ALEXANDRIA NARFE BEACON
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
For Current, Former, and Retired Federal Employees.
Spouses and Survivor Annuitants
Chapter 232 Est. 1953 Alexandria, Virginia
NEXT MEETING:
20th January, 2015
TIME:
1:00 P.M.
PLACE:
Beth El Hebrew Temple, 3830 Seminary Road Alexandria, Virginia 22304
SPEAKER:
Lori Young
SUBJECT:
Goodwin House Program—Promoting living in our homes.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Your Executive Committee--officers and committee chairs--was installed at the luncheon on December 9th 2014, at
the Mt. Vernon Country Club by Pierce Johnson, VFC Area IX VP. At the luncheon there was the 50/50 drawing for
Alzheimer's Research, there were 14 door prizes including a $100 drawing, and there was musical entertainment provided by the Mt. Vernon High School Madrigals. Everyone (there were 44 including several guests) was very impressed by the luxury of the setting and the fine food choices. The triple layer chocolate mousse cake was a fitting
end to the luncheon. The Madrigals were so popular that even the country club wanted to invite them back to sing
again during the Christmas season. Most of our members wondered how we had been able to find such a talented
group (20) of singers, who wore clothing of the early 19th century and performed their whole program acapella without
the aid if a pitch pipe. There was a chorus of members asking that we hold next year's luncheon at the club.
Our January meeting will feature Lori Young, who will share with us a new Goodwin House program promoting living in
our homes. March 14-17 will feature NARFE's Legislation Conference in Crystal City. Hotel Registration is open for
the conference at the Renaissance Arlington Capital View Hotel The conference offers NARFE leaders and activists
the opportunity to learn how to be effective in grass-roots advocacy from NARFE Legislative Department staff, hear
from national speakers and network with fellow NARFE advocates. It also includes a Capitol Hill visit to meet with
Members of Congress and staff on the conference’s last day. It will cost you $175 to register for this conference, the
same rate as the 2013 Legislation Conference. The fee includes 6 meals and bus transportation to Capitol Hill to meet
your Member of Congress. Please contact a member off your Board if you are interested in attending.
Next April's state convention will be held in nearby Fredericksburg. The costs for rooms are $89 and $94 plus taxes,
and convention registration will be $60 after February 15. If you register before that date, the cost is $55. The keynote
speaker will be Gene Dodaro, Comptroller General of the United States. George Washington will also ride by to share
some of his experiences growing up in this region of the State. In order to make this convention a success we need
about a dozen chapter members volunteering to serve on the many committees that enable the convention to operate
smoothly. Please step forward and help make a difference for our cause. If you can help, please notify a Board member or email Pierce Johnson ([email protected]), who will be the Convention Chair.
Please use the form on page 3 to recruit a friend. We need more members. Congress is more impressed by a growing member number than a declining one.
I hope you have had a very Happy Holiday Season, and I will look forward to seeing many of you at our January 2015
meeting.
Nick
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NARFE CHAPTER 232 OFFICERS YEAR 2015
President
Nick Andrus
703-780-8856
[email protected]
1st Vice President
Joan Bondareff
(703) 684-5086
[email protected]
2nd Vice President
Terry Bevels
(703) 706-8144
[email protected]
3rd Vice President
Wolfgang “Doc” M.L. Maier, Ph.D. 703-619-9675
[email protected]
Secretary
Gail Templeton
703-519-7327
[email protected]
Newsletter Editor
Anita J. Hood
703-780-4542
[email protected]
Treasurer
Janet Sledge
703-823-9449
[email protected]
Social Chair
John Tolleris
703-960-7562
[email protected]
Legislative Chair
Robert H. Miller
703-683-3025
[email protected]
Alzheimer’s Chair
Mike Oliver
703-683-3547
[email protected]
Publicity Chair
Rita Jensen
703-578-6450
[email protected]
Service Officer
Sterling Nichols
703-799-1661
[email protected]
Membership Chair
Patricia Jack
(703) 931-3128
[email protected]
Past President
Marilyn Couch
703-836-6582
[email protected]
Pictures courtesy of Linda Johnson
Installation of officers
John T, Don H, Janet S, Pierce J, Sterling N
Pierce J, Anita H, Don H
The Mount Vernon Madrigals
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NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES – (NARFE)
PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION
Membership Application for NARFE’s Chapter No. 232, Alexandria, VA
New member dues 1 year __ $40 Home Telephone (_____) _____ - __________
___ Annual renewal $50; Birth Date: Month:____________ Day: _______________Year: ___________
Name________________________________________ Recruiter’s NARFE No._____________________
Spouse’s Name ________________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________ E-mail address ___________________________
City ______________________________ State ________ Zip (9 digit) _____________________________
Mail application with check payable to NARFE. Send to NARFE Membership, 1032 Croton Drive, Alexandria, VA 22308
Please remember to advise us of any change in your email address when
you change internet providers or leave a government position for another
agency or retirement.
Send an email to Anita, [email protected] please.
NATIONAL LEGISLATION
When you receive our chapter newsletter by postal mail, the 114th Congress will have convened January 6th with Republican majority control of the House and Senate. This control will allow Republican leadership to set the agenda on both chambers and within committees. Senate Republicans will still need Democratic votes to overcome the 60-vote cloture threshold
to end filibusters on most legislative action. Divided government remains but President Obama may use his veto pen (and
the veto threat).
Active and retired federal employees will certainly face political challenges to our earned benefits in 2015. Our success in
protecting our benefits means we are nonpartisan in our efforts. NARFE's legislative program for the 114th Congress was
adopted at the 33rd Biennial National Convention held last August in Orlando, Florida. Many of the NARFE legislative goals
require the introduction of legislation. NARFE National President Richard Thissen makes final legislative policy and strategy
decisions based on counsel from the legislative director and view of National Executive Board and individual members. See
Special Section in NARFE, January 2015 issue.
Robert H. Miller, Legislation Chair
Joke time
1.
WILL THE REAL DUMMY PLEASE STAND UP?
AT&T fired President John Walter after nine months, saying he lacked intellectual leadership. He received a $26 million
severance package.
Perhaps it's not Walter who's lacking intelligence.
2. 2. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM OUR FRIENDS:
Police in Oakland , CA spent two hours attempting to subdue a gunman who had barricaded himself inside his
home. After firing ten tear gas canisters, officers discovered that the man was standing beside them in the police line,
shouting, “Please come out and give yourself up.”
Continued on back page
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NATIONAL ACTIVE & RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
CHAPTER 232, THE ALEXANDRIA CHAPTER
P.O. BOX 17112
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA 22302
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
NON PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 404
MERRIFIELD, VA
POSTMASTER—PLEASE DELIVER
BY: January 12th 2015
Continued from page 3
3. WHAT WAS PLAN B?
An Illinois man, pretending to have a gun, kidnapped a motorist and forced him to drive to two different automated teller machines, wherein the kidnapper proceeded to withdraw money from his own bank accounts.
4. THE GETAWAY!
A man walked into a Topeka , Kansas Kwik Stop and asked for all the money in the cash drawer. Apparently, the take was too
small, so he tied up the store clerk and worked the counter himself for three hours until police showed up and grabbed him.
5. DID I SAY THAT?
Police in Los Angeles had good luck with a robbery suspect who just couldn't control himself during a lineup. When detectives
asked each man in the lineup to repeat the words: “Give me all your money or I'll shoot”, the man shouted, “That's not what I
said!”.
Food for the Social Hour
We ask members with names beginning with the letters I—Z bring food. Fruit, cookies, crackers and
cheese, brownies are typical offerings. We will have perked coffee, hot and cold water, decaf powder,
and tea bags.
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