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
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