Opportunity Drawing … Sharon and Paul Levine

MOD Pizza in Campbell $25 Gift Card

(Thanks to Angie Jaggars)

Blue Sky Restaurant in Campbell $10 Gift Card

(Thanks to Nancy Tepperman)

Campbell Express

(Thanks to Stephon Hansen)

Good Luck

June Opportunity Drawing Winners:

Armadillo Willy’s $40 gift card winner was Som Flowerdew

MOD Pizza’s $25 gift card winner was Jeanne Ulrich

Blue Sky Restaurant’s $10 gift card winner was Margaret Schiek

Legislative News … Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

It looks as if President Trump wants to revamp or overthrow Obamacare again. He mentioned mid-June that he would unveil a new healthcare plan this month that would be “something terrific”. According to Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), “The American people already know exactly what the President’s health care plans mean in their lives: higher costs, worse coverage and the end of lifesaving protections for people with pre-existing conditions.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) mentioned that “we’re looking forward to seeing what he’s going to recommend.” We’re thinking a wait-and-see attitude is best……

On the State front: Since AB 824 is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee sometime in early July, Chapter members should contact Senator Bill Monning the first week in July at the earliest and let him know what we want. AB 824 is a model bill and California is leading the nation to stop pay-to- delay practices that enable brand-name drug companies to maintain high prices by delaying the sale of lower-cost generics. Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world. In 2006, the annual cost of brand name drugs was $1,868; in 2017, it went up to $6,798 (an increase of over 360%). Drug prices continue to skyrocket while seniors struggle to afford Medicare and more than 2/3 of seniors have two or more concurrent chronic illnesses. The average beneficiary has a medium annual income of just $26,000; many older Californians must choose between prescriptions and buying groceries. Please ask our Senators to vote YES on AB 824.

AB 1366 – Please contact Senator Beall or Monning and ask them to OPPOSE this harmful bill. Internet companies that provide Voice-Over-Internet telephone service should be required to offer the SAME consumer protections that traditional landline telephone services must offer. VOIP companies are trying to AVOID oversight by the California Public Utilities Commission. That means that millions of Californians, many of them over 50, would have unregulated phone and internet service, which means higher rates for the people who can least afford it. Ask our Senators to please vote NO on AB 1366.

Please contact your state Assembly member (Pan, Kaira) to ask for their support of SB 512 (Long-Term Supports & Services). If you live in Assembly member Kalra’s district, call him to thank him for his leadership on this issue. AARP is a member of the California Aging & Disability Alliance, which is sponsoring SB 512. Research has shown that LTSS costs more than most Californians can afford. This bill will address this issue. Toward that end, AARP is hoping we can share a personal caregiving story – time, expenses, sacrifices, etc., with the Assembly members in hopes of garnering their support for this bill.

Community Service … Leona Fails

Sip, Sample & Serve: San Jose, CA

Learn about volunteer opportunities with AARP in the Bay Area!

When: Thursday, July 11, 2019 – 5:00 – 7:00 PM
Where: San Jose Fire Museum, 201 N. Market Street, San Jose, CA 95110

Are you interested in making a difference in your community? Join us for our Sip, Sample and Serve Happy Hour. Learn about the array of volunteer opportunities with AARP, while meeting new people and enjoying an afternoon of hors-d’oeuvres, wine, music, and more!

Volunteer opportunities with AARP include supporting events and office work, advocating on important issues that impact older adults, and leading educational community workshops (training is provided).

Registration is required. Please RSVP no later than Monday, July 8th. Web registration only at: https://local.aarp.org/aarp-event/sip-sample-serve-san-jose-ca-71119-tyn9q3wzlxl.html

Parking is not available on site, but will be validated at the San Pedro Market Street Garage located at 45 N. Market in downtown San Jose.

Pack-A-Back Drive … Marilyn Clough

It’s time once again to start collecting school supplies for Sacred Heart Community Service’s Pack-A-Back drive. These packs are distributed in August, so we have the next two meetings in which to collect our contributions. All general supplies are needed, from elementary school level up to high school, including backpacks themselves (avoid red and blue, so keep this in mind as you shop). Money is also welcome. Getting our local children off to a good start in the upcoming school year is a very worthy community service project for our chapter.

President … Ken Schieck

Let us prayerfully reflect on June 6, the 75th anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of Normandy. That bloody Allied invasion was the beginning of the end for Hitler and his war machine. All of us probably have relatives or friends who served that day, some of whom may not have returned. The world is a better place because of the sacrifices of ‘The Greatest Generation.’

June 14 is Flag Day;; if you have a flag, please fly it.

Celebrate ‘Senior Safari Walk’ on Thursday, June 27, at Happy Hollow in Kelly Park near Keyes and Senter in San Jose;; the park opens at 8:30, and the entry is free before 10 AM. Breakfast items can be purchased inside. This is the second of three or four of these ‘walks.’

The AARP regional and national phone conversations I have participated in the last two months have centered around prescription drug prices. For more information, please go to aarp.org/rx. I participated in one on Thursday, May 30, and this one was centered on the acronym VMF- Veterans, Military, and Families. Did you know that 4 million veterans belong to AARP nationwide? A few months ago, Antoine Cook, Associate State Director for AARP and our speaker in January, asked me to join a committee to study more effective ways that AARP, at the State and Chapter level, can assist veterans, active military and their families. One area that national AARP is working on is fraud;; veterans are twice as likely than the general population to be targeted for scams. I am certainly going to give this serious consideration and would welcome any ideas that you might have. For more information, go to aarp.org/veterans.

Remember that our chapter is urgently seeking a Vice-President

Program … Paddy Wray

Our speaker for June is Jennifer Schachner, Program and Operations Director for the Timpany Center in San Jose, which offers a wide range of therapeutic and fitness programs at reasonable rates to the local community (including numerous aquatic classes). Come and hear about all the programs offered at the Timpany Center.

Nominations … Jan Delucchi

To the members of our Chapter: we are asking you to volunteer for some very important positions to keep our Chapter running. It is up to YOU now. PLEASE call me at 408-379-7587, or email me at gmomjan1@sbcglobal.net, or see me at the next Chapter meeting to see how you can help. We have been a Chapter for over 20 years because our members volunteered when needed.