Erica Addison

Davis, who taught English, math, and business education for over 35 years in Alabama middle and high schools, says that visits from speakers and informational articles in publications, through both work and the teaching associations he belongs to, made him start to think about retirement long before the time came.

“I got a little 401K and worked a second job most of my teaching career so I would have something to put aside for retirement,” he says.

As the president of his local branch of the Alabama Education Retirees Association, Mobile Retired Teachers-Unit I, Davis is better able to spread the word to Association members by networking at meetings and helping to recruit speakers who can educate members about how to save and invest money and avoid the latest scams.

But Davis doesn’t limit his influence to fellow members—he is always looking to encourage former teachers to join their local retired organizations—be they strangers on the street or members of his church.

“I tell them that they should join all of the retired organizations because they look out for the rights of and benefits for teachers. Don’t join just one! The organizations act together, and the greater our numbers, the better our voice will be heard in the state and in Washington,” Davis says.