The Alberta Teachers’ Association

Back, left to right: Gerry Smith, ARTA executive secretary; Madeline Fischer, editor, News & Views; Peter Doonanco, chair, representation committee; Dora Corbett, past president; and Paul Boisvert, chair, benefits committee, St. Paul. Front, left to right: Ed Olsen, secretary; Gordon Lowe, vice-president; Floyd Sweet, president; and John Takahashi, treasurer.

Retirement marks the beginning of a whole new life. Not only will your daily routines, priorities, and responsibilities change, so will your basic financial obligations, as well as your insurance needs. To ensure that this is a time of enjoyment and relaxation, we suggest you start planning ahead for the many lifestyle changes that retirement brings.

For your own peace of mind, plan ahead. The first thing to do is identify your financial needs/obligations. These include such things as the cost of utilities, taxes, food, shelter—the basic costs of living. Next, address your wants—the lifestyle goals of you and possibly your companion's. Do you want to travel? Do you plan to build a summer home? Finally, explore all available sources of retirement planning information. It's never too soon to start finding out how to maximize your enjoyment of these years. And this exploring should not stop once you retire. It is important that you keep abreast of all the options. An important source of such information is the Alberta Retired Teachers' Association (ARTA).

Since 1963, ARTA has been advocating on behalf of retired teachers. We have grown rapidly from 3,500 members in 1995 to more than 8,000 members in 2002.

ARTA's benefit plan, administered by Johnson Incorporated, is one of the major reasons for our expansion. Through this unique plan, ARTA members can choose any combination of optional coverages including hospital, extended health care, supplementary travel, life and dental insurance. It's about building the plan that's right for you.

Under the direction of the ARTA Benefits Committee and with the technical advice of Johnson Inc., ARTA regularly reviews the plan and considers new options. In addition to reviews, surveys are regularly conducted to gauge member satisfaction. A recent survey indicated an interest in the addition of long-term care—a coverage designed to supplement the cost of public home care during a critical illness and/or supplement the costs of accommodation in a long-term care facility. This coverage is now under review.

ARTA's goal is to work for the benefit of Alberta's retired teachers. This requires vision, communication and committed volunteers. ARTA has 14 branches throughout Alberta. These branches usually meet for social reasons, but they also send delegates to the annual general meeting held every October at Barnett House. We cooperate with the Alberta Council on Aging and are members of the Canadian Association of Retired Teachers (CART), which meets in Ottawa each year. ARTA News & Views is published three times a year and gives teachers the opportunity to share their wisdom and retirement experiences with others and to make a difference in their retirement lifestyle.

We have not forgotten about our professional lives; ARTA has donated money for yearly awards to Alberta's three universities, and each year, an ARTA/Johnson award is given to a deserving student. In cooperation with the ATA, ARTA also helps children in poverty. Finally, we have not been silent in the latest struggle for education that our mother organization (ATA) is undergoing. Motions have been supported unanimously to ask retirees to avoid volunteering or working in situations that may hurt our active colleagues.

Watch for ARTA's regular mailings. For immediate information on ARTA benefit plans, contact a Johnson or ARTA representative at any of the phone numbers below, or visit Johnson online at www.johnson.ca .