January 2025
A Message from YOUR VRTA President, Karen Whetzel -
Moving Forward Together!
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I can’t believe that six months have gone by since I began my term as VRTA President! For 2025, I hope to exemplify what AARP Virginia’s state president Joyce Williams (who is also an active VRTA member) mentioned at the VRTA/AARP reception at the VRTA 2024 Fall Conference about the three stages in professional careers: Learn, Earn, and Return!
As your President, I want to continue the learn part as well as the return through service as president! One of the things that I do to learn is attend the quarterly NRTA Advocacy virtual meetings where various state leaders share information and become more knowledgeable on AARP programs! I have learned that most states have a paid staff; we don’t so your officers, committee chairs, and other leaders who are all volunteers must work harder and hopefully smarter! NRTA/AARP also sponsor free virtual presentations for all members such as the December 17 one on pensions. (I was unable to attend as I was judging a science fair at a local high school!) Check out AARP/NRTA website for more information!
By the time you read this, registrations for the first VRTA Lobby Day at the General Assembly since the pandemic to be held on Thursday, January 30, 2025, will have been received by Tina Whitaker, VRTA Legislative Co-Chair. Check last month’s Creekside E-newsletter (archived at vrta.us) if you need to revisit plans for Lobby Day. I am looking forward to seeing the newly renovated and reopened General Assembly building and many VRTA members at the General Assembly where we will be recognized! Bea Morris, VRTA Legislative Co-Chair, will be sending out information on bills that VRTA supports or opposes, and will ask VRTA members to take action as needed! Please read and respond right away to her messages!
Plans are now underway for the VRTA Spring 2025 Delegate Assembly to be held on April 29 and 30, 2025, at the Doubletree in Midlothian, Virginia. According to our bylaws Article VII Section A: “Voting members of the Delegate Assembly shall be members of the Executive Committee, district presidents, and two delegates from each local unit. If a local unit has over 100 VRTA members, it shall have an additional delegate for each 50 VRTA members or fraction thereof. All voting delegates to the Spring Delegate Assembly shall be members of the VRTA.” (The VRTA bylaws are on the website vrta.us for reference.) The April meeting will also include speakers, breakout sessions and other opportunities to learn and then return to use the information in your district and/or local unit. The hotel registration information will be included in next month’s Creekside newsletter. Please make plans now to select local delegates and attend this important meeting, at which a budget will be adopted and other business will be considered. A decision on the future of the VRTA print newsletter will be considered!
As always, contact me at kswhetzel@gmail.com, 540-740-8589, or Facebook Karen Whetzel VRTA President if you have questions, suggestions, or concerns! Thanks to all who support VRTA through your membership and through recruiting new members! Members are vital as we move forward together!
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Our mission: to be the voice, resource, and connection for all retired school personnel.
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