Why We Are Here

It bears repeating why we do what we do. Why belong to NARFE Chapter 717? My take is that we are involved in this chapter for two reasons.

First, we are here to take care of one another in times of crisis, and just to be a friendly face on a day-to-day basis. Most of us are transplanted from somewhere else, and our old friends and family are still where we came from. So we made new friends and acquaintances here in Florida. NARFE Chapter 717 is an ideal venue for making such new friends and acquaintances.

Also, we are an elderly population, subject to all the trials and tribulations that go with advancing age. We do need or will need help from our friends as we go down the path of life.

When someone in this chapter has an accident or is dealing with an illness, it is my view that the rest of us should be available to provide what comfort and help we can.

Our second reason, and an important reason, for belonging to NARFE is to provide an organized response to legislative attempts to reduce or remove the benefits that we worked so hard to earn. It would be nice to think that our lobbying efforts could also enhance our existing benefits, but I think we have our hands full just to keep hold of what we have.

FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

President John Burton

Our new Legislative Chairperson, Mary Hofstra, is keeping an eye on what is going on in Washington and in Tallahassee. She is available to each of us to help us write our representatives to express our concerns on specific issues, and to keep us informed on what is coming down the legislative trail.

The NARFE website, narfe.org, provides information on current legislative concerns and provides tools to help us communicate with our legislative representatives.

The NARFE Magazine carries articles on legislative issues and on what NARFE is doing with regard to such issues.

Use the website and read the magazine. Try to keep informed, and participate in the lobbying process by expressing you opinion on issues to your representatives.

Summer Break

This will be our last meeting until the fall. Many of you are leaving the area or have already left for the summer. Family and old haunts will be your priority for the next few months.

Make sure that you let Lucy Boyce, our new Membership Chairperson, know what your summer address is, so we can keep sending you important NARFE information, and get in touch if the need arises.

There is a form in this newsletter that you can use to provide us with your summer address.

Have a great summer! We look forward to seeing you in September.

- President John Burton

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