President’s Message

Marvin Krawec

RTAM President 2015-2016

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

RETIRED TEACHERS’

ASSOCIATION OF MANITOBA

Let’s Hear It For the Volunteers

You might recall that in the previous issue of KIT, I outlined what our intentions were.

The Board did hold a day and a half seminar regarding governance and planning. Some of the information, it is hoped, will be put to good use.

The chairs and their respective committees are working diligently on their agendas relevant to the responsibilities as they are outlined.

The website, under the tutelage of Jack Fraser, has undergone some transformation already. Jack has put in an inordinate amount of time trying to bring the website up to an acceptable standard.

The wellness committee, spearheaded by Peggy Prendergast, has been busy with its workshops. It is evident, by the success of the workshops, that a lot of planning had taken place.

Other committees, as well, have worked ceaselessly on their assigned agendas.

This year, the bursary committee has selected five students for bursaries. Each student will receive $500 towards furthering of his/her education.

I am grateful to all the committees for their diligent pursuit of their agendas for the benefit of RTAM members.

The committee members not only volunteer to sit on the Board and do your bidding, they also do much voluntary work in their communities as well.

This brings me to the volunteer survey that was done for RTAM a little while back.

The survey showed that 82% of the retired teachers, volunteer, on the average 42 hours a month. In 2014, when the survey was done, there were some 11,072 retired teachers volunteering. If one assigns a wage of $10.75 per hour, the economic impact, to the province of Manitoba, from this volunteering , amounts to approximately $60 million for that year. This is the contribution of the retired teachers only. What about all the other retirees who do volunteer work?

Two senior economists, from the TD bank, conducted a similar survey across the country. What they found was that volunteering in Canada, had a $50 billion impact on the Canadian economy. To quote the economists, “This economic value of volunteering, is approximately the same size as the entire Manitoba economy. Let it not be said that we do not carry our weight.

Finally, a replacement for Carol Gillis has been hired. She will begin her assignment on November 23.

The staff and the Board of RTAM wish you the best of the holiday season that’s coming up. May it be Merry and Bright. §

There will be monthly Mini-Seminars on Wellness at the RTAM office, to be announced on the website www.rtam.mb.ca as to topic,date and time.