Greater Bridgeport Retired Teachers Association

Greater Bridgeport
Retired Teachers Association
WINTER, 2014
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
From the President’s Desk
Dear Colleagues,
Only a few weeks remain before we usher in 2015. I hope your
most vivid memories of 2014 will be happy ones – good times
shared with family and friends, sunny days, quiet moments,
satisfaction in tasks well done.
Upcoming Trips
2
Shoebox Project Results
2
Menus for December Meeting 3
New TRB Drug Plan
3
Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanza, the holidays build memories.
Each family has its own special traditions, treasured and shared through the years. We
realize a special joy in finding “just the right gift” for a loved one. Those special holiday
foods made from family recipes may be “once-a-year” treats, but we make them with love
and care. Opening a card with a note from a distant friend is a precious moment.
The holiday spirit will continue at our special luncheon on December 11 when
we welcome Trumbull High School’s Chamber Singers to our celebration. At this
meeting we will continue the spirit of sharing as we will collect food items for
Merton House and distribute flowers for delivery to GBRTA members who are
home-bound or in nursing facilities. Part of the tradition of our December
meeting is the raffle benefitting our scholarship fund. Members have donated
holiday baskets and gift certificates as prizes for the raffle.
Photo by Helen Scinto
THE GBRTA family has its own special holiday traditions. At its November
meeting, with the guidance of the charity Samaritan’s Purse , members filled
shoeboxes with toys, clothing and school supplies to be distributed to needy
children throughout the world and then contributed generously to the cost of
mailing those boxes.
Barbara Kmetz greets October speakers, ARTC President
Tom Singleton and lobbyist Mary Phil Guinan.
As the holidays quickly approach I’m certain that we won’t get everything done!
The decorations won’t be perfect; cards may be late; we won’t get to visit with
everyone we’d like to see. But I hope that, as 2014 rushes to its end, you will take the opportunity to reflect on the real meaning
of the holiday season and that you are filled with its special joy, peace, and good will.
Barbara Kmetz
GBRTA Welcomes New Members
Thirty-five new members, mostly 2014 retirees, have recently joined the GBRTA. Of them, twenty-one opted to accept the
unified membership (with ARTC) that GBRTA is piloting. Following are the new members, listed by district: Bridgeport: Rosanne
Neri, Carol Reh, Terri Dudal, Sandra Magera, Katherine Chimini, Sandra Peslak, Maria Veres-Nocerino, Donna Amoro, Mary
Cronin, Maria Esteves, Lois Foito, Irene LaCoursiere, Francine Michno, Lucy Vecchiarelli, Sharyn Beardsley, Marie Petitti, Paula
Finch, Kathryn Sorensen, Angela Englis; CES: Ellen Maldonado; Easton: Jean King; Easton/Region 9: Sandra Feranec; Fairfield: Phyllis
Pruzinsky, Diane Devalt, Barry Smith; Fairfield Prep: Harvey Mamrus; Monroe: Cheryl Adams, Diane Ginty; Stratford: Christy Adams,
Carla Kern, Kathleen Raspet, Wendy Hyman; Trumbull: Nan Stern, Rita Nappi, Dr. Robert Tremaglio.
Co-chairs Lois Hoyt (203-261-6693/ Ldh29@aol.com) and
Pat Jacobson (203-367-9217/ pmjacobson@aol.com) are
planning a variety of spring and summer trips. Contact them
for reservations and check the website (www.gbrta.org) for
further information.
March 2, 2015
“Camelot” at Westchester Broadway Theatre
$93 includes bus, lunch, show, gratuity
Payment due by February 1, 2015
March 12, 2015
St. Patrick’s Celebration
Gavin’s Resort, Catskills
$83 includes bus, visit to Irish shops in East Durham,
Irish lunch and entertainment, gratuities
Payment due by February 5, 2015
March 25, 2015
A Trip to Broadway: Your choice of
“Beautiful” (The Carole King Musical) OR
“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”
Lunch at Da Rosina
$283 for “Beautiful”; $223 for “Guide”
Price includes bus, lunch, orchestra tickets, gratuities
NOTE: Payment due by January 23, 2015
The following are also under consideration. Contact Lois or Pat
if you are interested. More details in March newsletter.
Early June
June 11
June 25
August 20
September 9
9/11 Memorial and Museum ($111)
Lobster Feast, Log Cabin, Holyoke ($ TBA)
Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty ($102)
Polkafest at Hunt’s Landing ($95)
Schooner Sailing in Gloucester ($119)
Photo by Helen Scinto
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Hold the Dates for Upcoming Trips
GBRTA honored its veterans at the November meeting with a special
prayer and the presentation of “God Bless America” ribbons. Veterans
pictured are Bob Pitzschler (Army), Larry Black (Air Force), Matt
Tomasco (Army), Barbara Higgins (Navy Reserve), Walt Drozeck
(Army), John McDonald (Air Force), George Gulish (Navy).
Members Generously Support Shoebox
Project
Looking at the stacks of 41 colorful boxes, filled with toys,
school supplies, and personal gifts for children from ages 2
through 14, Social Services Chair Ronnie Hendrick thanked
members for their generous support of the Shoebox Project
again this year. Under the aegis of Samaritan’s Purse, a charity
headed by Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s oldest son, the
boxes will be delivered to needy children in the United States
and around the world. Members also donated more than $340
to defray the cost of shipping the boxes.
GBRTA OFFICERS 2014-2015
President:
Barbara Kmetz
203-268-8814
bfkmetz@earthlink.net
1st Vice-President: Bob Pitzschler
203-723-8488
rbpitz@att.net
2nd Vice-President: Pat Yacovacci
203-371-7158
PATSY5366@aol.com
Treasurer:
Bonnie Drozeck
203-929-4940
bonziedro@gmail.com
Recording Sec.:
Helen Scinto
203-375-1921
hscinto@aol.com
Corresponding Sec.: Sandra Petrucelli-Carbone
203-463-8404
spcdkg@comcast.net
2015 SPRING MEETING DATES
GBRTA
General Meetings
10:30 AM
GBRTA
Board
10:00 AM
GBRTF
Board
10:00 AM
April 9, 2014
May 14, 2014
March 26, 2014
April 23, 2014
March 4, 2015
May 14, 2015 (annual)
June 3, 2015
.
IN BRIEF
Join the Holiday Celebration
Marilyn Mitchell is seeking
gift cards to stores ands
restaurants for a scholarship
raffle at the December 11
meeting. Contact Marilyn if
you will donate:
203-261-4767 or
moommy1@aol.com.
Testo’s Restaurant, Bridgeport, CT
December 11, 2014
10:30 AM
Menu choices:
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Salmon with dill sauce
$25
Entertainment by the Trumbull HS Chamber Singers
Raffle for the Scholarship Fund: Gift cards and baskets
Prime rib au jus
Member Services
chairperson Peggy Vaugh
(203-452-8219) will
distribute poinsettias in
December to members who
are hospitalized, shut-in, or
homebound. If you know
someone who qualifies,
please inform Peggy.
• Make checks payable to GBRTA. Note date and menu choice on check. Checks must
accompany reservations. No checks accepted at the door.
Reserve (by 12/5) /cancel (by 12/9) with:
Barbara Chuga, 27 Kitcher Court, Trumbull, CT 06611 (203-268-4535, chuga@att.net)
Kathleen Feller, 35 Cameo Road, Stratford, CT 06614 (203-380-1945, katfeller@optonline.net)
• Members may attend the GBRTA meeting without staying for lunch. There will be a table for
meeting-attendees only. To assure adequate seating, please contact Barbara Chuga or Kathleen
Feller if you are coming.
Please bring non-perishable food or paper goods for the Thomas Merton House food bank.
Members Learn About New TRB Drug Plan
The change to Express Scripts will broaden the
network of participating pharmacies and
increase the number of preferred covered
drugs, reducing the cost of some prescriptions.
The monthly premium will decrease by $5 in
2015, with a further decrease likely in 2016.
The deductible will be $320 (up from $250),
TRB consultant Tom Lally explains drug plan
and the out-of-pocket maximum will be $750.
to members.
Thus the most a member will pay for covered
prescription drugs during there 2015 calendar year will be $1070. The $70 increase in
the deductible will largely be offset by the $5 reduction in premium and the fact that
there will be no co-pay on generic drugs after the deductible is met.
Around mid-December members should watch for a large Welcome Kit bearing the
TRB and Express Scripts logos. It contains the member’s ID card, a benefits overview,
a home delivery order form, and more. Read it carefully and keep it safe.
If you have questions you can reach Express Scripts at 1-844-433-4883 or online at
www.express-scripts.com.
Photo by Helen Scinto
At the November 13 general meeting, Tom Lally, an insurance consultant for the State
Teachers Retirement Board, provided the latest information on changes to the drug
plan for retirees who participate in the TRB drug plan. On January 1, 2015, Express
Scripts will replace Caremark as the benefits administrator. Current enrollees will
automatically be transferred to the new plan
without new prescriptions, except for
controlled substances and specialty drugs.
Teachers who retired on or
after September 1, 1992 will
receive a 1.7% increase in
their pensions in 2015, the
same as the Social Security
COLA. Retirees before
September 1992 are
guaranteed at least 3%. That
figure will be determined in
January.
Please notify Eleanor
Gonzalez at 203-366-2246
or at srtaowl@yahoo.com if
you change you phone
number, home address or
email address.
A by-laws review committee
headed by Greta Stanford
will present proposed
changes at the April general
meeting.
Save April 29 for Lobby Day.
The March newsletter will
have more information.
In Memoriam
James Lindstrom
8/17/14
Agnes Flanagan
8/31/14
Eugenia Ostopchuk 9/23/14
Clemencine Miller
9/30/14
Mary Martha Gray
10/7/14
Naomi Bonnell
10/10/14
Selma Levitt
10/19/14
Joan Nobriga
11/3/14
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 ________________
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