Retired Teachers “Focus on Success” at State Convention

Date:

CalRTA Convention and Delegate Assembly

Guest speakers included CalSTRS CEO Cassandra Lichnock, and AARP’s Chief Diversity Officer Edna Kane Williams

Sue Breyer | CalRTA Division 33 Vice President

“Focus on Success” was the theme for the recent California Retired Teachers Association’s (CalRTA) Annual Convention and Delegate Assembly held in Sacramento from May 13-15. Over 2000 California retired teachers participated in the event, which offered members a chance to reconnect in-person after several years of virtual meetings. During the three-day event, members went “back to school” at numerous education sessions on topics such as Medicare, online scams, CalSTRS resources, and various workshops designed for CalRTA leaders and volunteers.

Ron and Sue Breyer, CalRTA State President and CalRTA State Communications and Technology Chair, respectively, represented local Division 33 (Hemet and San Jacinto) at the convention and served as delegates for their Division. Mr. Breyer also co-presented a workshop for both new and veteran Division Presidents, facilitated an open discussion session on “Fostering Leadership” and addressed convention participants at the Saturday banquet on CalRTA as the “Best Kept Secret in California,” urging members to “get the word out” about CalRTA’s many successes and legislative achievements. Mrs. Breyer conducted a workshop on “Online Scams” targeting seniors and joined two other State Committee Chairs in a participant-generated Division idea exchange of “Best Practices.” Mrs. Breyer was also presented with the Ed Ely Outstanding Communications Award at the Awards Banquet, an honor granted annually to the individual member who does the best job of communicating the vision and goals of CalRTA to members, legislators and the general public.

CalRTA State President Ron Breyer

Though much has changed in California since CalRTA was formed in 1929, the focus on retirement security remains firmly in place.

This year CalRTA is sponsoring two bills that will protect retired educators and their earned pension benefit:

• SB 868 (Cortese) will increase the financial assistance our oldest retired educators receive from the Supplemental Benefit Maintenance Account (SMBA), and

• AB 1667 (Cooper) will ensure retired educators are not held liable for prior overpayments that weren’t their fault.

In addition to providing security for retirees, pensions have a tremendous positive economic impact on California according to the report “Pensionomics 2021” by the National Institute on Retirement Security:

• $76.7 billion in economic output generated by retirees’ spending

• 395,520 jobs paying $25.4 billion in wages supported by retirees’ spending

• $15.1 billion in federal, state and local tax revenues

CalSTRS CEO Cassandra Lichnock

CalRTA also supports public education and current teachers with scholarships and teacher grants. Last year CalRTA and its local Divisions donated more than $750,000 in grants, scholarships and materials to California public schools. That was in addition to the $65 million worth of volunteer time.

Locally, CalRTA Division 33 offers ten $1000 scholarships to local graduating seniors and up to twenty $100 grants each year to area teachers. The Division is also a “Silver” sponsor of the Hemet San Jacinto Student of the Month Program.

“We cared about our students and our communities while we worked as educators,” said CalRTA State President Ron Breyer. “That caring doesn’t stop at retirement.”

Local teachers looking for grant opportunities should watch for announcements on the CalRTA state website (www.calrta.org/teacher-grants) and our local Division’s website (div33.calrta.org/scholarships-and-grants).

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