Jenkins County Retired Educators meet

In the unit's first meeting of the 2007-2008 year, the Jenkins County unit of the Georgia Retired Educators Association (GREA) heard Executive Director Dr. Bill Sloan urge members to let their state legislators know how they feel about legislation of interest to education and to work as much as possible to increase membership.

While GREA has increased its membership yearly to the present 16,000, Sloan noted that some 600 retired educators die each year. This means that GREA must sign 600 new members each year just to stay even, which no organization wants.

It is the size of GREA that provides the strength to preserve and protect the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) as well as a strong voice to affect legislation. Sloan said Georgia's TRS ranking as one of the best educator retirement systems in the country is the direct result of the work and strength of GREA.

Sloan said that the force of the GREA lobbying effort on behalf of retired educators and education in general is made more forceful the larger the organization is.

After describing several House and Senate bills due to come up in next year's session of the Georgia General Assembly, he urged members to make their voices heard by email, phone calls, and letters. "Legislators want to hear from you," he concluded.

GREA Area 6 Director Dorothy Wilson made the long journey from Savannah to provide information and enjoy the fellowship. She is in the last year of her nearly six years as area director and joined Dr. Sloan in stressing the need of GREA membership by all retired educators.

On the horizon is the fall meeting for Areas 5 and 6 in Savannah on Oct. 1, and Georgia Retired Educators Day on Nov. 4. The next meeting for the Jenkins County Unit will be on Nov. 14 when the unit hosts its annual meeting with state legislators and enjoys a Thanksgiving meal in the Jenkins County lunchroom.

Dr. Sloan ended the meeting by installing the officers for 2007-2008: Jim Hite, president; Beulah Ramsey, vice-president; Joyce Hodges-Hite, secretary; Lillie M. McDowell, treasurer.