|
||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
CAMPUS SERVICE NEWS |
EVENTS |
BENEFITS/HEALTH |
||||||||||
PURA Contact Information
|
PURA &
|
PURA’s Health Insurance Plans Renewed for 2022 |
||||||||||
Bill's Bulletin
PURA Monthly Meetings
PURA’s plans to offer in-person option for the monthly meetings beginning in October 2021 has been put on hold for the immediate future, but we still plan to continue providing virtual access via Zoom. The meetings will be broadcast from our studio at the Lafayette VFW on Duncan Road. The program (and Zoom) will begin at 12:30 p.m. ET with the speaker starting at 12:40 p.m. ET.
The following are the monthly programs confirmed for the next five months at the VFW:
October 4, 2021 – Tanya Finkbiner; Topic: Update on the School of Veterinary Medicine Facilities
November 1, 2021 – Scott Ksander; Topic: The return of “Tech Toys for the Holidays” and Other Relevant Technology Updates
December 6, 2021 – PMO/PU Bands; Topic: Holiday Fun Fest
January 3, 2022 – Katy Bunder; Topic: Lafayette Food Finders Food Bank
February 7, 2022 – PRF Office of Tech; Topic: Update on Purdue University’s Patents and Copyrights
Annual Retiree Flu Shots and Wellness Screenings
The retiree flu shot and wellness program is planned for the end of October, on Fridays, October 15, 22, and 29. Dates and details are as follows:
October 15 and 22 will be from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. ET.
October 29 will be from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. Note the change in starting time on this date!
Wellness screenings will also be available on these dates.
All flu shots and wellness screenings will be given in Room 1200A at the Purdue 2550 building (formerly the State Farm Insurance building at 2550 Northwestern Ave). Access the building via Kent Avenue. Park in the North parking lot, and enter on the North side of the building, adjacent to the parking lot.
Face masks are REQUIRED.
We will be providing FluZone High-dose Quadrivalent flu shots specifically recommended for adults 65+. It is formulated to contain four times the standard dose. Fluzone High-dose Quadrivalent contains four strains of influenza virus for the 2021-2022 flu season and is indicated for the prevention of influenza disease caused by the Influenza A and Influenza B strains contained in the vaccine. If you have any questions or need any information, please contact David Norris at david@customplusrx.com or 765-463-2600.
Wellness Screenings: Every Purdue retiree and spouse is entitled to have one free wellness screening each year. A wellness screening includes a blood pressure check, pulse, O2 saturation and a finger stick for glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and total risk calculation. These are conducted by RNs getting their Nurse Practitioner degrees and 4th year students. We recommend a 6-hour fast but also have non-fasting values.
Come support the nursing students and get your screening. If you have any questions or need any information, contact Chris Rearick at crearick@purdue.edu or 765-496-0308.
William Bennett, President PURA
Find the Latest News on PURA’s Website
PURA 2021 Annual Kickoff Meeting
PURA’s Annual Fall Kickoff meeting was, once again, held virtually on September 9, 2021. William Bennett, PURA President, served as Master of Ceremonies. Purdue’s Hall of Music Productions facilitated the production.
Our featured speaker, Dr. Jay Akridge, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diversity, presented the topic ‘Next Moves for Purdue University’. “Next Moves” will be concentrating on Plant Sciences 2.0, National Security and Technology Initiative, Purdue Applied Research Institute, Transformative Education 2.0, maximizing student potential and the Purdue Equity Task Force.
The Betty M. Nelson Special Recognition Award was presented at the meeting. This award is available to be presented annually to recognize persons or entities that have greatly improved the lives of Purdue retirees or made outstanding contributions to PURA. With input from the Executive Board, the PURA President, Vice President and Past President select the recipient of this award.
Jerry Day, PURA Vice President, announced Larry Pherson as the 2021 recipient of the Betty M. Nelson award. Larry has served on the PURA Benefits Committee for over 9 years and has served as chair of that committee since 2018-2019. During his service, Larry has led the committee to provide PURA members with the most cost-effective and sound benefits coverage. Health insurance is of vital importance to all PURA members. Thank you, Larry, for your service and attention to detail as a member and chair of the PURA Benefits Committee.
The Kickoff meeting was recorded and the video can be viewed in its entirety via the following link.
In Memoriam: Dr. Frederick Ross Ford – 1936-2021
With sadness, PURA shares that our long-time member and supporter, Dr. Frederick R. Ford, 85, passed away on September 3, 2021.
He was a loyal Boilermaker, earning three degrees from Purdue: a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree and doctorate in industrial management, and an honorary doctorate in 1998. During his almost 40 years with Purdue, he served three presidents and as Executive Vice President and Treasurer was responsible for all business and financial affairs of the university. Ford was awarded the highest honor of the National Association of College and University Business Officers for Purdue’s innovative management practices and systems. He was a national-level trustee for the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association for many years.
His civic activities included membership in the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, and he was on the board, cabinets or committees for United Way of Greater Lafayette, St. Elizabeth Hospital Medical Center, Central Presbyterian Church, Delta Upsilon Interfraternity, the YMCA Building Fund and the Westminster Foundation.
Upon his retirement in 1998, J. Timothy McGinley, chair of the Board of Trustees, said: “…Ford’s dedication to Purdue and his financial acumen are unmatched. His leadership has made this university one of the best-managed institutions in the world.”
He brought that same dedication to the Purdue University Retirees Association Benefits and Scholarship committees. He served with distinction on both and will be missed.
Purdue’s United Way Campaign Kicks Off
As announced recently in Purdue Today, Purdue’s West Lafayette campus 2021 United Way campaign has kicked off, announced by Vice Provost for Engagement, Steve Abel. The goal is to raise $725,000 for local agencies, and the campaign runs through November 17.
“United Way agencies help individuals and families within our community with the challenges they face every single day,” Abel said. “Together, we can help make life a little easier for the people in our community. As Boilermakers, we know how important it is to come together as a community to help those around us.”
According to Purdue Today, the Purdue United Way Campaign partnered with Aramark to hold a dining campaign this year; patrons had the opportunity to donate $1 to the campaign at all retail dining locations across campus. Additionally, a campus-wide silent online auction will be held Oct. 4-29, and Purdue Student Life will again turn its annual History of Horror event into a virtual tour, which will be held Oct. 28-30. (Details on the virtual tour will come later.)
The ePledge online pledge system continues this year. Donors can make an unrestricted gift to the United Way of Greater Lafayette or can choose a specific UWGL agency for their donations. Gifts can be made through payroll deduction or as a one-time donation. For credit card transactions, the United Way of Greater Lafayette contracts with CyberSource, a trusted name in e-commerce meeting industry security standards.
A link to donate and more information about the Purdue United Way Campaign can be found on the Purdue United Way website. Questions about the campaign can be directed to Megan Eberly, director of Purdue United Way, at unitedway@purdue.edu.
For Purdue retirees in the Greater Lafayette area, make sure to note that your payment should be credited to the PURA goal. Alternatively, you may send a personal note to the United Way Campaign office with a check, 1114 East State Street, Lafayette, IN 47905-1219. This is especially important if you are contributing from an IRA or other third-party source.
We encourage everyone to support your community’s annual United Way campaign. If you live outside the Lafayette area, check your local United Way website to learn about this year’s campaign and find out how to participate in this important community-building program.
(Thanks to University News Service and Purdue Today for permission to excerpt from their article.)
Zoom Connection Information for PURA Meetings
The Zoom connection information for PURA monthly meetings is shown below. The link, Meeting ID, and password will be the SAME for all normal monthly meetings.
Members who wish to join via phone call audio only will need the separate Passcode shown below. (The password/passcode for that method is different from the normal “computer connection” to Zoom.)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/97285398989?pwd=MlB4U0FudEplMFRoWm1GTkZzNmYrZz09
Meeting ID: 972 8539 8989
Passcode: BoilerUp
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,97285398989#,,,,,,0#,,41051096# US (Chicago)
+19292056099,,97285398989#,,,,,,0#,,41051096# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 972 8539 8989
Passcode: 41051096
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acvQQKVcnE
PURA Tech Bytes
By Scott Ksander
More Ways to Read the PURA Newsletter
The new format for the PURA Newsletter email provides additional ways for you to read and enjoy the Newsletter. The objectives of the changes were to create more options for reading the newsletter and provide ADA compliant facilities for accessing the PURA News.
When the Newsletter arrives, you can always read it with your email reader. There are many different email readers, but some present the Newsletter in a format that is hard to read.
There are alternative ways to read the PURA News, especially if you don’t like the way it’s displayed in your email reader:
- Read via your Web Browser – this option provides clickable links for specific stories and for URL references within the article. This format provides easily adjustable text size and also supports the many utilities that provide additional ADA compatibility.
- View the Adobe PDF version – this option provides page number, a true Table of Contents, and is easily printable.
To open the newsletter in a Web browser (such as Chrome or Safari), look at the top of the Newsletter, above the“PURA News” heading. The following link will appear that will open the Newsletter in your browser.
Most browsers provide simple controls to enlarge the web page. Press the “Ctrl” key and the “+” key at the same time in the browser window to enlarge the image. “Ctrl” and the “-” key will reduce the size of the image.
You can also control the image size with a Chrome setting (similar settings are available for all browsers)
To read the PDF, or for those of you who enjoy printing and reading the Newsletter, there is a link at the very end of the newsletter that can access the Newsletter in Adobe PDF format.
In the Adobe PDF reader, you can easily print the Newsletter and enlarge it there if you wish to print in a larger font.
Road Trip! Indiana's Swiss Towne - Berne
By Karen Lembcke
Willkommen to Berne, Indiana. Berne is a charming Swiss community located on the eastern side of the state, approximately 10 miles from Ohio, and about 45 miles south of Fort Wayne. Berne was founded by Swiss Mennonite immigrants in 1852, and is named after Bern, Switzerland; the location from which their founding settlers left to find religious freedom in America.
Some important facts about Berne include:
- It is the furniture capital of Indiana featuring Bernhaus Furniture, Clauser Furniture, Habegger Furniture and Yager Furniture, Karen’s Treasures and Smith Brothers.
- There are over 20 churches to choose from.
- It is ranked as the fifth of the 20 safest cities in Indiana.
What sparked my interest in Berne was to view the Muensterberg Plaza and Clock Tower. This is a beautiful courtyard plaza in the center of town which features a splash pad for children that operates between Memorial Day and Labor Day. You can stroll along this town square which features beautiful flowers, a restroom facility, picnic tables, three quilt garden displays along with a canton tree--the only one in the United States. (The Muensterberg Plaza is located at the corner of U.S. 27 and State Road 218.)
The Tower was built in 2010. It stands 160 feet tall from the base to the top of the finial. It is 32 feet wide at its base and weighs approximately 1,216 tons. The tower contains a glockenspiel which contains 12 figures, each approximately 5.5 feet tall. The tower’s carillon is capable of playing over 1,000 songs. The glockenspiel plays at 9am, noon, 3pm and 6pm. However, when I visited, the glockenspiel was under repair. Needless to say, I was truly disappointed. But you can watch and listen to the Berne glockenspiel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmZZrVjmzAI
On the Plaza is a bear statue which is made of bronze and weighs over 1,200 lbs. The bear has been the heraldic symbol of Bern, Switzerland since at least the 1220’s. In Berne, Indiana, the bear is represented on the city flag and coat of arms, and was the mascot for Berne High School.
The canton tree is composed of a wooden post with the crest of each of the Swiss Cantons (states) plus a crest for the United States, Switzerland, Indiana, Canton Bern, Berne, Indiana, and Trachselwald (their sister city). There are 64 crests with 32 on each side. Only one other known canton tree is in the world, and that is located in London, England, which was a gift to England from Switzerland in 1991.
Across the street from the plaza is one of the largest Mennonite churches in the United States. You are able to visit this church with advance notification by contacting 260-589-3108, to learn more about the Swiss Mennonites who began the church. There is no charge.
True Tales of an Entomologist
By Tom Turpin
Editor’s Note: This is the seventh installment of Tom Turpin’s colorful experiences, which appear in his self-published Memoirs.
Inspiration for Cricket Spitting
Following the establishment of Bug Bowl as an annual event at Purdue University, we were continually seeking new ways to have the audience interact with insects in a fun way. The cricket-spitting contest was first held in 1996, but the idea for such an event surfaced the year before. I was standing near the booth where students were preparing insect dishes for Bug Bowl attendees to taste.
One dish featured sautéed crickets. A fellow standing in the crowd apparently didn’t think eating insects was a good idea and growled, “If I were to put a cricket in my mouth I would spit it from here to that tree!” I immediately thought to myself, “That sounds like a contest.” So, the next year I proposed a cricket spitting contest at Bug Bowl similar to a watermelon seed spitting but using frozen house crickets instead of watermelon seeds.
The contest was born and I ordered 100 crickets to be used for spitting. We drew a chalk circle on the sidewalk, set up four categories for spitters – male and female above and below 14 years of age. In spite of some dire predictions on the part of colleagues that few would participate in such a contest we had plenty of people signing up to spit a cricket. We ran out of crickets.
A couple of weeks later the Dean of Agriculture called me to his office to show me a letter from a mother who was upset that her son did not get the chance to spit a cricket at Bug Bowl because we ran out of crickets. The Dean, an economist, immediately saw the solution to the problem and told me to order more crickets next year!
Notable Historic October Events
1620—September 16. The Mayflower ship departed from England, bound for America with 102 passengers and a small crew. The ship weathered dangerous Atlantic storms and reached Provincetown, Massachusetts on November 21. (The Pilgrims disembarked at Plymouth on December 26.)
1813—October 5. Shawnee Indian Chief Tecumseh was defeated and killed during the War of 1812. Regarded as one of the greatest Native Americans, he was a powerful orator who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. Per Wikipedia, in 1805, Tecumseh's younger brother Tenskwatawa (who came to be known as the Shawnee Prophet), founded a religious movement, calling upon Native Americans to reject European influences and return to a more traditional lifestyle. In 1808, Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa established Prophetstown, a village near present-day Battleground, Indiana, that grew into a large, multi-tribal community. Tecumseh traveled constantly, spreading the Prophet's message and eclipsing his brother in prominence. He proclaimed that Native Americans owned their lands in common, and urged tribes not to cede more territory unless all agreed. His message alarmed American leaders as well as Native leaders who sought accommodation with the United States. In 1811, when Tecumseh was in the south recruiting allies, Americans under William Henry Harrison defeated Tenskwatawa at the Battle of Tippecanoe and destroyed Prophetstown.
1818—October 20. The U.S. and Britain agreed to set the U.S.- Canadian border at the 49th parallel.
1825—October 26. The Erie Canal opened as the first major man-made waterway in America, linking Lake Erie with the Hudson River, bypassing the British-controlled lower St. Lawrence. The canal cost over $7 million and took eight years to complete.
1871—October 8. The Great Fire of Chicago erupted. According to legend, it started when Mrs. O'Leary's cow kicked over a lantern in her barn on DeKoven Street. Over 300 persons were killed and 90,000 were left homeless as the fire leveled 3.5 square miles, destroying 17,450 buildings. Financial losses totaled over $200 million.
1884—October 13. Greenwich was established as the universal time from which standard times throughout the world are calculated.
1908—October 1. Henry Ford's Model T, a "universal car" designed for the masses, went on sale for the first time.
1915—October 21. The first transatlantic radio voice message was made by the American Telephone and Telegraph Company from Virginia to Paris.
1929—October 29. The stock market crashed as over 16 million shares were dumped amid tumbling prices. The Great Depression followed in America, lasting until the outbreak of World War II.
1939—October 11. Albert Einstein warned President Franklin D. Roosevelt that his theories could lead to Nazi Germany's development of an atomic bomb. Einstein suggested the U.S. develop its own bomb. This resulted in the top secret "Manhattan Project."
1957—October 4. The Space Age began as the Russians launched the first satellite into orbit. Sputnik I weighed just 184 lbs. and transmitted a beeping radio signal for 21 days. The remarkable accomplishment by Soviet Russia sent a shockwave through the American political leadership resulting in U.S. efforts to be the first on the moon.
1968—October 2. California's Redwood National Park was established. Redwoods are the tallest of all trees, growing up to 400 feet (120 meters) during a lifetime that can span 2,000 years.
1974—October 3. Frank Robinson was hired by the Cleveland Indians as baseball's first African American major league manager.
October Birthdays
Noah Webster—10/16/1758. lexicographer, textbook pioneer, English-language spelling reformer, political writer, editor, and author. He has been called the "Father of American Scholarship and Education". Webster's name has become synonymous with "dictionary" in the United States, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language.
Juliette Gordon Low—10/31/1860. Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA. Per the Girl Scouts USA web site, a “meeting in 1912 with Sir Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of Boy Scouts, inspired Juliette to establish Girl Scouts that same year. Telephoning a cousin from her home, she announced, ‘I've got something for the girls of Savannah, and all of America, and all the world, and we're going to start it tonight!’ From that first gathering of a small troop of 18 culturally and ethnically diverse girls, Juliette broke the conventions of the time—reaching across class, cultural, and ethnic boundaries to ensure all girls, including those with so-called disabilities, had a place to grow and develop their leadership skills.”
Eleanor Roosevelt—10/11/1884. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was an American political figure, diplomat and activist. She served as the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four terms in office, making her the longest-serving first lady of the United States.
Jonas Salk—10/28/1914. Virologist and medical researcher who developed one of the first successful polio vaccines.
Frederick Remington—10/4/1861. Painter, illustrator, sculptor, and writer who specialized in depictions of the American Old West. His works are known for depicting the Western United States in the last quarter of the 19th century and featuring such images as cowboys, Native Americans, and the US Cavalry.
John Mellencamp—10/7/1951. Singer/songwriter/painter/actor and film director from Seymour, Indiana. Previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp. Known for his catchy, populist brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrumentation.
Other Americans born in October, among many:
—U.S. Presidents John Adams, Rutherford B. Hayes, Chester A. Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhauer, Jimmy Carter
—Musicians Chubby Checker, Dizzy Gillespie, Mahalia Jackson, Don McLean, Brad Paisley, Minnie Pearl, Paul Simon, Snoop Dog, Tanya Tucker, Weird Al Yankovic
—Authors Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park), Anne Tyler (Breathing Lessons); E. E. Cummings (poet); Art Buchwald (humorist)
—Sports figures Mike Ditka, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Marion Jones, Evil Knievel, Mickey Mantle, Chi Chi Rodriguez
—A host of actors and actresses, including: Scott Bakula (NCIS New Orleans); Tom Bosley and Henry Winkler (Happy Days); Johnny Carson (The Tonight Show); Richard Dreyfuss (American Graffiti, Jaws); Dale Evans (The Roy Rogers Show); Carrie Fisher (Star Wars); Annette Funicello (Mickey Mouse Club, beach movies); Rita Hayworth (Gilda); Helen Hayes (Airport); Charlton Heston (Ben-Hur); Kevin Kline (Silverado): Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie); Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future); Groucho Marx (Marx Brothers); Walter Matthau (The Odd Couple); Jerry Orbach (Law and Order); George Peppard (Breakfast at Tiffany’s); Julia Roberts (Pretty Woman); Susan Sarandon (Selma and Louise); Ben Vereen (Pippin, on Broadway, All That Jazz); Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Avatar).
Benefits/Health
Purdue University Retirees Association Health Insurance Plans Renewed for 2022
The Benefits Committee of the Purdue University Retirees Association (PURA) has renewed the PURcare and Medicare Advantage PPO group health insurance plans with UnitedHealthcare (UHC) for 2022. As in the past, the objective was to maintain the best medical and drug insurance plans, at the lowest premium possible, while preserving your ability to see the Medicare provider of your choice.
Your committee is announcing the following monthly premiums for 2022:
PURcare (UHC Senior Supplement plus Part D prescription plan). $280.77/member
UHC Medicare Advantage PPO (including Part D prescription plan). $172.91/member
The 2022 monthly PURcare premium has decreased $0.66 from the 2021 monthly premium.
Historically, the PURcare premium (per member per month) has been:
An additional historical note: The PURcare monthly premium for 2022 is less than the monthly premium for 2010.
For PURcare members with prescription coverage from the Veteran’s Administration, the 2022 supplement-only monthly premium will be $178.30/member, a decrease of $3.64.
The 2022 monthly premium for the Medicare Advantage PPO Plan will be $172.91. This is a decrease of $5.36 (3.0%). There will be no change to Hospital and Medical co-pays or the Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximum.
There have been no significant changes to the benefits provided by either plan for 2022. Silver Sneakers continues to be included in both plans.
The PURA Benefits Committee’s goal for the future is to continue to provide outstanding group health insurance plans while maintaining stability in monthly premiums. PURA members continue to receive outstanding support from Purdue Human Resources. PURA’s plans support a portion of the costs of these staff.
If you are currently enrolled in either of the plans, PURcare or Medicare Advantage PPO, and you do not want to make a change, no action is required. Your coverage will automatically continue for 2022. Re-enrollment is not required!
If you elect to terminate your PURA group coverage for a non-PURA plan, you will not be permitted to rejoin later.
Please contact Kate LaMar with questions about plan details or enrollment at klamar@purdue.edu or (765) 494-1694.
Campus Services News:
PURA Contact Information
To streamline ongoing communications and service from Purdue Human Resources, a new email account has been set up. All PURA-related communications from HR will now come from pura@purdue.edu – which will show up as “PURA Admin” in your email inboxes.
Conact Information for PURA is:
Office of Retiree Affairs
2550 Northwestern Ave., Suite 1100
West Lafayette, IN 47906
Telephone, via Purdue Benefits help line: (toll free) 877-725-0222
Email: pura@purdue.edu
How to Subscribe to Purdue Today
Retirees may signup online to receive Purdue Today emails. Visit this web site: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/purduetoday/subscribe-to-purdue-today.html.
The form asks for first and last name, University affiliation and email address. Once the form is submitted, you will receive an email from Purdue Today (purduetoday@purdue.edu) asking you to confirm the subscription.
Some mail servers may identify Purdue Today as spam and filter the confirmation email — and subsequent Purdue Today emails — into a "junk" or "promotions" folder. To avoid this, add purduetoday@purdue.edu to your email application's contacts list.
Questions about Purdue Today should be directed to Valerie O'Brien at purduetoday@purdue.edu or 765-494-9573.