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Scholarship Awards from the
Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association The Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association is proud to announce its annual scholarship awards to students going into the field of education. A Zoom scholarship presentation occurred July 14, 2021, with the WCRTA Board, general members, and scholarship winners including their families and guests. The Blanche J. Martin Scholarship is awarded to students pursuing a path to a degree in Elementary Education. Since the inception of this scholarship, the WCRTA has awarded over $95,000. Blanche is remembered for her lifelong dedication to education. She served as a Grade School Teacher, Elementary Principal, Assistant Superintendent in charge of Elementary Education, and Regional Superintendent of Boone and Winnebago Counties. Blanche was a member of WCRTA and served on the board as a financial advisor for many years. The 2021 Blanche J Martin Scholarship winners will each receive $1,500 to use toward their educational expenses in Elementary Education. Congratulations to: Chloe Baxter (Hononegah Graduate) Currently attending Rockford University McKenzie Brown (Boylan Graduate) Currently attending Newman University Brianna Meyer (Pecatonica Graduate) Currently attending Rockford University Kylee Semenchuk (Harlem Graduate) Currently attending Marion University The Fred Kunz Memorial Scholarship is a generous endowment for the second year in a row from the family of the late Fred Kunz. There is $2,000 in scholarship money to be given to students committed to attaining a college degree with teacher certification. Volunteerism, strong personal characteristics, and academic success were important to Fred, because he believed students should give back to others and the community. Fred Kunz was a long-time teacher in public education, member of WCRTA, and served as president of this association. The 2021 Fred Kunz Memorial Scholarship winners will each receive $1,000 to use toward their expenses as future educators. Congratulations to: Holly Janowski (Hononegah Graduate) Currently attending Western Illinois University Avery Williams (Winnebago Graduate) Currently attending University of Wisconsin-Platteville **************************************** Good News! This is all good news for the Illinois Retired Teachers Association and our members. Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and Teachers Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) will both be receiving the amounts proposed at Governor Pritzker’s budget address. • Teachers' Retirement System of Illinois: $5,693,707,000 • Teachers' Retirement Insurance Program: $143,369,000 Check out more under Legislative News above. *************************************** Excellence in Education Grants for Teachers Program Do you know a Pre-K to 12 teacher in need of a grant to fund a classroom project? Click on Unit Info above to access details. *************************************** WEP/GPO Bill Click on Legislative News above for important information! *************************************** Great News!!! Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS) and the Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program (TRIP) are both being fully funded. Click on Pension/Legislative news above for details. *********************************************************** If you are curious about what happens at our Board meetings, or you would like to join the Board, feel free to attend one of the Board Meetings. Due to the COVID-19 virus, board meetings have taken place via ZOOM. We welcome new Board Members who will bring fresh ideas to the planning table! Please fill out a contact form if you would like to join the board or attend a ZOOM meeting. You can find the contact form under Unit Info above. ************************************************************ Thank you for your Membership! Not a member? Join Right Now. HI, I’M MIKE SCHMIDT THE IRTA MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR, AND I’D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT TODAY IS FEBRUARY FIRST AND ALL OF US RETIREES KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. YES, IT’S JUST NINE DAYS TO THE 56th ANNIVERSARY OF THE FIRST BEATLES APPEARANCE ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW! OH, NO, NO, NO, I MEAN TODAY IS THE DAY THAT IF WE ARE AT LEAST 62 YEARS OLD, THIS YEAR’S PENSION PAYMENT INCREASES BY A COMPOUNDED 3%. HOPEFULLY YOUR 3% INCREASE WILL MAKE 2020 THAT MUCH MORE ENJOYABLE THAN 2019 WAS. BUT JUST REMEMBER THAT WE WOULDN’T HAVE THAT INCREASE IN OUR BANK ACCOUNTS IF THE IRTA’S INSTITUTED LAWSUIT, HEATON VS. QUINN, HADN’T SUCCEEDED. YOUR MEMBERSHIP IN OUR ASSOCIATION MADE THAT SUCCESS POSSIBLE, SO PLEASE SHARE THE VALUE OF THE IRTA WITH YOUR RETIRED COLLEAGUES WHO AREN’T YET MEMBERS. ASK THEM TO JOIN THE ONLY STATE-WIDE ORGANIZATION THAT IS DEDICATED SOLELY TO PROTECTING THE BENEFITS OF RETIRED EDUCATORS. IT’S EASY TO DO IF YOU JUST DIRECT THEM TO OUR WEBSITE AT IRTAONLINE.ORG THEY’LL LOVE US - YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. |
We are going to meet! Save these dates: September 16th General Meeting at Stockholm Inn Registration 11:30 A.M. Lunch at Noon (order off the menu, individual checks.) Speaker: Dr. John Ulferts Speaker: Dr. John Ulferts--Dr. Ulferts graduated from Hononegah High School in 1983. He is now in his 34th year in education. Twenty-one of these years were in Illinois with eleven being in Colorado and one with the Department of Defense. He was a Principal in the Rockford Public Schools for ten years. Dr. Ulferts is now the Superintendent-Principal of Shirland School District 134. He has held this position for 12 years. Presentation: His presentation will be based on his book - World War II Through Veterans' Eyes - which chronicles the war through the stories of nearly 140 veterans that Dr. Ulferts befriended during the 1990s. October 18th & 19th IRTA Convention at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield, IL November 18th General Meeting at the Machine Shed Registration at 8:30 A.M. Breakfast at 9:00 A.M. (order off the menu, individual checks.) Speaker: AMBA Rep, and possibly one other guest speaker. *********************************************************** Trail Insurance Information: Please click on TRIP/Trail Information above. *************************************** IRTA October 28, 2020 Yesterday, October 27th, TRS held its first stakeholder meeting in several years. The web meeting had several presentations by the TRS staff and Chairman Devon Bruce opened the meeting. The following is a summary of the staffs’ presentations: • TRS staff shifted to remote work in March. • TRS staff transition back to the office in July. A maximum of 50% of the staff is physically at the office daily. • May 3, 2021, there will be an election for two teacher trustees & one annuitant. • Candidate nominations require 500 valid handwritten or electronic signatures. • Electronic signatures are a new option available due to COVID – 19. • The pandemic magnified already volatile stock markets globally. • TRS took a defensive posture designed to protect assets within difficult market environments. • TRS’s goal is to maximize expected return with a prudent level of risk. • Fiscal Year 2020 membership – 163,115 active members (Tier 1 – 112,004; Tier 2 – 51,111). • There are 125,927 annuitants/beneficiaries. • The oldest retiree is 109 years old. • The oldest active teacher is 81 years old. • The average monthly benefit for recipients is $5,027. • Assets as of June 30, 2020 are $54.9 billion. • Funded ratio 40.5%. The IRTA will be sending a link to our members Monday, November 2nd to sign the IRTA endorsed TRS Annuitant candidate, Larry Pfeiffer’s petition. Stay Safe, Jim Bachman, IRTA Executive Director **************************************** Message from IRTA President John Flaherty Click on Pension/Legislative News Above **************************************** To contact the Winnebago County Retired Teachers Association: Click Contact form under Unit Info above. ***************************************** TRS Position on Pension Funding Click on Pension/Legislative News above **************************************************** We need your help to continue to keep our pensions safe! Illinois Retired Teachers Association Political Action Committee $1/month Enrollment Illinois Retired Teachers Association Political Action Committee is a statewide, nonpartisan Political Action Committee (PAC) organized by members of the Illinois Retired Teachers Association to benefit the entire retired educator community through political contributions to state candidates. To donate using your credit card, go to the LINKS above and click on IRTA. Cursor down to Political Action Committee. On the right, click on the DONATE button. You can donate using your credit card or fill out the $1 per month TRS deduction form. You can also send a check to Illinois Retired Teachers Association PAC, 828 S. Second St., 4th Floor, Springfield, IL 62704. *************************************************** |
