PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Scott Robinson
Spokane Chapter 32 will have our annual garage sale this summer. Please read elsewhere in this newsletter for where and when you can donate your unused items and when to volunteer to help sell these same unused items.
As our Chapter activities go into summer recess, I wish to remind you all that the Civil Service Retirement Act became effective 1 August 1920. It allowed us to fairly compete for our jobs based upon merit, which is unlike the F Schedule proposed by former President Trump. Both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) currently serve 2.7 million federal retirees. Thank you for all your service!
Following our June meeting on 6/12, we on will resume our regular membership meetings in September, when we celebrate 73 years as a NARFE Chapter. Of all NARFE chapters across the nation, Spokane was the 32nd chapter to be established. Enjoy your summer, and I hope to see you in September.
Please call me at 208-661-7695 or email me at scottsoriole@q.com if you have any questions regarding Spokane Chapter 32.
ALZHEIMER’S (vacant Chairperson)
More than 6 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. NARFE members have contributed $15.6 million toward Alzheimer’s research. Annual Walks to End Alzheimer’s across our country are great fund-raising events. This year’s Spokane Walk will be September 30, which will begin and end near the Clock Tower in Riverfront Park. President Scott Robinson invites you to walk with him on this day. You can go to
https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2023/WAWashingtonState?pg=entry&fr_id=16843 and register yourself with Team NARFE Chapter 32.
Spokane Chapter is recruiting an Alzheimer’s Chairperson. If you are interested in sharing your learned knowledge with the group, then please contact any Officer or Director. With no chairperson, a village is needed to share information with our group.
PROGRAM (vacant Chairperson)
If you missed our May meeting, then I encourage you to go to narfespokane.org/news to read about last month’s guest speaker, Mary Binder who talked about her relationship as District Vice-president and Spokane Chapter. Licit Garbe from Senator Murray’s Office will speak to us in June. We won’t meet during July and August, but we’re planning Spokane Chapter’s 73rd birthday party in September. One of Spokane’s Hospices will talk to us in October. Ann Ozuna will present her annual review of Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) in November, and we’ll celebrate the holidays during December. That sums up the balance of the year, folks. Please join us at our June 12 membership meeting at 11:30 at Darcy’s Restaurant in the Spokane Valley. I hope to see you there.
DATE FOR YOUR CALENDAR
JUNE CHAPTER MEETING: Licett Garbe, Eastern Washington Director for Senator Murray
MONDAY JUNE 12, 2023 – 11:30 AM
DARCY’S RESTAURANT
10502 E SPRAGUE,
SPOKANE VALLEY
The meeting will be available via ZOOM:
Meeting ID: 846 9246 3195
Passcode: 137652
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Spokane Chapter is recruiting a Program Chairperson. If you are interested in sharing your learned knowledge with the group, please contact any Officer or Director.
MEMBERSHIP
The Chapter is looking for a Membership Chair. If you are interested, please contact any of the Officers or Directors. Come be a part of a great group of people fighting for your benefits.
NARFE – PAC (Vacant Chairperson)
Between January 1 and March 30 of this year, 5,727 NARFE members contributed $236,186 to NARFE-PAC. Of this total amount, 52 National Only - Washington State contributed $2,054.00, and nine Spokane Chapter members contributed $485.00. During this same time, NARFE-PAC disbursed $151,500 for political purposes of which $30,500 went to candidates, $105,000 to non-candidate committees, and $16,000 to leadership PACs. Thank you for your wiliness to support the campaigns of fed-friendly legislators.
You can contribute to NARFE – PAC using the contribution form found in the monthly NARFE Magazine or by sending a check, made out to NARFE – PAC, to our Post Office Box. The address is: NARFE, PO Box 4592, Spokane, WA 99220.
LEGISLATION Roger Bosky
A few weeks ago, Arlene Patten and I met with Licett Garbe, the recently appointed Eastern Washington Director for Senator Murray’s Spokane office. Ms. Garbe’s prior experience includes the Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Census Bureau, and other Congressional Representatives. She fully listened to and appreciated NARFE’s legislative concerns. And I can happily report that Senator Murray is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill (S597) to repeal the Government Pension Offset/Windfall Elimination Provision (GPO/WEP).
The meeting also produced a fortuitous happening. Upon learning that Arlene’s work experience was HUD, Ms. Garbe asked Arlene about Senator Murray’s recently announced $97 million funding package for Homeless Assistance in Washington. Arlene was on the board of this program and provided some local insight. This was a good example of how our work experiences as Federal employees can be of assistance to our community and foster productive relationships.
The bills to repeal the GPO/WEP “evil twins” continue to move through both Chambers of Congress. The House bill (HR 87) now has 219 cosponsors, and the Senate bill (S597) has 37 cosponsors. Let’s ask Senator Cantrell to get on the bus with her fellow Washingtonian Senator.
PAST VICE PRESIDENT Arlene Patton
SAVE THE DATE OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2023. We hope plan to attend and help in the celebration of Chapter 32’s 73rd anniversary. Thirteen years ago when we celebrated our 60th anniversary, there was six former and present Chapter Presidents in attendance that help cut the cake. Hope we can have the same or more in attendance for our 73rd celebration. Both the Washington State Federation President Cray J. Henry along with the Region 9 Vice President Steven Roy have been invited.
If you need a ride to the event, please let me know. Want to see everyone out for this special celebration!
NARFE is more than just a great magazine. Let them know!
Promote NARFE anytime you can. The more members we have the more power to protect our benefits and retirement!
NARFE = YOUR BEST BET FOR THE FUTURE!
WEBSITE Chris Smith
With inspiration from Mary Binder’s presentation at our May meeting, we have added an “elevator speech” for members who intentionally (at an event booth or convention) or unintentionally meet people who may be interested in NARFE. An elevator speech is simply a quick overview about NARFE and the value of membership. It answers what is NARFE? What does NARFE do? What commercial benefits do members receive as a NARFE member? and What is the underlying value of a NARFE membership?
Look at this new addition to the website. The elevator speech resides under Members (at the top of the webpage) at www.narfespokane.org Read it, commit it to memory, and try it out the next time you meet someone who just might be interested in joining our chapter.
Please contact me at redpoll@mac.com if you find any errors or have any pictures or pertinent articles that may be of interest to members.
SERVICE & OUTREACH Kathy Brooks
Spokane Chapter 32 will be holding their annual Garage Sale this August. Please contact Kathy Brooks at 509-954-6719, kmbrooks06@msn.com for the exact date(s) and how to donate items for the sale.
SUNSHINE Susan Harvey
The Chapter is sending birthday and anniversary wishes to all who celebrate during our delightful summer months of June, July, and August while our meetings are on hiatus.
Phil Moyle is recovering from a hospital stay.
Kathy Brooks just could not stay upright in the garden and used her head as battering ram. She is healing from some stitches and bruises.
Welcome the new members, Leslie Ahrens, and Therese Ohlson who recently transferred to our Chapter.
The sad news is Eugene Owen and Rosemarie Jones recently passed away.
REMINDER, spouses can be members on their own OR can take over the membership of a deceased member.
If you become aware of good news, illnesses, surgeries, or a death of a member or family member, please contact me at 509-953-6828.
Spokane Washington Chapter 32
PO Box 4592
Spokane, WA 99220
National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association 32
NARFE on the Web: National: www.narfe.org WSF: www.narfewa.org Spokane: www.narfespokane.org