A Message From The President

September 2003   

Speak Out, Build Unity

NEA Retired President, Jim Sproul

At a recent NEA meeting, a retired member from Oregon broke down in tears while recounting how teachers in Portland worked 10 days without pay so that the financially strapped school district would not have to cut the school year short. Though retired, she was saddened by the misplaced priorities that have caused huge cutbacks in essential school programs.

Sadly, Active and Retired members alike are facing exceedingly tough times due to the weak economy and poor choices by political leaders. Facing the worst budget shortfall since World War II, states and districts are taking extreme steps--laying off thousands of teachers, rolling back restrictions on class sizes, and cutting back on extracurricular programs and summer school. Retired Members across the United States are trying to cope with rising costs for health care premiums and prescription drugs and the uncertain climate affecting pension systems.

Two things are certain. One, we'll only be successful if Active and Retired members work hand-in hand on the causes that affect all of us. This summer's NEA Representative Assembly in New Orleans showcased this spirit, as Retired and Active members banded together to pass important new business items and legislative amendments supporting fair school funding and adequate health care. (For more, see "News Briefs")

The other certainty is that, especially when times are tough, those who speak the loudest tend to be more successful. That means all of us need to do our part to lobby legislators, to flood the newspapers and radio airwaves, and to spread the word among non-members that it's time for America to live up to its promise to support public schools and those who serve it. Speak up in your local communities and states, and speak out on the national level as well. Your action can help keep a teacher in a classroom--or add a well-deserved cost-of-living allowance to your pension check.

Note--Thanks to all members who gave to the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education. With your support, NEA-Retired raised $13,240. One of our most successful fundraisers was our quilt giveaway (for a picture, see page 13). The quilts are made from unique NEA tee shirts, and we need to begin collecting shirts for next year's giveaway. If you have a special shirt of an NEA, NEA-Retired or State Affiliate activity, please send it NEA-Retired, 1201 16th N.W, Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036.

People

September 2003   

Painful Experiences, Powerful Lessons

Photo by Bob Riha, Jr.

California member Amy Tsubokawa draws on painful childhood experiences--and 30 years of teaching skill--to deliver positive messages about cultural diversity.

When Tsubokawa was nine, her family--like thousands of Japanese-American families--was sent to an internment camp for the duration of World War II. While confined to a barracks in Poston, Arizona, where temperatures reached 116 degrees in the summer, Tsubokawa watched her father weaken and eventually die of a kidney ailment.

"It was a difficult and sorrowful time for us," says Tsubokawa. "But my family was luckier than most. We were farmers, and when we were released, we were able to live and work on my uncle's farm. He was an American citizen, so he was able to own his land. Most Japanese-Americans at that time were not citizens, could not own land, and found after the war that their farms had been bought by corporations."

Each year, Tsubokawa speaks on the Japanese-American war experience before the California Teachers Association Human Rights Conference. Her tireless work as a trainer in women's leadership, cultural diversity, and minority leadership development earned her the 2001 NEA Mary Hatwood Futrell Award for women's leadership.

"It's something I'm proud and grateful to be able to do," says Tsubokawa, an elementary teacher for 30 years in California's Norwalk-La Mirada School District. "I experienced injustice, but life is long, and I've also experienced the opportunity to attend college and enjoy the rewards of teaching. So I want to be able to turn my experience into positive lessons. When Japanese-Americans say, 'This happened to us,' we're helping to make sure it doesn't happen to someone else in the future."

--Matt Simon

Bowling for Fun and Unity

After teaching second grade for 40 years at Saccarappa School in Westbrook, Maine, Mary Wescott figured she'd devote most of her retirement days to painting watercolors.

"It didn't work out that way, but I'm glad," says Wescott. "As soon as I retired, my local president called and asked if I'd revive a school district bowling league that had folded years before. I hadn't bowled in 30 years, but I said 'yes.'"

From that moment, six years ago, the Westbrook Teachers Speed League has been going strong. Forty to 50 teachers, along with ESPs and school district officials, participate in the league's 15-week season--which begins each October. Thursday night bowling has now become part of the social fabric of the Westbrook Education Association, and has made for friendlier relations between the Association and the school district.

The Westbrook school superintendent has gone so far as to decree that no school board meetings will be held on Thursday nights.

"It's been a great social outlet for us all," says Wescott, who now works to perfect her bowling in the off-season and has a top score of 179. "Everyone is paired in teams of two. We all pay dues to be in the league, and at the end of each season, we all get a $50-dollar gift certificate which we can use to buy bowling balls, shoes, or our new league shirt."

And Wescott says she still has plenty of time for her watercolors, and for trips to her lake cottage with her husband, William.

--Matt Simon

Web Wizard Works Wonders

Not too long ago, George Hodnick, a former English and speech teacher, had limited computer experience. That all changed last fall when teachers in his Red Wing, Minnesota, school district went on strike.

The local president called and asked if Hodnick would maintain their Web site during the strike. He agreed, and immediately headed to St. Paul for computer and Web training. When he returned to Red Wing, he created a strike Web site that included daily newsletters and daily photos he shot at every picket line.

"There were 220 teachers striking, and I wanted them to see that they were one unified group," says Hodnick. "I set up the site so that any teacher could browse a little bit and see everyone involved. And I included humorous photos and captions to boost morale."

The strike lasted three weeks, and everyone agreed that Hodnick helped keep spirits high and members informed. In the end, teachers won a four-year contract that preserves their health benefits (the major issue in negotiations).

Hodnick, meanwhile, is finding new outlets for his tech skills. He recently designed a new logo for his local, and he is digitally restoring historical photos for his home town of Aurora, Minnesota as it prepares for its 100th anniversary. "All my relatives are from Aurora," says Hodnick. "At the town centennial celebration, I'll be giving my cousins restored family photos on CD. This all started as a way to help the teachers, but now it's a hobby I love."

--Matt Simon

News Briefs

September 2003   

Pensions, Health Care Dominate Discussion in New Orleans

Photo by Matt Ferguson

Against a backdrop of Medicare battles and troubled state pension systems, NEA-Retired members at the Annual Meeting in New Orleans took an activist stance. In debates and new business items passed at the Annual Meeting and at the NEA Representative Assembly a few days later, members called upon NEA--and one another--to hammer home the message that all active and retired public education employees deserve affordable health care and adequate pensions.

The intensity of the debate was apparent whenever the topic turned to Congress' action to add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare. At press time, lawmakers were still negotiating details of their compromise legislation (see "Reconciling Congress' Prescription Drug Proposals").

"I spent $266 here in New Orleans, not including tax, for one prescription I need to use while I'm here," said Florida Retired member Joan King. "That should not happen. Prescription drugs should be reasonable for everyone to purchase." Whatever the final results of the Medicare compromise, she noted, the new legislation "does nothing to address the price of drugs," which have risen far faster than inflation as they have become an increasingly critical element of the health care system.

"No man, woman, or child in this country should have less health care coverage that our Congress has," Wisconsin retiree Gerald Martin said at a workshop on prescription drugs at the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting. "That's a program worth fighting for." Walt Munsterman, a member of Education-Minnesota-Retired, vowed that he and other Retired and Active members would continue pressing for more action to address the nation's health care crisis. "Our main goal in the upcoming year will be to get retirees more active in the political world," he said.

With the support of Retired and Active members alike, delegates at the NEA RA adopted a new legislative amendment declaring that "NEA supports the provision of low-cost prescription drugs for all residents." Delegates also approved an NBI calling for NEA to form a coalition of groups to advocate for "a universal quality health care system, consistent with NEA's position on health care�"

In state after state, Retired members are finding that rising health insurance premiums are eroding their pension checks. "Since I retired nine years ago, my pension check is lower than when I retired," Massachusetts member George Larson, Jr., told delegates at the NEA RA. While he was at the RA, he said, his health premiums increased another $20 a month, and the governor vetoed a cost-of-living increase. Larson and other delegates passed new business item directing NEA to work for changes that would allow retired members to pay for health care premiums on a pretax basis, as Active employees can do.

Retired members also were instrumental in pushing through several new business items aimed at enhancing public employee pension systems. One NBI ensures that NEA will provide affiliates with materials to defend against attacks on defined-benefit pension plans, and another says that NEA "will act to protect the assets of public employees' retirement systems to ensure actuarially sound funding." A third NBI on pensions commits NEA to providing affiliates with materials, including model language, to support efforts to undergird pensions with constitutional protections.

At the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting, President Jim Sproul announced that membership has climbed to 211,000 (as of May 31)--the highest ever. Participation in the annual meeting also set a new high, with 376 members attending.

--John O'Neil

Kudos to...

• Kathleen Roberts, winner of the 2003 Distinguished Service Award. Roberts, former president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, is a tireless contributor to NEA's Read Across America program and other causes. "If it seems I've done a lot, remember, I've been around a long time," quipped Roberts, 87.

• Adam Moore of Manchester College, Indiana. Moore received the first-ever Jack Kinnaman scholarship to support a worthy young person studying to be a teacher. Moore is president of the NEA student chapter at Manchester, which has rapidly grown to 132 members. (To help fund next year's scholarship, send a check to John F. Kinnaman Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o NEA-Retired, 1201 16th St., N.W., Suite 410, Washington, DC 20036.)

• NEA-Retired fundraisers. Under the leadership of Barbara Matteson, NEA-Retired worked all spring and through the NEA Representative Assembly to raise a total of xxx for the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education. A good chunk of that money--$9,500--was donated through the giveaway of a beautiful quilt (at location) made up of NEA tee shirts.

• Newsletter Award winners. The following groups were honored for their publications excellence in the 2003 NEA-Retired Newsletter Awards Competition:
  Established State Newsletter--
  Illinois Education Association-Retired (First place), Washington Education Association-Retired (Runner-up);
  State Newsletter Published Less Than Three Years--
  NEA/NY-Retired (First place); Georgia Association of Educators-Retired (Runner-up);
  Established Local Newsletter--
  Kaua'i Chapter of the Hawaii State Teachers Association-Retired (First place), Sewanhaka Federation of Teachers, New York (Runner-up);
  State Active Newsletter Covering Retired Issues--
  Michigan Education Association (First place), Nebraska State Education Association (Runner-up).

The Proof is in the Work

They've left the classroom, but they're still connoisseurs of student work.

We're talking about members of the York/Adams Pennsylvania State Education Association-Retired, who are partners in a popular local program to showcase excellent student work--building local support for public schools in the process. That's volunteers Bill Swanger and Lynn Gault (back) and Joan Swanger and Jeanette Martz (front), who raised money and shuttled projects to the county courthouse and to an awards dinner. Students' best work in such areas as photography, writing, and computer and video production was recognized.

"Seeing these proud young folks with their projects, their parents, and their teachers are definite signs that public education is working!" beamed local newsletter editor Dot Dickert.

In Ohio

The Ohio Education Association, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and other partners recently helped educators belonging to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) avoid some of the most draconian cuts to their healthcare benefits. The STRS board last year proposed changes that would have tripled the monthly premium of a typical retiree. OEA and NEA joined with other partners in a coalition that got expert help to develop alternatives to the board's recommendations. In May, the retirement board accepted a key coalition recommendation under which STRS will contribute more to the premium payment made by retirees, significantly reducing the amount of the proposed increase for members. The coalition will continue working with STRS to bolster the healthcare funding account and preserve insurance coverage for retirees.

In New Jersey

Started by a handful of forward-thinking organizers in 1963, the Middlesex County Retired Educators Association (MCREA), just celebrated its 40th anniversary. The local, which now numbers 950, works to protect health and pension benefits, as well as participating in food drives, providing scholarships, and serving nursing home residents, says Peggy Yatauro, MCREA president.

My Contribution

September 2003   

Museum Promises a Lifetime of Learning

Photo by Chris Seward

Retirement has brought no let-up for NEA-Retired members Elliot and Juanita Palmer. The couple co-founded the African American Cultural Complex (AACC) in Raleigh, North Carolina nearly twenty years ago, and they've hardly had a vacation since.

Built in 1984 and run entirely by the Palmers and a handful of volunteers, the AACC is the most comprehensive resource center on African-American history in the United States. For their creation of this vital resource--as well as their lifelong work for educational equity--the Palmers were honored with the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Award at the NEA's July Representative Assembly in New Orleans.

The need for heightened African American cultural awareness was painfully evident to the Palmers after teaching for a combined 64 years in the Durham County public school system. "We had both been teaching all kinds of history lessons," explains Elliot Palmer, "but we didn't think the curriculum offered sufficient information on African-American history." Elliot and Juanita took matters into their own hands after retiring in 1982 and 1989, respectively. With their own money, they built the museum facilities--complete with a nature trail, three cottages to hold museum exhibitions, and an amphitheatre--on their three-acre property.

"There's so little information available, even today," Juanita Palmer says, "so we defined the mission of the AACC as covering the full expanse of African American history." Displays of relics from African American pre-urban villages, replicas of some of George Washington Carver's 365 inventions, lectures on Black cowboys and photographs of revolutionary African American women in politics are just a few of the treasures provided free of cost to more than 100,000 annual visitors.

Further enriching the AACC experience is its acclaimed presentation of The Amistad Saga: Reflections, the only outdoor drama in America written, directed, and produced by and about African America. "When I discovered the Amistad story, I almost flipped," admits Elliot Palmer. "I had never heard of anything like that."

"It's an example of how we're learning as we go," Juanita continues. "One day we were at the library doing research, and we just came back so excited about integrating our discovery into our museum."

In addition to organizing the Amistad production, and to the daily personal museum tours they lead, the Palmers run an extensive mobile outreach program that has involved local businesses, rest homes, correctional facilities, institutes for the mentally and physically impaired, and more than 1,200 schools in the past year alone. Through the AACC, they've also established a statewide African American grade-school history contest with scholarship prizes.

"Seeing the faces of the young children who have no clue about all the inventions and accomplishments African-Americans have contributed is one of the most rewarding parts of our work," Juanita Palmer insists.

"When we see how far people travel to learn about their heritage, and how many other ethnic groups come to learn about African-American culture, we know we're doing a good job," adds Elliot Palmer.

Elliot, 70, was an original member of the NEA Black Caucus and has been honored by the United Nations and the NEA Joint Committee for his work preserving employment for Black educators. Among his many accomplishments, he is credited with having entered into the courts more lawsuits challenging desegregation laws and protecting the rights of educators than any single person in history.

Juanita, 66, was the first African- American teacher to desegregate the Chapel Hill school system and has contributed to community and social services throughout her teaching years.

The Palmers' unwavering dedication to the AACC is made evident by their hopes for continued museum expansion. And as for vacations? Laughs Mrs. Palmer, "We used to be open every Christmas day and every Thanksgiving because they were particularly busy days but now we take those days for our families. Other than that, we don't get a vacation."

--Tamara Zakim

For More

For more information about the African-American Cultural Complex, write to 119 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27910.

Also, NEA encourages you to honor individuals and affiliates for their human and civil rights contributions by nominating them for a 2004 Human and Civil Rights Award. Visit http://www.nea.org/annualmeeting/hcrawards to download nomination materials. The deadline to submit nominations is December 15, 2003.

Member Profiles

September 2003   

Camille Gieck
Pre-Retired

Background
I'm a technical staff assistant at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick. I'm in my 26th year, and my job today is to help students learn computer skills. I've been a local Association president and an NEA Rhode Island higher education vice president.

Why I'm Involved In NEA-Retired
NEA-Retired is very active in Rhode Island, and they do a great job with the Children's Fund. The Children's Fund operates the Ginger Bread Express, which is my sweetheart. We round up sponsors for needy kids so that they'll have holiday presents. The sponsor not only learns the age and sex of the child, but exactly what the child would like as a gift. Last year, I was able to find sponsors for 250 kids, and the program overall got sponsors for several hundred more throughout the state. So why did I get involved? I'm selfish. It makes me feel good!

Bobbie Duncan
Recently Retired

Background
I taught for 43 years, 27 of which I spent teaching home-bound children in Odessa, Texas. I've been a local and regional Association president, chair of the Texas State Teachers Association, member of the NEA Board of Directors, and delegate to the founding meeting of Education International in Sweden

How I'm Spending My Time
The Association gave me so much training that I wanted to keep paying back when I retired. I hoed they'd have work for me. That wasn't a problem. I've kept busy making building visits, recruiting new members, working on the newsletter, handling grievances, and helping to lobby for public education, which is having a very hard time in Texas. I talk to my state representative from Odessa regularly and try to do whatever else I can do to protect our education budget. I have time to share, and I want to stay as active as I can.

Ernest Holley
Active Retired

Background
I had a 34-education career in Staunton, Virginia, first as a science teacher and then 22 years as a guidance counselor. I've been a local and district Association president, a Virginia Education Association board member and state director, and a member of the NEA Board of Directors.

My Advice To Retirees
Balance your time between staying active and relaxing. Work with the NEA-Retired and your local retired group--it's rewarding--but don't be afraid to say "no" when you need time to kick back. I have a lot of leadership experience, and I enjoy working part-time as a guidance counselor back at my old school. It's a joy to be around kids, and they need our support. But I also devote more time to my hobbies--mainly singing in three choirs. My retirement high point was when I sang the National Anthem at a Washington Redskins football game. I've also sung the Anthem at two NEA Representative Assemblies, including the most recent RA in New Orleans.

Letters

September 2003   

Caregiving Story Hits Home

I just read your July Cover Story ("Taking Care") and wanted to commend you for helping to get this important message out to the membership. The costs and stress of caregiving can destroy the lives of retirees if they do not plan for such events. My wife and I are up to our necks with these issues with both sets of parents. This type of story--with the proper balance between personal anecdotes and factual presentation--will go a long way toward connecting with the membership on this critical issue of caregiving.

Joseph Blanchette
Charlotte, Vermont

Reaching Active Members

I'm writing to tell you how pleased I am with the new format of This Active Life. Is there any way we can get articles from This Active Life published in NEA Today, the magazine for active members? Doing so would inform the Active members that retired issues are intergenerational; it could also be a vehicle to get Actives to pre-enroll in NEA-Retired.

Gerald Martin
Franklin, Wisconsin

Editor--Printed in a brand new format beginning this month, NEA Today will continue to cover stories about issues facing retired members. We'll also regularly includes stories about retired members who are making a difference. For example, check out the September NEA Today for a story on Texas member Fran Valenzuela's fight against the Social Security offsets and a profile of South Carolina retiree Fannie Simmons. Both stories appeared first in This Active Life.

Don't Call On Me

The Federal Trade Commission says more than 26 million Americans have signed up for the service to have their telephone numbers removed from telemarketers' call lists. Retirees should be particularly wary of telemarketers, since many scam artists target seniors with unsolicited phone calls. (For more, see the May 2003 This Active Life cover story.) To add your information to the Do Not Call List, call toll-free 888-382-1222 or go to www.donotcall.gov.

Contributions

This Active Life wants to serve as a forum for members to express their issues and concerns. We'd like to hear more from you. In particular:

• Write a Letter to the Editor to comment on--or take issue with--something you read in the magazine. You can also offer your ideas and insights on education topics not directly covered in the magazine, such as school reform.

• Suggest names of NEA-Retired members in your community or state whose activism or hobbies merit mention in the People section or other pages.

• Tell us about notable accomplishments in your locale that stem from Retired and Active members working together in concert.

In addition, we'd especially appreciate hearing from you over the next month if you'd like to contribute to an upcoming story on grandparenting. Many grandparents are now playing a role raising grandchildren. What are the joys and pitfalls of this arrangement? How has it altered your ideas about life in retirement?

Please send your ideas to John O'Neil, Editor, This Active Life, NEA Communications, 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20036; 202/822-7223; joneil@nea.org.

News Flashes

Health Care Worries
Americans are far more worried about paying for health care than they are about being a victim of a terrorist attack or losing money in the stock market, a new poll shows. The survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that more than one-third of Americans are concerned about health care costs. Their key health care worry? That their health insurance plan will be more concerned about saving money for the plan than about what care is best for them.

Lobbying for Dollars
Another reason the cost of prescription drugs remains high: the army of lobbyists hired by drug manufacturers to represent their interests on Capitol Hill. A new report by Public Citizen found that the drug industry spent $91 million on lobbying in 2002, up 12 percent from 2001. Public Citizen also reported that in 2002, a down year for corporate profitability, the top 10 drug companies reported profits of $36 billion--more than half of all profits earned by Fortune 500 companies.

Nursing Home Costs Up
The average price of nursing homecare has risen to $181 per dy, an 8-percent jump since last year, according to a survey by the Mature Market Institute. Prices vary considerably across the United States. Nursing home care in Alaska runs $420 per day, compared to $96 in Shreveport, Louisiana. Care by a home health aide averages $18 per hour nationally.

Medigap Premiums Vary
Consumers continue to pay widely varying premiums for Medigap plans, according to a survey by Weiss Ratings, Inc. For Plan A, which offers the least coverage, Weiss found premiums offered by providers ranged from $352 to $2,850. It pays to shop around, Weiss says. For more information on the study, see www.weissratings.com.

Great Ideas

September 2003   

Reaching Out...for the Kids

Photo by Chuck Cook

NEA-Retired members contribute to thriving Outreach to Teach program.

They left with sore backs, paint-spattered clothes--and a feeling of pride that can't be topped. NEA-Retired members recently worked side-by-side with NEA Student and Active members cleaning, painting, and planting at the St. John Child Development Center in Garyville, Louisiana. The cause? Outreach to Teach, a program that targets a different high-needs school each year in the host city for the NEA Representative Assembly (RA).

For seven hours, the 300 volunteers painted classrooms and hallways; planted trees, flowers, and shrubs; decorated bulletin boards; organized storage areas; and even created a teachers' lounge at the school, which is located about 30 miles from New Orleans.

"I thought it would be a great thing to go into a school like this and see a complete transformation in one day," says Charles Smith, a retired science teacher from Jefferson County, Alabama. "To me there's nothing more rewarding."

Virginia Education Association-Retired member Kathleen Hairston has participated in Outreach to Teach for the past four years. "I always enjoy working with the younger generation, and I like seeing the school look so different after we leave," she says. "You know the children will appreciate it because it will be such a surprise when they come back."

Outreach to Teach started in 1996, when a group of 35 Student Program leaders organized a school beautification project during the Student Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, attendees of the annual Student and NEA-Retired conferences, along with other NEA members, have volunteered at a local school during the week preceding the RA.

In addition, some states run their own versions of Outreach to Teach. Wisconsin Education Association Council-Retired member Bob Henning, for example, has participated in the Badger State's program the last two years. He learned of Wisconsin's program while serving as parliamentarian to the Student WEAC. Not long afterward, the former math teacher, who runs his own handyman service, was helping to make 150 bluebird houses sold as a fundraiser for a designated Outreach to Teach school. This spring, he worked from sunup to sundown as part of the state's Outreach to Teach program at Westside Elementary School in Kimberly, Wisconsin, then toiled at the St. John Child Development Center while attending the RA in New Orleans.

"When I see what the students are accomplishing, it just makes my heart swell," says Henning. "By the time we're done, the school looks immaculate. I feel sometimes that students can use our wisdom and guidance, but we can also learn from them."

--Kristen Loschert
and Cheryl Ross

Cover Story

September 2003   

6 Ways To Thrive In Retirement

After years answering the school bell, you've earned the chance to set your own schedule. Now what? NEA-Retired members discuss how to make the most of retirement.

By John O'Neil

Just last year, Oregon member Ruth Robinson was still rising at the crack of dawn to teach family and consumer sciences at Sam Barlow High School outside of Portland. Now the newly retired Robinson runs errands during the day, walks and lifts weights, travels when it's cheap, reads a blue streak, participates in sports car rallies with her husband, and follows the stock market. Best of all, "I'm finding out how good it feels when I'm not sleep-deprived," she jokes.

Patsy Robertson, another recent retiree, now has the time to increase her political involvement, a long-time interest. Since primaries are the second week of September, she usually couldn't help out much because it was the beginning of the school year, she says. This year, "I'll do phone banks, help with petitions, do the mailings--the grunt work of the campaign." Somehow, Robertson also finds the time to serve on a local environmental commission and a school board watchdog group, and she is co-president of her local chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international women's society.

Robinson and Robertson represent a new breed of retirees: committed to being active, whether in their pleasure time or their volunteer work in politics or socially oriented causes. They're rapidly becoming the norm, say experts on aging. With life expectancies lengthening, today's retirees will spend more time than previous generations in retirement. That's led to a shift in the entire focus of retirement, from a time for "winding down and "taking it easy" to a period of personal renewal--what author and retirement expert Ken Dychtwald calls "a second act."

That's not to say the transition is an easy one. Nearly every retiree feels some pangs when their colleagues return to school in the fall. Whether dealing with the drop in income or the loss of camaraderie, retirees face a big adjustment. So we asked NEA-Retired members for their tips on how to thrive in retirement. Here's what you told us:

(Re)Discover Your Passion

What's life without a little (okay, a lot of) zip? Members making the most of retirement find ways to stoke that inner fire. It may be as simple as taking a painting class at a local college, joining a hobby club, or practicing genealogy.

Robertson, a former English teacher and school librarian gets her charge from local politics and environmental causes. The delegate to the 1980 Democratic National Convention already had the bug for political activism, but retirement has intensified it. In the past year, she's been named recording secretary to the Reform Caucus of the New York State Democratic Party (started by Eleanor Roosevelt, she proudly notes) and helped establish a regional chapter of the Working Families Party.

Meanwhile, she's continued to serve on the Rochester Environmental Commission and recently became the city's representative to an environmental management collaborative of municipal and planning boards. "I've tried to do as much as I can, because I really believe that people who live in a community need to support and give back to it," says Robertson. "What's important to me is that I believe that I can help make a difference in the way government operates."

Marie Thomas, who spent her career teaching elementary school in Michigan but now lives in Celebration, Florida, had to do some soul searching. She flirted with a real estate career, but soon realized that it couldn't bring her the satisfaction she wanted. With the classroom still beckoning, she began reading the original writings of famed Italian educator Maria Montessori--and got hooked. The next step was taking a regional training institute offered nearby, and this fall, she'll be back in the classroom bringing a Montessori-style curriculum to kindergartners at Deerwood Elementary in Osceola County.

"Once you've retired, you've got the plaque and the service award," Thomas says. "I've now had the time and the space to say, 'How could I have done it better? What can I do now to make things turn around for the next generation?' That's the search that I've been on."

Plan, Plan, Plan

For years, the school bell's helped structure your day. What will provide the structure in retirement?

"A lot of teachers have fears about what they're going to do in retirement; how they're going to spend their time," says Massachusetts Teachers Association-Retired member Mary Gilmore, who counsels Massachusetts members about retirement planning. Without a plan, educators struggle to find their role. "The retirees I worry about most are the ones who wake up every morning and say, 'what am I going to do today?'"

You'll need a plan, in part, because you're sure to have a lot of demands on your time. "I found that once everyone knew I was retired, everyone asks you to do something," says Robertson. "If you say yes to everything right away, you may find yourself committed to things that aren't exactly what you want. You need to match your personal needs with what you decide to do."

With your days much more flexible than before, it's time to take stock of what interests you and find ways to get them on your to-do list. Have you always been interested in writing? Schedule in some time at the library to research book publishers or visit with editors at the local newspaper to find out what's involved. Do you miss the regular contact with young people? Investigate ways you can serve as a mentor, a tutor, or coach. Have you always wanted to start your own business? Look into how to draw up a business plan, and use your network of friends and colleagues to find retirees who have successfully managed their own business.

Take an inventory of the things you really enjoy doing, and why they make you happy. Talk to other retirees who have capitalized on their interests and turned them into a regular hobby or part-time work. Good resources for this kind of brainstorming are available on the web. For example, the web site www.2young2retire.com is full of ideas on exciting jobs and roles to take on in retirement, and you can draw inspiration from the personal stories of many other retirees posted there. (The site is operated by Marika and Howard Stone, authors of Too Young to Retire: An Off-the-Road Map to the Rest of Your Life.) Go to www.notyetretired.com, and you'll find numerous resources on finding post-retirement work and starting your own business.

Know Your Finances

Brainstorming is great, of course, but obviously your pension, investments, and checkbook balance have something to say about your options in retirement. Ignore your financial bottom line, and you may spend most of your energy trying to make sure the bills are paid. With the downturn in the investment markets and the rising costs on everything from property taxes to prescription drugs, it's especially critical that every senior become more knowledgeable about what income they can count on, and what expenses will wind up on the ledger sheet.

Your spending patterns in retirement are probably going to change; for example, you may spend less on clothing or transportation but more on health insurance premiums and vacations. For that reason, Vermont member Jay Kaplan advises keeping very careful track of your spending for at least one year, to establish a baseline of costs and begin to distinguish between essential and optional expenses.

On the income side, you'll need to find out what you can expect from your public educators' pension (including cost-of-living provisions), Social Security (if applicable), and returns on other investments you may have. You should also work up a statement of your net worth, which includes your various bank accounts and assets such as your home.

Then comes the tricky part--crunching the numbers! If all this seems like a mathematical nightmare, don't fret--you're not alone. NEA Member Benefits offers sage advice on retirement finances at www.neamb.com/lifeplan/retresctr/. On this site, you'll find worksheets that help you calculate your net worth and budget, as well as specific guidance on such issues as annuities, options such as reverse mortgages, and more.

Many local and state associations also provide advice; for example, by sponsoring workshops on financial issues in retirement. Your Association also provides regular information about changes in your state's pension system or health insurance payments that may affect you. In the long run, it may be helpful to get a personal consultation from a financial pro. The Certified Planner Board of Standards (www.cfp-board.org) has great tips on what to consider when working with a financial planner.

Stay Connected

Financial matters are only part of the retirement transition, however. When Nebraska member Dennis Beaver prepared for his retirement in 2000, he felt comfortable about his financial forecast. What jarred him, he says, was the loss of the sense of camaraderie he gained from working as part of a school staff dedicated to public education's mission. Even now, "I definitely have withdrawal from the classroom," he admits. "I wasn't prepared for what it was like being out of the loop. The biggest thing for me is that I miss my old colleagues." Once retired, "You become an island out there."

Gilmore works with many members who find that social network through volunteering. After all, she says, "volunteering is working together with a common mission," which is often what retired educators miss most about leaving the classroom. "They want to feel part of that team again." The social connections can come from something as simple as participating in your local Read Across America campaign to building houses for Habitat for Humanity or even joining the Peace Corps. Great places to start if you're seeking an outlet for your talents are Senior Corps (www.seniorcorps.org) and the National Mentoring Partnership (www.mentoring.org).

Expanding your social circle doesn't have to be all work, either. Oregon's Robinson takes part in the "Blue Stocking Book Club," a monthly book club organized by teachers at her former school. The group, which includes both current and retired teachers, has read everything from classics like Victor Hugo's Les Miserables to Beryl Markham's West Into the Night, the story of an early aviatrix who crossed the Atlantic alone before Amelia Earhart. "The book club offers the closest thing to the camaraderie that we had at school," says Robinson. "It's been a real help in the transition to a life where I see many fewer people every day. I'm careful to plan our vacations around the meetings so I don't miss one!"

Of course, remaining active with your local and state Association is a great way to combine service with socializing. Many of those who volunteer to support governance, put out newsletters, and recruit new members say the best benefit is the chance to meet new folks who extend their social perimeter. (For a look at how some Georgia retirees are building a stronger Association, see "Giving Back--and Gaining Members")

Find Cheap Travel

Who can resist a bargain? By taking advantage of senior rates and flexible scheduling, retired members are enjoying trips all over the globe. Washington member Jean Savidge says to be sure to keep track of last-minute deals and specials offered by hotels and airlines. Using the Web is convenient (see page "Computers" for some good Web sites), but if you don't want to keep track on your own, she advises, ask a travel agent to track specials for you. Several years ago, Savidge took advantage of an airline carrier's new route to the Far East to score an incredible deal of a week's trip to Bangkok, Thailand, and stay at a five star hotel for only $785 per person.

Elderhostel, a nonprofit organization aimed at those 55 and older, has earned a great reputation for value. The programs are all-inclusive (accommodations, meals, and such incidentals as medical or insurance coverage), and build in lots of learning opportunities, which appeals to many public education retirees. Barbara Matteson, NEA-Retired vice president, has been on three Elderhostel trips: one in Newfoundland, one in Hawaii, and one hiking excursion in the Grand Canyon. She especially likes the educational components and the chance to meet interesting people, she says. Another plus: Elderhostel now offers special intergenerational tours designed for seniors and the grandkids. Offerings this summer included a whitewater trip on the Colorado River and a tour and study of Native American art. (For more information, contact Elderhostel at 877-426-8056 or www.elderhostel.org.)

Also, don't forget to check with your local and state Retired organizations about travel opportunities. Some of them negotiate special group travel rates, and you'll enjoy the company of your fellow retired educators in addition to saving a few dollars.

Slow Down and Relax!

It's common to hear retired members remark, "I don't know how I ever found the time to work!" Amidst travel, volunteering, housework, errands, and time visiting the grandkids, it's easy to feel your schedule getting a little out of control.

Take time to enjoy the freedom that retirement offers, advises Robertson. It's especially important for those just entering retirement not to become over-scheduled. "I would not jump into things right away," she says. "You need to take four or five months to see how your days shape up--what time you're getting up in the morning, what time you want to go shopping or to the movies. You need to see how the normal everyday things change" before filling up your calendar exclusively with activities and obligations.

Robinson logs some quiet hours gardening and embroidering, and she loves to curl up with a good book. "It's a great feeling to occasionally decide to do nothing of significance on a given day and not feel guilt as if I should be striving, working, or producing," she says. Mixing structured activities with time for just relaxing, our retirement advisors say, will leave you refreshed and better equipped to tackle your next challenge.

--Additional reporting by Tamara Zakim

Do you have tips on how to thrive in retirement?
We'd love to hear them. Contact This Active Life, NEA Communications, 1201 16th St., N.W., Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036. Or e-mail joneil@nea.org.

Giving Back--and Gaining Members

Retired members have proven instrumental in the steady growth of the Organization of DeKalb (Georgia) Educators (ODE). In just six years, ODE has surged from 500 to 3,100 members--with retired members playing key roles.

ODE launched a comprehensive growth plan in 1993, and retired members have found ample ways to get involved, whether by networking, raising donations, being politically active, or assisting with the association's news publication, says David Schutten, the local president. "Across the board, we try to include retired members in all different aspects of the organization because we definitely benefit from their help and effort," he explains.

Retirees Helen Zappia, Gail Reed and Vivian Reese have contributed to one of the ODE's most effective building tools: discussion forums brought to the teachers in their various schools across the county.

The women provide continental breakfasts in teachers' lounges, attend faculty meetings and host luncheons in efforts to educate teachers about membership opportunities and benefits.

"Teachers come in and say, 'I've been thinking about joining, I just don't have the time.' When they see us, they know us, they trust us and they realize it must be a good thing," says Reese, who retired in December 2000 after 34 years of teaching gifted education at Bouie Elementary. "I tell them, 'Membership is your insurance. You can't drive a car without insurance, so why be in a professional organization without a support system?' Especially in today's times, teachers just know they need that support to back them up."

Reed, who taught at Gretchen Park Elementary for 32 years before retiring in June 2000, decided to get involved because she's experienced first-hand the rewards of being a Georgia Association of Educators member. "I've always been a member, and one day one of my students got hurt in the classroom. When her parents threatened to sue, GAE came right in to help. They had top lawyers and not a penny came out of my pocket. When I retired, I wanted to find a way to give back."

The idea of "giving back" is something that Reese identifies with as well. "It's a great way of getting involved. You're home every day but you don't want to sit home. You don't want to teach again but you want to stay involved in the educational process. I've stayed busy and I feel like I'm doing something meaningful."

Thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of retirees like Reese, Reed and Zappia, relationships within the community are flourishing. "It's great to work with members who've recently retired because they understand the teachers and the school systems," admits Schutten. "I just couldn't do it by without them."

--Tamara Zakim

Computers

September 2003   

Need information on the Atkins diet or that dream vacation spot?

Photo by ABLESTOCK

Your answer may be only a click away.
Defying stereotypes, seniors are one of the fastest growing segments of computer users linking to the Internet. With the click of a mouse, a world of valuable resources are open to you--for free.

Here are some great sites on five topics that of interest to senior "surfers."

Travel

Purchase airline tickets, make hotel reservations, rent cars, and book cruises without ever visiting a travel agent. To save the most money, compare prices and offers on each site before committing. Don't forget, frequent flier miles are a must, and when traveling overseas, international airlines may have cheaper prices.

www.expedia.com. Allows you to build your own trip from start to finish, and even lets you purchase tickets for trip extras Ð such as shows, theme parks, museums, and sports activities -- in advance.

www.lowestfare.com. Search for low fares and package deals, or check out the low fare city guides to get prices on activities in major vacation hot spots.

www.priceline.com. Name your own price on tickets and package deals. Priceline finds the closest possible price to your suggestion, and then lets you buy it.

www.travelocity.com. Offers vacation guides, advice, and a fare watcher to compare the latest prices and save money.

Health and wellness

The following sites offer information on many facets of staying healthy, including diet and prescription medications.

www.ediets.com. Get a free diet profile, benefit from personalized diets, learn fitness and dieting ideas, and get counseling.

www.hhs.gov. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services lets you explore information on various health topics from aging to safety and wellness.

www.benefitscheckup.org. This handy site from the National Council on the Aging can tell you whether you qualify for any special health care or prescription drug discounts.

Financial planning tips

Information and advice on financial planning is often more confusing than helpful. These sites help overcome the uncertainty with educational material and solid advice.

www.asec.org. The American Savings Education Council lets you use savings tools to learn about retirement and finance planning.

www.financiallearning.com. General Electric's Center for Financial Learning promotes financial literacy through extensive resources and planning methods for life events such as retirement.

www.quicken.com/retirement/planner. Use Quicken's retirement planner to help build your own financial plan.

www.seniorresource.com. Valuable information on housing options, retirement, finance, and insurance can be found here.

Volunteering

Mentoring and volunteer programs can use your time and expertise. A few to check out.

www.mentoring.org. The National Mentoring Partnership helps you become a mentor and find local mentoring opportunities.

www.nwrel.org/mentoring. The National Mentoring Center offers training information, resources, news and a mentor exchange listserv.

www.seniorcorps.com. The Corporation for National and Community Service Senior Corps connects local, state, and national volunteer organizations for a common goal.

www.servenet.org. Find volunteer opportunities, get involved, read the news, search through volunteering resources, and aid non-profit organizations.

www.voa.org. Volunteers of America offers a variety of programs and ways to pitch in and help needy groups.

--Cheryl Ross

Ask the Expert

September 2003   

RV Travel: Insuring Your Best Trip Ever

Photo by PHOTODISC

Many retired Americans enjoy seeing the country in a Recreational Vehicle (RV). A fender bender or theft may mar your trip, however, so it's important to be properly insured against damage or loss. Doug Terwilliger of NEA Member Benefits has the lowdown on making sure you're covered.

Q: What factors affect insurance for a Recreational Vehicle?

According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, RVs are specialized vehicles with unique insurance needs. Coverage on furnishings, fixtures, appliances, and personal items are among the many differences between regular automobile and RV insurance. The high cost of RVs and the potential for extensive physical damage in an accident mean the ordinary coverage minimums that apply to passenger cars are too low. Additionally, since many RVs are driven by people who aren't accustomed to the extra size and length, insurers believe there is a greater risk for accidents.

Q: What type of insurance policy is issued?

Some insurance carriers will issue a certificate of insurance that applies to an RV. In other cases, if you have rental car coverage as part of your automobile insurance package, it will apply, but you will need to increase the physical damage limits to cover the greater value of your ride.

Q: What do I need to know to make the best decision?

If you are renting an RV, you'll need to make sure you have adequate insurance. Many companies that rent RVs offer insurance, but it might not be the best deal. Here are some of the things to watch for when renting an RV:

• Is the insurance included in the rental price? If not, does the stand-alone price make sense? A $12-a-day insurance policy might not seem like much, but over a year's time that would work out to more than $4,300 for the policy.

• What is the deductible amount? Most RV policies start with a $500 deductible and go as high as $2,000.

• Is the liability coverage adequate? You should have at least $100,000 of liability protection, as well as $100,000 of property damage protection.

• Are you covered for towing? Your policy should provide for high towing limits.

• Are you covered for medical expenses if someone is injured? Check the medical payment and personal injury provisions of the policy to make sure that you or your passengers are covered for medical expenses.

• Does the policy provide replacement cost for personal property damaged or stolen from inside the motor home? Check to see if your homeowners insurance might cover these items.

Always discuss your personal insurance needs with your own insurance agent/ representative. Remember, NEA members can obtain mobile home insurance and motor home insurance through the NEA Members Auto & Home Insurance Program®.

--Doug Terwilliger
NEA Member Benefits

Quick Tips

Shop Around
After you learn what kind of coverage you might need, check with several carriers to get quotes. Costs vary a great deal, depending upon the specifics of each policy.

Ask Questions
Be sure to make sure the policy provides adequate coverage for damage, liability, and medical expenses. Contact an NEA Member Benefits specialist (800/637-4636; www.neamb.com) if you have questions.

10-Minute Activist

September 2003   

Reconciling Congress' Prescription Drug Proposals

After years of promises--but little action--both the Senate and House of Representatives passed their versions of prescription drug reform with breathtaking speed early this summer. The debate was heated, and the House bill passed by a razor-thin 216-215 vote, but Congress met its July 4 deadline of passing legislation that adds an prescription drug benefit to Medicare estimated at $450 billion over 10 years.

Now the action turns to a conference committee, which has the difficult task of reconciling Senate and House bills that differ on many substantive issues. The details worked out in committee will have far-reaching ramifications for what will be the largest expansion of Medicare benefits since its inception in 1965.

Most seniors, especially those who lack adequate coverage for prescription drugs, are keenly interested in costs. Under both bills, the premium for prescription drug coverage under Medicare Part D would cost seniors about $35 a month. Deductibles are $250 under the House bill and $275 under the Senate.

Here's where things get trickier. In the House bill, 80 percent of the costs between $250 and $2,000 would be covered (20 percent would be a co-pay), and Medicare would pay 100 percent of costs above $3,500. Seniors would have to pay all annual costs between $2,000 and $3,500. Critics are calling this the "doughnut hole" in the coverage, but there's nothing sweet about it. The Senate bill also contains a doughnut hole--between $4,500-$5,300. Medicare would pay 50 percent of expenses between $275 and $4,500 and 90 percent of costs over $5,300. (Both bills also contain provisions cutting out-of-pocket costs to those with limited incomes.)

NEA and its partners successfully worked to narrow--but not eliminate--the coverage gap in the Senate bill; however, more needs to be done.

For example, NEA continues to work on a critical definition of out-of-pocket costs that could have a major impact on employer-provided health coverage for retirees.

Here's why. The bills proposed by both the House and Senate do not count employer contributions toward out-of-pocket costs, therefore making it harder for individuals to reach the expense thresholds for government subsidies. NEA's position is that employers' contributions to retirement plans should count toward the out-of-pocket costs for prescription drug expenses, so that individuals could avail themselves of a prescription drug benefit sponsored by the federal government. Excluding employer contributions from the definition of out-of pocket expenses could discourage employers such as state governments, retirement systems, and school districts from providing retiree health coverage (especially during budget shortfalls) because individuals would not benefit from such employer contributions.

In addition, NEA would like to ensure that a Medicare traditional fee-for-service plan is available in areas of the country where private prescription drug plans do not offer coverage. The proposals currently being discussed allow prescription drug coverage in Medicare to be provided by private plans. Presently, the Senate bill provides a Medicare fallback option; however, the House bill does not contain a Medicare fallback, thus providing only a private insurance option without the availability of Medicare traditional fee-for-service coverage.

With the final details of the prescription drug benefit bill still up in the air, it's not too late to voice your concerns. Learn more about NEA's position at www.nea.org/lac and send a message to your elected officials.

--John O'Neil
and Al Campos

What You Can Do

Speak Up
Tell Congress to oppose any conference bill that:

• Encourages employers to stop providing existing retiree coverage

• Excludes government sponsored plans from receiving subsidies for retirees who do not enroll under the proposed R_x program

• Does not provide Medicare traditional fee-for-service fallback coverage