President’s Appeal

Annually we come to you to ask for your support of the NYSRTA President’s Appeal.  Just a few years ago we decided to make this a “no frills, no gimmicks” approach, with a straight-on appeal to you to support your Association so that it could continue to carry out all of the programs that benefit all of our membership.  You responded to that appeal.

We are now asking you to extend that extra measure of support again in 2012.  With your help we can continue to provide:

  • A low dues structure that allows all to continue their participation, including both recent and longtime retirees
  • Legislative advocacy for our members at both State and National levels
  • Membership benefit programs that include such things as:  A job listing service, Travel Programs, Consumer discount programs and more
  • Insurance Programs through our Insurance Trust, including:  Dental Insurance, Vision Programs, Long Term Care, The Family Assist Net, Homeowners, and auto insurance, and more
  • Help and support for members in need through our Friendly Service Program, and DeCormier Trust Fund
  • Up-to-date information and news through York State and the NYSRTA Website
  • Current health information to members through our Healthcare Committee
  • Scholarship Opportunities for active colleagues through our two scholarship awards
  • Needed updating and planning for our Association through our Strategic Planning Process
  • Social activities and volunteer opportunities through our Zone and Unit Activities
  • Support to our communities through our Community Service Committee activities.

While we are doing these things for our membership and our communities, we also must be able to respond to the challenges that we face in the future.  Challenges that include the misinformation that has been spread by those who have demonized public employees/retirees as an “unbearable taxpayer burden”; those who have defined our public schools and colleges as “failures”; and those who have re-characterized the normalization of employer contributions to the State Pension Systems as “outrageous”.  This will require that we work with other public employee/retiree groups as advocates for our profession, and our membership.  We will need to devote time and resources to the all important aspect of renewing ourselves through recruiting new members and developing new leaders.  Finally, we must continue our Strategic Planning Process to assure that our Association remains relevant to both its present membership and those who represent our potential membership.

These challenges are not insurmountable when you pitch-in and help.  With your help, NYSRTA can remain a strong advocate, can provide the programs you want, can prepare for our future, can meet, and effectively deal with, the challenges that we face.

Please support the 2012 NYSRTA President’s Fund Appeal by sending your contribution today! 

Sincerely,

Carlyle (Tom) Campany, President

To Contribute, please click here.