NARFE - Dulles Chapter 1241

President’s Greeting

This month I will address the importance of continuing NARFE in the future, specifically what will be addressed and decided at the NARFE National Convention in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Four new National officers and ten Regional Vice- Presidents will be elected for a two-year term at this Convention and 45 resolutions and proposed National Bylaw changes will be considered. These elections, resolutions, and bylaw changes will have a major and long term affect on the operation and future of NARFE. Bill Schmidt, Bill Boning, and I will be attending the Convention as delegates of Dulles Chapter 1241 and will be casting the 16 votes assigned to Dulles Chapter 1241 in the elections, resolutions, and proposed bylaw changes presented. We need your thoughts and recommendations on how to cast these votes.

Two people, Joe Beaudoin (current National Vice- President, past Region 10 Vice President, member of the Virginia Winchester Chapter), and Dick Strombotne (past President of Maryland Federation, member of Maryland Gaithersburg Chapter), are running for National President. Paul Carew (current Region 10 Vice President, past President of North Carolina Federation), and Martha Leiker (past President of Colorado Federation) are running for National Vice President. David Sullivan (past National Secretary), H. Ray Harrington (past President of California Federation), and Elaine Hughes (current President of North Carolina Federation), are running for National Secretary. Charley Saylor (current Region 2 Vice President), and Frank Impinna (current President of Colorado Federation), are running for National Treasurer. Bill Martin (past President of the Virginia Federation and member of the Virginia Louisa Chapter), and Bill Austin (past Region 10 Vice President and past National Vice President and a member of North Carolina Charlotte Chapter), are running for Region 10 (which includes Virginia) Vice President. Details on each candidate are listed below on the last page. This information can also be found on NARFE National website at http://www.NARFE.org and is available from one of the Dulles Chapter delegates to the National Convention.

The 45 resolutions and proposed National Bylaw changes have been submitted by Chapters and Federations throughout the NARFE organization for consideration at the National Convention and address the following issues:

• Information required to be submitted to NARFE to update membership records (1 submission);
• Recruitment of new members and recruitment strategy (3 submissions);
• Honorary and Distinguished membership (2 submissions);
• Family membership (1 submission);
• Processing of membership applications (1 submission);
• NARFE forms (4 submissions);
• Membership dues (14 submissions);
• Matching funds instructions (1 submission);
• Monetary contributions to NARFE (1 submission);
• Preparation of revised National Bylaws (1 submission);
• Organization and bonding of NARFE National officer positions (2 submissions);
• Regional Leadership Development committees (1 submission);
• Authorization of Councils of Chapters (i.e., caucuses within Regions) (1 submission);
• Protection and calculation of federal pensions (2 submissions);
• Protection of and policies for federal health benefits (5 submissions);
• Voting policies for TSP shares (1 submission);
• Redefinition of the NARFE mission (1 submission);
• Development of National Legislation initiatives (1 submission);
• Monitoring of the new Federal Debt Commission (1 submission); and
• Reconsideration of the number of Chapter delegates authorized to attend the National Conventions (1 submission).

A large number of resolutions and proposed National bylaw changes address dues. Other issues of significance are also addressed. Each submitted resolution or proposed National Bylaw change can be found on the NARFE National website at http://www.NARFE.org and a summary of all of submitted resolutions and changes can be obtained from one of the Dulles Chapter delegates to the National Convention. I will also try to post a summary of the submitted resolutions and proposed National Bylaw changes on the Dulles Chapter web page at http://www.vanarfe.org/1241/1241.htm.

Bill Schmidt and Bill Boning will be available at the Dulles Chapter meeting on June 28 to provide additional information and to listen to your comments. However, I will be available via telephone or e-mail in July and August to discuss these issues and the candidates. I encourage you to attend the June luncheon meeting and to bring current and retired Federal employees who are eligible for NARFE membership. Tell them about NARFE and the mission of NARFE, and urge them to join. To assist you in this effort, the Dulles Chapter Executive Committee has authorized the Chapter Treasurer to pay $8.00 from the Chapter operating budget for the lunch of each of the first 10 guests brought to the June 2010 Chapter luncheon, provided that these guests are:

• Eligible for NARFE membership;
• Accept a NARFE membership application; and
• Consider joining NARFE and NARFE Dulles Chapter 1241.

--Richard Giangerelli, Dulles Chapter President
June 2010

At the bottom of every press release from the national office of NARFE,
the following paragraph describes the mission of NARFE:

NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/ retiree organization, NARFE represents the retirement interests of nearly 5 million current and future federal annuitants, spouses, and survivors.

One of the great benefits of NARFE membership is the many discounts available to members. Just look in the back of your NARFE Magazine for a listing of everything available.

You will find discounts on insurance, travel, car rental, hotels and many others items. Also there are ways to earn more on savings accounts. Check out some of these and take advantage of them.