Goodwill Committee Guideline
District 38
Members: Audrey Hendrickson, Gail Gilroy, Norma Cox, Pat Poland
Objectives:
§ To mail birthday cards to those 80+ .
§ To deliver locally produced certificates for 90th, 95th, and 100th birthdays
§ To mail sympathy cards on the deaths of family members (i.e. spouse, parent, child)
§ To deliver memorial donation cards to the funeral home on the death of a member.
§ To make a personal telephone call or personal visit to the surviving spouse, offering a “Survival Spouse Package” regarding pension, CPP, insurance, etc. The information is provided on the RTO Fact Sheets.
§ To mail “Thinking of You” cards to members who are ill, hospitalized, or whenever appropriate.
§ To present the RTO District 38 Memorial Bursary to two secondary school recipients. More than two bursaries may be presented if District finances warrant and Executive recommends it.
§ To deliver poinsettias the first week of December to members in nursing/rest homes, retirement homes or confined to their own homes. Traditionally, facilities that provide meals is the criteria.
§ To inform the editor of Chit Chat and the webmaster of the names of deceased members.
§ To have committee members give oral reports for: birthday cards, personal visits, deaths, memorial donations, and other communication to members at monthly Executive meetings.
§ To submit a written summary of Goodwill activities for the December and June annual general meetings.
§ To forward all communication to members to:
§ Chit Chat Editor, Bert Phills at bert.phills@sympatico.ca
§ District Webmaster, Peter Laychak at petelayc@cogeco.ca
§ Secretary, Michele Vilcsak at vilcsak@sympatico.ca
Budget: $2500.00 (Includes two scholarships)
1. Birthday Cards to Members 80 and Over
(Pat Poland 519-869-4909 ppoland1@gmail.com
1.1 Establish a list of member names, by birth month, for members over 80, from the Provincial membership list.
1.2 Update the names on this list using the monthly Provincial update, checking for deaths, new members, and those who are no longer with our District.
1.3 Contact committee member Pat Poland at ppoland1@cogeco.ca to order cards and stamps.
1.4 Send cards 7 days prior to birth date.
1.5 Send specially designated 80, 90 and 100 cards for milestone birthdays.
1.6 Sign cards “Your friends in R.T.O, District 38”
1.7 Affix your address label on envelope.
1.8 Forward a list of names, at the end of each month to:
1.8.1 Chit Chat Editor, Bert Phills at bert.phills@sympatico.ca
1.8.2 Webmaster, Peter Laychak at petelayc@cogeco.ca
1.8.3 Secretary, Michele Vilcsak at vilcsak@sympatico.ca
1.9 Report names of birthday card recipients at monthly Executive meetings.
2. Certificates for 90, 95, 100th Birthdays
(Audrey Hendrickson 519-541-1747 staddonlea@xcelco.on.ca)
2.1 Special birthday certificates are designed and printed by local RTO member Sue Galos, vsgalos@yahoo.com .
2.2 Chair Audrey Hendrickson, supplies names, birth month and year of birth 2-3 weeks in advance, indicating which birthday (90, 95 or 100). Chair also provides RTO seals, and submits printing bills, from Sue, to treasurer.
2.3 To pick up certificates go to Sue’s house at 8 Twin Pines Crescent, Sarnia. Directions go past Blackwell and Dent, go right on Forest Drive, go left in one block onto Clarence. Then go left on Twin Pines Crescent. Her house, at the end of Twin Pines Crescent, has a green roof and is slightly to the east.
2.3 Seals are free. Call Kim Williams at RTO Toronto, 1-800-361-9888 ext 244. Seals should arrive within two weeks.
2.4 Chair, Audrey Hendrickson, presents certificates to recipients, takes a picture and conducts an interview.
2.5 Photo and information are forwarded to:
Secretary-Michele Vilcsak at vilcsak@sympatico.ca
Chit Chat editor-Bert Phills at bert.phills@sympatico.ca
Website designer-Peter Laychak at petelayc@cogeco.ca
Archives-Alan Campbell at alan.acsresearch.campbaell@gmail.com
3. Bereavement/Memorial Donations/Spousal Survival Packages
(Gail Gilroy 519-869-8694 cgilroy@sympatico.ca)
3.1 Check local newspapers and funeral home websites for
obituaries. Also rely on members to notify you about
deaths and check with RWTO Goodwill contact.
3.2 Print information from SAMPLE card onto note card supplied and put into envelope with In Memory of and the name.
3.3 Deliver the card to the funeral home if possible. If not, mail it to a family member or to the funeral home and ask them to forward it to the family.
3.4 If the member has a surviving spouse, copy the following: Fact Sheets from the RTO Member’s Only site: The Executor’s Checklist(E-9), Applying for a Survivor Pension(G-1), Associate Membership in RTO/ERO(G-2), Canada Pension Plan(G-3), Health Insurance(G-4), Planning Your Legal & Financial Affairs(G-5) and Important Documents(H-3). Put these copies in a manila envelope and deliver to the funeral home with the card or to the survivor’s home.
4. Sympathy/Thinking of You Cards
(Norma Cox 519-542-1208 ncox@sympatico.ca)
4.1 Obtain latest membership list of District 38 during Executive meeting that occurs near the first of September. Then keep updating as information is passed on to you.
4.2 Send a Thinking of You card to members who are ill, having a difficult time with circumstances in their lives or who may be celebrating an event.
4.3 Send a Sympathy card to those who have lost a family member.
4.4 Sign card “Your friends at RTO District 38”.
4.5 Try to contact people in the community or check the newspaper for news of these events. Note: usually someone notifies me.
4.6 Let the person in charge of cards and stamps (Pat Poland), know when they are needed.
4.7 Keep a record of cards that have been sent.
4.8 Give a report to the Executive as to what cards have been sent, either in person at regular Executive meetings or, if unable to attend, inform someone on your committee so they can fill in for you.
5. Bursaries and Scholarships
(Gail Gilroy 519-869-8694 cgilroy@sympatico.ca)
5.1 Two bursaries, for $500.00, are usually presented. An optional third bursary presentation is voted on by the Executive based on our financial standing. When three bursaries are presented, two go to the LKDSB and one to the Catholic Board.
5.2 Jane, at the LKDSB Board Office 519-336-1500 Ext 31496, and a selection committee choose the recipients using criteria previously established.
5.3 Jane makes contact in the fall to request cheques and provide winners’ names, date and time of presentation.
5.4 Attend commencement ceremonies if possible, or ask former teacher on Executive to make the presentation. Let the school know the name of the presenter.
5.5 Cheques are issued by Treasurer. Cheques may be mailed to the recipient with a card, or presented at the commencement ceremony.
5.6 Submit names of the bursary recipients to Chit Chat and District 38 website.
6. Poinsettia Project
(Audrey Hendrickson 519-541-1747 staddonlea@xcelco.on.ca)
6.1 Plan to meet with Goodwill Committee after October meeting to review list of names from previous year. Ask Executive to provide input. Make deletions and additions.
6.2 Call each residence confirming that each of the individuals is still on site, asking whether other retired teachers have joined them, and whether live plants are acceptable.
6.3 Establish delivery date. Usually the morning of the first Monday of December.
6.4 Ask for volunteers from the Executive to assist the Goodwill Committee members with delivery, during the October Executive meeting.
6.5 Collect data and place order with Bruce Praill, in October. (Order may be revised as necessary.)
6.6 Prepare final list for November meeting and remind volunteers to deliver on date selected. Ask them to bring boxes, cameras, scissors (to cut off cellophane sleeves.) Purchase artificial plants as needed.
6.7 Pick up cards from Praills and address them in preparation for delivery, or prepare Christmas cards in advance with RTO and Goodwill Representative’s address inside.
6.8 Meet at Praills at 8:30 am on delivery day to organize poinsettias, cards, and delivery details for volunteers who arrive at 9:00 am. Have volunteers sign Christmas cards to deliver with the poinsettias.
6.9 Pick up bill and ask for cheque to be issued. (Christmas dinner is a convenient time), and drop off payment to Bruce. As an alternate arrangement put bill on personal credit card and ask Treasurer for a cheque.)
6.10 Use leftover poinsettias, or buy two extra for door prizes for the RTO banquet if it falls after the poinsettia delivery date.
6.11 Purchase an extra poinsettia for the OSSTF office, deliver it and ask the receptionist to take it home as her own for the Christmas holidays. (A poinsettia is purchased for the OSSTF office in return for use of their space, photocopying and reception that OSSTF provides to RTO.)
6.12 If possible, take an extra copy of the photo, with the member holding the poinsettia, then return after the new year with the photo to give the recipient an extra visit.
6.13 Glued inside each Christmas card is a self sticking label:
Best Wishes from
Retired Teachers of Ontario
District 38
Goodwill Representative:
Audrey Hendrickson
1090 Lakeshore Rd, Sarnia
N7V 2V8 519-541-1747
6.14. If not appropriate, order another type of flower or mail a small gift or
musical card to members living outside the country.
6.15 Give oral report at January Executive meeting with numbers of
poinsettias purchased and cost.
6,16 Forward pictures to webmaster and Chit Chat editor.
7. RTO Membership Contact
7.1 Diane Vezeau, administrative assistant, 1-800-361-9888
7.2 Contact for membership records, alphabetically, chronologically, or by postal code
7.3 Contact regarding address changes.
8. Sample Committee Reports
8.1 Sympathy: Peter Cassel (mother-in-law), Marg Maltin (mother),
Marie Rutledge (sister-in-law), Doreen Blake (brother), John Walker
(sister)
Thinking of You: Tom Moore (hip operation), Pat Baines (cancer),
Marie Labelle (surgery), Carolyn McKinnon (surgery), Peggy Pearson (hip problem), Helen Mundy (not well)
8.2 Audrey circulated a copy of the interviews with Mildred Campbell
and Norma Minielly, as well as the memorial note for Gertrude Wellington. The poinsettia delivery is set for December 1. The plants have beenordered from Praills, and Audrey is looking for volunteers to help with the delivery. She also needs to know the names of any members newly admitted to care facilities.
9 Sample Write-ups from Certificate of Recognition Visits
9.1 John Kuenzig’s teaching career was preceded by a career in the Canadian Army Armoured Brigade, Engineering Division. In fact, he married his wife, Margaret, in August, went overseas in December and was gone for 5 years.
His teaching years in Lambton County included 10 spent at Northern, followed by an appointment as Technical Director when St. Clair opened. He held this position until his retirement in 1976. John and Margaret continue to live in their home and are fortunate have their children nearby.
9.2 Arthur Golding
When World War II ended, Arthur Golding left his career as a shell machinist and entered teaching. His first assignment was in Sault Ste. Marie where he spent many years as a machine shop teacher. The family later moved to London so that his son could attend Western University. At this time Arthur was required to take courses for certification. His fondest memory is that of French class in which he received an A.
Arthur is a man of many talents: clockmaker, clarinetist, but his greatest love is the violin which he has played throughout his life. Arthur now resides at Fiddicks Nursing home in Petrolia.
10. Sample Goodwill Committee Report for December AGM
10.1 The Goodwill committee keeps in touch with RTO members and
associates by sending cards for significant events: 80+ birthdays, illness and memoriams. Committee members provide information about pension procedures following bereavement and look after memorial donations. The committee appreciates being notified of any such circumstances affecting members.
At Christmas time the committee organizes the distribution of poinsettias and small gifts to member in care facilities. Forty-two visits and mailings will be done this Christmas. Special recognition is given to members celebrating 90, 95 and 100th birthdays. See photos and interviews on the RTO District 38 website by clicking on Goodwill.
2008 marks the fifth year for the presentation of the RTO Memorial Bursary. Recipients this year were Sara Leung of St. Clair and Holly Galbraith of North Lambton Secondary School.
11. Insurance Contacts
11.1 Cheryl Rogers, Johnson Supervisor, but RTO owns the plan
11.2 Doug Carter, a retired teacher, is in charge of the plan
11.3 Joanne Murphy, Provincial Executive
RTO stationary and envelopes may be ordered, free