A Welcome from our president

Hello, new UCLA retirees! The UCLA Retirees Association (UCLARA) welcomes you and hopes that you will join our organization with your friends and coworkers. We invite you to to participate in our programs and events…some on line and some in person. You won’t be sorry!

Many of us looked ahead to the year we would be able to retire…and it seemed that suddenly the day came. Were we prepared? Did we plan to retire to “something” that had a purpose, was satisfying, gave us an opportunity to make a difference…and have fun? Did we have a bucket list and are now able to make choices not based on work schedules?

I have been retired for fifteen years now…time that has enabled me to seize opportunities and experiences afforded with more time to spend with grandchildren, travel, staying connected to UCLA, and become more engaged in the community.  I am sure you are looking forward to that and more, too. 

I wanted to share with you an amazing experiences I had this summer…a spur of the moment trip to Krakow, Poland. This trip was not a vacation. I was invited to join an alumnus of the Anderson School at UCLA, Edward Shapiro, and representatives from major organizations supporting the refugee crises around the world. As guests of the JCC of Krakow, we were able to to meet and greet refugees from the Ukraine and to see firsthand the efforts the Polish people were making to help those who had to flee their homes on “a moment’s notice.” The people of Poland were warm, welcoming, and engaging. The staff of the JCC are undertaking such a monumental task and were eager to introduce us to many Ukrainians to hear their heartbreaking yet heartwarming stories. The spirit was contagious. So much energy and commitment. 

As retirees, we all hope that we now have time to experience many unexpected possibilities. So, let’s begin with you joining in the many programs and events the UCLARA program committee has planned. Are you interested in traveling?  Dolores Dyer is the UCLARA Travel Chairperson. In conjunction with Collette Travel, she has organized many worldwide (and nationwide, too) trips in 2022, 2023, and into 2024.  Want to become involved with future planning for UCLARA?  Committees are always interested in having new members.  

Please check out the rest of the UCLARA website for more information. We are here for you!

Elaine Fox, President