UC Irvine Retirees' Association
April 2023 Report
Submitted by Pat Price, UCI CUCRA Representative
Membership
The UCI RA membership has grown to 705 members this year. This is a significant increase from the previous year with 26% being lifetime members. We are continuing to seek better ways to outreach to members and potential members. Currently we have focused to better inform staff located at at our medical centers and various satellite locations throughout the county.
By-Laws
A significant accomplishment for our board was the creation and adoption of by-laws. They will continue to be reviewed and updated as we recruit new positions and establish new standing committees.
Fundraising and Scholarships
Due to our fund raising efforts, the board recently voted to increase the number of Legacy Scholarships for incoming freshmen and transfer students. We will now award two scholarships in each category for a total of $10,000. We also donated $2,000 to the UCI Mike Puritz Staff Assembly Scholarship which benefits current staff.
Events and Activities
The UCIRA continues to work closely with our UCI Center for Emeriti and Retirees (CER) on all programming. Our board President regularly attends UCI EA Executive Committee meetings. In April the two boards will hold their first joint meeting.
We have continued to offer various in person events while CER has offered several Zoom lectures. These Zoom events have in included topics offered by Fidelity Investments on Charitable giving, tax efficient investing and estate planning. Another featured a lecture from the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute.
Our walks, hikes and bike rides continue to be enjoyed by our members.
November featured a walking tour by the San Juan Capistrano Historic Society of the Los Rios Street in San Juan Capistrano. It is known as the oldest residential street in California. This event was sold out and will be offered again this Fall.
Our members who enjoy golf were able to join an outing at a local golf course.
December brought a tour of Newport Beach's famed Sherman Gardens. Participants enjoyed learning the history of the gardens, seeing the various varieties of plants, and taking in the garden's famed holiday decorations.
As is our tradition in January to honor of Martin Luther King Jr., the board sponsored a day to give back and work at the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. Participants sorted and packed a variety of fruits and vegetables.
UCIRA was pleased to work with the CUCRA Travel Program to host in February an informative Zoom discussion of the travel program and up-coming trips. This event was also offered to the UC Retiree Centers.
February also brought a historic walking tour of Mission San Juan Capistrano. Another activity offered this month was a tour of the Geo Pei Art of Couture Exhibit at the Bowers Museum.
March featured an in person presentation of the Naturescape Project which is focused on future development of open space areas at UCI. Included in the discussion will be the future of Aldrich Park, the development of North Campus, the ecological preserve, and bridges and trails to connect them all.
A new activity of lawn bowling will begin in March. This activity is being organized by a retiree and offered to interested members.