BUCKS COUNTY BUGLE
Spring 2021
Newsletter
Presidents Message
By the time this newsletter reaches your mailbox, I will have received my second and final dosage of the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. I would like to briefly share with you my story of how this came to be perhaps, some of you can relate to our experience with getting the vaccine.
Jeanne and I were highly motivated to get this vaccine ASAP. In order to do so we excitedly searched the Internet, watched local and state national television broadcasts, to see how we could register to receive the coronavirus vaccine. All in all we visited and registered with six different websites.
In addition, we made phone calls and sent emails to follow up on our registration with these vaccine websites. This went on for several months with no results. It was a very tedious and frustrating process. Finally, it all came together when we received a call from St. Mary’s hospital. We were able to make an appointment to receive our first dose of the vaccine. This was through the hospital’s community health service program. We received the first dose of the vaccine in late February with a follow appointment scheduled in mid-March for the second dose of the vaccine.
I am sharing my story with you for those folks who are experiencing what we went through. My messages is continue to persevere and don’t be discouraged. You will make it.
This virus has impacted our country at all levels of our society including our Bucks PASR chapter I have had to cancel or postpone all chapter activities including our luncheon meetings. However, we are continuing on with our first luncheon meeting since the start of the pandemic. Our luncheon will take place at Spring Mill Manor on Thursday, September 30, 2021.Additional information will be provided in the next issue of the Bucks Bugle newsletter. I very much look forward to seeing you there.
Ken Griffin
SOCIAL SERVICE/MEMORIAL HONOR FUND
Eileen Sichel, Chairperson
Please consider donating to the SSMHF to help unfortunate PASR members from across the state who are confined to a residence or in need of support due to illness or age. The amount processed to our members in need has exceeded the incoming donations as more and more of our older members are asking for help. No funding comes from dues, but relies only on the generosity of members or chapters. Donations have fallen, but expenses have remained the same. The SSMHF was established in 1964 to provide local assistance and service
to our members. We can’t let this vital committee’s work fail after 57years.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
• Make an individual contribution today.
• Honor a deceased friend through a Memorial Donation.
• Honor a living friend with a contribution in his/her name.
• Consider a Legacy Bequeath in your will.
• Report member illnesses to your SSMHF Chairperson.
Information on members who have passed away in the last two years should be sent to your SSMHF Chairperson so that they can be honored at our luncheon and also at a memorial service at our next House of Delegates Conference. Checks are deposited in a separate account used only by the SSMHF. A coupon can be found in this newsletter to be used to make a contribution. Keep our committee informed.
If you are celebrating a 90 or 90+ birthday or know of a member who is, let us know so that we can celebrate those special people. Whether living near or far, we would like to hear about our nonagenarians. Nonagenarians are welcome as guests to any of our luncheons, free of charge. In addition, for future recognition, please let us know if you are a veteran or know of a member who served our country in the military.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Alice Kirby, chair
We recently sent cash donations to two local organizations that provide much needed services to our community. The Penndel Food Pantry helps those needing food, for many as a result of the pandemic. The second is The Baby Bureau, an organization that provides baby bundles of clothing to underserved moms and their babies in our community.
Education Support
Linda Peters, Chair
The Scholarship winners are: Isabella Swartz, Central Bucks South HS, attending Princeton University; and Nicole Berman, Neshaminy HS, attending Shippensburg University. Both were sent checks for $1500.00. The Grant winners are Aimee Trieu, Palisades School District, $500.00, a Virtual Reality Program and Middle Bucks School of Technology, $300.00, Creating a Zen Garden. The Lauretta Woodson Awards will be given to Craig Smith, a teacher, and Daniel Anello, maintenance staff, both from New Hope Solebury School District. Each will receive $100.00 and a framed certificate. All recipients have been invited to our fall luncheon. The Grant winners will be given their checks at the luncheon.
MEMBER BENEFITS AND SERVICES
Meg Kramer, chair
The dental and vision rates will be increasing beginning in July or later on your anniversary date. Letters with details from the state office will be sent soon to current participants.
A Personal Testimonial from Meg Kramer on Heat USA
My husband and I decided to try the Heat USA program for our heating oil this year. So far, it has been wonderful. There is no charge for the heating contract, and the price per gallon is determined by the price of oil on the day of delivery. So far, the prices we paid were considerably less than we paid previously with our local oil dealers' locked in rates. I had the concern that the main office for Bucks County is located in West Chester, PA., but there are local dealers who are associated with HOP Energy (part of Heat USA). We have not had a problem with delivery service or setting a date to have our annual furnace cleaning done (included in the contract). For more information call 1-800-660-4328 or email at www.heatusa.com.
RECREO
Lynn Majewski, Chair
I’m hopeful that we will be able to get together socially soon. Here are some of the activities I hope to organize in 2021: attending a musical in the summer at Bristol Riverside Theatre, making a flower arrangement in a Horticultural Workshop, learning CPR for friends and family, touring Penn Museum, and visiting Glencairn Museum for their Christmas tour. Details of any planned activities will be in the next newsletter.
MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT
Arlene Williams
Consider inviting a friend to join PASR. There are many retired school personnel who do not know about PASR. Our two updated PASR websites contain information you can share in addition to convenient information about your own membership.
Our Bucks chapter of PASR has a website - www.buckspasr.org. In addition to information about our meetings, community service projects, scholarships and legislative efforts, there are forms for applying for membership and copies of our chapter newsletter.
For state membership information you can go to www.pasr.org. The Members’ Only Section of pasr.org has been redesigned. To log in to the Members’ Only Section, you will enter your username and password in the upper right-hand corner of the pasr.org home page. The newsletter, PASR Times, and After School can be found here.
Forgot User Name?
The first time you login, your PASR member ID number will be your user name. Your PASR member ID number is printed above the mailing address found on your PASR publications.
For subsequent logins, your e-mail address on record will be your user name.
Forgot Password?
Your default password is the first initial of your first name and your entire last name, all lower case with no space in-between, i.e. jsmith. After login, you will have the opportunity to create a new password, if you so desire. If you have questions call 717-697-707
A Message from Judith Schaffer, PASR President
I recently received a thank you note with a Kindness Coin stating “You Made Me Smile” enclosed from a PASR member. It stated- Thank you for your kindness. You took the time to show you care. Pass it on!
It brought a smile to my face! Something that I did naturally came back around to make me feel really happy. Who Knew!
Oscar Wilde said – “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.”
I wanted some of these items! Looking on the internet, I found that Amazon.com has even something better – Kindness Matter Cards. I decided that the business cards would suit me perfectly. The coins cost $9.99 for 144, while the cards run 100 for $10.50. Both items promote doing a kindness for someone.
Kindness items could be used for many SSMHF or Community Service projects. Giving our homebound members a few could provide them opportunities to say “THANKS” to the people who assist them. How about using them to say thanks to firemen or military soldiers? I plan to add them inside a birthday card. The ideas for their use are endless.
Let’s add smiles to our members and friends, especially during these trying times.
“If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours!”
What do you actually know about smiling?
It takes 43 muscles to frown and only 17 muscles to make a smile on your face. When you smile you release endorphins that tell your brain it feels good and when your brain feels good, it tells you to smile even more. Who Knew!
People are born with the ability to smile. Adults laugh approximately 29 times a day and women smile more than men. Smiling reduces stress that your body and mind feels. It is a natural drug!
Here are some reasons to keeping smiling:
• makes you more attractive to others
• relieves stress
• elevates your mood
• is contagious
• boosts your immune system
• lowers your blood pressure
• makes us just feel good
• makes us look younger
• makes us seem more successful
• keeps us feeling positive
World Smile Day is celebrated the first Friday in October which is just 2 days before the start of our House of Delegates. I expect to see lots of smiling faces as we come together to do PASR business, even if it is done virtually.
The 55th planning committee is scheduling lots of activities and sessions guaranteed to keep you happy and smiling. Even if we are still social distancing and wearing masks- keep smiling! Remember – your eyes sparkle when you are smiling.
The House of Delegates for PASR members in attendance always brings a smile to our faces. Delegates keep smiling!
PRIMARY ELECTION DAY – MAY 18
Often called an off year election, this primary we will be selecting local officials – borough councilmen, township supervisors, mayors, auditors, and school director. On the county level are the offices of Judge in the Court of Common Pleas, District Attorney, Controller, Sheriff, Prothonotary, and Recorder of Deeds. Statewide there are 4 judicial openings – a Supreme Court justice, a Superior Court Justice, and 2 Commonwealth Court Justices. Some of these races have several candidates. You will need to read the voters’ guide and any other information to make your selection. If you voted by mail and selected the box to receive application every year, you have received a communication from the Board of Elections. If you want to continue voting by mail, you need to return this application by May 1.
DATES TO REMEMBER
MAY 13 REGION 1 LUNCHEON MEETING (ZOOM)
MAY 18 PRIM ARY ELECTION DAY
JUNE 16 BUCKS COUNTY EXECUTIVE MEETING (ZOOM)
AUGUST 26 REGION 1 EXECUTIVE MEETING
SEPTEMBER 30 BUCKS COUNTY FALL LUNCHEON
OCTOBER 3 – 5 PASR HOUSE OF DELEGATES MEETING
EDEN RESORT, LANCASTER