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The Birth of CARE
Submitted by Arthur Larson
Chabot College
CARE was conceived in 1983, born in 1984, and blessed in 1985.
It was conceived in a fast food restaurant across the street from
Chabot College, when during a lunch hour, Vivian Borkgren suggested
to Art Larson that we should create an organization that could
maintain the relationship of the retirees with the district, and the
district with the retirees. It was decided that we should encourage
retirees to continue to serve the College in a variety of ways. We
invited several others to join with us. That first group included
Warren Hicks, John McKinley, and Reed Buffington.
There was enthusiastic agreement on the value of such an
organization, and together we wrote the basic documents which
eventually led to the constitution and bylaws. A fundamental
decision was that the organization would relate to all retired
employees of the College and the District, and that there would be
no discrimination between certificated and classified employees. The
name Chabot Association of Retired Employees was suggested. There
were few retirees prior to our forming the organization, but a
rather large group retired in 1983. We sent out an invitation to all
to join in a no-host luncheon meeting. The meeting was held in June
of 1984 at a Chinese restaurant next to the Chevrolet Garage on
Watkins Street. Attendance was great. Superintendent Bill Moore was
very supportive of the organization, and he was present at the
meeting. The retirees present voted wholeheartedly to create the
organization and elect the first slate of officers. The name CARE
was adopted. Art Larson was elected President, Hal Palmer, Vice
President, and Marie Maierhoffer, Secretary/Treasurer. The first
Board of Directors had only five members: besides the three listed
above, the others were Director at Large, Vivian Borkgren, and
Historian, Warren Hicks.
CARE was presented to the Board of Trustees at the
board meeting of
March 19, 1985, and received its “blessing” and its approval as an
adjunct organization outside the District responsibility. The Board
recognized the social, intellectual, and collegial significance of
the association. They also authorized the use of District facilities
by CARE for meetings and activities, and access to the services of
the Production Lab on a cost reimbursement basis. The Board further
authorized the Personnel Office to give regular updates of the names
and addresses of retiring employees. Successive Boards over the
years have recognized CARE as the representative of the retirees.
During each of the successive twenty three years, CARE has continued
to grow and flourish. It has been led each year by dedicated
Officers and Board of Directors elected from the membership at the
annual luncheon meetings. Each year CARE welcomes the new retirees
by letter and by invitation given at the Retiree Receptions. Early
in 1985, the Board of Directors of CARE voted to use a newsletter
format in lieu of minutes as the chief means of keeping members
informed of association activities and matters important to
retirees. Copies of official minutes of the association would be
available to members upon request to the Secretary. It was the
intent that each member would pay a small annual dues to underwrite
the production and mailing costs of the newsletter. Subsequent
boards have voted to mail the newsletter to every retiree.
One of the stated objectives of CARE is the provision of continuing
service to the District. Over the years a number of ways have been
suggested and tried, but were found to be unworkable. These
suggestions have included volunteering in a variety of ways and by
the provision of scholarships. The original idea evolved into a
process for sharing of income from the CARE Fund through donations
to the colleges or the District. The current plan encourages member
participation through donations to the CARE FUND.
CARE has served as the guardian representative of retiree interests
on several occasions during salary negotiations when the budget
category known as the “Rumble Fund” for retiree health benefits was
challenged by the faculty salary committees. During the recent past,
CARE has acted to keep both the District and the Staff Salary
Committee reminded that CARE, not the staff committees, is the
representative of retirees. It mobilized the membership to protect
the commitment to retirees made by the Board which established the
health benefit program. CARE maintains its effectiveness through the
resources of its members, including those with legal, medical,
organizational, management, and leadership backgrounds.
CARE’s continuing challenge is the maintenance of aggressive
leadership and an active program which acquaints new retirees with
their automatic membership in CARE, and which encourages their
participation.
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