Executive Director's Report

Sean Seywright

Executive Director

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Photo by Paul Harland RTAM Photo Contest Entry

They say the trouble with retirement is that you never get a day off…

I love that joke. It’s clean, simple and always gets a small smile from people. Either because they like the joke or enjoy its cheesy nature. However, as I work more and more with retirees, I can see the truth in the joke and value our community even more.

There is a great appreciation for our board of directors, committee leaders and volunteers at large who help us with programs and deliverables (like KIT Magazine). While these are all volunteers of RTAM, the fact is at times, many of them put in 20-30 hours of volunteering per week to help the organization deliver all the wonderful things that we can offer our members. For them the aforementioned joke may read that volunteering for RTAM means you never get a day off; which allows me in this forum as the head of our office to simply say – Thank you.

The tireless work our volunteers have been doing has been empowering our office to make lots of changes and updates. I will spare you on the boring updates around changes to bylaws, policy and financial management (you’re welcome to reach out directly if you’d like to learn more about RTAM), but I will highlight some amazing changes coming for our members in the coming months… • We look forward to welcoming a wave of new members from the Winnipeg

Teachers Association (WTA). It is our hope they find a home and strong benefits within our organization. • This fall we hope to unveil a series of new member services which will enhance your health coverage and options with no added cost to you.

We are working around the clock to add new partners to increase our hearing health options, to help with medication delivery (especially to our rural partners) and to offer support to our members when going to medical appointments.

• We are meeting with our travel partners and looking to increase incentives for those who seek sunnier destinations when the temperature drops during the winter or when there’s time to explore

Manitoba and Canada during the summer months.

• Most important to us in the office though, is our work with Wellness

Advocacy to increase our program offerings for 2023. Members can look forward to an annual calendar and a robust list of options in 2023 that will bring us together, create new friendships and support a healthy and active lifestyle.

There is so much going on and so much progress being made, and as hard as we are working in the office, we are only as successful as our volunteers and their amazing commitment.

Simply put a teacher may retire but will always have a great value to those around them. Their family, their community and their friends all reap the rewards of their dedication and service. No joke. 