TUARA Update, November 2022

Join Us for a TUARA Social Event and Membership Meeting on Nov. 14

All TUARA members and guests are invited to a wine and cheese social and membership meeting on Monday, Nov. 14, from 2-4 p.m. at the Leroy McAbee Activity Center Community Room, 3801 Loop Road in Tuscaloosa. In addition to catching up with friends and colleagues, the event will include updates on TUARA activities and a brief presentation by Nicole Harshman, executive director of FOCUS 50+. Tours of the FOCUS facility will be available as well. We will also collect donations for the Beat Auburn Beat Hunger food drive benefiting the West Alabama Food Bank. Suggested donations include pasta, rice and condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise, or any non-perishable food items. Please come and bring your retired and soon-to-be retired UA friends!

United Way Update

Please see this letter from the UA United Way campaign. Many thanks to all TUARA members who have already given and thanks in advance to those who still plan to participate.

THE UA UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN CONTINUES!

University Goal                                  University Total

$405,000.00                                        $183,765.48

Goal                                                   Retirees Total

$10, 944.00                                         $23,809.00

Greetings! As we dive into the 2022 UA United Way Campaign, we want to share with you some photos from the campaign kickoff, as well as this year’s campaign video, which serves as a beautiful reminder of why we give. Our retirees goal appears above, and we are happy to report that we have already exceeded our 2022 goal! However, we still have some distance to cover to meet or exceed last year’s giving total. Your participation matters. Every donation puts the University one step closer to the 2022 goal and helps those in need throughout our area. As a reminder, completed pledge cards can be mailed to: Office of Finance Attn: Caroline Railsback The University of Alabama Box 870136 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0136 If preferred, you may utilize the drive-thru United Way drop box located behind Rose Administration on campus. As always, thank you for your role in making 2022 another successful UA United Way Campaign year, and for being United in Lifting Lives.

Connect with TUARA

TUARA has a new FaceBook page! Follow us at facebook.com/tuara.ua.

 TUARA Launches What I Know Now

Newly developed and launched by TUARA, What I Know Now is an initiative for UA retirees caring for a family member diagnosed with dementia, Parkinson’s or ALS. The new What I Know Now website will facilitate one-on-one, private and confidential conversations between UA retirees who are navigating the challenges and uncertainty of new and difficult, ever-present and ever-changing challenges of these diseases and those who are willing to share what they learned during their own journeys. For example, conversations could focus on a recent diagnosis: “My family member was just diagnosed with dementia. What can I expect?” Or, a specific situation: “My loved one has ALS and uses a wheelchair. How do we handle going through security checkpoints at the airport or a concert? Should we even try to travel?”  The What I Know Now website can help – if you have information to share, or questions to ask. Go to tuara.ua.edu and click on WIKN for additional information. Note: These interactions are NOT intended to replace medical advice, be a substitute for expert advice, or be directly relevant in every circumstance. Each situation, even those with the same diagnosis, is unique to each person. Conversations should reflect whatever information volunteers choose to share about their personal circumstances as well as the individual experiences of the person they are talking to. Conversations are designed to add to information provided by physicians, multiple online resources, foundations and support groups, and to bridge the gap between general information and individual experiences.

Renew Your Membership Today

TUARA’s membership year runs from Oct. 1-Sept. 30. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, you are welcome to renew at the social on Nov. 14 or you may print the attached form and send it with your $25 annual membership dues to Box 861493, Tuscaloosa, AL  35486-0013. If you prefer, you can pay your dues by PayPal or credit card by clicking here. Click on “Check out as guest” to pay by credit card. Invite retired friends and colleagues to join as well!

Volunteer Hours

Whether you volunteer weekly or just occasionally, please report your volunteer hours to TUARA. We share reported hours with AERA. AERA, in turn, uses retirees’ volunteer hours statewide to demonstrate the value that retirees bring to Alabama’s economy and quality of life. It’s easy! Just email your hours, broken down by the categories in the chart below, to tuara.ua@gmail.com. Please report any previously unreported hours from Jan. 1, 2022 through the present.

Service hours should include activities in Alabama for which you have not received financial reimbursement. Hours should also not include 1) Sunday school and church attendance, 2) Caring for family members, and 3) Participation in AERA activities on state committees or the Board of Directors. You may include hours spent on TUARA activities, except for attending board meetings.

 

Categories	Examples	# of Service Hours
Arts	Children’s Hands-On Museum, theater, opera, arts
Church	Church related service projects (not attendance for worship services)
Civic	Organizational projects, civic and special interest
Health	Bloodmobile, clinics, nursing home, nutrition, home care
Education	Mentoring, literacy projects
Transportation	Shopping, errands, escort services
RSVP/Volunteer Programs	Shut-Ins, telephone, etc.
Youth Work	Big Brothers Big Sisters, work related to youth programs
TUARA	TUARA volunteer activities, administrative work, communications, etc.
Other (specify)
Total Hours