FORT KENT, Maine — The Aroostook Retired Educators Association will meet Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at Nowland Hall on the University of Maine at Fort Kent campus.
Registration will begin at 11 a.m. followed by a buffet luncheon at 12 noon. Lynn McNeal will discuss the AARP Tax Prep program. Special music selections will be provided by Melanie Saucier.
AREA has reached the membership goal of 505 members and continues to be the largest county group in Maine. Some benefits of belonging to AREA include: 505 voices to represent past and present educators, four summer meetings that educate and entertain, a sense of giving back with the group’s bulging backpack and food donation initiatives, and continued connection with students.
Members congratulated Ben Paradis, who was selected as this year’s AREA nominee for the MEA-R Leadership Award presented at the MEA-R Convention each May. Each county nominates a recipient based on his/her outstanding leadership qualities to the state/county associations and on service to the community. Paradis was honored at the convention for his outstanding dedication to MEA-R , AREA and his community.
Based on the positive feedback from the recipients and the participants, AREA has voted to continue with the Bulging Backpack Program. Members purchase and donate backpacks and school supplies for elementary-school-age children, and then present donations of classroom supplies to a selected school.
A list of needed donations will be available at summer meetings. Donations of non-perishable food items are also accepted and are distributed to local food pantries.
