Members List:

PR:
Ruth Roeder

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	PASR - STATE
	PSERS
	PSERS – HOPS
	PRESCRIPTION SOLUTIONS
	MEDICARE
	PASR STATE ENDORSED BENEFITS
	BERKS PASR
	CARBON PASR
	NORTHAMPTON PASR
	SCHUYLKILL PASR
	MAY 2012 NEWSLETTER

Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees is the only organization consisting of, governed by, and working exclusively for retired public school employees. With almost 900 members in Lehigh Chapter and approximately 35,000 members statewide, PASR is the largest and most effective school retiree organization in Pennsylvania.

Lehigh County Chapter of the Pennsylvania Association of School Retirees membership is made up of school retirees who live in Lehigh County or were employed from the following school districts: Allentown, Catasauqua Area, East Penn, Carbon Lehigh IU #21, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Northern Lehigh, Northwestern Lehigh, Parkland, Salisbury Township, and Whitehall/Coplay.

We are former retired public school employees that include: Administrators, Clerical Staff, Community College Staff, Counselors, Educators, Food Services Workers, Intermediate Unit Staff, Lehigh Career&Technical Institute Staff, Maintenance Staff, Nurses, Paraprofessionals, Transportation Workers . . . in short, anyone who is now receiving a pension from the Pennsylvania School Employees Retirement System.

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A Message from Your President

Dear Lehigh Chapter Members, May is volunteer month. Complete and bring your survey form (p. 3 of May Newsletter) to the meeting. Even if you had no volunteer hours, submit the form with your signature. Every signed form returned counts!

In honor of PASR’s 75th Diamond Anniversary, we will be collecting new or slightly used children’s books at the May meeting for donation to a local school. Our goal is 75 books, one for each year PASR has existed. September and November will also feature special events as we continue to celebrate the birthday of our parent association.

If you like to sing, join the Lehigh Chorus for its summer rehearsals under the direction of Ron and Gerry Mosemann. The Chorus will perform at the September 17 meeting. Call Ruth at 610-395-1914 if you wish to join the chorus as a new member.

Save the Chapter printing and mailing costs by registering to receive the quarterly newsletter electronically. See the details on p. 3 of the May Newsletter.

Visit our Lehigh Chapter website at http://www.orgsites.com/pa/lehighcountychapterpasr On the left-hand mauve sidebar, go to LINKS SECTION, scroll to the bottom, click on May 2012 Newsletter to view/print our e-newsletter. You can also go to www.pasr.org, click on Local Associations, click on Eastern Region, on the right-hand side look for Region 2 Chapter Websites, click on Lehigh.

A much earned “Thank you” to Jan Rush and Mel Bollinger for an informative Legislative update at the March 29 membership meeting.

Regards, Joan Failla

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Legislative - Mel Bollinger

Three issues that the PASR State Legislative Committee has identified that we need to promote with our legislators during 2012, include:
*Passage of Senate Bill 1053, in the Senate, and introduction of a similar measure in the House,to ensure that PASR has access to retiree names/addresses from PSERS.
*Passage of a resolution in the House directing an economic impact study that the state retirement systems (PSERS, PSRS) have in the state.
*Encouragement of legislators of both chambers to consider establishing a retirement savings plan for workers in the private sector.
The National Council of Public Employee Retirement Systems recently announced such a plan.

All PASR members are encouraged to inform themselves on these issues via the PASR website and quarterly Newsletters.

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L-PEC - Jan Rush

PASR needs your donations to the Legislative/Political Education Committee, which represents the needs and interests of our members with our legislators. The L/PEC team is also working hard to enhance links to legislators and legislative information on the website. If you would like to donate, you can easily click on a link for the Legislative/Political Education Committee Fund at www.pasr.org and pay by credit card. If you prefer, you may present a check made out to L/PEC at our May 14 meeting.

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Community Service - Carol Rieder

In March, we collected four boxes of school supplies, 16 pounds of food for Second Harvest, one box of items for the Linkage program, and we sent two boxes of supplies to the Troops. We received a thank-you card from Erick Lowe, a member of the military serving abroad, and have been given the name of another military person who would enjoy receiving a package from home. The $302.88 donations collected for the Troops will be used for military package mailing costs and those sent through Keystone Soldiers.

The Community Service volunteer surveys were collected. A tally of Lehigh Chapter hours and the selected Volunteer of the Year will be announced at the September 17 meeting.

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Travel with PASR

The State RECREO Committee discussed next year’s State trip proposals – a train trip to West Virginia and a trip to Ireland. These two trips were suggested with the possibility of going on both. The committee will choose the State trip/s for 2013 at a teleconference in August.

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Presentation of Awards by President Joan Failla

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Retirement Planning – Ruth Roeder

The committee is looking for volunteers to help plan and assist at the October 2012 Pre-Retirement Seminar and to help distribute the retirement issue of the AFTER SCHOOL magazine to soon-to-retire attendees at the PSERS Foundations For Your Future seminar to be held at the Rodeway Inn.

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Recruitment – Linda Bortz 2012 MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN RESULTS TO DATE

With appreciation, we welcome these Lehigh Chapter members who now are also State Members. Manfred Bleiker, Dolores Wiesner,Cheryl Sommer, Miriam B. Masters,Mary Knolle,Donna-Marie Dorney, John R. Garrity, Ann C. Bove,Ralph S. Todd, Doris A. Todd, Sherryn L. Minich, Laura Kinsey, Shirley K. Lehr, and Jane Stinsman. Thank you for your support. You now make a difference, not only locally, but also across the Commonwealth!

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Membership

Final dues reminders were sent in April for 2011-2012 dues. If you need a membership form to complete and send with your dues for 2012-2013, please contact Lynnette Altieri at either 610-502-0716, j.altieri2007@rcn.com, or send a request to the address below. Annual dues are $10. Life dues are $125. If you would like your membership card mailed to you, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Cards not mailed will be available at the next General Meeting.

We are also updating our records. Please remember to complete a new membership form each year.

Thank you for your continued support of LC/PASR.

Lynnette A. Altieri, Membership Chair

3051 Eisenhower Drive Northampton PA 18067-1077

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2011 RECRUITING NEW MEMBERS BY ADDING THAT PERSONAL TOUCH

Linda Bortz, Recruitment Chair

The committee created a business-type card for members to put in their wallets to hand out to non-member friends or former colleagues. We hope this method of outreach will facilitate the gaining of new members. Remember this card is to be mailed in to us for non-members only.

Invite a non-member to “be your guest” or to “sit with you” at one of our meetings. This welcoming, personal touch encourages membership. Please help us with the goal of recruiting new members! This goal insures that the work of PASR and Lehigh Chapter can continue. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Interested in becoming a member? Send an email request to linda.bortz@yahoo.com. Please put LC/PASR New Membership in the subject line.