Free virtual webinar Lunch & Learn Series: “Getting Ready for Aetna in 2025.” Presenters will be our partners from Aetna and North Carolina’s State Health Plan. Learn more about Aetna’s role as North Carolina’s State Health Plan’s third-party administrator, starting on Jan 1, 2025.
You will learn about what this change in 2025 means for our members and also for state/ local employees and retirees. You can also find out what you need to do to ensure there is no disruption in your state health care benefits.
Registration by Monday | August 14 is required for this FREE event. Click the Register Now button at the top. Space is limited so please register soon. INVITE A FRIEND! You will receive the Zoom link by email on Monday, August 14. If you have any questions, please email info@NCRGEA.com or phone 919.834.4652 or 1 800 356 1190.
All NCRGEA 2023 Lunch and Learn Series recordings can be found on the YouTube channel.
Virtual webinar Lunch & Learn Series: “Have Summer Fun with Member Benefits.” Our presenters will be our trusted AMBA partners, Jon Green and Tony Prince. Learn how to use the discount perks with exclusive member savings on travel, dining, waterparks, and more. Hear about the popular benefit for emergency medical transportation services.
Registration by Friday | July 14 is required. Click the Register Now button at the top. Space is limited so please register soon. You will receive the Zoom link by email on Monday, July 17. If you have any questions, please email info@NCRGEA.com or phone 919.834.4652.
Posted on behalf of Joyce Massey-Smith, Director, NCDHHS Division of Aging and Adult Services
Dear partners,
By now many of you have heard about Governor Cooper’s Executive Order 280, NC’s Commitment to Building an Age-Friendly State, which calls upon NC DHHS to develop a multisector plan for aging (MPA). A MPA kick-off event was held June 5th and we thank all who participated! During this event, we unveiled NC’s MPA: All Ages, All Stages NC and encouraged all interested people to join our effort.
We are excited to announce we are now accepting members to our stakeholder workgroups! The stakeholder workgroups will meet monthly to identify key issues and develop recommendations. We are seeking diverse membership to ensure all voices are heard throughout this process. It is not necessary that you be a subject-matter expert in a specific area, but rather that you bring your enthusiasm and ideas. We are also looking for a few more people to join the All Ages, All Stages NCsteering committee.
To join a workgroup or to apply to be considered as a member of the steering committee, click HERE by Monday, July 10th.
To learn more about this initiative, please visit our All Ages, All Stages NCwebpage, where you can find slides from the kick-off event, a timeline, and much more. Feel free to forward this email as appropriate. Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you soon!
Plans are underway for the upcoming NCRGEA Fall Conferences, and we are excited to be heading your way in September at three locations across the state. On Wednesday, Sep. 13, we will be at the Statesville Civic Center; On Tuesday, Sep. 19, you can find us at the Durham Convention Center; and on Tuesday, Sep. 26, the final NCRGEA Fall Conference will be held at the Greenville Convention Center.
Back by popular demand will be some improvements to the schedule and changes in events and sponsor participation, which were introduced last spring at our conference in Hendersonville and scored highly in survey results.
Get ready for plenty of local flair at each conference, including an outstanding lunch served by a local caterer focusing on regional, featured food from the area, and exciting door prizes from local merchants. Another local angle includes having a representative from the local NCSU Cooperative Extension office on hand to lead a presentation on a regional landscaping topic and answer attendees’ questions. “We are making a point to highlight the cultural aspects of each community,” said Tim O’Connell, NCRGEA Executive Director.
Each conference will have our partnering sponsors ready to discuss many aspects of retired life – from healthcare to social security to hobbies and activities. Sponsors will start the session with quick, two-minute introductions, which provides attendees with an overview, helping them decide how to engage throughout the day by to the information and assistance most important to them.
Stephanie Bias, a representative from the North Carolina Department of Insurance’s Seniors’ Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) said, “The approach of the two-minute greeting by the sponsors made a big difference to attendees. It put a face with a name, agency, or business, so attendees could target their visits to the exhibit booths.” The schedule will allow time for attendees to visit the information tables, visit with each other, and make new friends. “One of our goals is to bring retirees together,” said O’Connell. “This allows them to share ideas and make connections. This time together also allows staff to get new ideas for future programs and events.”
Look for invitations and additional information coming soon with details on registering for NCRGEA’s Fall Conferences in:
9.13.23 Statesville: Statesville Civic Center | 300 S Center St | Statesville, NC 28677
9.19.23 Durham: Durham Convention Center | (inside Marriott) | 301 W Morgan St | Durham, NC 27701
Thank you to those who today attended this very informative and passionate presentation and panel discussion. The presenters, Dr. Megan Smith, Ms. Rebecca Freeman and Dr. Cheryl Greenberg provided invaluable information and resources for attendees to use to help combat isolation and loneliness. Please take advantage of these resources as they provide helpful information to curtail isolation and loneliness. The presenters have also provided their contact information in their presentation materials. Please feel free to connect with them directly.
If you would like to listen to the recording of the presentation, use this Zoom link and you will need to enter the passcode: L850vP!% . Click to download a copy of the slide deck in .pdf format, which includes resources and speaker contact information.
We are scheduling upcoming Lunch and Learn virtual sessions ~ would you please complete this survey and let us know what topics you are interested in learning? We look forward to seeing you at our next Virtual Lunch & Learn. Watch for information coming soon!
Talk about making the grade! When it comes to remarkable teaching careers, Grace Adkins definitely has earned an A+. Grace Adkins began her teaching career when she was just a junior in high school. Now, for her 95th birthday, she has given herself the perfect birthday gift: retirement!
Adkins was first hired in 1976 by Westwood Schools and has also taught at Deerfield Academy. Throughout the decades, Adkins philosophy remained consistent: to ensure that each student received the most effective education by accommodating each student with the tools that would work best for them.
“I never say a child can’t learn. I find out how they learn and I don’t give up,” she says.
Strong Teaching = Successful Students
Her determination and tenacity have paid off for the children who were her students. For example, one former student struggled with ADHD and dyslexia, but Adkins worked hard and created a roadmap for success with him and his parents.
“We had an educational prescription that we filled – and his parents filled at home – and he didn’t give up. His family didn’t give up. And we didn’t give up. And so there he is,” Adkins said. He is now a vascular surgeon.
“And of course, I have many others, too, that you wonder if they’re going to make it. But you keep on working with them every day. And… they make it. Big time!”
Many of her students praised the longtime teacher for her dedication and compassion. One said, “She really truly wants to change students’ lives, and she did,” one of her former students says. “She changed my life.”
Not only will she not be forgotten by her former students, but Adkins legacy will also live on. The Learning Lab that she founded at Westwood Schools will continue under the guidance of other teachers.
On her final day, her Westwood Schools student sang happy birthday to her in honor of her special day. Adkins was so moved by the appreciation and love that the students began to cry.
But just because she’s retiring from teaching, that doesn’t mean that Adkins is going to slow down! She not only gets up at 3am every morning and stays fit by riding her bike for a total of 100 miles a week, she also keeps her mind active by reading up to 40 books a year!
Examples like Adkins’ is another proof why teaching is often ranked as one of the most rewarding professions. There is no greater sense of reward for a teacher than to see their students succeed. Passing on knowledge to the next generation to achieve their goals is truly a fulfilling experience for them. Congratulations on 75 years of giving your students your best!
Attention all Retirement Eligible state-employed teachers! We have some exciting news for you. NCRGEA has benefits that you may be eligible to receive TODAY. Sign up to become a Member and discuss your options with our Benefits Specialists.
Most people have more than one source of debt. From credit card balances to your mortgage to your auto loan, getting a full scope of what you owe is important. In addition to the impact to your financial health, your mental health can also suffer. The stress and worry can lead to high blood pressure, anxiety, depression, ulcers, and worse. The deeper you get into debt, the more likely it is that your health will be impacted.
A common practice to take control and manage what you owe is to plan to pay the minimum each month on each debt and put extra money towards one debt. Once you’ve paid that one off, you can then turn your attention to the next bill.
There are two popular methods to where you make that additional payment: The Snowball or The Avalanche Method.
The Snowball Method
Like a snowball rolling down a hill, The Snowball Method starts small and builds momentum. Many people favor it because it’s simple, helps them feel motivated, and shows tangible accomplishments quickly. This method focuses on the smallest debts and eliminates them quickly. Once your smallest debt is paid off, you then progress to the next smallest.
You don’t reduce the amount you’re contributing to your debt payments. Instead, you’re redirecting the total amount from the first debt to the next. Your payments don’t decrease as you go through your list, but your list becomes smaller and smaller.
The Avalanche Method
The advantage of this approach is you focus on paying off the debts with the highest interest rates so, in the long run, you save more money. Create a list of your debts from highest interest rate to the lowest. Plan to make minimum payments on all your debts, as well as an additional amount toward the first debt on your list.
Once you’ve paid off your highest-interest rate debt, move onto the second highest. Continue until your debts are all paid.
Keeping control of your finances is important. That’s why NCRGEA and AMBA offer a Tax-Deferred Asset Protection Plan. Annuities are a smart and safe way to diversify your savings. You can potentially earn much more interest than CDs or savings accounts. Plus, annuities have excellent advantages, including tax-deferred accumulation of interest, a guaranteed competitive interest rate, multiple payout options, and a nursing home waiver. Get more info at rgea.info/benefits or 800-956-1228.
