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Members of Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel helping to celebrate the organization’s 50th year are (back row, from left) Marilyn Powers, Tommy Long, Nancy Krantz, Barbara Grubbs, Jeanne Valdez, John Boles, (front row) Karey Hayes, Gail Boles, Barbara Williams and Jeri Humphrey. Courtesy/HRRSP
Milestone
Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel, originally named the Sulphur Springs Area Retired School Personnel, are hosting a 50th anniversary celebration.
Past presidents and long-time members will be recognized at 10:30 a.m. and Texas Retired Teachers Association State President Patricia Macias will be the speaker. Past presidents, among others, include “Pinky” Griffin, Patsy Walters, Jerry and Elaine Haney, Jacqueline Brice, Billie Phillips, Jo Ledbetter and the parents of current president Tommy Long.
Long-time Hopkins County residents may remember the names of founding members Price Walker, E.C. Brice, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Banks, Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Gay, and Grace Minter.
In 1969, 38 retired teachers came together to form the unit with four primary purposes:
• To promote the welfare and social relationships of its members
• To advance the professional interests of public school teachers
• To safeguard the public school teachers’ retirement fund
• To aid civic and educational advancement in our community and our country
Hopkins County education retirees put $16.5 million directly into Hopkins County’s economy in 2018. Rains retirees contributed $5.7 million directly into Rains County’s economy in 2018 according to Teacher Retirement System. Together they had an indirect impact of $571.8 million in Northeast Texas, according to research by The Perryman Group and funded by TRS.
You will see retirees volunteering at CANHelp, the Dinner Bell, Meal A Day and other causes throughout both Hopkins and Rains counties. This unit volunteered 69,551 hours in 2018, adding an estimated value of $1,738,775 to the area.
The unit donates books to elementary school students each year with the most recent benefactors being Rains County first graders. Books were delivered to first and second graders at Saltillo the previous year. To date, 21 graduating seniors from our area, who plan to pursue a degree in education, have received a scholarship from Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel.
This unit’s parent organization, TRTA, was founded in 1953 after 65 retired Texas teachers attended a convention of the National Retired Teachers Association in Miami, Florida. The mission of TRTA is to advocate for improved benefits for all education retirees and promote the well-being of its members. TRTA is composed of 20 districts, and each district is made up of local units. Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel is one of 17 local units in District 8. There are currently 94,000 TRTA members statewide.
The Hopkins-Rains Retired School Personnel 50th anniversary celebration begins at 10 a.m. Sept. 10 at Venue219 on Main Street in Sulphur Springs. The public is invited to the reception.