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COLORADO COLUMBINE CHAPTER 2339
Columbine Chapter 2339 is the state-wide
chapter designed for those who do not have a NARFE chapter nearby and those who simply do not care to or cannot attend chapter
meetings. The Columbine Chapter was initiated by the Colorado Federation in 2003. The original purpose was to give those NARFE
members whose rural chapters were closing a chapter to belong to that could meet their unique needs and keep them involved
in NARFE. The chapter was designed to communicate via a quarterly newsletter and email whenever possible; however, because
some of the members do not have email capability, we do distribute the newsletter and vital communication by regular mail
to those members. The chapter does not hold regular chapter meetings. We
see many benefits to a state-wide, electronic chapter such as ours since it not only gives members in rural areas a chapter
that can meet their needs, it also gives NARFE members who don’t have time to attend, or just don’t have any interest
in attending chapter meetings, a place to call home, and we have grown significantly over the years. While we don't hold meetings,
we do stay in touch with our members and believe that personal touch helps keep them involved in NARFE. One
of our communication efforts is our quarterly Newsletter, and you can view the latest issue below. If you believe that Columbine Chapter 2339 would be a good match for you, contact our VP for Membership,
Mary Bleecher, at 303-750-3703 or marybleecher@q.com.
2339 Newsletter for January 2012
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENTBy Bob WarrenHappy New Year greetings from the officers of your Columbine Chapter.
This edition of the Newsletter is a replacement for the one you would normally have received prior to the Holiday season last
year. It was delayed, thinking that our Congress might take some drastic action affecting our benefits and we could
report on it. As usual nothing happened and from our standpoint that is just fine. The good news is that CSRS
retirees did receive a 3.6% cost of living increase in their January annuities. Those retiring under the FERS received
2.6%. The bad news is that the Federal Employees got nothing! The National debt continues to increase and the
rumors and media chatter continues to spill forth on how to fix it on the backs of the Federal Employees and retirees.
I do not know how you feel about it but I am personally thoroughly disgusted with all of those people that we elected and
sent back there to solve the Nation’s problems. Many thanks to all of you that contacted your elected officials
and protested their potential actions that would have reduced or destroyed your benefits. Be prepared to do it again
this year.Once again the Colorado Federation is faced
with an action that no one likes to take, which is, the closing of another chapter in the state. The members of the
Aurora-Southeast Chapter 1769 have elected to close the chapter because no one wants to be an officer. We have been
advised by the Federation President, Mr. Frank Impinna, that 113 of those Chapters members have been transferred to the Columbine
chapter. We welcome them and hope that they will find us to their liking. Later in this Newsletter you will
find a complete listing of voting members that were transferred. In the last 14 years, there have been 8 chapters
closed in Colorado and only one, Columbine 2339, opened. Considering the large number of Federal Employees and retirees
that reside in Colorado, this is a sad commentary. If this trend continues we will eventually only have a few chapters
in Colorado and they may not effectively represent the state. In last year’s July – September Newsletter we ask for volunteers to fill the four officer positions and
once again we received none. So, you are faced with having the same four officers this year that you had last year.
And finally, a special thanks to all who spent some time talking to or E-mailing our Vice President (membership), Mrs. Mary
Bleecher, this past year. A direct communication is really the only way we can get your correct mailing or E-mail address’s
and both are important to us.
Chapter Board meeting By Bob Warren and Hazel Birtle On
January 13, 2012 the officers met and reviewed the status of the chapter and made the following decisions:1) Reviewed and approved, after some modifications,
a budget for the year 2012. The year 2011 ended with a cash balance of $4,454.76, an increase of $913.60 over the previous
year. This increase was due to a larger income than originally estimated and one less Newsletter. The budget for
this year estimates an income of $3,817 and expenditures of $3,999. The annual dues for Chapter members will remain
at $8.00. An annual audit of the Treasurer’s books is forthcoming.2) Hazel Birtle, Chapter and Federation Secretary, reported that she
had attended the Federation Executive Committee meeting on January 12th and learned that Denver Chapter 81 and Capital City
1119 are merging and will be known as Denver-Capital City Chapter 81.3) President, Bob Warren, will send a welcome letter to each of the new members being
transferred from Chapter 1769.4)
Agreed to discontinue the Chapter web site and will work with the Federation in including the Chapter information with their
Web-page, www.narfe-Colorado.com5) Discussed the possibility
of conducting Chapter meetings in such places as Castle Rock, Durango and other locations of concentrated membership sometime
this summer. Doing so will depend on membership response to such a proposal.6) Attendance at the National Convention in late
August in Sparks, Nevada was discussed. Since the Convention is earlier than normal, all deadline schedules have been
advanced. It was agreed that the Chapter will sponsor an Ad in the Convention Booklet and will offer some financial support
to Chapter members wishing to attend.
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Membership By Mary Bleecher The year 2011 began with 345 National (voting) members and ended with 337 for a net loss of 8. This figure includes
the 7 members that passed away. May they rest in peace. The following data is for the fourth quarter (October
- December) of last year: | New Members | Reinstatements | | Rebecca Brown - Rifle | Janice Dixon - Brush | | Paul Kausalik - Durango | Sharon Easton - Westminster | | Toralf Lie - Missoula, MT | John Hale - Fort Morgan | | Patricia Luby - Hayden | Lynn Highland - Morrison | | Richard Norton - Durango | Simone Kohl - Durango | | Lillian Price - Boulder | Lynne Larsen - Evergreen | | Deborah Rimmer Westcliff | Charles Miller - Glenwood Springs | | Michael Smith - Canon City | John Morrison - Durango | | Randy Zimmer - Pagosa Springs | Wayne Palmer - Florence | | | Robert Welton - Evergreen | | | | | Chapter 1769 Transfers (89 Voting) | | | Patricia Aaron - Parker | Jesse Avila - Franktown | | Douglas Banks - Hobe Sound, FL | Jeanette Barnell - Parker | | Edward Bavouset - Castle Rock | Vance Bennett - Parker | | Margaret Boone - Castle Rock | Robert Borgstede - Aurora | | Eugene Bowers - Parker | Mary Bramble - Aurora | | Gary Buntin - Marana, AZ | Patricia Buntin - Marana, AZ | | Ronald Cheatham - Lincoln, CA | Paul Cihocki - Parker | | James Clarke - Sun Lakes, AZ | Agnes Deleo - Castle Rock | | Yvonne Delp - Castle Rock | Andrew Drance - Aurora | | Clifford Duchaine - Parker | Paul Duggan - Aurora | | Evans, Merf - Parker | Mary Evans - Castle Rock | | Greg Eymann - Castle Rock | John Feher - Castle Rock | | Charles Fox - Aurora | Darrell Foxworthy - Parker | | Paula Fredericksen - Parker | Jananne Garl - Parker | | Marian Golaboski - Parker | Dean Grimm - Parker | | Margaret Haas - Parker | Martha Harris - Castle Rock | | Duane Heick - Castle Rock | James Henderson - Castle Rock | | Edigna Herold - Aurora | John Hoge - Parker | | Thomas Holton - Oceanside, CA | Robert Inman - Grand Rapids, MI | | Barbara Josserand - Castle Rock | Walter Kane - Parker | | Patricia Kelly - Corning, CA | Raymond Kilthau - Parker | | Richard Kuna - Elizabeth | Ronald Langer - Greenwood Village | | Gerald Lassow - Aurora | Lois Lee - Castle Rock | | Bernice Lesosky - Castle Rock | John Keith Lilak - Denver | | Robert Lindly - Parker | Robert Manna - Parker | | Daniel Marcelliano - Aurora | Linda McEnerny - Costa Rica, Grecia | | Gregory McGuire | John McLean - Franktown | | Fern Meston - Aurora | Jack Mohr - Aurora | | Helen Morris - Aurora | Jeff Mosal - Castle Rock | | Sheila Murray - Parker | Scott Murray - Parker | | Ellen Nash - Aurora | Richard Nelson - Helena, MT | | Gretchen Pankoff - Parker | Marilyn Parker - Parker | | Suzanne Piechocki - Castle Rock | Susan Pientka - Englewood | | Robert Ray - Parker | Lori Reynolds - Parker | | Ina Dean Roberts - Aurora* | Julia Robinson - Buena Vista | | Phyllis Rutherford - Parker | Linda Ryan - Parker | | Van Sanve - Byers | Milton Scherotter - Parker | | David Scott - Castle Rock | Elizabeth Seber - Elizabeth | | Buell Shaffer - Aurora | Gayle Shanahan - Elizabeth | | James Sheets, Cantril, IA | Michael Smith - Georgetown, TX | | Donald Sperry - Steamboat Springs | Ronald Sterrett - Centennial | | Dolores Stine - Highland, CA | Michael Sullivan - Elizabeth | | Edgar Thorsland - Castle Rock | Owen Williams - Elizabeth | | Judith Wilson - Franktown | Walter Winters - Elizabeth | | John Yaggie - Aurora | Edward Zahren - Fernandina Beach, FL | | *deceased | |
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