Association of Retired Personnel
A Message to the OCCARP Membership
OCCARP is an organization devoted to advancing the interest of all OCC retires, both long-standing and of more recent vintage.
What a year 2021 has been, as we finished a second year of COVID. The calendar of events planned for 2021 were placed on hold except for the picnic and the holiday luncheon. However, the purpose of the organization has not changed. It continues to assist its member by providing (1) fellowship; (2) assistance with retirement issues; (3) opportunities for enrichment through the resources of Oakland Community College (OCC); and (4) cooperation with organizations of retired persons on all levels. In addition, the association shall assist OCC to make use of the experience within the association membership.
Thanks to the support of Vice Chancellor Daniel Jenuwine, Director of the OCC Foundation and Kathleen Kelly, our newsletter continued to be sent every month, keeping us in touch.
As an association, we continued to support students, and in December at our holiday luncheon, $1,500 was again donated to the scholarship fund. Since 1994, OCCARP has donated a total of $25,650, sponsoring 47 students.
This year the board hopes to move forward with activities. These presently include a tour of the Holocaust Museum in April, picnic in June, the holiday luncheon on December 8, 2022, and others which will be published in the monthly newsletter.
As a member, you and your spouse still have a tuition waiver for one class each semester and/or professional enrichment money for yourself to attend activity outside the college. All this for a mere $20 per year or $30 for a 2-year membership.
I would like to draw your attention to the directory in the middle of the handbook, which contains member’s home addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses, enabling you to contact old colleagues and friends outside of the scheduled get-togethers.
As retirees, we have worked many years to reach this stage of our life. For those of us who are members of the Michigan Public School Employees’ Retirement System, the 25th of each month when the check arrives is like Christmas. Whether it is MPSERS or another system, let us all enjoy a long and happy retirement, we all earned it.
As I begin my seventeenth year as your Board Chair, I want to say that it has been a privilege and honor to serve. Thank you for your continued confidence and support.
On behalf of my fellow Board members, I wish all OCC members and their families health and happiness for the coming year.
Bob Zemke
OCCARP Board Chair