« February 2026

Welcome to the newsletter for Androscoggin Retired Educators (AREA) for February 2026



Next Meeting - March 11, 2026

Location - East Auburn Baptist Church


Registration Form

OR -

Remember, you can pay the $14.00 by going to The Exchange.

Here is a new direct link to submit payments AREA MEAL for March

You can skip the registraton form by using The Exchange.


All the Downloads


Location note:
This is a new location for us. This church is the new building that offers the musical spectaculars at either Christmas or Easter.
As you travel along Park Ave. watch for the signs for the church. The driveway into the church is sort of long. You will see the sign and wide driveway before you see the church. The parking area is huge! Enter the main entrance.


Meal note:
The luncheon will still be offered by our fabulous caterer, Mike Gagne!! He is planning on whole Italians for this luncheon.


President's Message


Our next meeting is not far away and I hope all of you who traveled south to warm weather enjoyed every minute of it. It’s been consistently cold here and I’m ready for winter to be over. For our March meeting we have Jesse Hargrove, the president of MEA to speak to us– should be very interesting.


I look forward to seeing all of you, please contact colleagues that you know that don’t always come and get them used to coming and joining in the fun – see you soon


Dave Wing


Secretary and Treasurer's Files


Minutes from November 2025


November Treasurer's Overview

November Treasurer's Report


Treasurer Note:
 Finally in December, accompanied by David Wing, we opened 2 new CDs for our treasury.   One for our regular general account and one for our scholarship account.  We now have $ 15,000 earning us more money monthly.  These are in 6 month CDs and will be renewed with the best deal offered in 6 months.  There are 5 members listed on these CDs.   Several members approached me and asked me to do this.   It is now done and I will report the interest earned during our March meeting.

A note about Cookie:
A request was sent out in January that a member needed help.   This member needed a new home for her cat, Cookie.   We want you to know that 3 people came forward offering to give Cookie a new home.   Cookie is now at her new home and from the pictures, she is doing fine.   The really special part of this new home is that the new owner was a former student of the teacher that needed to find a home for Cookie.   
This was meaningful for both of these 2 members. 
 A former student helping her former teacher.  
 I will let them tell you who they are if they want to ..... more in March.

A note to all:
Remember we are here as a group.  If you know of anyone needing support or something exciting to share with friends... please let us know
Leadership Committee
from Sue Conklin

 
We are looking for a few new members of AREA to be on the Leadership Committee. This committee decides on who will be the recipient of the Affiliate Leadership Award which is presented at the Maine Education Association Retired Convention.  We generally meet twice a year in the fall to make recommendations and then vote on a final choice.  It is an easy committee and we are looking forward to some new people.  If you are interested in being on the committee, please contact Susan Conklin, Leadership Chair, AREA. She can be reached at 207-754-3873 (you can leave a message), or [ mailto:sconklin@megalink.net ]sconklin@megalink.net, or as she greets you at the door of our regular meeting at East Auburn Baptist Church.  


Maine-State-House-Augusta-002.jpg-nggid0102000041005-ngg0dy.jpgFrom the State House


from Crystal Ward




The second session of the Maine Legislature began January 6, 2026.  Many of the bills we worked on last session were carried over to this session.   We are focusing on one bill to get funding this session. This bill was passed and sent to the Appropriations Table last session.

The bill is:


LD111   An Act to Increase the State's Share of Retired Teacher Health Insurance

 SUMMARY : This bill requires the State to pay 65% (this would be a 5% increase) of a retired teacher's share of the premium for group accident and sickness or health insurance from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026 .

Presented By:

Representative Janice S. Dodge, D – Belfast


Please email or send a message to Appropriations Chairperson Rotundo and ask her to support and fund LD111, tell them your Anthem Advantage Plan is going up about $18/ month and your Medicare is also going up about $21/month for a  total increase per month $39.00. The top COLA amount 2025  was capped at $713 /year or $59/ month so the health insurance increase is about 75% of you COLA !!! This 5% increase would help with these increases.  The cost is $3 million in on=going expenses. This was not in the Governor's Supplemental Budget .  


The Appropriations and Financial Committee


Senator Margaret Rotundo of Androscoggin- Chairperson

Email: Margaret.Rotundo@legislature.maine.gov


 Write to:

Senator Peggy Rotundo

446 College St

Lewiston, Me. 04240


In Washington D.C. we are watching for bills that impact, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and drug costs at this time.   As info become available I will send it to you.


Scam Alert

from Mona Ervin





Ways to protect yourself from fraud

Stop mail fraud at the mailbox
Informed Delivery is a free service from the U.S. Postal Service. The agency emails photos of letter-size mail expected to be delivered to you that day or shortly after. This is a great way to be sure that nothing is stolen from your mailbox by ID thieves. Sign up at InformedDelivery.usps.com.  This is a great service and easy to load the app on your cell phone.  I and many of us have this and its a great tool.
Pick up mail as quickly as possible after it’s delivered, and always take your outgoing mail directly to the post office. A hot fraud now is scammers stealing checks from mailboxes, erasing the ink and using them to steal from bank accounts.
Halt scammers at your front door
Consider installing a video camera; they are increasingly less expensive, and they’re easy to install. If you don’t recognize a visitor, don’t answer. If you find yourself being pressured to buy or donate, have a refusal script ready (consider taping it near the door) that says, “I do not do business at my door. Please leave me something to review. If I’m interested, I’ll call you.”
Be wary of people posing as utility workers who show up unannounced. Don’t allow anyone into your house without an appointment.
Prevent garbage theft
Shred any papers that contain private information (financial statements, bills, shipping receipts) before putting them out for pickup to avoid identity theft. Don’t want to invest in a good cross-cut shredder? Many communities have shredding events or permanent drop-off sites. Get in the habit of dropping off your accumulated documents once every few months.
Monitor your credit report
Routinely check yours (many credit card companies provide it for free; if not, go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 877-322-8228). Watch for unusual activity; if you see any, report it immediately to the appropriate financial institution.
Then freeze your credit report. This prevents scammers from opening new credit cards or making big purchases in your name. You can unfreeze it as needed for legitimate transactions. Visit IdentityTheft.gov for more information.
Don’t pay for anything in gift cards, cryptocurrency or gold
It’s best to pay with a credit card, which can protect you from all sorts of scams — including gift card scams. Criminals prefer untraceable methods of payment that are hard to reverse, so will ask for gift cards,cryptocurrency, gold bars, prepaid debit cards. If someone — especially a stranger — asks for payment or debt settlement using one of these payment methods, think twice. 
If you are victim  of fraud or know someone who is a victim call
 your local police
 the Beter Business Bureau
the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline phone number, 877-908-3360
  • Contact your bank
  • Report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at 833-372-8311
  • Report the exploitation to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Response Center at 877-382-4357

  • Report to the Department of Justice National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-382-8311 or the Victim Connect Hotline at  855-484-2846
  • Place a fraud alert on your credit report.
  • The three major credit reporting agencies are:


whoweare.jpgWho We Are

from Mona Ervin


Who We Are - get to know our colleagues 

All of us are college graduates, but what schools did we attend?

  • Most of us are graduates of the University of Maine in Orono.
  • A close second are the graduates of (take your pick) - Gorham State Teachers College, Gorhan State College, University of Portland-Gorham, University of Southern Maine. Other names for USM were Gorhan Normal School and Gorham State College of the University of Maine.
  • Other well attended schools are the University of Maine at Farmington, Bates College and University of Maine at Presque  Isle.
  • Several of us graduated from schools outside of Maine.  Among those schools are graduates of Saint Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada, the University of Pennsylvania, Montclair State College, Boston University,  University of Hartford, Columbia,  and Weslyan.  We are quite a diverse group of college graduates.

How many years have we taught?
  • One of us taught for 4 years
  • Two taught for 25 years
  • Two taught for 28 years
  • Two taught for 33 years
  • Four taught for 34 years
  • Three taught for 35 years
  • Three taught for 37 years
  • One taught for 38 years
And the ones with 40 or more years are:
  • One taught for 40 years ! Hugh Keene
  • Two taught for 41 years ! Aaron Burke and Angela Delorme
  • One taught for 42 years! Roger Fuller
  • One taught for 44 years ! Donna Hurd
  •  And the one with the most longevity ! 45 years is Gina Fuller


Quiz

from Mona Ervin





  1. “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
  2. "The buck stops here."
  3. "I'm the President of the United Stares and I don't have to eat broccoli if I don't want to".
  4. "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience"
  5. "There is nothing more corrupting, nothing more destructive of the noblest and finest feelings of our nature, than the exercise of unlimited power.”
  6. "Ask not what your country can do for you... ask what you can do for your country."
  7. "Our toil, resources, and livelihood are all involved. So is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex."
  8. "It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world. "
  9. “Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”
  10. "We must support our rights or lose our character, and with it, perhaps, our liberties."
  11. "The United States must be neutral in fact, as well as in name, during these days that are to try men's souls."
  12. "I pledge you, I pledge myself, to a New Deal for the American People." "In these days of difficulty, we Americans everywhere must and shall choose the path of social justice...the path of faith, the path of hope, and the path of love toward our fellow man."
  13. “We all do better when we work together. Our differences do matter, but our common humanity matters more.”
  14. “While the crash only took place six months ago, I am convinced we have passed the worst and with continued unity of effort we shall rapidly recover.”
  15. "I was not lying. I said things that later on seemed to be untrue"
  16. "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
  17. "My fellow Americans, our long national nightmare is over."
  18. "To perpetuate the Union and to abolish slavery were the work of war. To educate the uneducated is the appropriate work of peace."
  19. "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
  20. "I did not have sexual relations with that woman."
      
Options to select from:  Some may be used more than once.
        Franklin Roosevelt - spoken in 1932 accepting the Democratic nomination for the presidency.
        John F. Kennedy - from his inaugural address in 1961.
        Richard Nixon - spoken when reflecting on the Watergate scandal in 1978.
        George Herber Walker Bush - spoken at  a 1990 press conference.
        Franklin Roosevelt - from his first inaugural address in 1933.
       Abraham Lincoln -from an address given by senatorial candidate and future president of  the United States  Lincoln,                on June 16, 1858.
       James Monroe - first inaugural address in March 1817.
       William Henry Harrison - letter to Simón Bolívar 27 September 1829.
    Gerald Ford - a speech spoken after taking the oath of office in 1974.
       Ronald Reagan - Ronald Reagan quipped during the 1984 presidential debates against Walter Mondale.
       Bill Clinton - spoken on April 19, in a keynote address at Queens University Belfast, Ireland.
       Theodore Roosevelt -a political approach used by Roosevelt. First spoken by Vice President Roosevelt, at the            Minnesota State Fair, Minneapolis, Sept. 2nd, 1901.
       George Washington - from his Farewell Address in 1796.
       Rutherford B. Hayes - speech in 1890.
       Dwight David Eisenhower - from the Farewell Address in 1961.
      Harry S Truman -  the statement indicates that the president was one who had to make decisions that landed on his           desk – he couldn't pass them on to anyone else.
      Woodrow Wilson - message on  neutrality from a speech on August 19, 1914.
      Herbert Hoover - from an address to the United States Chamber of Commerce, May 1, 1930.
      Ronald Reagan - excerpt from a speech given on June 12, 1987, at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany. The speech is                  commonly known by a key line from the middle part.
       Bill Clinton - televised remarks on January 26, 1998, ending with a presidential bombshell.

And the answers are:
  1. Lincoln
  2. Truman
  3. Bush
  4. Reagan
  5. Harrison
  6. Kennedy
  7. Eisenhower
  8. Washington
  9. Franklin Roosevelt
  10. James Monroe
  11. Wilson
  12. Franklin Roosevelt
  13. Clinton
  14. Hoover
  15. Nixon
  16. Theodore Roosevelt
  17. Ford
  18. Hayes
  19.  Reagan
  20.  Clinton


AH, something new 

A book review


So, Mona had this idea that anyone who wished could write a book review and we could share it all here.

What a great idea. After all, we are teachers and we read!


So, I took the first jab, and here is a link to a book review.  


Book Review - Ministry of the Future


Send your book reviews to me and I'll post them on PithnGrit and share them here.



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