Lawrence Livermore Retiree Association

October 2021 Report

Submitted by Jeff Garberson, CUCRA Representative, Lawerence Livermore Retirees Association

With about 400 members, LLRA reversed a gradual, multi-year decline in membership, apparently by starting an electronic newsletter to membership in the absence of luncheon meetings. The newsletter has been well received, particularly for providing practical, up-to-date and non-legalistic information about benefits that continue to be paid out from the $84.5 million settlement of a retiree class action lawsuit against the University of California. In addition, the electronic communication has given retirees who might not have attended luncheons (perhaps because they live at a distance) a chance to make comments and ask questions. Other newsletter communications have described community events, news from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, pension COLAs, pandemic topics and more. With permission, we have alerted our members to activities at other campuses that we thought would be valuable; for example, talks sponsored by the UCD Retiree Center on end-of-life issues.

Before the pandemic, the main activity of LLRA was monthly luncheon meetings with invited speakers. These were typically attended by 50-70 members. We also had an annual summer picnic which was similarly attended. Without these face-to-face activities, our overhead now is principally website expenses and the cost of a post office box. As a result, we were able to waive a membership fee for 2020 and extend the waiver into 2021.

We continue to postpone the resumption of luncheons and will follow state and local health guidelines as we consider starting up again in future.

Associations's volunteer programs: There are no volunteer programs. Board members are the only volunteers within LLRA.

Association's member benefits (parking, discounts, etc.:) None other than the emailed newsletter.

Status of the Retirement Center: There is no Retirement Center for LLRA.

Plans for the next year or two: We hope to be able to restart our monthly luncheons.

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