Retiree Brunch and Raffle

Branch 6000 held their annual Retiree Brunch on Sunday September 15th at the VFW Hall in Farmingdale. It was a beautiful day and nice to see the retirees of Branch 6000 enjoying their retirement.

There were close to 90 retirees at the brunch, also in attendance was Dan Toth the National Director of Retired Members, National Business Agent Bruce Didriksen, along with Congressman Nick LaLota. All three discussed issues of concern for active and retired members. 

If you have never attended one of these Brunches, you do not know what you are missing. It is a time to sit down with your fellow retirees, some from even the same post office that you worked in and talk about old times and catch up on what is going on in your life now. I have never heard from a retired member that they did not have a good time at these Brunches. There is an abundance of food, and no one leaves there hungry.

The dues for retired members are $2.50 a month or $30.00 for the year. For that the member is kept up on all the latest information that concerns you as a retiree which includes health benefits, COLA’s and any legislation that could affect your pension. You also get the LIMB delivered to your mailbox. You do not know how many retired members call the union office every week for advice or questions about life insurance, MBA policies, how to contact OPM, health benefit questions, and much more. Union retired members are invited to the Retiree Brunch that the Branch has an annual event in September.  All you must do is fill out the form in the LIMB and mail it back to the union office to participate in the Retiree Brunch. 

Sad to say that at these brunches the retired members in attendance are not the newly retired members, they are the “old timers.”  It seems the newly retired members do not stay in the union for some reason or another. I don’t think it has to do with the $2.50 a month out of your annuity check, that is less than one medium cup of coffee at 7-eleven. If you don’t know, after you retire you have to sign up again to stay as a union member. If you have any questions about staying as a union member after you retire, call the union office and speak to the Financial Secretary Sean Killeen.

Every year I personally send out raffle tickets to all the retired members that have remained in the union for a raffle that is conducted at the Brunch. The raffle tickets are 6 for $10.00 or $2.00 each. This will allow you to be in the raffle, with the winning amounts are for the Grand Prize $1,000 or 1st prize of $250.

I would like to acknowledge this year’s winners: for the Grand Prize of $1,000 was Mike Birbiglia from the Wantagh Post Office and the 1st place winner was Vicky Bering of the Levittown Post Office. Congratulations to both! Like that old saying “you have to be in it to win it’!         

I would like to acknowledge Director of Retirees Frank Melisurgo for putting the Retiree Brunch together. Every year Frank works hard on making the Retiree Brunch such a success, for you the retired member. Thank you for your hard work, Frank! 

I would like to wish all my Brothers and Sisters and their families a Happy Thanksgiving and a Happy Holiday Season!