April 2023 Newsletter

President’s Report

I know this newsletter will be delivered after April 9 so I wish everyone belated Happy Easter and/or Happy Passover. I don’t like being pessimistic BUT members need to step up and help run the Club. I am term limited and there are no candidates. A career politician would love this situation. They don’t have to campaign to be in office. The Club does a lot of good things for the community and member decedents scholarships. It’s very important we have younger members in leadership positions. Please join the Board and help run the Club. The next Board meeting is May 3.

Our April Spring Picnic was very successful event. We had 53 attendees and 5 new members. The food was great and the location was also great.

Other good news new Board member Dave Oman set up and organized a Facebook Group for the club. https://www.facebook.com/groups/916026582934338 Thank You Dave.

Vice-President’s Report

The May Member meeting presentation will be on St. Mary’s Food Bank, its history and mission as well as available volunteer opportunities and services provided.

No meetings in June, July, August, and September

October and November – The schedule for each month is not final at this time however one meeting will feature Matt Greenman, manager of the HTF7000 engine family and another will be Steve Hoza who will present the history of the WWII German POWs in Arizona. There were more than ones who escaped.

The January 2024 meeting will be State of Honeywell Aerospace by Mike Madsen. Future monthly meetings will include the recycling program for City of Mesa, by John Zielonka.

March 2023 Newsletter

President’s Report

Still looking for two elected officers, President and Vice-President. I am term limited and we currently have no Vice-President. At our March board meeting it was suggested that we concentrate on first getting new Board members then grooming them for future elected Officers. In the meantime, two existing Board members need to step up for President and Vice-President. I was informed that is the way it was done in prior years.

Good news. We have a new member, Dave Oman, that also is now on our Board. Thank you Dave.

More good news. Our April Spring Picnic is a go. We have 35 members attending. I’m expecting more since the price is a bargain. Inexpensive but good food is a draw.

More good news – Scholarship fund received a check for $8000 from Honeywell Aerospace. This is the last step in becoming full control of the Scholarship program. All donations are from our (HGRC) members and Honeywell Aerospace and student recipients are descents of Honeywell-Garrett Retirees Club members.

February 2023 Newsletter

We have a new newsletter editor. He has his own format and left space for a President Column.

The featured speaker for the February 1, 2023 meeting was Helena Morgan, Dementia Education Specialist with Hospice of the Valley. Helena gave a very thorough and informative presentation on Dementia. There were 22 attendees who asked many questions. An important take away from the meeting is to walk 30 minutes every day.

The March Club meeting presentation will feature the Arizona Military Museum one of the best kept secrets in the Valley situated at National Guard at Papago Buttes. Presenter will be Joe Abodeely, member of the Board of Directors for the Museum.

Joe will offer background and displays at the Museum as well as comments about the Vietnam War-origins, international and domestic politics, polarizing effects of media, education, antiwar groups, communistic propaganda, and U.S. military successes.

January 2023 Newsletter

Happy new year, club members!

A handful of important announcements for you:

  • Scholarship applications submitted on our website and the deadline is April 1, 2023
  • Our February meeting topic is “What is Dementia Anyway”.
  • The newsletter has a questionnaire for the upcoming April Spring picnic. Please respond to help plan our spring event!

Our First 2023 meeting was on Jan 4 at Scottsdale Granite Reef Senior Center

Our guest speaker was Gary Snyder, AARP. Topic was Fraud and Identity Theft. Gary reviewed common scams, tactics used by Con Artists and prevention strategies. He listed two AARP guidance sources you can trust, and are free of judgment.

AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 877-908-3360

Toll-free service available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET

Gary usually has handout pamphlets but AARP is updating them. He will mail them to us when they become available and we will have them at future meetings. There were 18 attendees.

Important Membership DUES announcement

Several months ago, the Board decided to terminate memberships for those dues who are 2 or more years delinquent. If your dues letter showed that you owe $35 or more, you are in this category. This is the last notice. After February 15 if you are still $35 delinquent you will no longer be a member of the CLUB. Please become current and enjoy the Club including the scholarship benefit for your descendants.

Currently there are approximate 100 members owing $35 or more.

December 2022 Newsletter

Our Dec 7 Holiday Charity Luncheon was held at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort.

Diane Bennett, our event director, did her usual outstanding job. The lunch entrees including salad and desert were excellent. Room decorations, prizes, centerpieces were all done by Diane. 31 Club members enjoyed the Luncheon.

In addition to the room and meal, Diane also does our traditional donations to two local families each with three children. Diane gets our families from Vista Del Camino, a Scottsdale City authorized agency. They supply the families after vetting them and we ask for two families with three children each. We never know the families name, only the children’s first names. They never know our name either. We and they are identified only by our assigned numbers.

The children give us their “Wish Lists” and we try to fill as much as we can with our allotted monies, $100 per child. Normally, we get by with less than the allotted amount and then we then add a gift certificate for the family to buy food for their Christmas dinner. The family also gives us the child’s clothes needs and sizes allowing us to purchase clothes for them.

The monies ($600) for this comes for our dues.

Again great job Diane for all you do for our December Holiday Charity Luncheon.

Garrett Employee $5000 Funeral Benefit

The Garrett Corp provided a sum of money to cover funeral expenses of Garrett employees upon their death. The benefit is still available.

  • The amount of money is $5000
  • The benefit is recognized within the Honeywell system as a “death benefit”. When contacting Honeywell that term should be used, along with mention of the sum of $5000.
  • To request the benefit, call 1-877-258-3699. This is the number contained in the November 21, 2022 letter and recent postcard sent to participants.
  • Press a phone key for option 5 to start the process.

Now Accepting Scholarship Applications!

The 2022-2023 club scholarship application is open, applications are now accepted via our website. All donations go to descendants of our members, and are tax deductible. Good luck to our 2023 applicants!