HCRTA Releases Minutes of October Meeting

The Hardin County Retired Teacher Association met at the Kenton Elks on October 15 at noon for a luncheon meeting.

President Sandy Moore welcomed 21 attendees and guests Cheryl Hiller and Kathy Oliver. She thanked the committee of Melanie Kindell, Annette Ansley, Joyce Hubbell, Ann McKinley, and Joyce Busch for the lovely arrangements.

Chaplain Melanie Kindell shared a prayer before the group enjoyed a lunch of chicken salad croissant, pasta salad and crackers, fruit cup, beverage, and Jack-o-lantern cookies prepared by Jodine McKinley. Following lunch Moore led the group in thanking the Elk’s staff and volunteers of Sue Buroker, Vickie Miller, Julie Crowe, and David Faulkner.

Pres. Moore introduced speaker Kathy Oliver who shared slides about her trip to South Africa from 2019. She was a guest in a group that traveled 19 hours from New York City to South Africa. The destination was to spend time in the Zulu Nyala Reserve in the Kwazulu-Natal providence. This is just one of many different kinds of reserves there. Of the 6 days and nights, she was able to spend 3 of them traveling in vehicles close to the wild animals and then staying in a platform tent and the other days in what we would consider a luxury hotel room. The reserve held 7,500 acres for animals such as zebra, elephants, giraffe, hippopotamus, cheetahs, monkeys, etc. Oliver entertained questions and was thanked for her interesting information from her trip.

Sec. Norma Frederick read her report which was accepted. Treas. Joan Mouser had her report filed for audit. She is accepting HCRTA membership dues for 2022. She reported that the donations for the scholarship fund were $103. The group will be making a decision in the future to award a scholarship to an active teacher, who will use the funds for the classroom.

Committee reports were next. Membership Chairman Ruth Ann Poling welcomed Cheryl Hiller. Public Relations Chairman Norma Frederick would like any updates for contact information. Madelyn Lowery stated that the group had accumulated 287 volunteer hours. Lowery also gathered candy for the Candy Committee. Each Hardin County School will receive a bowl of candy for the teachers’ lounges to share as a token of our appreciation for them. Frederick thanked all who brought socks/slippers for Helping Hands as part of the Christmas project. These can also be delivered to Home Savings and Loan starting in the first week of November. Home Savings and Loan is going to have a place to collect these items throughout the month of November.

In other business, Annette Ansley stated that we should all be following the information from STRS. The information that STRS is telling shows poor business management of our teacher funds. This is why there is no COLA.

The next meeting will be held on April 15, 2022 at the Kenton Elks at noon. Executive Director Dr. Robin Rayfield from Ohio Retired Teacher Association will be speaking about the updates concerning STRS. The committee will be Nancy Musselman, Karen Cannode, Madelyn Lowery, Billie Thompson, and Marilyn Hempy-Gordon. Donations for that day will be for the Hardin Northern Food Pantry. A notice will be sent for an executive meeting for officers that will be held prior to April to decide details for the months of September and October 2022. Officers will gladly accept any ideas for speakers. Kindell offered a prayer in closing the meeting.

Having no other items for discussion, Pres. Moore adjourned the meeting. All were wished safe travels home.