Message from the President

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1 Blair County Chapter Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees Newsletter - Fall, 2016 Message from the President As I come to the end of my first year as BCC PASR President, my pride in our chapter continues to grow. In conversations with other chapter presidents and our Region Director, I realize we are one of the most active chapters in our region, especially in the Community Service area. We continue our monthly meetings at Marzoni s Brick Oven Restaurant in Duncansville which are well-attended. Gloria Gates, our Community Service Coordinator, keeps us busy with Salvation Army Bell-Ringing, American Cancer Society projects and the United Way s Stuff The Bus campaign. Under Betsy Happeny, SSMHF Chair, direction, we continue to remember our shut-ins and outof-town members and she arranges our annual luncheon at Homewood Retirement Village. Also, on the agenda, will be the Christmas gifts for many residents at Homewood. We are still collecting coupons for our troops and toiletries for the Abuse Shelters do not forget to bring these to our meetings! Our scholarship recipient this year is William Calvert. This young man is planning The purpose of LPEC is to solict voluntary contributions from PASR members and administer the Legislative/Political Educatlon Fund in support of PASR s legislative objectives and programs, and to provide the PASR membership with information about the political candidates and the positions of interest to PASR and to encourage PASR members to become actively involved in supporting the candidates of their choice. This voluntary financial support is to be given in the form of a check/money order and sent directly to PASR Headquarters. to major in Biology, Secondary Education at Shippensburg University. He and his parents were in attendance at our spring luncheon. The Lauretta Woodson award is presented to school personnel in recognition for their service and dedication to learning. Kathleen Morgan, an educator at Altoona Area Junior High School, and Doris Felty, a secretary at Juniata Elementary School, are the recipients this year. Centre County Chapter is hosting the Region 5 Fall General Meeting on October 31 in Spring Mills. Reservations are due by October 21. Blair always had very good representation at these meetings. Plans for our Fall Luncheon are underway. Mark your calendars for October 27 at the Calvin House. Nancy DeNicola and Patty Kisic always do a fantastic job organizing this. The reservation form is included in the newsletter and is due by October 20. Let s continue in our work and encourage other retirees to join us! Lisa Merschiltz LPEC (Legislative/Political Education Committee) See envelope heading and check/money order information settings below. Return Address: PASR, 878 Century Drive Mechanicsburg, PA Check/Money Order made payable to: The LPEC Legislatlve/Political Education Fund

Community Service Report, Fall 2016 WORK TO BE DONE? WHO YOU GONNA CALL? PASR MEMBERS!! We have had a very interesting spring with our community service projects.

We also were asked to assist the United Way in the Stuff the Bus Project. For this activity we collected school items such as pens, pencils, notebooks, glue sticks, rulers, etc.

2 Community Service Report, Fall 2016 WORK TO BE DONE? WHO YOU GONNA CALL? PASR MEMBERS!! We have had a very interesting spring with our community service projects. We filled Easter eggs with candy and quarters for hospitalized children with cancer. The eggs were then distributed by Dawn Morden through the Brian Morden Foundation to hospitals across our state. We also were asked to assist the United Way in the Stuff the Bus Project. For this activity we collected school items such as pens, pencils, notebooks, glue sticks, rulers, etc. which were stuffed into backpacks and then will be given to Blair County school children so they are prepared for going back to school. Our organization also provided a $300 monetary donation to assist in purchasing the backpacks. In September we will be working with the American Cancer Society to fill snack bags to be used with their Golf Tournament. During the fall and winter months we will be participating in many other activitires. All these community projects require just a few hours of your time and it certainly keeps your talents fresh. We would be so happy if more of you would like to participate in these events. If you can t make the monthly meetings, just give me a call and let me know when you are available. Gloria J. Gates, Chairperson

Community Service Report, Fall 2016 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR ALWAYS BUSY At our spring meeting we were very proud to announce Phyllis Kosut as our Blair County Chapter Volunteer of the Year.

3 Community Service Report, Fall 2016 VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR ALWAYS BUSY At our spring meeting we were very proud to announce Phyllis Kosut as our Blair County Chapter Volunteer of the Year. Phyllis volunteered more than 500 hours in service events during the past year. Congratulations Phyllis! Please complete the Volunteer Survey Form in this newsletter and return it to me by November 1, This form should include any hours you have contributed to community activities during the time period from Sepember 2015 to October It is very important that you complete this form even if you only have volunteered a few hours. We want to show our state organization how many members from Blair Country are giving of their time and talents. Ginny and Ruth volunteer monthly to collect and distribute personal care items to the Veterans Home, Teen Shelter, Family Services and various other organizations. Linda assists with the coupon collection program for our Troops. As you can see, we are very fortunate to have such special people working for our community. Thank you so much!! Please contact any of us listed in this community service report if you have questions about any of these projects. We would like to have your help. 3

4 PASR Community Service Survey PASR Chapters are required to document the hours of service that volunteer retirees contribute to their local communities. This is one way we can show the community a positive picture of the activities of public school retirees. PLEASE take a minute to complete the form below, filling in the appropriate number of hours this PAST YEAR that you volunteered in each of the five categories. The form has been revised to make it easier to complete. This information will then be shared with the State PASR. EDUCATIONAL... (number of hours) Includes but not limited to Historical Associations, Library, School Board, etc. SOCIAL SERVICES... (number of hours) Includes Boards, Committees, Cancer Society, Drug/Alcohol, Fire/Ambulance, Fraternal Groups, Hospital/Nursing Homes, Meals on Wheels, Office of the Aging, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Service Organizations, Soup Kitchen/Food Banks, Visitation/Nurturing or other related Services POLITICAL... Includes Advocacy, Elections, Government, etc. (number of hours) RELIGIOUS... (number of hours) Includes Adult and Youth Instruction, Organization, Visitation, etc. SERVICES TO YOUTH... (number of hours) Includes Alliance with Youth, Classroom Volunteer, Head Start, Latch-Key Program, Literacy, Scholarships, School Volunteer, Sports, Tutoring, YMCA/YWCA, etc. PLEASE TOTAL ALL FIVE CATEGORIES... Total hours *********************************** NAME Telephone number I have served in special leadership roles as follows: Have you previously received this Volunteer Award? NO YES When? Please complete and return this form to: Gloria J. Gates, 1321 Country Club Terrace, Apt. 408, Hollidaysburg, PA, THANK YOU FOR BEING A VOLUNTEER IN OUR COMMUNITY! 4

5 Ed. Support This year, the Lauretta Woodson Award was presented to two Altoona professionals at the May meeting of the Altoona Area School District, teacher Kathy Morgan and secretary Doris Felty. Both women are retiring at the end of the school year. Kathy is leaving the Altoona Area Junior High School after spending nearly 40 years working with special needs learners in elementary school and at the junior high school. In addition, during her career she was committed to many extra-curricular activities of children some of which included drama clubs and theater performances, diversity days, positive behavior support activities, as well as contributing many hours to extended school year activities. Kathy was nominated by Principal Jonathan Klingeman. Doris Felty is the support professional who is retiring from Juniata Elementary School with 45 years of service to the district. Doris is remembered as helping not only the staff, whom she referred to as her teachers, but also parents wherever there was a need such as the library, fundraisers, and various school programs. Doris was nominated by Blair County Chapter PASR member Mary Jane Hammers. Lauretta Woodson was an elementary teacher in eastern PA who bequeathed monies to be used to honor Pennsylvania school employees from each PASR region every year. The Blair County Chapter extends our congratulations to Mrs. Morgan and Mrs. Felty for serving as the epitome of members of their profession. Betsy Happeny, Co-Chair Social Service Memorial Honor Fund The SSMHF has been holding a special May luncheon at the Homewood Retirement Community for over ten years. The purpose is to recognize those Homewood residents who have served in public education in some way as their career. The day features visits by Blair County Chapter members with the residents, a lunch, and fun-filled activities like the singing of old favorite songs and reminiscing about the early days of education. Each attendee also receives a small gift. The lunch has become a favorite for Homewood residents and Blair County members alike and this year included fifty-one participants. Blair County members are reminded to send names of members who need a birthday card, a get well card, or a thinking-of-you card to Betsy Happeny. Also, we are asked to contribute a gift in any amount to the SSMHF fund in honor of or in memory of a special person. Please contact Betsy if you need more information. Betsy Happeny, Chair Paying Dues If your address is highlighted on your newsletter that means that your dues for 2017 are due at this time. The dues payment for 2017 became due on July 1, 2016 and expires on June 30, We pay dues on a fiscal basis, not annually from January to December. We are trying to get each member up to date for the correct year, so that the dues won t be paid on a rolling basis but around or close to July 1 of each year. If you are highlighted please send as soon as possible. On July 1, 2016 we began collecting dues for Those dues run from July 1, 2016 to June 30, If you just watch the newsletter address you will stay up to date. Thank you for taking care of this in advance. Dues at still $10 per year and checks should be made out to BCCPASR. Mail them to Linda Neugebauer, 129 E. 24 th Avenue, Altoona, PA

PASR Recognizes Area School Retirees At the May 23 Altoona Area School Board meeting, retiring teacher Kathleen Morgan and retiring staff support person Doris Felty each was presented with the

6 PASR Recognizes Area School Retirees At the May 23 Altoona Area School Board meeting, retiring teacher Kathleen Morgan and retiring staff support person Doris Felty each was presented with the Lauretta Woodson, an award given annually by the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees. The award is presented to school personnel in recognition for their unselfish dedication and exemplary service relevant to the learning process and growth of children. According to Principal Jonathan Klingeman, who nominated Morgan for the award, Morgan committed herself not only to the education of learners, but also to the extracurricular needs of children as well, contributing countless hours to extended school year programs, drama clubs and theater performances, diversity days and positive behavior support activities, to name only a few. Principal Klingeman said Morgan s initiative to transform learning is evident 6 through her commitment to championing for the 21st century learning environment. Doris Felty, who is retiring after 45 years as secretary at Juniata Elementary School, was nominated by retired Juniata teacher and PASR member Mary Jane Hammers. Of Felty, Hammers said that of the thousands of students that she has seen come and go, Doris knew all their names and referred to the Juniata teachers as her teachers. She did her work with expertise, maintaining decorum and working effectively with parents, faculty, staff and her principal...if her work for the day wasn t done, Hammers said. Doris took it home. The Lauretta Woodson Awards are made possible annually to all Pennsylvania public school districts as the result of a bequest made by former teacher Lauretta Woodson of Philadelphia.

7 Spring Luncheon Thursday, October 27, 2016 The Calvin House 2135 Old Rte. 220 North, Duncansville Register 11:00am Lunch 11:45am Program TBD Luncheon Entrees: Freshly Made Lasagna or Chicken Divan Soup, Salad, Roll, Beverage Price $20.00 per person - includes dessert, tax and gratuity Reservation Form BCC PASR Fall Luncheon Name Address Number attending Phone Choose one entree for each reservation: Lasagna Chicken Divan Make check payable to: BCC PASR Send reservation to: Patty Kisic 1040 Fifth Avenue Duncansville, PA Reservations due: Oct. 20, 2016 Luncheon $20 Each $ Educational Support $ Donation for Scholarship Fund $ Amount Enclosed $ 7

8 Fall 2016 Newsletter Blair County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees Circulation - Joan Camberg, rd Street, Altoona, PA Blair County Chapter of the PASR rd Street Altoona, PA Return Service Requested NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID ALTOONA, PA PERMIT NO. 156

The Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants. Welcomes You!

The Pennsylvania Society of Physician Assistants Welcomes You! Membership Dues: $30.00/year for Physician Assistant Program Students $50.00/ 2 years for Physician Assistant Students $60.00 for Sustaining