
reach $12 million. Although a cure for Alzheimer’s has not
yet been found, many advances have been made in
understanding the brain and what can go wrong. NARFE has
helped fund a number of clinical trials. Scientists in
Massachusetts are beginning to grow brain cells in a petri dish
to better study them. As our population ages, Alzheimer’s is
becoming a great drain on our health system. Anyone wishing
to donate to the NARFE/Alzheimer’s Fund can use the coupon
found in every issue of the NARFE magazine.
.......Kathy
Calendar 885-2570
Pete Gauthier
[email protected]
*December 8 (Monday): Holiday Luncheon at Inn Suites
Hotel & Suites, 475 N Granada (South of St. Mary’s Road).
11am to 2 pm. See attached flyer for details. Cost:
$22/member, $26/guest. Call (885-9144) or email Chuck
Brumfield ([email protected] ) with your reservation.
*January12, 2015 (Monday): NARFE Chapter 55 meeting
11:00-1:30 for lunch at the Golden Corral, 4380 East
22nd Street, on the South side of 22nd street, between
S. Columbus and S. Belvedere Ave.
Cost for lunch buffet incl tax, and drink such as iced tea, is
approximately $10.90, with a lower rate for seniors, plus tip.
Doors open at 11am. Guest speaker starts after lunch.
* December 31, 2014 (Wednesday): Reduce your tax
liability this year and help Pima Council on Aging (PCOA) at
the same time! Arizona’s charitable tax credit law allows you
to earn a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit on qualifying
contributions to specific organizations if you itemize your
deductions. The State of Arizona recognizes PCOA as a
Qualified Charitable Organization eligible to receive such
contributions. Couples who itemize deductions and file jointly
can reduce their state taxes by up to $400, and individuals or
head of household filers who itemize their deductions can
claim a state tax credit of up to $200. Donations must be
made by December 31, 2014. For more information, call Bob
Kirkpatrick at 790-0504 or email him at
[email protected] Also, please check with your tax
advisor about this or any other tax-related matter as it pertains
to your specific situation.
Sunshine Committee
If anyone knows of anyone that is shut in, in the hospital,
having a special anniversary, etc., please notify Pat Keeler @
(520) 296-6848, or send email to: [email protected] and she
will send a card from Chapter 55.
Legislative Report
760-1952
Vern Pall
[email protected]
THE RESULTS ARE IN
The latest figures from the November 4, 2014, mid-term
election show that just 36 percent of us cared enough about
our country and our way of life to take part in that election,
which set the course our nation will follow for the next two
years.
A week later, we celebrated Veterans Day and
thanked our veterans for serving our country and preserving
our freedom and democracy. Figures on their service show
that they served at the 100 percent level. Think for a moment
where we would be today if they had laid back and just
given a 36 percent effort.
Now that the course has been set for the next
two years, where will it lead us? Early predictions do not
paint a pretty picture.
- “Phased retirement starts for feds, but don’t count on it.”
- “The Federal Government Now Employs the
- Fewest People since 1966.”
- “An incoming Senate committee chairman’s views are sure
to rile the federal workforce.”
- “Issa, Ryan look to FERS reform.”
- “Surge of retirement claims hits OPM in October.”
And that’s just for starters. There’s more to come.
How can you fight back and protect what you have? Start
by going to the NARFE web page and reviewing the
letters there that you can send to Congress. Start today and go
back to that page every chance you get.
We have to let the new congress know who we are
and what we need.
There are plenty of sources available to you to find
out what is going on in government. One of the best is our
very own NARFE Daily Media Monitoring. Contact Jason
Freeman at [email protected], and have your name added to
the mailing list.
Also, the Government Executive Media Group
provides some very good information on what is going on in
government that pertains to federal employees and retirees.
You can log into their page at www.govexec.com/. They had
a very good article recently on how to save money on
insurance now that we are in the Open Season for insurance
coverage. Contact me at: [email protected] and I will
send you a copy.
……….Vern
Membership
578-0848
Etta Bryant
narfeazfp.gmail.com
Recruitment Incentives Extended – For those of you
who may be unaware, NARFE is offering a $10
incentive for ALL recruits delivered to Headquarters
with a postmark no later than December 31, 2014. Of
course, mailing the new member applications is only one
option. Your recruits may call 800-456-8410 or join via
the NARFE website, www.narfe.org. The Arizona
Federation is adding an additional $10 incentive to this
drive, so there has been no better time to reap some
personal gain by honing your recruiting skills to deliver
needed new members to the Association. Remember to
include your NARFE member ID number on all
submissions – otherwise they won’t be able to identify
you.
There is nothing more effective in membership
recruitment than when a member makes a compelling
one-on-one personal pitch to a co-worker, acquaintance
or neighbor. We have all heard of the value of word-ofmouth advertising. Well, NARFE recruitment is no
exception.
RECRUIT! RECRUIT! and RETAIN! Once we
recruit, we must retain our members. Retirement from
federal service generates more questions than answers.
That is where NARFE and the Local Chapters come in.
Stay with NARFE!
NARFE is a legislative advocate for all current and
retired federal employees. It exists solely to protect the
benefits and rights you’ve earned during your working
career and for those still working. NARFE’s strength is
in its membership.
Traveling or Going Away - Remember, if you are
going away (temporarily or permanently) or are a
snowbird and will be leaving or returning to the Tucson
area, the post office will NOT hold or forward your
newsletters because we mail them using Bulk Mail.
PLEASE let us know and we can either not send them or
mail them to another address. It costs your chapter
money to get them back. Or how about receiving your
newsletter by an attachment to an email? Thank you to
those that have notified our Chapter.
NEW MEMBERS & TRANSFERS: We look forward
to meeting you and hope you will attend one of our
monthly meetings at our NEW location, the Golden
Corral at 4380 E 22nd Street.
We wish the following a HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Jim
Coleman, Joyce Nelson, Etta Bryant, and Lorayne
Carrigan. If you have a birthday in December and it is
not listed, give me a call so I can list yours, too. We do
not give out this information.
I wish you all a great holiday season!
..........Etta
Chaplain's Corner 760-1952
Jane Pall
[email protected]
As we share this season of love and giving, sharing and
celebrating our Lord, we are all thankful for the bounties the
Lord has provided for us. We pray that He will be with us as
we enter a new year and ask that He guide and direct us in
everything we do.
......Jane
MEALS ON WHEELS
The NARFE Chapter 55 charity this year is “Meals on
Wheels”, through the Pima Council on Aging (PCOA). If you
cannot attend a meeting and donate through Dianne’s “Meals
on Wheels” collection barrel, you can send a check or money
order with your donation directly to PCOA. Please make sure
that you put on the MEMO section of your check: “Meals on
Wheels”. Otherwise, your contribution may go to other
charities under the PCOA program.
And make sure you put in your name and address because
the donation is tax-deductible and PCOA will send you a letter
noting the amount donated. Please attach the following to
your check:
Send Contribution to:
To: Pima Council on Aging
8467 E Broadway Blvd
Tucson AZ 85710
Make the check out to: PCOA.
In the MEMO section of the check, add:
For the “Meals on Wheels” Program
Amount: $_____________
From: ____________________________________
Address:
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
A member of NARFE Tucson Chapter 55
TUCSON CHAPTER 55
Published 9 times a year
by NATIONAL ACTIVE and RETIRED
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
Etta Bryant
11200 S Sierrita Mtn Rd #338
Tucson, AZ 85736-1434
December 2014
Volume 58 - Number 8
Return Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
TUCSON, AZ
PERMIT NO. 165