Spring Edition 2025 | Living Power Magazine
Q&A with Robin Kelly, District 3
What area of public service did you work in during your career?
I was a food service manager for the North Carolina Department of Corrections and became a member of RGEA after I retired in 2014.
How did the Forsyth Lunch Cruisers get started?
During the COVID pandemic, local meetings ceased, and I missed the personal connections. After things calmed down, I asked to start a lunch group in my county. I liked the idea of visiting a variety of lunch spots, and the Forsyth Lunch Cruisers were born.
Why should someone consider joining the Forsyth Lunch Cruisers?
We cruise around Forsyth County having lunch and grins. It’s the most fulfilling thing to meet other government retirees and to hear their stories and struggles. I find out that I’m not alone in my experiences, and it brings an immediate connection. Our retiree members are active and engaged with many other activities, so it takes a few meetings to start building a crew of regulars. But they do come, and they bring friends. I feel like I won the lottery each time we lunch.
What if I live in another area or district?
I see lots of possibilities to build friendships at this type of local meeting. Other activities could be incorporated, but lunch is usually good enough. I’d like to see all counties develop similar groups that are fun and show our grassroots
strength. We began in February 2024, and in the year since we have built better attendance.
Anything else you want to share?
My thanks to RGEA for letting me do this. It keeps me active, engaged, and in communication with the Raleigh office, where I have a voice in how my best interests are served in the legislature. If anyone wants to start a lunch group, I’d love to help. You can email me at reklc1@yahoo.com.