« November 2023

Oh gosh, it's November already

The recent events in Lewistonare tragic, incomprehensable, and profoundly disturbing. IT's difficult to know what to do. The one thing we can all do is call someone to check on them. Call a family member, friend, or neighbor. Supporting one another lessons the terror.

President's Message

Our November meeting is fast approaching. As many of you know the Wings are having some construction done on our home and it has RAINED more days than not.
Many Thanks to Rueben Cornelius for an exciting and fun auction. Gina tells me we raised close to $800 dollars!! Thanks for your generosity!
Agenda items for November include a decision on the amount for our scholarship and the length of time that amount will stand- the executive committee recommends $2000, but did not designate for how long.

Our featured guest will be Barry Lawson of Bates College speaking about Artificial Intelligence- a very timely topic.

Take care,
Dave Wing - AREA President

Next Meeting -

November 8, 2023

Sixth Street Congregational Church, Auburn, ME 

10:30 AM - Business Meeting

11:00 AM - Speaker

12:00 PM - Lunch

We are hoping to see all our veterans

at the next meeting.

Registration Form

Download and mail this form to

Gina Fuller

36 Elliott Ave

Lewiston, ME  04240

November Registration Form

Technology Survey -

Well, how do you use technology?  Please click the link below to take an anonymous survey on technology use. The survey is geared toward us, as retired teachers.  I'll be glad to share the results at our next meeting.  The survey is live. The survey has ten questions and is created using All Counted, a free survey system. 

Technology Survey

Treasurer's Report

from Gina Fuller

Here's the report - Treasurer's Report

Here's the Treasurer's Report Overview - Treasurer's Overview

Scam Alert

from Mona Ervin

There are no new  scam alerts to notify you about this month.  The usual scams are out there, the Grandparents scams, the romance scams, investment scams, sweepstake scams,  and this time of year Medicare sign-up scams. The rule of thumb is this, if anything sounds too good to be true, that is a red  flag.  If you are pressured to make a decision about an investment or you will lose out, that is another red flag. Never make rush decisions and never give out your social  security number or bank account number.

Legislative Report

from Crystal Ward

In Augusta the short session of the Maine Legislature starts January 2024.

We have work to do on LD 70 which was carried over from last session.

This would require a COLA on your Whole MainePERS pension.  This has a very large price tag because all must be paid up front.  Like any other large amount it can be done all at once or in pieces over time but it must be done. There needs to be some movement in correcting these 2011 changes in 2024, no more kicking it down the road and a plan for future payment must be made now.

Reminder, everyone whose pension is more than $24,911.84 is losing money. By not applying the COLA to the whole pension the loss compounds over the years and you end up with thousands less in your paycheck! If we were still under the Old law my pension check would be about $6000 more! Not kidding $6000!

MEA Retired President Bob Jean has requested a meeting of MEA Retired with Governor Mills.

Everyone needs to contact their State Legislator and State Senator. It is very important that Governor Mills be contacted she has not been helpful in fixing this mess.

If writing the address is:

Governor Janet Mills

1 State House Station

Augusta, Me. 04333

In Washington,D.C. nothing is happening with the bills dealing with the Social Security Offset because the House Of Representatives is dysfunctional

I will not be at the Nov. meeting I am going on a cruise to the Caribbean ,first time in 4 years.  

Monthly Quiz

from Mona Ervin

How well do you know our American First Families?

First Family Quiz.

1. She was the daughter of a president.  She was an accomplished soprano performing with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. On radio she co-hosted a program Weekday with Mike Wallace. She also wrote articles as an independent journalist, for a variety of publications in the 1960s and 1970s. She later became the successful author of a series of murder mysteries.  Who was this amazing First Daughter?
2. From the same family, these two men were both elected President of the United States, one was a Republican and the other was a Democrat. Who were these two presidents?
3. The grandson of one President married the daughter of another politician who would become President .  Who were this couple and their famous fathers?
4. A photo of this first daughter, riding her pony on the White House grounds, inspired a singer-songwriter to write a wildly popular song that is often played at Red Sox games. Who is the famous daughter, artist and song?
5. Known as 43, he is the son of the 41st president.  6th president was the son of the 2nd president. The 23rd president was the grandson of  the 9th president. Who were these related pairs?
6. This First Lady was not married to the President.  Who was she?
7. An original life-sized portrait of George Washington  hangs in the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.   It is there due to the heroic efforts of a First Lady who helped save the portrait from invading British forces during the War of 1812. Who was the famous American painter of the painting and the First Landy who was instrumental in saving this national treasure?
8. She was the wife of a governor, First Lady,  Chair of the Task Force on Health Care Reform, Secretary of State, Senator and presidential candidate. Who was this woman?
9. This presidential son, was in Washington when his father was killed, was also on the scene when President Garfield was shot in 1881, and when President McKinley was assassinated in 1901.  Who was this unfortunate son and his equally un fortunate father?
10. People of all walks of life have declared they were bankrupt and in need of a fresh start.  Several of our U.S. Presidents, whose faces appear on our money, have declared that they were bankrupt. Here are additional hints as to who these men were, one was a successful general and another was assassinated. Can you name five of these men who at one time or another declared bankruptcy?

Answers”

1. This Presidential daughter was Margaret Truman.
2. Theodore Roosevelt was the Republican and Franklin Roosevelt was the Democrat. They were distant cousins.
3. David Eisenhower, grandson of Dwight D. Eisenhower married Julie Nixon, daughter of Richard Nixon.
4. The daughter was Carolyn Kennedy and the famous artist is Neil Diamond and the song is Sweet Carolyn.
5. George W. Bush is the son of George Herbert Walker Bush, John Quincy Adams was the son of John Adams and Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of William Henry Harrison.
6. Harriet Lane, the niece of James Buchanan served as his first lady.  She has been described as the first of the modern First Ladies, being a notably charming and diplomatic.
7. The artist was Gilbert Stuart and the First Lady was Dolly Madison.
8. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
9. This person was Robert Todd Lincoln. Lincoln believed he brought bad luck, a conclusion made after his connection to three shootings: He was at his father’s bedside when he died from a gunshot wound; he was present at the Washington, D.C. railroad station when President Garfield was shot; and he was at the Buffalo Pan-American Exposition when President William McKinley was shot.
10. Thomas Jefferson acquired a wine bill that was over $10,000 (in 1809 dollars) and $100,000 in real estate debt for his luxurious estate Monticello.  Jefferson became overwhelmed with debt and had to declare that he was bankrupt.  Abraham Lincoln obtained business inventory on credit to run run his business.  Lincoln acquired too much business debt and had to declare that he was bankrupt. After his Presidency, Ulysses Grant bought a home in New York and invested all he had into a business partnership.  Grant’s partner swindled Grant and the other investors and Grant was forced to declare that his business was bankrupt.  While serving as Ohio’s Governor, McKinley’s debts had accumulated to $130,000 and he had to declare that he was bankrupt. 

EEEEEZEEEE KWEEEEZEEEN

Fall Favorite - Apple Crisp.

This recipe comes from All Recipeies - a great online resource

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12409/apple-crisp-ii/

Apple Crisp Ingredients

These are the ingredients you'll need to make this top-rated apple crisp recipe:

• Apples: You'll need 10 cups of peeled, cored, and sliced all-purpose apples.
• Sugars: This apple crisp recipe calls for white sugar in the filling and brown sugar in the topping.
• Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the filling and gives the topping some structure.
• Cinnamon: A teaspoon of ground cinnamon lends warmth that perfectly complements the apples' flavor.
• Oats: Use quick-cooking oats for the topping.
• Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder act as leaveners.
• Butter: Melted butter gives the topping welcome richness.