Greet the Troops at DFW

Every day, more than 100 soldiers pass through DFW Airport on their way home for two weeks of well-deserved rest and recuperation (R&R).  TIAA is proud to honor these members of the armed forces as they return home from their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.  One flight of returning soldiers lands at DFW every day and the warm welcome provided by volunteer greeters begins the troops’ visit on a high note.

TIAA plans to send volunteers quarterly throughout the year.  Our next Greet the Troops is planned for Tuesday, March 17.  The troops are currently arriving about 11 a.m.  Our bus will leave the Texins Association parking lot at 10 a.m.  After greeting the troops, we will stop for lunch at your expense at a location to be determined.  We should arrive back at Texins about 2 p.m.

TI is supplying the bus, so there is no cost other than your lunch.  However, please contact Jessica Stewart at 214-567-8444 to let us know you are coming.  If the arrival time of the plane changes, we will notify you as soon as possible.  If you have a maroon TIAA T shirt, please wear it.  Please join us in greeting the arriving troops at the airport and continuing this proud tradition of supporting the U.S. Armed Forces.

Tech Smart Big Heart Sponsors Alzheimer’s Discussion

Every 71 seconds, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease.  TI and the Alzheimer’s Association, a United Way agency, are teaming up to provide employees and retirees an educational overview of Alzheimer’s disease.  Bryant Martin, director of Development and Communications for the Alzheimer’s Association, will answer questions and dispel some of the myths associated with Alzheimer’s and related diseases.

The discussion will provide information on educational opportunities, new research and ways to get involved.  Join this Tech Smart Big Heart brown bag lunch at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, in the South Campus (Forest Lane) Conference Rooms 3 and 4 (near the cafeteria).  Bring your lunch and meet in the South Lobby in time to get visitor badges and be escorted to the meeting at 11:20 a.m.  To register, email Gail Chandler at g-chandler1@ti.com or call 214-480-6808.

Fossil Rim Wildlife Park

Come join us in visiting Fossil Rim in Glen Rose on Wednesday, April 15, where you can see animals living in their near-natural environment.  Located an hour and 20 minutes away, the 1700 acres of open space lets us interact with deer, rhinos, giraffes and other wildlife.  We will ride the TI bus through the 9 ½ mile tour viewing savannah-like pastures, forested areas and hillsides for the animals to roam.  If we are in luck, we might see an Aoudad or Sable approaching one of the watering holes.  There will be several stops for photo opportunities.  After the approximately 2-hour tour, we will stop for lunch at Anderson on the Square in Glen Rose at your own cost.  The bus will leave the Texins parking lot at 9:30 a.m. and we should return about 3:30 p.m.  Cost is $27 for members and $30 for nonmembers.  Contact Jessica Stewart by April 8 at 214-567-8444 to register.

Volunteer Opportunity

Unfortunately, there have been two resignations from the current Texins Association Board.  If you are interested in serving and representing TIAA on the board, please contact Ed Hassler at 214-231-3017.  The bylaws do not allow anyone to simultaneously be a member of the Texins Board and an officer of a club, such as TIAA.  The board meets on the second Wednesday of the first month of each quarter starting at 11 a.m. and ending by 1 p.m.  The next Texins Board meeting is April 8, 2009, and the top item on the agenda is insurance renewal.  The rest of the agenda will be finances and other items that Board members or a Club president places on the agenda.

TIAA Website Index

Did you know that the TIAA website www.tialumni.org provides an index for finding information?  In the gray box in the upper right corner, click “Website Index”.  The index pulls all the website topics to the surface eliminating the need for you to dig for information.  The index has topics listed both alphabetically and categorically.  For example, if you want to find a health care provider, you would not only find the topic alphabetically but also under both “Benefits” and “Health”.  You can’t miss it!  There is a wealth of useful information on the TIAA website and the index enables you to find it quickly and easily.

Check the TI Alumni online calendar for additional events