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The original history was
done in 1995 by Rae Smith and Virgina Smith and reads as follows: " The Van Wert County Chapter of the Retired
Teachers Association was organized on November 12, 1968. Nineteen retired teachers met at "Yours and Mine Restaurant"
for lunch. Mr. O. J. Fredrick, President of Hancock County Chapter R.T.A. aided in the organization. Officers
and chairmen of committees were chosen. Robert B. Jones was elected the first president. The Van Wert County Chapter
decided to meet twice annually with one meeting in the spring and one in the fall. Dues were set at one dollar per year.
The purposes of the Van Wert Chapter were to inform members of new legislation and to meet socially. On May 17, 1970,
the Van Wert Chapter adopted a new constitution and by-laws.
Twenty-seven years later the Chapter
has 65 members, holds four meetings per year, and yearly dues are $5.00 with state dues ten dollars. There has been
a variety of programs presented at chapter meetings including informative, entertainment, fellowship, and cultural programs.
Emphasis of the chapter has been to maintain and improve the social, educational, economical, and recreational welfare of
retired teachers in the local community, state, and nation.
The local chapter of retired
educators volunteer many hours of service to community projects including tutoring in the schools, reading to nursing home
patients, American Red Cross, American Cancer Society, Van Wert Civic Theater, Van Wert County Hospital, Brumback Library,
and delivering meals to the shut-ins and many others. In October each year a memorial service is held to remember those
who have died during the year.
The Van Wert Chapter of Retired Teachers has been able
to grow in numbers and be recognized in the county due to dedicated officers and committee members."
In this, the 42nd year of existence, the chapter has an average meeting attendance
of 35 members and guests from a membership of nearly 70. The local dues have increased to $10 per year and
the ORTA dues to $20, but much of the rest of the history is still the norm for the current group. Volunteering
still continues at the majority of the sites listed in the original history, but with the building of the Niswonger Performing
Arts Center of Northwest Ohio, many opportunites to volunteer are available there and many of our members can be seen serving
as ushers, ticket takers, concession stand and box office workers.
In addition
to the individual volunteering the chapter as a whole supports two community projects on a regular basis and these can be
viewed on the community projects page.
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