Retiring from Iowa State does not mean leaving the community.

The ISU Retirees Association became a program of the ISU Alumni Association in 2006 and the office is located at the ISU Alumni Center.

The association began as the Office of Retirement Services in September 1975 and Dr. Helen LeBaron Hilton was appointed as retirement counselor. In 1982, Iowa State University Retirees Committee became an official committee. The program receives annual financial support from the university.

Everybody who works at and retires from Iowa State is automatically a member of the association. There are no fees.

“Spouses are encouraged to join the activities,” said Jerilyn Logue, the ISU Retirees program manager. “If the retiree is single, they are invited to bring a friend. We have six programs each year from September to April, except for November and December.”

The association holds two social events each year. A fall lunch is held in November and a spring picnic is held in May. There is a minimal fee per person for these events and prices vary depending on the venue.

“At this year’s spring picnic, there will be a magician-comedian,” Logue said. “We have different activities each year. In 2013, we started the ‘Rock on in Retirement Symposium’ and last November was our second one. The symposium is a half-day event and free to the public.”

Logue said she enjoys her work with the ISU Retirees Association.

“We did a group trivia for a holiday lunch a couple of years ago and a retiree came up after the activity and told me that she was glad that she had decided to come. That’s what I want to hear from people — that they had a great time.”

Logue receives a list every month of new retirees. The current chair of the ISU Retirees Association will send them a letter to introduce the programs the association offers.

“We have just started something new this fall,” Logue said. “We are offering all of the six programs online using Adobe Connect Pro, so that folks who live in Washington or Florida can watch live or request a link to a recording. We want all ISU retirees to be able to participate”.

Another big event that the association arranges is the Memorial Day Ceremony. The last ceremony was coordinated on Memorial Day to remember the lives of retired employees and their spouses who have died.

“For many of us who are long term employees, this association is our extended family,” said Michael Meetz, chairman of the ISU Retirees Association. “A number of us would like to keep those connections with Iowa State University.”

Clyde K. Walter, the vice-chairman of the ISU Retirees Association, said the association is focused on issue important to retirees.

“Retirees tend to be an older group of people,” Walter said. “They are concerned about health and health benefits. Things like health insurance and retirement saving plans. They are also concerned about independence and some social contact with the university.”

Walter who chairs the program committee said, “The program is generally a speaker. The ones that I like are [saying] something about the university. We had a program about the of Iowa State Fair two weeks ago, that interested me and I go every year.”The ISU Retirees Association receives sponsorship support from Green Hill Retirement Community Life Choices at Bethany and Northcrest Retirement Community.

The next program is other events and information about the ISU Retirees Association can be found at www.isualum.org/retirees.