Special Orders of Business

—  Ruth Dworkin introduced a special order of business honoring the late Lou Cammarosano, aka "Mr. VOTE-COPE." Under his leadership, the Elmsford region raised regional contributions from $30,000 in 1976 to $650,000 last year. Cammarosano, who was a member of the Harrison Association of Teachers in Westchester County, was NYSUT's Retiree of the Year in 2004.

—  Delegates approved by acclamation a special order of business honoring NYSUT Retiree Services Manager Pat Longo, who will be retiring later this spring. The special order noted Longo's legacy in building services for NYSUT's retirees. Under Longo's leadership, retirees have formed chapters and retiree councils and elected members to the NYSUT Board of Directors. NYSUT Board member Tony McCann of Shenendehowa Teachers Association cited Longo for his "extraordinary" union role, starting 30 years ago when he led a strike by the South Colonie TA. He also credited Longo with launching the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center.

File of Life

—  The Retiree Services booth offered a giveaway that can help save a life called "File of Life," a conveniently packaged emergency medical record that provides space for the following individualized medical history and emergency contact information: medical conditions, allergies, current medications and emergency contacts. All of this information is printed on a pre-folded card that slips into a bright red magnetized plastic holder that can be conveniently posted on your refrigerator. The words "File of Life" are emblazoned in large, bold print to call attention to this important documentation that is folded discreetly such that the NYSUT logo is facing out and medical information is contained in the unseen folds to help preserve privacy. Emergency medical responders are trained to look at the refrigerator for this lifesaving medical information; should you or a loved one be unconscious upon the arrival of emergency medical responders, the File of Life can, indeed, help save your life or that of a loved one. The File of Life is available from Retiree Services. Contact the Retiree Services consultant in your region or call Retiree Services at (800) 342-9810, ext. 6291 for your File of Life.

Award Winners

—  The following retirees were honored with Community Service Awards: Ruth Brown, RC 4; Anthony Montanaro, 5; Craig Pratt, 6; Carole Gehrig, 8; Juanita Stone, 9; Marcia Nickerson, 10; Carolyn Darkangelo, 12; Judith Schecter, 17; Mireille Taub, 18; Phyllis White, 20; Nancy Porta Libert, 21; Renee Bachman, 24; Eileen Bernstein, 24; Hinton Causey, 24; Christine Charitis, 24; Louis Feldman, 24; Judith Goldberg, 24; Lauren Grant, 24; Donesa Jackson, 24; Judith Jaffe, 24; Janet Kaplan-Pressman, 24; Rose Malinconico, 24; Margot Marinangeli, 24; Francine Brewer, 37; Patricia Stamm, 43.

—  The authors, editors and webmasters of the many retiree newsletters honored at the RA as part of NYSUT's annual journalism contest, sponsored by New York Teacher can be found on the NYSUT web site: www.nysut.org. Click on "Awards and Honors."