Hello members……..

We have just concluded our 2012 Annual TelCo Membership Meeting.

Carole Hansen, Director introduced the proposed Board. Members voted to again install your current Board members and accept the 2012 budget as submitted by Treasurer Shirlee Croson. One change…Director Dave Dodge replaces Director Lee Brown as Membership Chairman. Lee Brown has held the position for many years. Lee feels it necessary to devote more time to his duties representing Yellow Page retirees. A potential sale of Yellow Pages is in the news. Thankfully Lee will continue as a Board Director.

Now for our guests Bill Kadereit, President NRLN and Ms. Marta Bascom Director NRLN. Bill began with a power point presentation. He described the many facets of NRLN efforts to advance the causes of Retirees, specifically protection of our pension and healthcare benefits. He emphasized the importance of personal contacts with our congressional delegates…getting to know them; telling the Retirees story. Ms. Marta Bascom is now at the front of the room. Marta is sharing her experiences as a Legislative Advocate working with Congress and Regulators. Not surprisingly she says personal stories of Retirees hurt by a business failure or a regulatory issue and its’ negative effect on a Retiree’s pension or other earned benefit gets the message across….It is personal, it is real life. Shortly Marta ends her presentation. Marta and Bill ask for questions.  I ask for questions.

No questions…………….meeting adjourned at about 12 noon. There is a slight drizzle on the way to the parking lot. Another TelCo General Meeting ………no more General Meetings until February 2013.

I ask myself what have I learned. What can I share with the total membership? My answer follows.

LOOKING AROUND THE MEETING ROOM

I see long-time members greeting each other, recalling the old days….the good times as Pac Bell, SBC, AT&T employees. All of a sudden a thought comes to me, “we are not getting any younger.” So what the alternative is unacceptable. Let’s move on. This Annual Meeting leaves a lasting impression on me about who we are. We grew up and worked in a much different era. We survived……….No, we prevailed as Retirees in a most uncertain environment. Importantly we cared enough about ourselves and others to come together, share our concerns, contribute hard earned dollars, voice our opinions, vote, to have our voices heard. TelCo, (we), carry our members messages to Elected Officials involved with Retiree issues; we plead their case…our case too. The Elected Officials know we are here…We vote. We contribute. And, we are not going away anytime soon…Lord willing.

And now for SOME PEOPLE IN THE ROOM

I begin with Mr. William Baird, wheel chair bound, transported by his Caregiver. He gives his valuable time to be with us. Although I failed to acknowledge his presence before he left the meeting, I want him to know I felt his presence. I suspect I will remember him for a long time to come. Then there is Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Muller. Chuck as you might know is a retired TelCo Board Member. For everyone’s prideful information Chuck is 90+ years young and still going strong. Past President S.K.Emery, just a young fella at +80 holds his hand up. He has a message for all of us…….keep informed and involved. I speak again with Mr.  & Mrs. Errol Holmes. This couple is here again doing more than expected…they make a donation. Using a coined phrase, “they give until it feels good.” This is not the first time TelCo has been the beneficiary of their generosity. Thank you!……While I’m waiting for members to arrive, I walked to the parking lot and observed a member Al Hansen standing in a light drizzle greeting arriving members. He did so repeatedly ushering them to our meeting room. A helpful gesture at the right time and place. Thank you Al. All Board members deserve thanks for making this event possible. I have come to know we all do what we can do. We give of ourselves ….and we feel better for having done so. Looking around the meeting room for the last time I see what I want to see……people at their best.

Chuck Gilbert
President, TelCo Retirees Association, Inc.