Celebrating a new year through our

"Gigantic Organization"

Summer is a time for relaxation, enjoyment, recreation, vacations, and trips with family or friends. Perhaps for most of us in GCREA we should take out the word summer and just say "retirement." Did you ever realize that being retired meant you would stay so busy? Busy seems to be the operative word for retirement. I hear retirees say, "I didn't think I would have enough to do once I had retired," or "What am I going to do to keep busy?" or "The time will go by so slowly." Not so. It turns out that there is too much to do. I am always busy, and the time goes by more quickly than ever now that I am retired.

The work of the GCREA Board members and officers does not stop during the summer. Our officers have been busy completing the appointments of board members who will serve as committee chairs and co‑chairs; Eddie Fite, Rosa Fite, and Beverly Dryden have been busy all summer working on updates to several sections of the handbook and it has been printed in record time; our President‑Elect and program chair Linda Jenkins has completed the slate of programs for the coming year; Sarah Finger has kept her stream of get well and sympathy cards flowing to members in need; Lori Ziecker has been busy updating her email list and sending out messages of interest to members; Paula Parris continues to study the changes in health care; Phyllis Caffey and her puppeteers are busy preparing their programs for children; Judy Shaklee and her crew are already working on the annual auction; and Reid Mullins and Jerri Berrong continue to monitor what is happening with the Gwinnett Retirement System. The list is endless for, needless to say, each committee chair is actively working behind the scenes to prepare for the 2010‑2011 GCREA year. The GREA theme for this year is "Building a Gigantic Organization." This should not be a difficult task for the GCREA, for I feel that we are already a “gigantic organization.”  Not only do we have a large membership base (over 470 members), we have  a membership with “gigantic" hearts. Members of our organization are always reaching out to others both within the organization and in the community to volunteer and lend a helping hand when needed.

After an even busier time during the summer, it is now time for all of us to get back together on September 17th and enjoy our first meeting of fellowship with colleagues and friends in the Gwinnett County Retired Educators' Association. Our meetings, once again this year, will take place at Hamilton Mill Country Club at 11 a.m. Please join us again this year to help build on our "gigantic" organization.

Judith Fundis

President GCREA