Blanco County retired educators have been without a voice at the state level for several years since the local chapter folded less than a decade ago. To address this lack, a handful of Blanco County educators have been at work behind the scenes gathering names of other retired educators living within the county with hopes of forming a new local chapter.

Several retired educators gathered in the Johnson City Library community room on April 10 to hear a presentation from Ruth Spear and other members of the San Marcos retired educators chapter on the benefits of and the need for a local chapter.

At a subsequent meeting held at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Blanco, April 27, a slate of nominees for officers for the new Blanco County chapter was developed. Ernest Hoffman of Kendalia was nominated as president, Mary Nabers of Blanco, first vice president, Henrietta Smith of Johnson City, second vice president and Cindy Sultemeier of Johnson City, treasurer. No nominee as yet was found to fill the office of Secretary. The Blanco County chapter nominees attended the District XIII Workshop in San Marcos on May 21 to learn the responsibilities of the various offices.

The officer nominees met on July 1 to prepare the letters to send to local educators informing them of the formation of the new retired educators chapter. Ernest Hoffman, Mary Nabers, Henrietta Smith and Cindy Sultemeier accomplished this important work.

The first official meeting of Blanco County Area Retired Educaters now known as BCARE, will be at 2:30pm on July 23 in the Social Hall of the First United Methodist Church in Blanco. The featured speaker will be Dora Scott Nichols of Houston. Ms. Nichols, a dynamic speaker and past president of the Texas State Teachers Association, will give a legislative update and detail why more members in local chapters translates to a louder voice for teachers in legislative matters. Chapter business of the day will include the election of the slate of officers submitted by the nominating committee.

The next meeting of BCARE will be Thursday, October 29 at 2:30pm in the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church of Johnson City. It is proposed that the chapter have only four meetings a year, alternating between the towns of Johnson City and Blanco, always meeting at the Methodist churches.

For further information, please contact Ernest Hoffman at 830-336-2260.