CRA NEWS BRIEFS
Prairie Chapter Members Meet with Chevron Canada president
Just prior to the end of 2011, two executive members of the Chevron Prairie Chapter had an important informal get-together with Chevron Canada President Jeff Lehrmann.
Harold Freund, the Chapter President, and Alan Young, the Past President and Membership Chairman, thanked Lehrmann for the Company’s support during 2011 for both the Chapter and the “Chevron Retirees in Action”, which is a very active and productive volunteer organization. The two Chapter representatives expressed their gratitude for the Company’s support in sponsoring the Chapter’s Stampede Barbeque and annual Christmas luncheon.
Young adds, “The Company also gives support to our two newsletters which include the Golden Leaf for Chevron retirees and the Chevron Retirees in Action group. In regards to the publishing of the Golden Leaf, we receive support from Chevron’s graphics and printing departments in format, composition and mailing.
“While 70-80 percent of the Golden Leaf Newsletter is sent out to our members by Email, everyone also wants to receive and read a black-and-white hard copy.”
Freund and Young gave the Company president an update on the Chapter membership numbers (385), the ongoing social and volunteer activities, and projects being run by the members.
Lehrmann responded by (1) reconfirming Chevron’s continuing support for the Retirees Association in 2012 and (2) discussing additional ways in which Company employees and retirees could interact in both social and volunteer settings. He also provided the Chapter representatives with a brief overview on projects in which Chevron Canada is currently involved.
Al Chiamulera Is Award-winning Volunteer
For 11 years, Al Chiamulera has served three sites in the Seattle area as a volunteer AARP Driver Safety Program instructor. For such dedicated efforts, he recently received the AARP’s “100 Club” award, which means he has completed 100 classes that are eight hours each. Chiamulera explains, “The AARP-sponsored program – which is strictly for senior citizens 55 and over –is a classroom-style affair. Typically these safe-driving classes are held at senior centers although I also conduct one class
each month at a local hospital in the Puyallup area of the State of Washington.
Class attendees range from a maximum of 25 men and women to as few as four.”
Working from a manual, his teaching style combines six hours of lecture with two hours of DVD or VHS tapes. According to Chiamulera, the State of Washington requires that each class be eight hours long – which he prefers. He points out that “Some insurance companies require people to take the AARP class every two to three years. The program fee is $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members. One thing that surprises me is how many people have never heard of this AARP program, which has been around close to 50 years.” “It is my hope,” emphasizes Chiamulera, “that this article drums up more people – including our retirees – to take such classes. That’s why I am strictly an unpaid volunteer. I enjoy helping other people learn new things.” He’s also a volunteer in another capacity. Chiamulera is serving his second year as President of the CRA’s Puget Sound Chapter. In regards to his Company background he served 27 years with Texaco in the Puget Sound area. He retired in 1998 as a lubrication engineer in Seattle.
Louisville Chapter Claim to Newsletter Fame
In its March 2012 issue of “The Newsletter,” the Louisville, Kentucky Chapter reported that “We are the only CRA chapter in the U.S.A. that mails out a monthly newsletter.” That issue totaled 12 pages. Stapled to the opening pages of the March 2012 issue of the Chevron Tulsa Chapter Newsletter is an easy-to-read Membership Directory that lists the phone number and Email address of ALL the chapter’s active paid members. The well-organized, total list – which covers six pages -- includes 74 single chapter members and 94 couples. Deserving a “well done” for that accomplishment is Bill Rinehart. He is both the newsletter editor and the newly elected Chapter President. Bill also held the latter post in 1996-97.
Almost the entire page 3 of The Mile Hi Chevron Texaco Chapter’s November 2011 issue was used to publish a pair of very informative articles for its membership. The articles included (1) How to Join the Chevron Advocacy Network and (2) How to Join the Chevron Retirees Association Email Roster.
In the February 2012 newsletter of the Metropolitan Houston Chapter, George Treibel began his “President’s Message” with: “2011 was again a really good year for our Houston Chapter. Between reinstating a few members and the ongoing recruitment of new retirees, we brought in 36 new members last year.”
An ENCORE Reminder
The ENCORE newsletter, which is published by the Chevron Retirees Association four times a year for you and about you and your fellow members, encourages your input. For example, some of the best ENCORE articles have been suggested and continue to be proposed by their fellow CRA members.
So, if you are aware of a Chevron, Gulf, Union Oil, Texaco, Skelly, Getty or Warren Petroleum retiree who is doing something exceptional in your community as a volunteer – please phone or send us an Email. Make certain you include the name of the individual plus his or her telephone number and their Email address. Also, don’t be bashful about letting us know of your personal volunteer or community accomplishments, too. Remember! A picture is worth a thousand words. Send photos too!
By the way, many excellent feature article ideas for the ENCORE newsletter have been the result of writeups about retirees that were published in your Chapter newsletter – such as the ones in this very issue. Each month we are delighted to receive a number and variety of retiree newsletters both big and small from chapters based in the U.S. and Western Canada. If you have not done so, please send us your newsletter, too.
At the CRA’s 2012 Mid-Year Meeting, the discussion of the Area Vice Presidents included this particular comment: “Stories about Chapter members in local newsletters stimulate discussion at luncheons and are a good source for spotlighting in ENCORE.”
Send your newsletters to:
Walter Roessing,
Encore Managing Editor
4817 Palm Avenue, #M
La Mesa, CA 91942
Alternatively, you may Email them to: Wlroessing@cs.com.