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TRTA 2020 Updates, Good News, and More!

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As members of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) may know, our 67th State Convention which was scheduled for this week in Corpus Christi was cancelled due to concerns over the health and well-being of our attendees in the wake of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

Despite this cancellation, TRTA is still providing the resources, information, and good news to our members we had planned to share at convention here in the Inside Line! While we are saddened that we will not be seeing our beloved members face-to-face this year, we are thinking of you every day and working hard to protect and improve your retirement benefits.

A Message from TRTA State President Patricia Macias

Greetings, and hoping everyone is safe and following orders to stay in place during this difficult time. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, we had to make the decision to cancel our convention in order to help keep everyone safe. I will miss seeing everyone, but know that when this crisis is over, we will continue forward. My thoughts and prayers are with you as we practice social distancing to stay safe!

Patricia R. Macias

State President, TRTA

Quick Updates

  • TRTA is still working on options to host 2020 state officer elections. Those who have registered as delegates will receive additional information soon.
  • Proposed bylaws amendments for 2020 have been postponed.
  • Details about conducting virtual Each One Bring One drawings will be provided to the 20 TRTA Districts soon. The information will come from the District Presidents Council.
  • All TRTA 2020 District Spring Leadership Development Conferences have been canceled.

Resources for Committee Chairs and Volunteers at District and Local Levels

2020 Convention Resource Guides are ready and available online on the TRTA website. We asked our session presenters to provide any additional training materials they may have prepared for convention, and when available, those materials can also be found on our website. As a district or local chair, you may reach out to your state officers and committee chairs and members to answer any questions you may have or to receive additional resources.

  • Click here to view and download the 2020 Resource Guides and additional training materials.

2020 Accomplishments: Time to Celebrate!

At each convention, TRTA likes to share successes and big wins for the year. See below for the many accomplishments of TRTA’s dedicated members and volunteers.

  • TRTA reached its highest membership ever in 2019, reaching 98,111 members. TRTA continues to pursue the goal of reaching 100,000 members and we believe 2020 is our year!
  • In 2019, TRTA local units gave out 318 scholarships and/or grants for a total monetary value of $254,964.
  • In 2019, 167,868 books were distributed as part of the Children’s Book Project and the Student to Student Book Program.
  • In 2019, TRTA members contributed 6,140,140 hours of community service, valued at $156,143,760.

2020 Awards: Honoring Our Own

We are pleased to announce the recipient of this year’s prestigious E.L. Galyean Service Award, TRTA’s highest honor for individual members.

Leroy DeHaven, TRTA First Vice-President and Membership Committee Chair says “the TRTA State Membership Committee expresses its congratulations to the units and districts for an outstanding job of growing membership in TRTA. They CONNECTED the DOTS to get to the top!”

  • Here are the winners of TRTA’s district and local unit membership awards for 2019-2020:
    • Local Unit with the Highest Growth by Percentage: Blanco County ARE, District 13
      • President, Kathy Carriker; First Vice-President, Carole Smith
    • Local Unit with the Highest Growth by Number: Cypress-Fairbanks ARE, District 4
      • Local President, Sheila Wolf; First Vice President, Rebecca Riley
    • District with the Highest Growth by Percentage: District 4
      • District President, Mary Widmier; First Vice President, Charmaine Hines
    • District with the Highest Growth by Number: District 4
      • District President, Mary Widmier; First Vice President, Charmaine Hines

TRTA Partner Offers and Discounts for Our Members

TRTA was set to have an outstanding exhibit hall this year, featuring many vendors as well as health and wellness experts.

Texas Retired Teachers Foundation to Announce Scholarship and Grant Recipients!

The Texas Retired Teachers Foundation (TRTF), the charitable arm of TRTA, usually hosts a fundraising meal during TRTA’s convention. During the event, TRTF announces its annual Beginning Teacher Scholarship and Classroom Assistance Grant winners.

  • Sarah Richardson, TRTA’s staff liaison to TRTF, will instead be announcing the winners LIVE on Facebook this Wednesday, April 8 at 11:00 a.m. You can click here to RSVP to the event.
  • TRTF will also email out a special appeal to members this week.
  • Remember, if you or someone you know needs urgent financial assistance right now, TRTF has a program to offer aid to retired Texas public school educators. Reach out to Sarah by emailing help@trtf.org for an application.

Special Announcement: Mark Your Calendars!

We may have missed out on Convention 2020, but we still have TRTA Day at the Capitol 2021! TRTA is pleased to announce that our biennial rally day event will occur on April 7, 2021! This event will be bigger and better than ever and is a wonderful opportunity for members all across the state to meet with their legislators and enjoy fellowship with other retirees.

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