As I mentioned in my farewell speech at the Retired Annual Meeting, in June, we have come so far in our six years together, and I am confident we will go even further. What a joy to recall our accomplishments. May I remind you that we always need to set goals bigger than our dreams in order to gain what is possible.
Thank you for your support, your many kindnesses, and your plain, old hard work to accomplish what needed to be done. Thank you for answering the call of service on committees and especially on fundraising for the political action committee. Thanks to those of you who lobbied tirelessly with a multitude of emails and phone calls. Thank you as well for never giving up on ending the government pension offset and windfall elimination provision, known as GPO/WEP, which unfairly deprive many retired educators of the Social Security benefits they have earned. We’ll get there some day! State NEA-Retired presidents, thank you for your leadership and for getting the job done at home.
Please keep our motto before you: We are NEA-Retired. Our commitment continues. It speaks volumes about our aspirations, our intent to continue the work we began many years ago, and the knowledge that we are needed more than ever. Always, but always, say our name!
Wishing you each success and much happiness.
