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June 15, 2016
 
In This Issue:

Register Now for Financial Consultations in Rock County
MEA President's Courage Helps Families Talk about Eating Disorders
Upcoming Events
Talking Helps

We Americans have become far too accustomed to mass murder. That does not make the tragedy in Orlando on Saturday night any less horrifying or easier to comprehend.
 
It goes without saying that our country has a long way to go. We have to find better ways of responding to gun violence, mental illness, terrorism, and bigotry. One way or another, the way to do this is through communication, and the best hope for the future rests with today's young people. If these tragedies become less frequent and better understood it will be because our students have become better at asking and answering the right questions than we are and our parents were.
 
Because I am a teacher, I began processing Orlando's unspeakable events on Sunday morning by thinking about how I would talk about them with my students on Monday. Then I remembered that school is out and I would not be with students on Monday. Then I worried about whether the students most in need of someone to talk to would have someone. I sure hope so.
 
Then I thought about Milton Education Association President Michael Dorn. Michael's daughter Maria took her own life in the midst of her battle with an eating disorder. Michael and his wife Alita are courageous individuals who believe in helping people more than they care about protecting themselves. They have gone public with their family's story because they think talking openly about their struggles could help other families.
 
This commitment to advocacy over self-interest is what makes Michael a great union leader. I am proud to know him, and we are lucky to have him in our union and our profession. I urge you to read more about Michael and his family in this newsletter and through the links to articles in the Janesville Gazette and WEAC.org.
 
I invite you to join all of the conversations we are participating in and trying to initiate at WEAC Region 6. Of all the things the union does, creating and sustaining dialogues is almost certainly the most important. You can start talking today by reaching out to your local leaders or contacting the Region 6 office. You can email me at region6.weac.wi@gmail.com or call the office at 1-800-397-2287. We are here now and we are not going anywhere. You don't have to wait until the start of the next school year to tell us what is on your mind and ask how the union can help.
 
In Solidarity,

Mark Lindsey
President of WEAC Region 6
Register Now for a Member Benefits Financial Consultation in Beloit or Janesville

WEA Member Benefits is scheduling free individual financial consultations for WEAC members on June 23 and June 28 in Beloit and Janesville, respectively.
 
Sign up now for a free 30-minute consultation with a certified financial planner who can answer questions about a wide range of financial topics, including:
  • Reasons to start a 403(b) or IRA savings account and how to enroll
  • Wisconsin Retirement System basics (Bring your WRS statement)
  • Retirement Savings strategies; Pre-tax vs. Roth, 403(b) vs. IRA
  • Investment/Account Fees
  • Budgeting
  • Tips for purchasing personal insurance
WEA Member Benefits worksite benefit consultants do not work for a commission. Their only goal is to help members improve their financial situations.
 
The Thursday, June 23, sessions in Beloit will be held in Room 203 at the Kolak Center Building, 1633 Keeler Avenue, Beloit.
 
The Tuesday, June 28, Janesville sessions will be held at the Region 6 Janesville office, 1215 Suffolk Drive, Janesville.
Milton EA President Honors Late Daughter by Breaking Silence over Eating Disorders



Milton Education Association President Michael Dorn and his wife Alita have courageously gone public with the story of how their daughter Maria suffered from an eating disorder so severe that she took her own life.
 
While most families in the wake of tragedy choose privacy over advocacy, the Dorns have been the subject of recent feature articles in the Janesville Gazette and WEAC.org to help parents and families watch for signs of eating disorders, and talk openly with children about the disease and treatment.
 
"This disease thrives in secrecy, and it withers when there's openness," Michael Dorn told the Gazette. "Tell someone. Get help."

Upcoming Events

WEA Member Benefits Free Financial Consultations, Beloit

June 23, 2016

WEA Member Benefits Free Financial Consultations, Janesville
June 28, 2016

NEA Representative Assembly, Washington, D.C.
July 2-7, 2016

WEAC Summer Leadership Academy, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
August 7-10, 2016