The Pike County Education Retirees Association earned two statewide awards at a recent meeting of the Alabama Education Retirees Association.
Seven retired Pike County educators traveled to Birmingham for the meeting, which was held at the Cahaba Grand Conference Center and included speakers like Lee Hedgepeth of the NEA and Henry Mabry, executive secretary of the Alabama Education Association.
“He expounded on education issues related to those currently being discussed in the State Legislature,” said Doristine Sankey of Mabry. “During the meal, speaker Lee Hedgepeth, NEA, gave us pertinent information on coping with general problems in life that could help each of us. The meeting was informative and enjoyable.”
Pike County ERA was awarded the Unit of Excellence and the Community Service award. Sankey said the awards were the result of Patricia Thomas’ hard work.
As the association’s community service chair, Thomas had to submit a report of all of Pike County’s volunteer work.
The report was no easy feat for an organization this busy. For the ERA provided 6,895 hours of community services. Members were involved in everything from the Salvation Army to Reading is Fundamental.
Members read to kids on Kindergarten Day and are caregivers at nursing homes. They volunteer at churches and contribute to local food banks. They are mentors to Troy University students and tutors students in grade school. Several members even shuttle neighbors to school, grocery stores and doctor appointments in Montgomery.
The organization donated books and school supplies to the Pre-K program at the Hank Jones Early Childhood Center. They donated Christmas trees and presents to three families and delivered furniture to other families in need.
Current president Tellis Hill has been recognized for the time he puts in with organizations in Pike County. He said being recognized as a group meant a lot to all of them.
With about 70 members, Pike County ERA is one of the smaller ones in the state. The organization was judged against large organizations from Mobile, Birmingham and Montgomery who had more than 1,000 members each and came out on top.
“Our membership may be small in number but it is exceptionally and infinitely heartful when it comes to returning some of our blessings to our community, neighbors and fellowman,” said Thomas. “One of our goals, individually as well as collectively, is to deposit a little joy in the lives of others in some small way.”
Member Dejerilyn Henderson said the retired teachers especially like to get involved with programs that help children.
“Even though we’re retired, we’re still able to see students and be a positive influence on their lives,” she said. “We may have retired, but we haven’t given up on education.”
Pike County ERA meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the Troy Sportsplex at 10 a.m.