LivingPower Newsletter, Jan./Feb. 2023
Fellow Retirees,
During the last six months, we offered virtual informational sessions on the “Basics of Medicare,” “The Letter,” and “Protecting your Information Online.” Members have really responded to these important informational sessions and indicated that we should continue to offer this service. Please check the NCRGEA website and Facebook page for up-to-date information and upcoming 2023 opportunities.
During the first seven days in November, I joined the NCRGEA road trip for five District Conferences, where we met hundreds of you in person. It was amazing to have your energy in the room and to receive a warm welcome. We were immediately reminded of the importance of engaging with you. Meals on Wheels also joined us, and we witnessed many of you signing up to volunteer for your local agency or to receive services. The Meals on Wheels representatives were appreciative of your interest and support, especially given the fact that many North Carolinians are experiencing food insecurity as well as isolation. Stay tuned for more opportunities to get involved.
Community Advisory Board (CAB) Update
We are searching for five members in each of our nine districts to join our Community Advisory Boards (CABs). These volunteer positions will give you the opportunity to meet new friends, offer ideas for your district’s informational sessions, and suggest ideas for gatherings such as coffee chats or Social Days. We value your time, so there will only be two virtual meetings per year and you will have an opportunity to help shape local member engagement. Please contact me at deryl@ncrgea.com to become a CAB volunteer leader and enjoy the perks of being involved and serving your district. Many of you are already involved and your insight has been a valuable asset to NCRGEA.
In January and February, we begin with celebrations and honors for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s birthday and Black History Month. As I reflect on the importance of both of these events and the Civil Rights Movement, I want to share that they have special significance for me. My father, Rev. Dr. Grady Davis, Sr., and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were close friends from Boston University, where both pursued their doctoral degrees in the early 1950s. Thus, my family was privileged to know him as a normal person, not recognizing the incredible importance of his life until much later. To my siblings and me, he was just the “Alabama Man,” while he stayed at our house. Being active and engaged in the movement was a part of life during the 50’s, 60’s and into the 70’s, and the recognition of these important months is both personal and widespread. Many of you were quite involved as well, and I want to encourage you to tell us your stories as we begin celebrating the heritage of Black Americans throughout the country. Dad was an NC Public Servant and served on the Board of Paroles from 1973-1977. He was identified as one of the foot soldiers of the Durham Civil Rights Movement. On July 30, 2022, he posthumously received the Joe Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
We are all public servants of North Carolina and have greatly contributed to the quality of life and freedoms that we are afforded today. We will look forward to hearing from you regarding your stories
throughout the year!
And, finally, please stay tuned about the “March for Meals” during the week of March 20-24, 2023. It will be a great opportunity to volunteer to support Meals on Wheels across the state. More information will be forthcoming on how you can get involved.
Happy New Year! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Deryl