Aroostook Retired Teachers summer meetings

    The Aroostook Retired Educators Association (A.R.E.A.) president Carol McElwee has announced the group’s plans for this year’s summer meetings. The county association, founded in 1956, is the state’s largest at 445 members. It meets on the last Tuesday of July, August, and September. All noon meetings include lunch and a speaker. Attendees bring non-perishable foods or staples for local food banks.    
    This year members will continue the plan, begun last year, to collect new “stretchy” book covers for students. This fall, they will be given to a school in central Aroostook.
    The July 26 gathering will be at Nowland Hall, UMFK, in Fort Kent, where Jason Parent will present a program on the World Acadian Congress. The meeting will also include the annual Remembrance Program. Limestone’s Job Corps Center will host the Aug. 30 meeting. Maine Education Association’s Executive Director Mark Gray will discuss retirement issues. For the Sept. 27 meeting, the group will be at the Caribou Inn and Convention Center. Dixie Shaw plans a talk about the “Feed the County” program. The business session at this final meeting of the season will include an installation of officers for 2012-2014.
     Current Aroostook Retired Educators Association officers are president Carol McElwee of Caribou; lst and 2nd vice presidents Patricia Pelletier, Allagash, and Diane Parent, Caribou; recording and corresponding secretaries Lorraine Redwine, St. David, and Patricia Dow, Fort Kent; treasurer Paul Bouchard, Fort Kent; assistant treasurer Rena Kearney, Mars Hill; and immediate past president Bob White, Caribou. 
    For further information about the A.R.E.A. and/or these meetings, contact Pres. McElwee at 207-498-8605. All retired educators are welcome to join and have a chance to get together with their former colleagues.