Dearborn Co. Retired Teachers Earn Award For Outstanding Public Relations

The organization was recognized in Indianapolis last week.

Pictured (front row left to right): Jim Pierce, Cathy Mund, Gerri Barber, Dennis Bourquein. Back row: Etta Bostwick, Judy Mosier, Betty Bourquein. Photo provided. 

(Dearborn County, Ind.) - Dearborn County Retired Teachers’ delegates to the Indiana Retired Teachers Association’s Representative Assembly on June 13 at Ben Davis High School returned home excited and proud of the recognition and awards received by the local chapter.

The Dearborn County Retired Teachers Association was only one of two local association in the state to receive Outstanding Recognition in its Public Relations’ area. This recognition consists of local association newsletters, press releases, and website work.

In volunteer service Dearborn County led the state in the collection and recording of volunteer hours for the second year.  A total of 53,396 hours was recorded by Dearborn County retired teachers.  The total state recorded hours were 910,231.  According to the Independent Sector organization at Washington D.C., each volunteer hour is valued at $24.69.  Thus Dearborn County hours totaled $1,318,347.24 of the state’s $22,473,603.39 hours.  Volunteer hours are used by retired teachers to negotiate for state benefits.

The National Retired Teachers Association each year sponsor a “With Our Youth” award for individuals in our nation that have done outstanding volunteer youth-centered service.  This year, Dearborn County’s retired teacher, Gerri Barber was the recipient of this outstanding award.  Gerri has been the organizer of the Pillowcase Dress and Shorts program that the Dearborn County Retired Teachers have been doing for a number of years.  This is the second time that Dearborn County has led Indiana in winning this prestigious award.

Dearborn County is a very active chapter in the Indiana Retired Teachers Association. The Association meets formally four times a year.  Remaining meetings for 2018 are August 21 and October 23.  The association meets in the Greendale Middle School at Lawrenceburg and all retired teachers, active teachers, or friends of education are welcome to attend. Current co-presidents Kim McGranahan and Jim Pierce preside over the meetings.