new rto/ero members

Past President
Ken Attridge
978-9671
President
Al Linnell
734-1538
President-Elect
Gord Miall
944-1061
Vice-President
Simone Rickerby
979-4094
Secretary
Judy Bowden
948-5214
Treasurer
Jim Sparrow
972-0826
Asst. Treasurer
Ann Cotter
733-3266
Newsletter Editor
John McLaughlin
736-5761
Asst. Editor
John Zangari
735-7958
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
As we leave the balmy
days of summer and
experience the
pleasing Fall colours,
our dutiful Executive
moves to full
operational mode,
planning many new
exciting activities for
our membership. It is
a pleasure on behalf of
our Executive to welcome our new retirees.
We must also thank all present and new
members who attended our signature “To Hell
with the Bell Breakfast” on September 4 th . The
115 in attendance had many stories to
exchange, and a great deal of good food and
great fun was shared. Kudos to our talented
social convenor Simone Rickerby and
Executive helpers Jim Sparrow, Dorothy
Clement, Geri Sutts, and John Zangari, our
trusty “Bell Ringer”. Special thanks to Ann
Cotter for her exciting visual documentation of
this warm occasion. Congratulations to
Lorenzo Pinnaza (retired Consultant
WECDSB) as our two thousandth new
member.
Our Golf Tournament on September 24 th
at Dominion Golf Course took place on a
glorious day of sunshine. Simone did a
great job of planning and all in attendance
had a wonderful time except for the few
lost balls and bogeys. We look forward to
our Spring outing.
In June our Executive met to define our
goals for the coming year. We continue to
reach out and serve our members by the
advocation of your needs regarding
pension, health benefits and other relevant
issues via representation at Provincial
Fall/Spring Senate meetings. We support
our Provincial Executive in their efforts in
lobbying the government regarding quality
of life issues for seniors. One timely issue
concerns details on pension splitting. Our
political action provincial representative,
Jim Sparrow, suggests your consultation
with your financial advisors with specific
RETURN - RTO/ERO Publication Mail
Agreement
Dorothy Clement #40052373
1334 Rendezvous Dr.
Windsor, ON N8P 1K7
THE RETIRED TEACHERS OF ONTARIO - LES ENSEIGNANTES ET ENSEIGNANTES RETRAITES DE L’ONTARIO
(Visit our website at http://www.rtoero-district7.org)
Publication
Mail Agreement
#40052373
EDITOR
John McLaughlin
Fall 2007
1

queries and/or contact with the:
Taxpayer Services Directorate
Canada Revenue Agency
7 th Floor
750 Heron Road
Ottawa ON KIA OL5
Other links are:
http://www.pensionsplitting.ca
http://www.RetirementSecurity.ca
Additional information is available through our
executive.
Our most competent Webmaster, Ann Cotter,
suggests two friendly reminders: the first is to thank
those of you who are now accessing your newsletter
from our new website. Special thanks to John Zangari
for setting up our list of e-mail addresses including his
many hours of true dedication. This pro-action by you
helps our District 7 save paper and postage costs. Ann
will be contacting you under separate e-mail regarding
her request. Please note our new web site
http://www.rtoero-district7.org. To quote our Past
President, membership is the cornerstone of our
strength and we would encourage you to invite your
non-member friends to join.
Our past community outreach programming initiatives
have included the Children’s Rehabilitation Centre and
last year, the Art Gallery of Windsor. This Fall, our
provincial project, “Service to Others” grant has gone
to our Windsor Symphony Orchestra’s Educational
Outreach Program. A cheque for $3250 was
presented to Educational Outreach Director Vonnie
Prime, on Sunday, September 30th during the Season’s
opening “Pops Concert” showcasing Michael Burgess
as special guest performer. These special grant monies
go to services and programmes for children who might
otherwise not be able to participate. We are grateful
to our RTO Provincial Executive and to Bob
McCarthy, Provincial Chair of the “Service to Others”
Committee for their dedication to this excellent
programme.
At our first September Executive meeting, Norm
Renaud presented speaker Donna Rose Walters,
Referendum Resource Officer for Essex County, who
made us all aware of our political options.
Please know that President Elect Gord Miall,
Provincial Rep. Bob Lamoureux, and myself will be
attending the Fall Pre-Senate meeting in London.
Then we’ll be off to Toronto representing our District
at the Fall Senate along with Past President, Ken
Attridge, Provincial Reps. Margaret Clarke and Jim
Sparrow. We will continue to share Provincial
updates.
Special thanks to our most diligent secretary Judy
Bowden for an excellent job in revising our
Constitution as required by every affiliate. It will be
available for you in the near future. Please note that
our Fall Luncheon on November 15 th at Fogolar
Furlan is fast approaching. We will again be
showcasing our talented members’ creative artistry,
through the efforts of Gord Miall. Call Gord for
registration and display information. Besides a great
lunch with entertainment and other surprises, we will
host a guest speaker, Amy Tse, representing the
Ontario Securities Commission and speaking on the
topic, “Protection against Investment Fraud”.
Please note that our District 7 Executive puts aside
$1500 for special grants to non-profit groups or local
organizations that benefit children, seniors, or the
community overall. Deadline for submissions is
December 1, 2007. Please contact Frank Kapasi for
applications.
Our Workshop Arts planning team met Tuesday,
September 25 th . The group is still undecided
regarding accessible locations due to equipment and
geographical needs for the workshops as well as costs
regarding accessibility of computer labs. We have
participant interest in computers, digital photography
as well as painting, drawing, calligraphy. Prerequisites
for participation still have to be researched,
as well as material costs and our specific clinician
availability. We are looking at an early Spring
Saturday in May (T.B.A. in our March Newsletter).
Any further suggestions or interest in participation,
from our membership, would be greatly appreciated.
We continue to provide Retirement Planning
Workshops that focus on issues of health benefits,
pension protection and the many benefits of
membership in RTO/ERO. Please note the
Provincial Political Action Committee has developed
an extensive paper and addendum on Health Care in
Ontario. If interested in copies, please contact Gail
Knox at gknox@rto-ero.org.
Our outreach to and support of students at our
Faculty of Education continues through
representation on the Teacher Education Committee
(Simone Rickerby) especially with respect to
programmes which provide unique workshops for
Faculty students. Through our District 7 Bursary
2

Programme, we award three $500 bursaries per year
to students that fulfill Faculty Standards. Special
thanks to Sheila Wright and her Committee.
Please refer to your newsletter regarding offerings
by our dynamic Travel Representative Bill Bowden:
Thursday, November 21 st - Breakfast Club at Jerry
and Jenny’s in Windsor;
Wednesday, December 5 th -Soaring Eagle Casino,
Mt.Clemens, Michigan.
Bill does a great job getting the best travel values that
can be found for his exciting excursions!
Please note we are beginning to direct our attention
towards our 2010, District 7, 25 th Anniversary. We
welcome your thoughts, ideas, and input (e-mail to
alinnell@cogeco.ca).
Best wishes and good luck to our own Executive
member Bob Lamoureux who is again seeking
another term of office on the Provincial Executive!
Best wishes and speedy recovery to our Good Will
Executive member Mary Mason.
In summation please remember that this is your
organization and, for your Executive of dedicated
volunteers to operate at its best, we need your
continued support, input and participation! As stated
by our gifted secretary Judy, we welcome your ideas
and your comments as to how we are doing and how
we can best serve you in the near future! We look
forward to being with you at all of our upcoming
activities and events in 2007-2008. See you on
November 15 th !
Respectfully Yours,
Al Linnell, President
IRISH HUMOUR
Slaney phoned the maternity ward at the hospital.
"Quick!" He said. "Send an ambulance, my wife is
goin’ to have a baby!" "Tell me, is this her first
baby?" the intern asked, "No, this is her husband,
Kevin, speakin’."
An American lawyer asked an Irish acquaintance,
"Paddy, why is it that whenever you ask an Irishman
a question, he answers with a question?
"Who told you that?" asked Paddy.
Mrs. Feeney shouted from the kitchen, "Is that you
I hear spittin' in the vase on the mantlepiece?"
"No," said himself, "but I'm gettin' closer all the
time."
Notice
To all of our members who indicated an interest
in participating in our Fall Workshops:
We are continuing to research workshop offerings,
presenters and the most appropriate venues. In order to
be able to offer you the best programme possible, we
have had to change our date. The workshops, including
digital photography, computers and a variety of
workshops involving arts and crafts, will now be
presented next Spring (May). We are sorry for any
disappointment this may cause. Hopefully it will provide
Santa the opportunity to surprise those wishing for a
new digital camera or computer. Look for more
information in our March newsletter.
Your Education Outreach Committee
*******************************************
THREE OF LIFE’S LESSONS
For Little Children
Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a
tomato.
Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
For Adults
Raising teenagers is like nailing jelly to a tree.
Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few
nuts.
Middle age is when you choose your cereal for the
fibre, not the toy.
For Seniors
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
It's frustrating when you know all the answers but
nobody bothers to ask you the questions.
Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes
alone.
3

Place: Fogolar Furlan Club
1800 E.C. Row Avenue
Date: Thursday, November 15th
Times: 11:00 a.m. Arrival
Cash Bar
12:15 noon Luncheon
Luncheon Ticket Prices
Members $20.00
Guests $23.00
RTO/ERO District 7
FALL LUNCHEON
You’re Invited
Vous Etes Invités
Vegetarian meals available upon request
Arts and Crafts Display from 11.00 a.m. and after lunch
Guest Speaker: Amy Tse on Investment Fraud
ANNUAL MEETING & FALL LUNCHEON
Thursday, November 15, 2007
NAME ADDRESS RTO/ERO MEMBER/GUEST AMOUNT
Do you require a Vegetarian Meal? Yes ______ Are you a New Retiree? Yes _____
Please pay by cheque, payable to: RTO/ERO District 7 - Please return this form and your cheque
by Monday, November 5th to: Ass’t Treasurer, Ann Cotter, 90 Harbourview, Kingsville ON, N9Y
2J2
(For further information please call 519-733-3266.)
MENU
Minestrone Soup
Penne with Meat Sauce
Tossed Salad
Breaded Chicken Breast
Roasted Potatoes
Green beans with butter and garlic
Assorted Italian Pastries
Bread and Butter
Coffee/Tea
5

A Person You Should Know!
Introducing Gord Miall - President Elect of District 7, RTO/ ERO
Gord Miall with new grandson, Jack
Gord came to Windsor from Ottawa Teachers’
College in 1967-68. He was a late hire by the
Windsor Board of Education ( G.E.C.D.S.B.) and he
and three others from Ottawa were among 120 hired
that year. Oh those were the days!
Gord’s three year planned stay has stretched into
forty and truly Windsor is now home for him and his
family. Maggie, also from Ottawa, married him in
1970 and was hired by the board as well and she
reluctantly settled in Windsor. She stuck it out and
three children later – Scott and twins Allison and Kitri
entered the picture. Scott (and Shawna) is living in
Ottawa, Allison is an occasional teacher in Windsor,
and Kitri (and her husband Todd and new grandson
Jack) also living in Windsor give them much joy.
Gord’s career included McCallum, Edith Cavell,
Forest Glade, Prince Charles, Hugh Beaton and
Glenwood as a teacher and Central, Victoria,
McCallum (again), John Campbell, Maxwell and
Coronation as a Vice Principal. Somewhere in there,
during amalgamation, he spent four months at
A.V.Graham in Tecumseh. He couldn’t keep a job
could he!! He says that each assignment was unique,
interesting, and a growth experience for him.
He met a lot of teachers and administrators he
enjoyed working with and found that thirty-five years
went by much too quickly.
Along the way, so to speak, Gord has been involved
in a wide variety of educational and professional
activities. Coaching seems to have taken up a good
portion of his school time. Some of these coaching
responsibilities have been extended to community,
provincial, and Canada-wide involvement. For example,
his gymnastic interests have led from school teams to
organizing citywide championships to teaching
gymnastics to coaches through the Ontario and
Canadian Gymnastics Federations in every province
except Newfoundland. He also coached (with Maggie)
for fifteen years, a girls’ gymnastics team cosponsored
by the S.W.Optimists Club and the Windsor Y. This
team included girls from age six to twenty one. This
experience led to co-authoring a Recreational
Gymnastics Manual for the C.G.F. and a curriculum
document called Gymfit for the O.G.F. He later
became a master conductor, teaching coaches and
recreational leaders how to conduct a Level 1 and
Level 2 gymnastics course for people in their
community.
His school based Science Fair involvement expanded
to include a twenty year stint on the Greater Essex
County Science Fair Committee, which organized the
Spring Science Fairs that have been held at St.Clair
College and the University of Windsor. Gord was also
part of a committee that brought the Canada-wide
Science Fair to Windsor in 1990.
Odyssey of the Mind was another of his interests and
he is proud of the eight years he was connected with
the local competitions that helped sort out the teams
from S.W. Ontario who went on to represent this
region of Ontario in the World Championships. Perhaps
the highlight of that involvement was the team from
Windsor that he helped coach that went to Grand
Rapids Michigan where they won the Ranatra Fusca
(Creativity Prize) Award that year. (1985)
Gord has also been involved in many professional
organizations. He was an active member of OPSMTF.
/ OPSTF between 1976 and 1987, holding a number of
6

executive positions and is delighted that an
amalgamated organization (ETFO) represents teachers
today. Later as a Vice Principal, he was very active
again, holding a number of executive positions in that
Association as well.
Outside of the school environment Gord had been
involved running summer athletic camps at Sunshine
Point near Colchester for the Windsor Y. In the 70’s
and 80’s, he and Maggie also ran the Kiwanis Camp
on the same site in 1975 and 1976. Later, from 1975
to the present he has been very active at Riverside
United Church, serving on committees and is presently
Chair of the Church Council.
Gord feels that retirement is a wonderful next phase
in a busy life. He has for four years been playing
retiree baseball organized by WECSSO, and hopes
that the knees hold out for many more years. His golf
game has been getting some work as well. (It needs
it!!) He put the whitewater paddle and canoe away a
couple of years ago and trips now are to such places
as Stratford, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Florida and
cruises in the Caribbean. He is also happy to get more
involved with the quarter horses Maggie and the girls
have been riding for years; no, not as a rider but a
spectator at horse shows and sometimes now as their
ring steward.
Oh yes – as you pass the Sandwich Secondary School
track in late May and early June, look for Gord. He’s
the guy wearing the engineer’s hat and holding the
starter’s pistol. He and his friend Ron Kerr have been
starters at the Elementary School meets for the past
twenty-five years.
*****************************************
Windsor Public Library
Book Buddy Program
Book buddies is a volunteer based literacy program
for children ages 6-10. Children are paired with a
reading buddy who will work with them once a week
for one hour at any of the 10 Windsor Public Library
branches.
Volunteers are responsible for obtaining a police
clearance. The form can be picked up at the children's
area of the Central branch on Ouellette. Once the
volunteers have obtained a police check, they are to
contact Jennifer Pavao, Book Buddy Program
Coordinator, to set up a brief orientation session
where they are shown materials and activities that they
may use with their book buddies.
Jennifer can be reached at (519) 255-6770 ext. 4453
or by email: jpavao@windsorpubliclibrary.com.
If you can offer your time, the Book Buddy program
would love to welcome you.
CRAFTS/ARTISANS SHOW
RTO/ERO Fall Luncheon
November 15, 2007
Fogolar Furlan Club
PARTICIPANTS
Lynne & Brad Bailey
lighted glass blocks – 2 sizes
Pauline Gaudette
quilted items – jackets – tote bags –
baby quilts
Vivian La Croix
Fabric items – aprons – tablemats –
ornaments – landscapes
Bob Lucyshen
glassworks – stained glass
Mary Ann Mulhern
author – poetry
Martha Wiens
tote bags – jewellery bags, photos
Come to the RTO/ERO Annual Meeting and November
Luncheon a little early and see the arts and crafts
display put on by some of our own retired teachers.
These original items are available for purchase. Display
is open from 11.00 a.m. and again after lunch.
******************************************
Just think, if it weren't for marriage, men would go
through life thinking they had no faults at all.
7

Social Committee Report
Outcries of joy followed as John Zangari rang the school bell at our "To Hell with the Bell" breakfast at the
Dominion Golf Club. Over 100 new and seasoned retirees were in attendance and enjoyed a wonderful breakfast
and lots of friendship.
Vonnie Prime from the Windsor Symphony was presented with a cheque for $3250.50 from Provincial through
our Service to Others Project. The money will allow hundreds of students from impoverished schools to attend the
Windsor Symphony Educational Concerts free of charge.
We were blessed with some beautiful weather for our Golf Tournament held at Dominion Golf Course on
September 24 th . It was great to see some new and familiar members participating in this annual event.
Congratulations to Carmen Eaton who won for the longest drive. Special thanks to Liz Antal for purchasing the
great prizes. Some individuals were lucky winners with their lottery tickets.
Our Fall Luncheon is soon approaching. Please mark November 15th on your calendars. Ann Cotter will give a
short presentation on how to access the RTO/ERO website. Of interest to many will be the presentation by our
speaker, Amy Tse, on Investment Fraud.
Submitted by Simone Rickerby, Chairperson.
Windsor Symphony Educational Outreach
Director, Vonnie Prime, receiving a cheque from
RTO District 7 President, Al Linnell and
Treasurer, Jim Sparrow.
John Zangari rings the bell to open the events at
the September, 2007, “To Hell with the Bell”
breakfast.
Question: Why don't retirees mind being called Seniors? Answer: The term comes with a 10% percent discount.
Question: Among retirees what is considered formal attire? Answer: Tied shoes
9

“TO HELL WITH THE BELL” BREAKFAST PHOTOS
Dorothy Clement ( Membership Records)
with Lorenzo Pinazza, our 2000 th member.
Virginia Bondy and Betty Bezaire, in red.
Both attending the breakfast for the first
time after 26 years of retirement.
Among the 115 members who enjoyed the
breakfast and meeting friends were (l. to r.)
Rita Citron and Liz Antal
Simone Rickerby, Vice-President and Social
Convenor, with President Al Linnell.
Helen and Jim Brace, back in Ontario from
Alberta, talking with John Zangari. Jim
was a principal here from 1969 - 1985.
Joyce Bruner and Bob McIntyre, retired for
8 years, come to the breakfast every year.
Photos by Ann Cotter.
10

Geri Sutts talks to Noella and Rita LaCasse
Elaine LeBlanc and Louisette Terry toast the
beginning of another year of retirement.
Helene Parks and Bobbie Parker enjoying
breakfast and the first day of school.
MORE BREAKFAST PHOTOS
Evelyn Meyer, newly retired from Eastwood
Group of recent retirees on the steps of
Dominion Golf Club.
Lots of time to have a chat with old friends.
Photos by Ann Cotter.
11

Our District 7 Website
Have you visited our website lately? You can go directly to the website by typing the following address in
your browser address bar: http://www.rtoero-district7.org As well, you can access the website by going to
the provincial website at http://www.rto-ero.org and then navigate to District 7. Our website has recently been
redesigned and updated.
Would you like to save some trees and perhaps reduce some household clutter? You can easily access the
newsletter at our website, instead of receiving a paper copy in the mail. Just send me your email address and I
will email you when the current newsletter is posted. In my email, there will be a link to the website page with
a link to the current newsletter: http://www.rtoero-district7.org/newsletters.html. You can read the newsletter
online or print a few or all the pages of the newsletter. If you ever have problems with the accessing the webbased
newsletter, just email me at ann_cotter@teksavvy.com or call me (519-733-3266) for friendly assistance!
Right now, we have about 65 retirees accessing the web-based newsletter – and the number is growing!
Just remember, if you change your email address, let me know so that I can update my mailing list!
Below is a section of the website newsletter page. Click on Fall 2007 Newsletter - **Current** to open the
newsletter in Adobe Acrobat Reader. Past issues of the newsletters are available on this page as well. (There is
a link on this web page to download the latest version of Adobe Reader, should you need it.)
Submitted by Ann Cotter, Webmaster
******************************************************************************************
Paddy was driving down the street in a sweat because he had an important meeting and couldn't find a parking
place. Looking up to heaven he said, "Lord take pity on me. If you find me a parking place I will go to Mass
every Sunday for the rest of me life and give up me Irish Whiskey."
Miraculously, a parking place appeared.
Paddy looked up again and said, "Never mind, I found one."
13

HEALTH REPORT
[ To access Claims Information on the Johnson Inc. website, follow the instructions at the bottom of this page.]
Members can now view their remaining limit on their eyeglasses or paramedical claim maximums. By simply
clicking on “Claim Information” and choosing the benefit you would like to enquire about, the system will
display your claims limits and/or frequencies along with a recent transaction history.
Members are now able to generate an Income Tax Letter, mid-year, for information purposes. You would
click on “Claims Information” then,” Request Income Tax Letter” and choose the dates for which you would
like to have the letter produced. Upon submission, the letter will be available to view and print in the
Communications Center.
The provincial government has begun a program whereby any Ontario resident who takes three or more
prescription medications may arrange for a thirty minute consultation with their pharmacist to discuss the
medications and any interactions. There is no charge to the individual.
We have become aware that some U.S. medical facilities try to bill participants for claims incurred even
though World Access (WAC) has already paid the bill. In some cases, the facilities have even turned the
demand for payment over to a collection agency. This can be most disturbing to the individual participant but
unfortunately seems to becoming a more common occurrence in the travel industry. If you are contacted for
payment of a travel claim that you’ve made under the RTO/ERO Health Plans, contact WAC immediately.
Submitted by Doran McTaggart, Chairperson
ACCESSING THE JOHNSON INC. WEBSITE FOR THE FIRST TIME.
1. The website address is www.johnson.ca.
2. On the first page of the website click on “Members Only”.
3. Click on the “click here” button located after the phrase “ To register for a username and password”.
4. Click on each of the boxes under which you have coverage from Johnson, e.g. Health/Dental Claim
Payment.
5. Under “Plan Benefit Info”, fill in the Certificate# box with the 9-digit ID# found on your RTO Health Card.
6. Under “Primary Information”, fill in the boxes marked with an asterisk.
7. Click on “Submit” after checking that the button beside “I am a first time visitor” is green.
8. Johnson Inc. will send you an email within minutes giving you a username and password to access the
members’ section of the website. The password can be changed to one of your choice as long as this is a
minimum of 6 and a maximum of 10 characters.
9. The username and password gives you access to the information contained in the members’ section,
including details on Claims Information. If further assistance is needed, call 1-800-929-6274.
14

WELCOME NEW RTO/ERO MEMBERS
The following have joined RTO/ERO in the past year. We look forward to them becoming active members
of District 7, RTO/ERO.
Stan Andrukonis
David Ash
Dennis Atkinson
Helga Baily
Joanne Ball
Nancy Barlow
John Barnes
Mildred Bozanich
Ruth Bridgen
Ruth Burgess
Rizieri Campagna
Vivian Caron
Eleanor Chappel
Royal Church
Donald Cudmore
Alice Cummings
Norman Diffey
Joanne Di Pierdomenico
Jane Ducharme
Bonnie Dunlop
LeRoy Eid
Barry Elliott
Marguerite Elliott
Helga Enns
Jane Fazekas
John Forsythe
Peter Fuerth
ElizabethGagnier
Lynda Goble
Philip Goggins
Pamela Gold
Raymond Gosselin
And They Ask Why We Like Retirement........
Mary Ann Harding
Florence Harrison
Jamie Henderson
Mary Jean Henderson
Douglas Herman
Sheldon Indig
Helen Janisse
Jerrold Keilman
Rebecca Keys
Sylvia Khoury
Linda Knight- Messenger
Darlene Kohuch
Sherryl Kornelson
Wilma Lamb
Carolyn Langlois
Judy LePage
Marguerite Levesque
Janice Lucier
Kathleen Maich
Carol Malewicz
Deborah Malley
Charles Mamo
Bernie Mastromattei
Edwin McDermid
Rita Meloche
Evelyn Meyer
Sylvia Mousseau
Janet Nagorsen
Ian Naismith
Audrey Ney
Stella Occhinero
Olga Pasma
Elaine Peck
Joan Pepper
Susan Phillips-Lane
Maurice Pierce
Anne Pietrangelo
Lorenzo Pinazzo
Judith Rau
Douglas Reaume
Lorenzo Rovere
Michael Rovers
Raymond Ryan
William Sherk
Anthony Silvaggi
Joanne Skuse
Robert Small
Jane Smith
David Snyder
Andrew Sokol
Marilyn Spooner
Susan Srokosz
Marijane Turnbull
Jean Vetor
Larry Vindishchman
Susan Walker
Doris Weber
Murray Wilson
Richard Woltz
Marilyn Young
Mary H Zarlenga
Q. When is a retiree’s bed-time? A. Three hours after falling asleep on the couch.
Q. How many days in a retiree’s week? A. 7. 6 Saturdays and 1 Sunday.
Q. How many retirees does it take to A. Only one, but it might take all day.
change a light bulb?
15

District 7, Windsor-Essex is growing. A year ago, we speculated that the goal of 2000 members would be
achieved sometime in 2007. We are proud to announce that, on August 3, 2007, Lorenzo Pinazza became the
2000 th member.
Currently, District membership stands at 2002. Growth is greatly the result of the Retirement Planning
Workshop (RPW) that RTO/ERO sponsors each year.
Although a specific date has not been selected for the next RPW, the Membership Committee is targeting
Spring 2008. Planning will continue and information will be announced likely in the next newsletter.
It is important to note, that a French component and French Language presenters are part of the initial
planning for the RPW.
In the meantime, if you know of prospective retirees please advise them to attend this important function.
Teachers contemplating retirement in the next three years should seriously consider participating in a RTO-
ERO Retirement Planning Workshop.
During 2007 RTO/ERO held 23 RPWs across the Province. The RPWs have evolved over the past years, and
now consist of a PowerPoint presentation, a participant’s manual, and an RTO/ERO video. The RPW deals
with these critical issues:
a) Pension
b) Financial Considerations
c) Health Benefits & Insurance
d) Personal Considerations
e) Considering a second career
f) Frequently Asked Questions
g) RTO/ERO Fact Sheets
h) Travel
Dorothy Clement
Frank Kapasi
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPORT
******************************************************************************************************************
SIGNS OF OUR TIMES
In a Podiatrist's office: "Time wounds all heels."
On a Maternity Room door: "Push. Push. Push."
At a Tire Shop in Milwaukee : "Invite us to your next blowout."
On a Church's Billboard: "7 days without God makes one weak."
On a Plastic Surgeon's Office door: "Hello. Can we pick your nose?"
At a Towing company: "We don't charge an arm and a leg. We want tows."
At an Optometrist's Office : "If you don't see what you're looking for, you've come to the right place."
16

In Memoriam
Rebecca Jean Braendle Florence Limoges
Henry C. Coomber Jean Lister
Veronica Coyle Mary Westgate
John J Cummings Joan Wilson
Glen Francis Edward William Zolinski
Grace Ingram
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Did you know from 1966 to 1972, Windsor-Essex was a Unit of Area 4 which comprised Essex and Kent counties?
In 1972, Provincial changed the Area designation from 10 Areas to 25 Districts. Windsor-Essex remained as a Unit
of the Essex-Kent District which was District 7.
With the help of Lenore Graham, Windsor-Essex became a District in 1985. Windsor-Essex became District 7 and
Kent was renumbered as District 35.
Our Lenore Graham was a Provincial President in 1987-88.
Submitted by Emy McBride, Archivist
A BOOK OF MY OWN LITERACY CAMPAIGN
We need new children's books to give to disadvantaged children. Our group gives books to children from infancy
to 15 years of age through 26 agencies in Windsor and Essex County. These new books are given to the children
to keep as their own. Literacy is the gateway to learning and it is important that all children have the opportunity
to have books in their homes. We try to make this happen.
Our next book distribution is in November. Bring a new children's book to our luncheon and we will make sure that
it goes to a disadvantaged child.
Emy McBride, Chairperson,
'A Book Of My Own'
RETIRED WOMEN TEACHERS
If you are interested in learning about the Retired Women Teachers, Windsor/Essex Branch, please call or e-mail
Emy McBride at (519) 945-1380 or emily.mcbride@sympatico.ca or Mary Lou Killen at (519) 735-3935 or
mkillen6@cogeco.ca.
We would be happy to send you information about our branch.
17

DISTRICT 7 WINDSOR & ESSEX COUNTY
Grant Requests to District 7, Windsor-Essex RTO/ERO ( revised Sept. 2007 )
District 7 of the Retired Teachers of Ontario sets aside approximately $1500.00 yearly for special grants to
non-profit groups and organizations who have projects or would like to initiate a project that would benefit
children, seniors or the community in general.
Please complete the form below and return to Al Linnell, President, RTO/ ERO District 7, 1132 Reaume
Rd. LaSalle, ON, N9J 1C1, by December 1, 2007.
Name of Group or Organization _______________________________________________________
Contact person (s) ________________________________________________________________
Contact address, e-mail, fax and phone number __________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Amount requested _____________________
Describe how the grant would be used. Be specific. Use an attachment, if necessary.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
What other groups are contributing, or will be asked to contribute to the project?
How much will your organization be contributing to the project? ____________________________
How will RTO/ERO District 7 be recognized or what publicity will RTO/ERO receive?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Please attach a financial statement, showing expected revenues and expenditures.
18

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19

Do you check before you invest?
Did you research your last investment? If you didn’t, you’re not alone.
A recent study showed that 92% of Canadians agree it’s important to research your investments, but only 48%
actually did. This statistic is just one of many that point to a trend in Canadian financial behaviour: we know
what we ought to do, but we don’t do it.
“As more Canadians rely on their investments to sustain them during their retirement years, it’s becoming
more important to play an active role in financial decision-making,” said Patricia Trott, Manager of Investor
Communications at the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC). “There are some key things you should always
find out before you commit your money, and the time you take to research your investments is well spent.”
Why check before you invest?
Canadians are living longer, and one challenge of retirement planning is in finding the balance between
enjoying your lifestyle and making sure you have enough savings.
Playing a more active role in your financial decisions can help you:
· alleviate financial stress;
· prevent misunderstandings or conflicts down the road; and
· protect yourself from investment fraud.
On Thursday November 15th , a staff volunteer from the OSC will deliver a presentation for the RTO Windsor-
Essex District called “Check Before You Invest.” You’ll learn about common types of investment fraud, red
flags to watch out for and some questions to ask before committing your money.
To find out more, visit www.checkbeforeyouinvest.ca for free brochures on topics like working with a
financial adviser or preventing investment fraud.
ONTARIO SECURITIES COMMISSION (OSC)
Avoiding the Retirement Risk Zone
Many retirees and those approaching retirement are concerned about whether their investments are capable of
providing a sustainable and predictable income. Conservative investments can result in a return insufficient to
fund one’s retirement. Aggressive investing, can result in a loss of capital. But now there is ‘a new kid on the
block’.
Recently, a Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit Plan was introduced into Canada. Regardless of
how the markets perform, it provides investors with a guaranteed income for at least 20 years, if not longer.
With bonuses and opportunities to lock in market gains, payments and the duration of payments can increase.
Switches between funds can be done at any time. It has the potential for creditor protection and in the event of
death, the proceeds of the contract can be passed directly to designated beneficiaries without the expense of
probate.
If this sounds too good to be true, speak with your financial advisor for more details.
Ken Attridge, Past President
RTO/ERO District 7
20

RTO/ERO DISTRICT 7 TABLE EXECUTIVE 2007-2008
RETAIN FOR FUTURE REFERENCE
POSITION NAME PHONE E-MAIL
PAST PRES. Ken Attridge 978-9671 kenattridge@sympatico.ca
PRESIDENT Al Linnell 734-1538 alinnell@cogeco.ca
PRESIDENT ELECT Gord Miall 944-1061 gmiall@cogeco.ca
VICE-PRESIDENT Simone Rickerby 979-4094 simspal@aol.ca
SECRETARY Judith Bowden 948-5214 judithcbowden@hotmail.com
TREASURER Jim Sparrow 972-0826 sparrowj@sympatico.ca
Asst. TREASURER Ann Cotter 733-3266 ann_cotter@teksavvy.com
CHAIRPERSONS & COMMITTEES
ARCHIVIST Emy McBride 945-1380 emily.mcbride@sympatico.ca
COMMUNICATION
Newsletter Editor John McLaughlin 736-5761 jmclaugh@cogeco.ca
Assistant Editor John Zangari 735-7958 zangari@wincom.net
Web Master Ann Cotter 733-3266 ann_cotter@teksavvy.com
Media Relations Rep. Mike Murphy 736-6518 murpmike@canada.com
GOODWILL
City Mary Mason 735-1766
City Glenna Hemphill 735-7022 rhemphill@sympatico.ca
County Geri Sutts 728-9525 sutts@sympatico.ca
HEALTH Doran McTaggart 948-0637 doranmct@aol.com
MEMBERSHIP Frank Kapasi 728-0069 tr3a@xplornet.com
Member Records Dorothy Clement 735-5543 dorjer@sympatico.ca
PENSION Keith Robertson 948-4407 k.rob6@sympatico.ca
POLITICAL ACTION Norm Renaud 948-6859 norm.sof@sympatico.ca
SOCIAL Simone Rickerby 979-4094 simspal@aol.ca
Travel Bill Bowden 948-5214 billben9999@yahoo.ca
PROVINCIAL REPS Margaret Clarke Member Services mclarke@wincom.net
Bob Lamoureux Executive Member lamoureuxbob@netscape.net
Jim Sparrow Political Action sparrowj@sympatico.ca
RTO/ERO PROVINCIAL OFFICE
1-800-361-9888 (TOLL FREE - Canada & United States)
FAX (416) 962-1061
Website www.rto-ero.org
Office Hours 8:30a.m. to 5:30p.m., Monday to Friday
ONTARIO TEACHERS' PENSION PLAN BOARD
1-800-668-0105
FAX (416)730-5349
Website www.otpp.com
Office Hours 8:00a.m. to 5:30p.m., Monday to Friday
JOHNSON INC.
(RTO/ERO Health Plan Administrator)
Service 1-800-461-4597 C Claims 1-800-638-4753
21

BookFestWindsor 2007
AWARD-WINNING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUTHORS, POETS AND ARTISTS FLOOD
INTO WINDSOR
6 th Annual BookFest Windsor to Take Place November 2-4, 2007
Over 40 authors, poets and artists will take up residence in Windsor in early November, working singly and in
workshops and panels to delight, challenge and engage audiences of all ages, and both official languages. From
the criminally-minded (crime writer Mary Jane Maffini) to the graphically gifted (George Rizok, Michele
Laframboise), from the weighty (Clark Blaise, Lawrence Hill, Afua Cooper), to the witty (Karl Jirgens, Emma
Donoghue), this festival brings a phenomenal group of nationally and internationally recognized artists into our
midst – hosting sessions at local schools, the Windsor Public Library (main branch), and the Art Gallery of
Windsor.
BookFest Windsor marks a community celebration of literacy in all forms – from the art of book creation, to
the joy of reading and the giddy power of freedom of expression. With a mix of established authors and poets
(John Metcalf, Alistair McLeod) and relative newcomers (Sue Elmslie, Tanis MacDonald, Eden Robinson), the
festival offers a variety of passionate voices and perspectives. Indeed, through the annual BookFest student
poetry contest, it also offers voice to our own budding local poets – culminating in the student poetry contest
award ceremony (“The Best of the Verse”), held Friday 2 November, in the evening.
With collaborative workshops on mystery writing (“How to Build a Better Sleuth”), transforming books into
art objects (“Turning the Pages”), graphic novels (“Getting Graphic”), and for children (“For Kids, By Kids”),
as well as engaging panel discussions spanning such topics as translation (“Found in Translation”), poetry
(“The Road to an Ode”), getting started writing (“Who’s Who, How To”), short stories (“To Make a Long
Story Short”), as well as powerful novels (“A History of Strength” and “A Strong Slice of Life”) – among
many others – there is something of interest for everyone. Please see www.bookfestwindsor.ca for a full
schedule and a complete list of participating authors and artists. As in prior years, BookFest Windsor offers an
embarrassment of riches for all ages.
Quite aside from being a premier event in its own right, BookFest Windsor is also the only Canadian literary
festival within a four-hour radius. As such, it draws participants and supporters from across our community,
and around the region. The unparalleled access to artists and authors the festival offers attracts Windsorites and
Michiganders alike to our downtown core. As a side-effect, BookFest also offers a powerful and positive
introduction to Windsor to the traveling authors, who inevitably “pass it on” – witness Noah Richler’s glowing
“review” of the city in The Globe and Mail after attending BookFest Windsor in 2006.
About BookFest Windsor: BookFest Windsor (originally called Windsor Festival of the Book) is organized
and administered by Literary Arts Windsor: Promotion, Performance, Publishing (LAW PPP). The festival was
first held in September 2002; November 2007 marks its sixth year. Working in collaboration with dedicated
sponsors and with the Windsor Star and the CBC as media partners, BookFest Windsor has been enormously
successful at bringing acclaimed authors to Windsor, and has grown into an important fixture on Canada’s
book tour circuit. For more information, please visit www.bookfestwindsor.ca
If you would like more information about BookFest Windsor 2007, or to schedule an interview with any of
the artists, please call Lenore Langs at 519-945-8106 (langs@cranberrytreepress.com), or Martin Deck at 519-
253-3000 x 3726 (mdeck@uwindsor.ca) or for the French program, Jeremy Worth at 519-253-3000 x 2878
(jworth@uwindsor.ca).
22

TEACH IN ONTARIO
According to the Transition to Teaching study by the Ontario College of Teachers (2006), internationally educated teachers
(IETs) are dramatically under-employed in the Ontario school system despite prior teaching experience.
To address employment barriers, Teach in Ontario offers a num ber of services to help IETs make the transition to
teaching in Ontario. Services include:
�� Information and counselling
�� Document assistance
�� Employment preparation courses
�� English language upgrading courses
�� A classroom immersion module
6. Supply teacher workshops
7. A professional coaching module
The Professional Coaching Module pairs IETs with practicing or retired teachers who serve as coaches. Through
professional dialogue, over a period of six months, coaches provide guidance and support in areas such as professional
development, employment preparation, dynamics of the Ontario classroom and workplace culture.
We have many talented and eager IETs who are seeking coaches. It’s a great opportunity to make a difference in the life
of a newcomer, share your knowledge and experience and learn about teaching from an international perspective.
To participate as a coach, or for additional inform ation about Teach in Ontario services, please contact Kelly Todd,
Professional Coaching Coordinator, (519) 973-5588 ext. 23, e-mail: kelly@wwwwiw.org.
Teach in Ontario is jointly funded by the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada through Citizenship and
Immigration Canada.
Use your years of rich experience….
Help open the classroom door for an internationally educated teacher.
******************************************************************************************************************************
WHEN INSULTS HAD CLASS
"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary." -- William Faulkner
(about Ernest Hemingway)
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend... if you have one." -- George
Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill... followed by Churchill's response:
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second, if there is one." -- Winston Churchill
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator." -- John Bright
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." -- Oscar Wilde
Lady Astor once remarked to Winston Churchill at a dinner party, "Winston, if you were my husband, I would
poison your coffee!"
Winston replied, "Madam if I were your husband, I would drink it!"
"He had delusions of adequacy." -- Walter Kerr
23

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