Untitled Document

1. President / Senate					2. Treasurer
3. Membership Secretary					4. Membership Services
5. Health Benefits					6. Political Issues
7. Newsletter					8. Webmaster
9. Social / Travel					10. District Historian
11. Recruitment Committee

Again this year, I will begin my Report by thanking all the individuals of the Executive, the Board of Directors and all the others who have volunteered over the year to serve the members of District 29 - Lanark. We have been very fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers who have continued to fulfil the roles they have had for the last two years. They are the individuals who keep our district functioning. Be sure to read their reports.

The last year has been busy. As an executive we met monthly to insure the business of the district is being conducted effectively. We have continued to offer social activities for our members and their friends. We have given input into various RTO/ERO provincial issues and made reports to the various provincial committees. Since our last Annual General Meeting, executive members have been to Toronto to attend workshops for the Web site, for Recruitment, for the Newsletter and on Health Issues and Concerns.

There have been two Senates since the last AGM which Shirley Kelford and I attended as Senators and Doreen Wilson as the observer. I continue to be impressed with the quality of work that is done at these Senates. Key decisions which affect our members are thoroughly debated and quality decisions are made. In the 2008 Spring Senate, we celebrated the 40th Anniversary of RTO/ERO. There are 18 charter members still living and though none were well enough to attend the Senate, each was recognized. Five of those members were more than 100 years of age. The primary focus of this spring's Senate business was the issue of membership - who is a full member and who is an associate member, and the rights and privileges of each type of member. The one change in membership which occurred as a result of the decisions of this Senate, was that only retired teachers collecting an Ontario Teacher's Pension can be full time members, which made retired teachers collecting a teacher's pension from another jurisdiction an associate member rather than a full member. During the debate it became clear that many did not know who is eligible to become a member of RTO/ERO and thus able to join our health plan. (This will be an issue that next year's executive should address as many of the retiring non-teachers employed in education, as well as practicing teachers over 65 who lose their health benefits, are eligible to become associate members.)

1) That the Health Services and Insurance Committee consider increasing the eligible expense of convalescent home care following non-elective surgery to match the eligible expense allowed for a minimum hospital admission for 24 hours. Carried

2) That RTO/ERO petition the Provincial Government to develop a strategy to recruit, allocate and fund family doctors for all communities in a fair and equitable manner such that the needs of communities facing doctor shortages are met. Referred to PE

In summary it has been a busy year. I thank all the executive members who have contributed to making it successful. I encourage others to become involved.

After being approved at the previous Executive meeting, the Budget for 2008 was presented at the Annual General Meeting to our members and was approved.

District 29 Retired Teachers list of 85+ has grown this year to 44 Full members and 5 Associate members. The R.T.O. Member Services Committee from the five areas in Lanark County: Lanark, Almonte, Carleton Place, Perth and Smiths Falls have visited or sent cards/gifts to these members for birthdays, anniversaries, illness or shut-in, as well as acknowledging the deaths of members. Several members have expressed what a rewarding experience these visits have been, both in new friendships and "tales out of school". A special thank you goes to the following member services committee volunteers whose generosity in time and effort is deeply appreciated.

Almonte / Pakenham - Nancy Giardino, Doreen Wilson

Carleton Place - Marion Menzies, Doris Blackburn

Lanark - Mildred Munro, Alta Rodger

Perth - Gail Thomas, Gerda Van Wingerden

Smiths Falls - Sherry Patterson, Paula Garvin

Please advise any of our area representatives if you are aware of a member who is ill or shut-in, is celebrating a special occasion, or has passed away. Names and telephone numbers are in the newsletter or on the web site. Again, thank you, to all members who have helped to keep us informed.

Goodwill Inventory

At Christmas, members delivered or sent cards/gifts to 49 full and associate members

At Easter, 39 members received Easter cards or small gifts.

38 Birthday cards/gifts were delivered

5 memorial donations were made

The Benefit Statement and Income Tax letters for the 2007 taxation year were mailed to participants beginning January 29th,2008 and were completed by February 8th,2008.
This year, the revised Health Plans Booklets were distributed with the Benefit Statements and Income Tax Letters. Please read the material carefully to understand the benefits members are entitled to receive. Place the booklets in a safe and known location as it will be three years until the next printing. Updates over this period of time should be placed in the booklets when received. If members need clarification to ensure that they are covered for specific benefits then they should contact Johnson Inc.’s Claims department before making any claims.

Effective January 1,2008, participants traveling outside their province of residence for an extended period of time will be able to obtain up to a 200day supply of medication before leaving the province. Previously, a participant was only able to obtain up to a 100 day supply.
For claims submitted electronically by the pharmacy, the pharmacist should contact the Johnson Pharmacy line, and Johnson will fax a form to the pharmacy for completion by the participant. The form can be completed while the participant is at the pharmacy and faxed back to allow Johnson’s claims system to be updated so that the 200 day extended supply can be processed electronically.
The eligible amount payable will, however, still be subject to the calendar year maximum for the year in which the drug is purchased. Participants who have already reached their maximum will not be eligible for the extended vacation supply.

Johnson has noted the increasing incidence of claims being submitted for drugs that have been administered in a hospital. Under the Canada Health Act, the hospitals are required to fund the cost of medications that they administer. The medications should fall under their global budgets with no direct cost to the patient. However, some hospitals’ responses have been that that these drugs are not covered under their global budgets, causing frustration for the RTO/ERO participants who are being “caught in the middle”.
The RTO/ERO Extended Health Care Plan will pay any eligible ingredient costs of prescription drugs that are used to treat an approved medical condition, regardless of where the drug is administered, as long as the drug is purchased at a pharmacy. The fee to administer the drug in the hospital would still be declined, as doctors’ fees are not an eligible expense under the Plan.

This report was filed with the provincial Political Action Committee in the fall of 2007:

District 29 members felt that the information that came out through the Renaissance magazine and the separately mailed Election issues insert arrived too late for us to make as good use of it as we would have liked.
Members were involved in different roles in the election. Some acted as DRO's, some acted as Poll Clerks and I was involved in acting as campaign chair in the Perth area for Ian Wilson, Liberals.

I had a commitment to speak on RTO/ERO issues on the new FM station LAKE 88.1, but due to lack of communication, this did not occur. We worked on the District website to post a great deal of the Political Action issues along with District 29 issues.

Update, Spring, 2008:

District 29 is in need of expanding membership on our Political Action Committee (PAC), due to the fact that only one person is representing it in addition to the Pension Benefits committee.

Letters were written by some of our executive members to our MPP, Scott Reid, regarding OHIP coverage of PSA testing, the validity of the tests used to detect cervical cancer, and the lack of sufficient spaces for safe and affordable child care in the province.

Local issues that our PAC is involved with include the need for public transportation for Lanark County/Perth seniors (a common rural problem), and ample coverage for professional home care after day surgery.

I maintain contact with our local LHINs by serving on the Board of Lanark County Mental Health. I also keep current on political issues through the media and information distributed by the provincial PAC.

I have attended meetings on issues affecting local seniors. In November of 2007, I attended a Town Council meeting regarding the blowing of train whistles at night. In April of 2008, I made a presentation regarding the restrictions for business at a local designated heritage home.

I recommended to the provincial PAC that District PACs must be better prepared regarding the issues before the next federal or provincial election and that it would be useful for RTO/ERO to provide the names, addresses or phone numbers of appropriate chairpersons or contacts of other seniors'
groups such as CARP, Seniors Secretariat (provincial), etc.

PSA testing update: The Ontario government announced recently that it will cover the cost of prostate cancer screening starting Jan. 1, 2009.

Property Assessments update: In the spring 2007 budget, the Liberal government scrapped the plan for annual assessments and introduced a 4-year assessment cycle. The next assessment will be effective at the end of 2011.
Increases in the 2008 assessment - and in all future assessments - will be phased in over each subsequent 4-year period. Property taxes are distributed to home owners based on assessment.

I strongly encourage all District 29 members to follow the advice of our Provincial RTO/ERO Executive to send letters urging fair and just assessment to their local MPPs as soon as possible.
Please call Sherle Perkins at 613-267-2730 if you are interested in helping on the local Political Action Committee in any way.

Each of the three issues published in the past year were posted on our web site by Jeanne Nugent, where they can be downloaded and viewed in colour.

You may have noticed that in the letterhead of the spring newsletter is the 40th anniversary logo that RTO in Toronto encourages us to use on all correspondence during this special year.

Our first book review was submitted by Cliff Bennett, and I’d like to encourage other members to share their opinions about books, films or speakers they have recently enjoyed, and which might be of particular interest to the members.

Your Communications Committee, consisting of the newsletter editor (me) and the webmaster (Jeanne Nugent) drafted a policy regarding submissions for publication in the newsletter and on the web site. This policy was approved by the local executive on March 27th, and has been posted on the web site on the newsletter page. A copy is also attached to this report.

In the interest of continuing to improve our newsletter, I have been reading those from other districts, and communicating with other editors in the Re-Net online conference. I also attended a Newsletter Editors’ workshop in Toronto on June 19 and 20.
Suggestions from our members for improvement are also welcome.

Thank you to the members who submit articles for publication, and who inform us of news & celebrations within the District.

RTO Lanark District 29 Policy re: Submissions for the Newsletter and the Web site

Submissions to be printed in the newsletter or posted on the web site must be:

Further, the sole purpose of the submissions must be for RTO members’ interest and not be to solicit customers for personal businesses or products for financial gain. - This was approved by the Executive on March 27, 2008

I am very pleased with the development and appearance of our district web site. Since last year, we have moved to a new server provided for by RTO Toronto.

Last June, I placed a counter on the web site in order to monitor how many were logging onto the site. I am happy to say, we have had close to 600 hits.

Those visiting the web site are mainly from different provinces of Canada, but some of our travelling members are checking the site while they are away. We have had visits from the United States, Australia and Africa.

The average number of hits per week is two. I update the web site just after our monthly executive meetings and send out email notifications about the update to 82 members who have passed on their email addresses to me. The very next day, after receiving the email update notice, the web site will have up to 17 hits.

If you would like to be added to the list of members receiving an email, please send me your email address. The address will be used solely for the web site update notice. Also if your email address should change, please send me your new one.

I am always interested in improving the web site to make it easier for you to access. If you have any suggestions, questions, or concerns, please let me know.

Our members enjoyed getting together several times throughout the year.

On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, a large group gathered at the Timber Run Golf Club in Lanark to celebrate the annual ever popular TO HELL WITH THE BELL breakfast. What a great way to celebrate retirement!

Area Luncheons were held in NOVEMBER. Special thanks to Joyce Fulton for arranging the get together at Watts Cooking in Pakenham and Jane Schoenherr, the one at Angelo's in Smiths Falls.

Our 2ND Annual SHOW & DANCE was held on Friday, April 25, 2008 at the Almonte Civitan Hall. Lauren Hall entertained us with a rock and roll show and good music for listening and dancing. Lunch was served by the Civitans. Even though our crowd was down this year, those of us who were there had a great time. Many lucky people went home with interesting door prizes donated by our executive members. Other special prizes included a copy of "Country School Days" by Claudia Smith, a CD by Lauren Hall and also a CD donated by Gerda VanWingerden, "Love Life to Death" by her talented son, Jon V.W. The dance committee consisted of: Doreen Wilson, Katherine & Garry Murphy, and Anne Graham.

Friday, May 30, 2008 was the date of this year¹s 2nd Annual GOLF TOURNAMENT at Mapleview Golf and Country Club on the Scotch Line near Perth. Organizer Don Boudreau, stated that the goal for this day was FUN, and that
was had by all. We played Cap'n and Crew with a scramble format. There were prizes for closest to designated par 3 pins, longest putt, longest drive, most accurate tee shot etc. The real prize for the day was being with friends and enjoying the scenery on the beautiful golf course. It was a great day for golfers and those who just pretended.

Two day tours were planned this year.

On Friday, October 19, 2007, several of our members and friends joined a Queensway Tour to beautiful Prince Edward County. After a delicious roast beef dinner at The Waring House in Picton, we stopped at the Grange Winery for wine tasting. Then we stopped for shopping in Bloomfield before crossing the Glenora Ferry on our way home.

On Wednesday, June 25, thirty-six RTO and RWTO members and friends boarded a Healey Motor coach for our day tour to the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg to see "Wally's Cafe". After picking up passengers at Smiths Falls, Carleton Place and Kanata, we made our way to Highway #43 and #31 to Morrisburg. Driver, Cecil Code, took us to view the mighty St. Lawrence River before dropping us at the McIntosh Inn.

There we had a wonderful buffet lunch which was enjoyed by all. After a short shopping stop at the Morrisburg Mall, we proceeded to the Upper Canada Playhouse. The playhouse which started in a tent in 1983 moved into a converted toothbrush factory in 1990. We enjoyed an excellent performance of the comedy, Wally's Café by Sam Brobrick and Ron Clark. We watched Louise and Wally Murdock, who had bought this desert café shaped like a hamburger in 1940 and a hitch hiker, Janet Chester, who became like part of the family. We saw them again in 1958 and 1981. Lots of laughs and plenty of good music made it a fun afternoon for all.

Following the St. Lawrence River for part of our way home, we continued to enjoy the beautiful day and the beautiful scenery.

During the year, Queensway Tours offered a 10% discount to our members on tours to New York City and Myrtle Beach. Watch our newsletter for Norma McLellan¹s article on her tour to the Grand Strand. Be sure to check our web site for current savings and travel news.

Check out the Renaissance Magazine and the RTO web site for tours planned for retired teachers by Merit Travel. For more information, give them a call at: 1-877-872-3826.

Suggestions for places to visit or things to do are always appreciated.

It's all history! There is nothing new to report. Historically our focus has been and still is on goodwill, pension, health benefit concerns and social activities.

Over our forty year history, goodwill and pension benefits have always held a high profile and I thank members for their commitment to these endeavors. Our social programs appear to be on a positive upward curve and thank those members responsible. Our growing membership is indicative of our excellent newsletter, web site communications and leadership.

A Recruitment Committee consisting of Harry Baker, Joyce Fulton, Doreen Wilson and Shirley Kelford met several times to organize a Retirement Planning Workshop which was held on April 10th, 2008 at "Upstairs at Steve's Independent" at 455 McNeely Ave. in Carleton Place. Harry placed ads in the local newspapers. Flyers and brochures were placed in all local schools by members of the Executive. Joyce Fulton attended a meeting in Toronto on March 6th and 7th to get information and order materials.

It was very pleasing to see that 47 retired or retiring teachers and support staff attended the workshop. Don Brooks, the representative from Johnson's presented information about the RTO/ERO Health plan. Harry chaired the evening and presented a great deal of pertinent information. Joyce discussed work after retirement and Shirley outlined the role of RTO/ERO for retired teachers. Everyone enjoyed the refreshments during the presentations. A question and answer session ended the workshop. Many of the participants completed a questionnaire which will be of help to future workshops presenters.

AGM Reports for 2007 - 2008