The Alabama Education Retirees Association is the retired division of the Alabama Education Association.

It is made up of 81 local units, including 11 higher education units. These units are divided into nine districts. There is at least one local unit in each Alabama county. Membership in the Alabama Education Retirees Association is open to anyone who receives retirement benefits from the Teachers’ Retirement System of Alabama.

The Franklin County Education Retirees Association is affiliated with AERA. More than 90 members locally meet six months out of the year – October, November, December, March, April and May. The meeting is held the third Wednesday of the month at noon in various locations throughout the county.

Sponsors provide a luncheon for the members. At the October and December meetings, members bring a covered dish for the luncheon.

The programs are presented by guest speakers that cover various subjects, such as health benefits, retirement changes, consumer protection, fraud, insurance protection, crime protection, legislative issues affecting retirees and more.

Membership annual dues are $12 for retired educators and $5 for their spouses.

Members of the local Retirees Association attended the AERA annual meeting at Pelham in May. David Bonner, CEO of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, was the main speaker for the 500 retirees attending.

In July the AERA District meeting was held at the Russellville First United Methodist Church.  Jill Jackson, executive director, and Teresa Noell, state president of AERA, presented the programs for the meeting.

The first meeting for this year will be held Oct. 17 at the Russellville First United Methodist Church Fellowship Building at noon.

By Susie Hovater Malone