PithnGrit: AREA August 2020 FYI

Androscoggin Retired Educators Association - Many thanks to Crystal Ward and Mona Ervin, for the contributions this month.

Please note - MEA Retired now has a Facebook page - You can follow us there.

I hope all our AREA members and families are well during this Pandemic. When we had our meeting in March I was worried about our April meeting, but in my wildest dreams I never imagined the disaster the country is in now. Thank God we live in Maine. I have had no luck with finding places to have meetings. I want to thank Rosita and Freda for working to find places. No sense planning a full year until this Pandemic improves or a vaccine works. I also want to thank Roger, Mona, and Crystal for this newsletter. It is wonderful!!!!

If you want up-to-date information on the pandemic and its impact, consult this link -

This is the best resource for daily updates on both the national and international situation. If you follow the links, you can even get a state by state analysis.

Stay isolated to stay well. This is a tough and tedious assignment - we can do it!

AND REMEMBER - THE ENHANCED FLU VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE. GET VACCINATED EARLY!!

The Federal Trade Commission is involved in on-going efforts to protect consumers from sellers of scam COID -19 treatments. To date the FTC has sent out more than 20 letters warning companies to stop making claims that their products can prevent, treat or cure COVID -19. Some of the claims are that zappers can prevent the virus from spredding, that sage, oregano, and bay leaves also prevent or cure the virus. Companies that receive the letters from the FTC have 48 hours to notify the agency of the specific actions they have taken to address the agency’s concerns. The FTC follows up with companies that fail to make adequate corrections. In nearly all cases the companies who have received the letters have stopped making the false claims or selling the scam product or treatment.

When it comes to the Coronavirus, knowing the facts will help. Here are some steps to follow =

The November elections are fast approaching. Many senior citizens, concerned about health and safety issues may be requesting absentee ballots. We urge you to request the ballots as soon as possible and to return the ballots immediately. Be sure to complete the ballot following the instructions provided by the city clerk, sign the ballot in the appropriate places and affix the correct postage. You can also return the ballot to your election officials in person. Many city clerk offices are providing a drop box for the ballots. Get those correctly completed ballots back to your city clerk’s office as soon as possible.

On August 13, 2020, MainePERS Board of Trustees adopted the 0.6% Consumer Price Index - Urban Consumers (CPI-U) rate compiled by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics on June 30, 2020, as the basis for 2020 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all pension plans to which it applies.

Eligible recipients will first see the COLA reflected in their September pension payment.

Eligible State, Teacher, Judicial, and Legislative retirement plan retirees will receive the 0.6% COLA on their benefit up to $22,810.25 (which is the 2020 base), or a maximum increase of $11.41/month. The 2021 COLA-base will increase by 0.6%, to $22,947.11. The total amount that will be paid to the approximately 36,400 eligible benefit recipients in these plans during the next 12 months as a result of the 2020 COLA is expected to be approximately $3,600,000.

You can read more about eligibility requirements and how your plan implements this COLA at http://mainepers.org/2020COLA.htm. You can also call our office at 800-451-9800 and speak with one of our service representatives.

With our new Connection to NEA we have reports to share. please open link below for the July report

The election season is upon us -- the Maine Secretary of State says you can apply for an absentee ballot now and remember to follow all instructions ,don’t forget to sign your ballot like you did on the application form this is one of the things checked when you send in your ballot, have to match or your ballot may not count.

All Campaigns can use help in a variety of tasks big and small - volunteers are welcome. Look up the candidate on line and it will tell you how to contact to help

Talk to everyone to stress how important it is for everyone to VOTE on Nov. 3, 2020

If the election commercials are driving you crazy –use the MUTE button. You can research the candidate on line. If you a question about their voting records in Augusta I can get that for you.

Federal Legislative Update - Click on the link below to read the update. It's in a PDF format and is quite comprehensive.

Source -

https://www.theseasonedmom.com/greek-yogurt-chocolate-zucchini-cake/

Ingredients

1 (15.25 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
1 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used nonfat here, but any variety will work)
1 cup milk (I used 2% milk, but any variety will work -- including almond milk or other dairy-free milk)
1 cup finely-shredded zucchini
Optional: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and/or sprinkles for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees for shiny metal or glass pans, or 325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans. Spray a 13-inch x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
Wrap grated zucchini in a dish towel and wring out most of the liquid. Set aside.
Combine dry cake mix, yogurt and milk in a large bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until completely combined. Fold in zucchini.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool slightly in pan before cutting and serving.

Recipe Notes

Mix up the flavors! Use a lemon cake mix to make a Lemon Zucchini Cake or a white cake mix to make a White Zucchini Cake. Spice cake would also be delicious!
Make your zucchini cake with chocolate chips, or stir in chopped walnuts or pecans.
Add your own store-bought chocolate or vanilla frosting, or make a zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting by using the cream cheese frosting from this recipe.
I like to use a fine grater so that the zucchini bakes right into the cake and is undetectable in the finished product. It adds moisture, but nothing else! If you like more texture in your cake, you can use a larger grate to shred your zucchini.
Make sure to use a dish towel to squeeze excess liquid from your grated zucchini. This will prevent the cake from being dense and flat after baking.
Top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream and a few rainbow sprinkles
Pair the cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate or caramel syrup

Roger's Work Around - This recipe is good for two reasons - it's easy and it's good.

You can try a bit of a work around. Mix liquid and dry ingredients separately. Add a cup of flour and a teaspoon of baking soda to the dry ingredients. Add a teaspoon of cider vinegar to the zucchini before mixing. After mixing the liquid and dry ingredients, add chocolate chips. Bake till a knife is cleanly removed. This makes a rich and dense European style cake. If I can do this, you can do this.

« AREA August 2020 FYI

Ingredients

Instructions

Recipe Notes