| Power Pack |
A fulfilling New Year’s resolution: Retirement planning
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t’s 2017, and that means you might be one more year closer to retirement. Whether you’re at your very first job or wrapping up a successful career, there are always new things to learn about when it comes to saving for the future. So why not make retirement planning part of your New Year’s resolution! Putting money in a high yield savings account (if you can find one) is always smart, but you can do even more. The U.S. Department of the Treasury now offers a retirement savings option called myRA. There’s no minimum to open the account, you can contribute what you can afford, and you can withdraw funds with ease. To learn more
about myRA, visit www.myra.gov/. Hopefully your employer chips in a little. An employer-sponsored retirement plan or 401(k) can be a useful way to set aside funds for retirement, especially if your employer offers matching funds on what you invest. If you don’t work for an employer that offers this type of plan, there are many other plans designed to help you save for retirement. From solo 401(k)s to traditional and Roth IRAs, there are programs designed to fit a multitude of budgets. The earlier you start to save, the more funds you’ll have ready for retirement. And, as always, there is Social Security, which is funded by taxes you pay while you
work. To get estimates of future benefits and check your earnings record for accuracy, you can create a my Social Security account at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. Along with giving up bad habits, this New Year start a good habit that can make a lasting, positive change.
Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.
Founder’s mother inspired 2017 quilt contest theme
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inda Partin, longtime employee at the Alabama Rural Electric quilted with her own mother. “My grandfather built a quilting Association (publisher of Alabama Living), conceived of the frame that could be raised to the ceiling when they weren’t working on it and lowered so that they could work on their latest quilt idea for a statewide quilt contest in 2000. She’s organized the biwhenever they had the opportunity,” Linda says. “When she was ennial event ever since, and this year’s competition holds a special a little girl, she and her Mom would get up before daylight. They meaning for her. Linda’s mother, Thelma McBrayer Bradley, passed away July 3, 2016, just 25 days short of turning 99. Sixteen years ago, had no electricity, so they couldn’t wait until the sun came up and when Linda first told her mother about her idea for a quilt contest, they could lower the quilt frame and work on the quilt. All my life, Mrs. Bradley was happy to help her get it started. Mother kept us in quilts and one of the most fun “She told me how many squares, what size things to do was to sit and listen to her tell us stories of when she grew up on the farm and sit on they needed to be, and all of the particulars,” the quilt, looking at the different fabrics and pick Linda remembers. “She always wanted to know out the ones that were made from scraps of my what the theme was and how it was going. She dresses. She had four little girls and made all our was so proud that I was able to meet two Alabama first ladies through this project and she clothes. A professional seamstress, she owned a was so, so much a part of this project.” dress shop before I was born, made many of her But after her mother’s funeral, Linda found it nieces’ wedding gowns, her daughters' wedding hard to get started on the contest prep for this gowns, she upholstered furniture, and she even year. “It was too hard,” she says. “It was too made a car top at one time. much entwined with her. As I was getting ready “Today, quilting is an artform, but it was a to cancel the program for this year, I prayed, and way of life then. She came from a family of eight cried, and decided what better way to honor her, and no central heat and no electricity and quilts than by doing this ninth quilt in her memory were for warmth.” and in honor of all our hardworking moms. I Mrs. Thelma Bradley is surrounded by Linda says her mother was “always working called my sisters and they all thought it was a her daughters (from left to right) – on something or other and most of the time I Top row: Judy Howard, Mary Conn; wonderful idea!” didn’t even know what it was. In her older years, Bottom row: Linda Partin, Joan Bishop she crocheted lap throws for the elderly (who Helping in the healing process for others were younger than she was) to be used on wheelchairs. When her So the theme, “In Honor of Mom,” was chosen. “This year’s quilt hands became so twisted with arthritis, the lap throws took too project is probably doing more to help in my healing process than long, so she started crocheting baby caps for an organization called anything I could have done. And, I am finding out from some of Newborns in Need. She made close to 400 lap throws and more the quilters that is doing the same for them. As they call and write, than 3,000 baby hats.” I am getting comments like, 'Working on this helps me rememBesides organizing the AREA quilt contest, Linda herself makes ber times I spent with my Mom,' and 'Thank you for doing this. quilts for her own six grandchildren “except the 2-year-old. His My Mom was a quilter and she can’t do it anymore, but she taught will be next year. Any ideas for a quilt to do for a then 3-year-old me.' One lady said she is making her quilt square from some of her grandson would be greatly appreciated!” Mother’s clothing." Deadline for submitting your square for the 2017 AREA Quilt Quilting has a long tradition in Linda’s family. Mrs. Bradley, who Contest is Jan. 27. Email lpartin@areapower.com or call 334-215was born on a family farm in Rowan County, KY, near Morehead, 2732 for an entry packet. – Lenore Vickrey 10 JANUARY 2017
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