Put Your            

In B C R S P

   

BCRSP NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER, 2016 – VOLUME 3

   

                   

     

     

 

Meeting Agenda Gathering:              •Pay  for  lunch  and  sign  in          •Perhaps  donate  to  scholarship  jar  or              book  basket  (money  or  books)          •Put  on  name  tag/  socialize/find  table            Luncheon:          ⇒Welcome  /  Invocation  /  Pledges  -­‐                        Effie  Perry  /  Shirley  Burkhalter            ⇒Serving  begins  at  11:30                            Meeting  format:    #        Treasurer’s  Report  /  Minutes  -­‐                Diane  DeFrancesco  /  Elaine  Peninger  #        Membership  Update  -­‐  Patsy  Bolch    Old  Business:    v Texas  Retired  Teacher  Foundation  -­‐  

Danny  Stribling    New  Business:    Ø Recognition  of  Veterans  Ø Fundraiser  –  Linda  Coats  Ø Officer  Committee  Reports              Nominating  Committee  -­‐  James  Warner              Election  of  Officers,  2017-­‐2018  (vote)              Volunteer  Hours  -­‐  Frances  Maloney              Children’s  Books  -­‐  Mary  Ann  Gaylord              Legislative  -­‐  James  Warner                  Membership  appreciation:      *  In  the  Spotlight/Birthdays  -­‐          Susan  Junek    *  Pats-­‐on-­‐the-­‐Back  -­‐  Carolyn  Taylor    *  Recognition  of  New  Members  -­‐  Patsy          Bolch                                  *Chuckle  of  the  Day  -­‐  Linda  Coats      

             

   

PROGRAM    

“The  Heart  and  Soul  of  TRTA”      

Presented  by  Tim  Lee,  Executive  Director  

TRTA      

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *    

D e c em b e r Me e t i n g We d n e s d a y

D e c em b e r , 14

Reservations  must  be  made  in  advance  NO  LATER  THAN  WEDNESDAY,  DECEMBER  7.  Please  make  reservations  to  Cindy  Gordon  at  cgordon6@suddenlink.net    or  (979)  985-­‐4160.        

**************************************    

DECEMBER  PROGRAM    

“Put  Your  Heart  in  Children’s  Books”  By  Wayne  Edwards,  

Children’s  Author/Illustrator    

“Put  Your  Heart  in  the  Holidays”  Music  by  Singing  Weatherman,  

Bob  French    Remember  to  bring  donations  for  Children’s  Book  Project.    

****************************************    

BRAZOS COUNTY RETIRED SCHOOL PERSONNEL NOVEMBER 16, 2016

                    IN  THE  SPOTLIGHT    Shirley  Ann  Boggus  was  born  on  November  3rd.    She  has  a  BA  degree  from  Hardin-­‐Simmons  University  and  a  Masters  degree  in  Counseling  from  Sul  Ross  University.        Shirley  began  teaching  4th  grade  in  Van  Horn,  Texas.    For  one  year  she  taught  in  Burnet  and  Bertram  ISD.      She  was  an  Elementary  Counselor  in  Fort  Stockton  and  Llano  ISD  and  retired  from  Llano  as  a  Junior  High  Counselor.        She  and  her  husband,  Weldon,  have  been  married  64  years!    They  have  2  sons  (1  living  in  Bryan  and  the  other  in  McKinney),  3  grandchildren  and  6  great-­‐grands.    Their  hobby  for  years  was  RV  traveling.    Shirley  enjoys  people  and  taking  care  of  their  needs.    She  is  active  in  her  church.    They  retired  first  in  the  Hill  Country  on  Lake  LBJ  in  Llano,  Texas.    Their  youngest  son  and  wife  asked  them  to  move  here  to  be  closer  to  them.    Shirley  likes  being  a  member  of  teacher  retirement  organizations  to  keep  up  with  information.    She  served  in  Marble  Falls  Retired  Teachers  on  the  phone  committee,  benevolence  committee  and  social  committee.                WELCOME  TO  BCRSP  SHIRLEY!  

                           

 

PRESIDENT’S  MESSAGE    As  we  enter  this  season  of  thanksgiving  there  are  many  things  for  which  I  am  thankful!    I  am  thankful  to  be  serving  as  your  president!    I  am  also  thankful  to  be  blessed  with  such  an  awesome  Executive  Committee!    Most  importantly,  I  am  thankful  for  all  of  our  members  who  support  BCRSP  in  so  many  ways!    Our  gifts  to  TRTF  in  October  were  over  $700.    Thank  you  for  your  donations  to  this  very  worthwhile  cause.    We  will  accept  donations  at  our  November  meeting  as  well.                Our  November  meeting  will  be  a  first!    We  are  so  excited  about  having  Tim  Lee!    We  are  expecting  a  large  crowd,  so  plan  to  come  early  to  park,  get  registered  and  find  a  table.    We  will  be  having  some  guests  from  Robertson  County  Retired  Teachers  Association  so  please  make  them  feel  welcome.        We  are  meeting  a  week  early  this  month  and  next  to  avoid  the  holidays.  I  hope  you  enjoy  a  blessed  Thanksgiving  with  your  family  and  friends!                    

       WELCOME  TO  OUR  GUESTS    We  are  honored  to  welcome  many  distinguished  guests  to  our  November  meeting!    State  TRTA  Executive  Director,  Tim  Lee  will  be  our  guest  speaker.    State  Representative  John  Raney,  District  VI  President  Frank  Middleton  and  AMBA  representatives  Jason  Shirley  and  Michael  Carran  will  be  joining  us  as  well  as  our  friends  from  Robertson  County  Retired  Teachers  Association.               Welcome  to  BCRSP!  

PATS  ON  THE  BACK:              These  members  deserve  a  pat  on  the  back  for  agreeing  to  serve  in  the  positions  vacated  by  Mary  Sue  Ribardo.        CLAIRE  LILLIE  will  be  serving  as  our  new  Parliamentarian.    SUSAN  JUNEK  will  be  taking  care  of  Birthdays  and  In  the  Spotlight.    JOYCE  CAWLEY  will  be  chair  of  the  Phone  Calling  Committee.    MARY  ANN  GAYLORD  will  be  serving  as  a  greeter.        Thanks  ladies  for  saying  yes  when  called  upon!    YES!        MEMBERSHIP  UPDATE    Our  1st  Vice  President  for  Membership,  Patsy  Bolch,  reports  a  total  of  250  members  at  this  time.    She  is  in  the  process  of  contacting  those  who  have  not  renewed  their  membership  for  2016-­‐2017.    Remember  we  are  all  members  of  this  committee!    Personal  contact  is  the  best  recruiting  tool.    Please  accept  the  challenge  and  recruit  at  least  one  new  member  this  year.    With  our  TRS-­‐Care  in  jeopardy,  membership  has  never  been  more  important!                                                                      “EACH  ONE  BRING  ONE!”                                                                                            

       

   COMMUNITY  VOLUNTEER  SERVICE  HOURS    Included  in  this  newsletter  is  a  form  for  recording  Community  Service  Volunteer  hours  for  2016.    Please  bring  this  to  the  December  meeting  completed  with  your  total  number  of  hours  for  2016.    If  you  have  not  kept  a  record  of  your  hours,  an  estimate  of  your  total  hours  volunteered  will  be  sufficient.    Our  goal  is  to  have  

%100  participation  and  reporting.    All  of  you  volunteer  your  time  in  some  way  to  benefit  others,  so  please  be  ready  to  report  your  hours  next  month.        Frances  Maloney  is  our  Community  Service  Volunteer  Chair  and  she  will  be  asking  for  your  report  in  December.    Thanks  Frances!    Please  remember  your  community  volunteer  service  time  is  a  very  important  and  valuable  aspect  of  your  local  BCRSP  unit  and  TRTA.      

 CHILDREN’S  BOOK  PROJECT    December  is  our  final  opportunity  to  contribute  to  this  project  for  2016.    We  hope  you  will  designate  some  of  your  Christmas  budget  for  children’s  books  and  make  a  child  happy  this  Christmas!        At  our  December  meeting  we  will  have  a  “Giving  Tree”  decorated  with  envelopes  for  donations  to  Children’s  Book  Project.    You  may  also  bring  books  to  place  under  the  tree.        Thank  you,  Mary  Ann  Gaylord  for  serving  as  our  Children’s  Book  Project  Chair!    May  Ann  shared  the  following:    The Children's Book Project committee members are busy sorting books to donate to the Books and Blanket group as well as separating other books to donate to school libraries in Bryan and College Station. There will be a special basket for you to drop off your new or gently used books at the November and December meetings. You will have a chance to donate money at the December meeting for this purpose. The Children's Book project is one of our group’s special projects.                                                                                      

                 

   TEXAS  RETIRED  TEACHERS  FOUNDATION      Thanks  to  all  of  you  who  gave  so  generously  to  TRTF  last  month  during  our  “Trick  or  Treat  for  TRTF”!    Your  “treat”  is  knowing  that  you  have  helped  someone  in  need!  Danny  Stribling,  TRTF  Chair  reports  a  total  of  $722  in  donations!    Our  appreciation  to  Dale  and  Judy  Schafer  for  providing  the  recycled  bags  and  handmade  note  cards  in  exchange  for  donations  to  TRTF.        Thanks  again  for  putting  your  hearts  in  this  project!    Please  let  others  know  about  the  opportunities  for  assistance  through  the  foundation.    Remember  the  foundation  when  giving  memorials  to  the  deceased.  We  welcome  donations  anytime  during  the  year.        

  DECEMBER  MEETING    Bob  French,  our  favorite  singing  weatherman,  will  be  entertaining  us  once  again  with  Christmas  music!    Wayne  Edwards,  an  author  and  illustrator  of  children’s  books  will  be  sharing  some  of  his  wonderful  works  with  us!    We  may  even  have  a  surprise  guest  –  who  knows!    Children’s  Book  Project  will  be  our  emphasis.    What  better  time  than  Christmas  to  support  this  effort!    Get  in  the  spirit!    Give  books!    We  will  have  a  special  holiday  meal,  so  you  won’t  want  to  miss  the  December  meeting!    Remember  it  will  be  on  the  2nd  Wednesday,  December  14th  at  11:30  a.m.  at  the  Hilton  Garden  Inn.    Reserve  by  Wednesday,  December  7th.                

FUNDRAISER  –  VALENTINE  GIFT  BASKET            In  November,  December  and  January  we  will  be  taking  benefit  donations  to  win  a  fabulous  Valentine  Gift  Basket  to  be  given  away  at  our  January  meeting  in  time  for  Valentine’s  Day.    The  basket  is  valued  at  $300  and  will  contain:     *Gift  Certificate  for  Dinner  for  2  at  Christopher’s  World  Grille     *Gift  Certificates  for  Boxes  of  Chocolates  from  Truman’s       and  The  Chocolate  Gallery     *Gift  Certificate  for  Wine  Tasting  for  4  at  Messina  Hof     *Bottle  of  Wine  from  Heart  of  the  Desert  Winery  in  New  Mexico     *2  Wine  Glasses     *Heart-­‐Shaped  Pillow     *Book  (about  love,  of  course)     *CD  of  Love  Songs     *Candle     *2  Heart-­‐Shaped  Dishes     *1  Plate  Decorated  with  Heart     *Handmade  Lap  Afghan    WOW!    Tickets  will  be:    $2/1  ticket,  $4/2  tickets,  $5/3  tickets,  $7/4  tickets,  $9/5  tickets,  $10/  6  tickets,  $12/7  tickets,  $14/8  tickets,  $15/  9  tickets,  $17/10  tickets,  $19/  11  tickets  and  $20  /12  tickets.    The  proceeds  will  go  in  our  general  fund.    So  all  you  hopeless  romantics  out  there  -­‐  BE  READY!                                                                                                                                                                                                

HEALTHCARE  NATIONAL  OBSERVANCE    November  is  American  Diabetes  Month  and  National  Alzheimer’s  Disease  Awareness  Month.        You  can  order  free  materials  from:    American  Diabetes  Association  (800)  DIABETES  (342-­‐2383)  www.diabetes.org/in-­‐my-­‐community/american-­‐diabetesmonth.html    Alzheimer’s  Association  (800)272-­‐3900  www.alz.org    Put  your  heart  in  your  health!    It  is  good  for  your  health  to  laugh!    “How  did  it  go?”  asked  the  friend.    “Well,  I  bent,  I  twisted,  I  turned,  I  jumped  up  and  down,  and  perspired  for  half  an  hour,  but  by  the  time  I’d  finally  got  my  leotard  on,  the  class  ended!”    -­‐Unforgettable  Senior  Moments      

10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's http://www.alz.org/10-signs-symptoms-alzheimers-dementia.asp

Memory loss that disrupts daily life may be a symptom of Alzheimer's or another dementia. Alzheimer's is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking and reasoning skills. There are 10 warning signs and symptoms. Every individual may experience one or more of these signs in a different degree. If you notice any of them, please see a doctor.

1. MEMORY LOSS THAT DISRUPTS DAILY LIFE What's  a  typical  age-­‐related  change?    Sometimes  forgetting  names  or  appointments,  but  remembering  them  later.

2. CHALLENGES IN PLANNING OR SOLVING PROBLEMS What's a typical age-related change? Making occasional errors when balancing a checkbook.

3. DIFFICULTY COMPLETING FAMILIAR TASKS AT HOME, AT WORK OR AT LEISURE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          What's  a  typical  age-­‐related  change?    Occasionally  needing  help  to  use  the  settings  on  a  microwave  or  to  record  a  television  show.

4. CONFUSION WITH TIME OR PLACE What's  a  typical  age-­‐related  change?  Getting  confused  about  the  day  of  the  week  but  figuring  it  out  later.

5. TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING VISUAL IMAGES AND SPATIAL RELATIONSHIPS What's a typical age-related change? Vision changes related to cataracts.

6. NEW PROBLEMS WITH WORDS IN SPEAKING OR WRITING

7. MISPLACING THINGS AND LOSING THE ABILITY TO RETRACE STEPS What's a typical age-related change? Misplacing things from time to time and retracing steps to find them.

8. DECREASED OR POOR JUDGMENT What's a typical age-related change? Making a bad decision once in a while.

9. WITHDRAWAL FROM WORK OR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES What's a typical age-related change? Sometimes feeling weary of work, family and social obligations.

10. CHANGES IN MOOD AND PERSONALITY What's a typical age-related change? Developing very specific ways of doing things and becoming irritable when a routine is disrupted.

For more details in this article access website above.        

     

     01  –  Connie  Ferguson             21  –  Ann  Callaway  03  –  Shirley  Boggus             25  –  Joe  Callaway  05  –  Marilyn  Terrell               Wilma  Simmons  09  –  Robbie  McKinley             26  –  Kathe  Eugster  15  –  Dale  Schafer             27  –  Nicki  George  18  –  Rita  Leisy               29  –  Delores  Shirley  19  –  Rosemary  Lege  

       

BCRSP  LEGISLATIVE  REPORT              NOVEMBER  16,  2016      WEP  UPDATE    On  Thursday,  November  3,  Congressman  Kevin  Brady  conducted  a  conference  call  regarding  HR  711,  the  Equal  Protection  for  Public  Servants  Act.    He  noted  that  the  hearing  for  the  bill  by  the  House  Ways  and  Means  Committee  in  July  had  been  postponed  until  agreement  from  affected  advocacy  groups  could  be  reached.    He  is  determined  to  continue  to  push  this  legislation  to  success.    Please  note  that  our  own  Congressman  Bill  Flores  is  a  co-­‐sponsor  of  this  bill.    He  attended  our  October  meeting  and  we  noted  his  co-­‐sponsorship  at  that  time.    There  are  two  things  we  can  do  now  to  help  push  the  bill  through:    1)  write  notes  of  thanks  and  encouragement  to  congressmen  Brady  and  Flores  (addresses  of  local  offices  below);  and  2)  share  your  story  about  the  harm  done  to  you  by  the  unfair  provisions  of  the  WEP  at  WEP.feedback@mail.house.gov.    Congressman  Kevin  Brady     Congressman  Bill  Flores  1300  11th  St.,  Ste  400       3000  Briarcrest  Dr.,  Ste  406  Huntsville,  TX  77340       Bryan,  TX  77802      LEGISLATIVE  UPDATE  

   

TRTA  Executive  Director  Tim  Lee  is  our  quest  today.    He  will  have  much  more  current  legislative  information  that  I  could  possibly  give.    Therefore,  I  will  summarize  his  remarks  in  a  report  to  be  distributed  electronically  shortly  after  the  meeting.    In  the  meantime,  several  members  have  inquired  about  whether  MD  Anderson  would  accept  cancer  patients  covered  by  Humana  Medicare  Advantage.    A  representative  from  Humana  stated  that  this  issue  has  been  addressed  and  that  MD  Anderson  would  accept  Humana  Medicare  Advantage  patients.    She  provided  the  following  reference  number  (6790-­‐2705-­‐5715)  and  stated  that  individual  inquiries  should  reference  that  number  if  clarification  is  needed.    

         

 Information  and  Protective  Services  Committee                  

Password  Breaches  –  What  To  Do  

 

With  hundreds  of  millions  of  user  names  and  passwords  exposed  by  breaches  recently  in  the  news,  you  may  be  wondering  how  to  keep  your  information  safe.  Whether  you’ve  been  part  of  a  breach  or  not,  it’s  a  good  time  to  take  steps  to  protect  your  user  names  and  passwords.  Here  are  some  valuable  reminders  for  everyone:    

• Use  multi-­‐factor  authentication,  when  it’s  available.  Multi-­‐factor  authentication  adds  another  layer  of  protection  against  attacks.  What’s  multi-­‐factor  authentication?  To  log  in,  you  must  combine  something  you  know  (like  a  password),  with  an  additional  factor,  which  is  usually  something  you  have  (like  a  code  texted  to  a  mobile  phone)  or  something  you  are  (like  a  fingerprint).  More  and  more  companies  are  offering  it.  

• Make  your  password  long,  strong  and  complex.  That  means  at  least  twelve  characters,  with  three  different  “character  classes”  (uppercase,  lowercase,  numbers,  symbols).  It’s  best  to  put  non-­‐lowercase  letters  in  the  middle  of  your  password.  Also,  avoid  common  words,  phrases  or  information  in  your  passwords.  And  if  you’re  not  sure  if  you’ve  been  affected  by  recent  breaches  (such  as  LinkedIn,  MySpace  and  Tumblr),  it’s  safest  to  change  your  passwords.  

• Select  security  questions  where  only  you  know  the  answer.  Don’t  use  questions  whose  answers  can  be  found  through  online  public  records  searches  –  like  your  birthplace  or  your  mother’s  maiden  name.  Don’t  use  questions  with  a  limited  number  of  responses  that  an  attacker  can  easily  guess  –  like  the  color  of  your  first  car.  

If  your  user  name  and  password  have  been  exposed  in  a  breach,  take  these  steps  right  away:  

• Change  your  password.  If  possible,  also  change  your  user  name.  If  you  can’t  log  in,  contact  the  company.  Ask  them  how  you  can  recover  or  shut  down  the  account.  

• If  you  use  the  same  (or  similar)  password  for  other  accounts,  change  them  too.  

• Check  your  accounts.  If  the  password  and  user  name  were  for  a  financial  site  –  or  

even  if  a  credit  card  number  was  stored  on  the  site  –  look  for  charges  you  don’t  recognize.  

For  more  tips,  check  out  the  FTC’s  advanced  password  tips  and  tricks  and  our  guidance  on  computer  security.  If  your  personal  information  is  misused,  visit  IdentityTheft.gov  to  report  identity  theft  and  get  a  personal  recovery  plan.    June  22,  2016  Article  provided  by  Lisa  Weintraub  Schifferle  Attorney,  FTC,  Division  of  Consumer  &  Business  Education  

 

Health  Committee  Information  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

       

 

Brazos  County  Retired  School  Personnel  General  Fund  Benefit  Donation  

Valentine Basket:

Gift certificates, tours, plus more!

Ticket Prices:

1 for $2.oo 7 for $12 2 for $4.00 8 for $14 3 for $5.00 9 for $15 4 for $7.00 10 for $17.00 5 for $9.00 11 for $19.00 6 for $10.00 12 for $20.00

Please make sure you write your name on the back of each ticket !!!

Opportunities to contribute in

November, December, January

Drawing in January

             

Putting  Our  Hearts  Into  Trick  or  Treating  For  TRTA