Retire to your Passions

Retiring to Our Passions 

Just one day before finalizing this edition of SOAR Chapter Connection, I came across an article that, in its title, perfectly summarized what I wanted to write about in this column.   The article – titled “Don’t call it retirement. Call it 'transitioning to a new chapter’” – discussed how changing the way we think about our “post-work” years can have a direct impact on our physical and mental wellbeing.  

As suggested in the article, we should think about our “post-work” years not as retirement, but as a transition where we can “retire to our passions rather than just from our previous jobs or careers.” 

In addition to being an opportunity for USW members to continue our involvement in our great union, SOAR is a chance for each of us to improve our mental and physical health through community service, engaging with others, and educating our friends and families about issues that are important to us as retirees.  

On a number of occasions, we’ve highlighted the “Protect Retirement Security” postcard campaign, which has been the focus of SOAR and Rapid Response activists; resulting to date in the delivery of more than 20,000 postcards to legislators urging them to protect retiree security.  Additionally, SOAR activists traveled to Columbus, Ohio, on July 12, to urge Congressional action to protect millions of active and retired workers covered by multiemployer pensions facing insolvency over the next ten years.  

We know that our SOAR chapters will be actively involved in planning and coordinating activities over Labor Day weekend; I implore you all to contact your USW district office to get plugged into our union’s political program and election activities.  Or, reach out to your state’s AFL CIO or Alliance for Retired Americans to get involved in voter registration drives and voter outreach in support of union-endorsed candidates this fall.  For more information, visit www.aflcio.org or www.retiredamericans.org 

These activities, and more are ways SOAR members are “transitioning to a new chapter” by  following our passions to stay connected to the union - as we continue the fight to protect and enhance the quality of life of retirees and working families.

Julie Stein, SOAR Director