November 11, 2025
South West Florida UAW Retiree Council Meeting
Happy Fall!
 
We hope everyone is enjoying our wonderful fall here in SW Florida.  So far, we have been spared of any hurricanes this season, which is good for us! Our monthly meetings resumed in September, and our next meeting is Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at 11:00 am. 

Due to issues with our email system and circumstances beyond our control,  we lost over 450 email addresses this past summer.  As mentioned in our Quarterly Newsletter, we are asking everyone to send us an email with the following information to our email:  swfluaw@gmail.com, so that we can update our new database:  Name, address, city, state, zip code, email address, phone number and let us know if you are the retired worker, associate of the worker, or both.  Cindy will be working diligently over the next few weeks to update the database.  Some of you may or may not receive this message.  That's okay.  We will have you fill out a form at the next meeting so that she can continue to update the database with your information in order to keep you informed as to what is going on at future monthly meetings.

We will have The Trust, a new representative from Optum RX, Tru-Hearing, and Davis Vision at the meeting to answer any of your questions regarding your bills.  YOU MUST BRING YOUR PAPER BILL(S) WITH YOU!  They cannot assist you without them.  

We will be honoring Veteran's at the meeting.  Dave Ramos will play Taps.

We will again, this year, be donating UNWRAPPED toys and clothing as gifts to the children of The Partnership of Schools - through the United Way, for Christmas.  If you prefer to donate a monetary gift, please make checks payable to The United Way.  And, as always, please bring your donation of canned goods or monetary donation, for the Harry Chapin Food Bank.

As a reminder, the office was permanently closed on July 31, 2025.  We will no longer have an office for you to come into and speak with us.  Joe Bigelow, Chairman and Jim Getts, Financial Secretary will be taking your calls temporarily on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.  Their cell phone numbers are as follows:  Joe Bigelow (Wednesdays) - 978-413-4888; Jim Getts (Thursdays) - 239-318-4892. f you leave a message, please make sure to leave us your name and telephone number so that we can return your call.  This is very important. If we cannot answer your questions, here are two more people you can call.  They are with the International Retiree Department in Detroit, MI.  Here are their phone numbers:  Lisa Rink, Assistant Director, Retirees Department:  313-926-5099 OR Becky Bridgewater, Lisa's Assistant, Retirees Department:  248-302-1253.

Jim will be talking again about the Christmas party.  The cost is $10 per person and is restricted only to the retired worker and/or their associate.  Due to a situation that arose at last years party, where we had to turn away members, it is imperative that we ONLY have the retirees and/or their associates (or significant other) at the party.  We have a limit of 80 tickets.  TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR!  The cut-off date is November 11, 2025.  So, please purchase your tickets by the November 11th date!  NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER THAT DATE!

We look forward to seeing everyone at the November 11, 2025, meeting at 11:00 am!

In Solidarity,

Joe Bigelow, Chair
Joe Stefanov, Vice Chair
Cindy Stachowski, Recording Secretary
Jim Getts, Financial Secretary
Mike Stachowski, Sargent-At-Arms
Jeff Brobst, Trustee
Robert Hilliard, Trustee
Andy Medar, Trustee
Tom Burdick, Trustee
Diana Getts, Guide