Tucson Chapter 55 Newsletter

National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
February 2015
Volume 59 - Number 1
TUCSON CHAPTER 55
11200 S Sierrita Mtn Rd #338
Tucson, AZ 85736-1434
President 546-4947
“OLDEST CHAPTER IN ARIZONA”
Dianne Williams
diannewilliams51@aol.com
Happy New Year! Tucson Chapter 55 brought in
the New Year right with a great turn-out. We had
approximately 36 members and guests in
attendance! Thanks to all who came out in the rain.
Jennifer Phelps, Ms. Fix-It, gave a presentation on
downsizing, organizing, and de-cluttering your
home. From getting ideas on organization of a
room to staging for home sale, she‟s your gal. You
can also see her on KGUN-9 occasionally and on
The Morning Blend show the 2nd Wednesday of the
month.
Our Chapter needs a new charity for 2015 and we
will be discussing possibilities at our next meeting.
Everyone is welcome to come Feb. 9th at the Golden
Corral on 22nd St. at 11a.m. Our speaker will be
Lew Sampson from the SCAM squad. Hope to see
you soon!
..........Dianne
1st Vice President –
Wally Ostby
909-3561
wallywildcat@comcast.net
-The February meeting speaker will be Lou
Samson, from the Sheriff‟s Auxiliary Volunteers.
He will speak on: How to protect yourself from
scams.
-The March meeting speaker will be Brenden
Dickenson, from the Border Patrol: He will speak
on: Duties of the agents and how they are protecting
us.
-The April meeting speaker will be Don Ledbetter,
WeGottaGuy.com. He will address: Connection to
Contractors you can trust for any household repairs.
1st VP Wally Ostby presents a Chapter 55 coffee
mug to our January featured speaker Jennifer
Phelps, MS. Fix-It.
Service Officer 628-7491
Maria Campbell
maryecampbell@cox.net
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
n7cl@earthlink.net
What‟s new with the Thrift Savings Plan?
The Smart Savings Plan, H.R 4913, which shifts the
default fund of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) from the G
Fund to the L Fund for new employees, was headed to
the President for his signature in December 2014.
Currently, new federal employees have their TSP
investments automatically placed in the G Fund, unless
they elect otherwise. NARFE supported this bill.
Next issue: Active Employees Want to Know . . . ......Karen
Treasurer’s Report –
885-9144
Balance 1 Nov 2014
Receipts
Expenses paid
Balance on hand, 31 Dec 2015
Chuck Brumfield
cb8190@aol.com
$6,841.49
$1,093.60
$1,144.07
$6,791.02
Alzheimer’s Report Kathy Ferguson
747-3114
katharinef@peoplepc.com
Watch the movie listings for a new film coming out
soon! The title is “Still Alice”, starring Julianne Moore, Alec
Baldwin and Kristen Stewart. The character, Alice, is
diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer‟s at the age of
50. Julianne Moore had many conversations with early-onset
Alzheimer‟s patients while preparing for the role. In the
movie, Alice attempts to answer the question: “What‟s it
like”? She says, “It‟s not always the same. On my good days
I can almost pass for a normal person. Sometimes I can see
the words hanging in front of me and I can‟t reach them. And
I don‟t know who I am or what I‟m going to lose next.” It is
hoped that the movie, “Still Alice”, will spark public
awareness of Alzheimer‟s and lead to increased investment in
research.
According to an article in the Jan.–Feb. 2015 issue of AARP
Bulletin, government research funding for Alzheimer‟s will
reach $566 million this fiscal year. However, compare that to
funding for heart disease $1.2 billion, funding for cancer
research $5.4 billion and AIDS research $3 billion. If you
contrast Alzheimer‟s funding to the other major diseases, or
compare the spending on research to the cost of care, we are
not spending nearly enough. The NARFE/Alzheimer‟s fund
was begun in 1985 and all funds donated through NARFE go
to research. Our chapter participates through the 50/50
drawing each month and by recycling aluminum cans, in
addition to donations by individuals. A big thank you to all
members who have helped.
.......Kathy
Calendar 885-2570
Pete Gauthier
peteg68@Q.com
*February 9, 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 approx.
$10.50, which is the lower senior rate, plus tip. Doors
open at 11am. Guest speaker starts after lunch.
*February 28, 2015 (Saturday): The 4th Annual Pima
Council on Aging (PCOA) Ages „n Stages Expo celebrates the
quality of active older adult living in Pima County. The Expo
will feature entertainment, seminars, demonstrations, exhibits
and more. The Expo will be held at Casino Del Sol, 5655 W.
Valencia Road from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There is free
admission and free parking and the Expo benefits PCOA. For
more information, call PCOA at 790-0504.
*March 9 (Monday): NARFE Chapter 55 meeting 11:001:30 for lunch at the Golden Corral, 4380 East 22nd Street,
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: rlandpat@cox.net and she
will send a card from Chapter 55.
Legislative Report
760-1952
Vern Pall
vejapall@comcast.net
THE RESULTS ARE IN!
HAPPY NEW YEAR???
Other than cheap gasoline, there is not a lot to
cheer about right now.
A lot of bi-partisan fighting kept the 113rd
Congress from getting anything accomplished. In fact, it
has been called the most “do nothing” Congress in
several decades.
In the Senate, under the leadership of Harry Reid, 374
bills passed by the House were shelved. With new
leadership there, we may see some progress.
With so many old issues yet to be resolved and
new issues arriving every minute, you and I need to
ensure that our issues are not ignored. We can do this
by keeping up to date on legislation in Congress that
applies to active and retired federal employees. That‟s
what NARFE is all about:
Legislation applying to active and retired federal
employees.
There‟s no better source of information applying
to NARFE legislative goals than our very own NARFE
magazine.
Just take a look at the January 2015 issue, page 39. Here
it is: NARFE’s Legislative Program for the 114th
Congress.
Okay, what is the program?
RETIREMENT-Federal Civil Service Annuities
-Social Security
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE PAY, JOB
SECURITY AND OTHER BENEFITS
HEALTH CARE-Federal Employees Health Benefits Program
-MEDICARE
-Long-Term Care
U. S. POSTAL SERVICE REFORM
OTHER PROVISIONS
Everything in that program affects every one of us.
Now what can you do to promote our NARFE legislative
program?
-Write letters.
-Make phone calls.
-Visit your congressional representatives and
senators.
Specific bills are listed in our monthly NARFE
magazine. They are also listed on our NARFE website
with prepared letters that you can quickly and easily
send to those we sent to Congress to represent us.
Speaking of those we sent to Congress, brings to
mind the fact that we have two new representatives from
Arizona in the 114th Congress, Martha McSally, CD-2
and Ruben Gallego, CD-7. Both need to know who we
are and what we need. We can educate them through
our letters, phone calls and visits.
In representative government, you are a major
player.
……….Vern
Membership
Etta Bryant
578-0848
narfeazfp.gmail.com
ways to enhance our membership. Keep some
membership applications with you at all times.
Be a NARFE hero by assuring our survival.
RECRUIT! RECRUIT! RECRUIT! and make 2015 a
real membership growth for us.
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! Numbers
count in Washington.
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. 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: Philip Hall. We
look forward to meeting you and hope you will attend
one of our monthly meetings at the Golden Corral at
4380 E 22nd Street.
We wish the following a HAPPY BIRTHDAY:
January-Ruth Sackie, Yolanda Salgado, Rosario
LaPorta, Chuck Brumfield, Helen Kelley, William
Eberle, & Karen Gustafson; February-Gloria
McMasters, Howard Jones, Pete Gauthier, Betty Peppe,
Sara Piotrowski, Mary Hall Ellis, & Wayne Wilkerson.
If you have a birthday in January or February and it is
not listed, give me a call so I can list yours, too. We do
not give out this information.
..........Etta
(Editor’s Note: There is no information on our local charity
yet. The Membership will select a new charity for 2015 at the
February 9 meeting.)
Recruitment Incentives has ended and congratulations to
those that received the $10 from Headquarters and $10 from
the Arizona Federation. Thank you for our recruiting efforts.
Chaplain's Corner 760-1952
We must face reality. NARFE MUST CHANGE
TO SURVIVE.
A rebranding study and the
development and implementation of a strategic plan are
keys to our continued survival. Thanks in part to the
incentive program offered by Headquarters and our
Federation we are making small strides in membership.
Each and every member is a NARFE recruiter and if
you give a little thought to it, you can think of many
Speak lovingly and kindly; O let the task be ours; to
scatter by the wayside, not thorns, but smiling flowers.
Though crowned with peace and plenty our happy
homes may be, remember those around us less fortunate
than we. Speak lovingly and kindly, for He, our Lord,
will know, to us that He will show, the kindness that we
to others show.
......Jane
Jane Pall
vejapall@comcast.net
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
February 2015
Volume 59 - Number 1
Return Service Requested
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
TUCSON, AZ
PERMIT NO. 165