A committee was appointed by President Knapp in 1990 to study the feasibility of involvement of and assistance to UGA faculty and staff members after they retire. The committee was co-chaired by Drs. Joe Hammock and Howard Ansel. Claude McBride also became active from the beginning, and he continues to encourage activities of retirees through UGARA as he works with alumni activities of UGA.
According to Dr. Knapp, the feasibility committee realized very soon that our university was one of the first in the country, second only to North Carolina State in "recognizing retirees as an asset who continue to serve and should also continue to be served." (And we think, one of very few that included both faculty and staff from the start.) Currently UGARA membership is about 65% faculty and 35% staff, with both groups represented on the Council.
Leonard Cobb mentioned the financial struggles of the early years. After the President's Office began to host welcoming receptions for new retirees, (now held biannually), the UGA Alumni Association became involved as an active partner. Then as some retiree trips made a profit, UGARA entered firm financial ground. Today, with more than 500 active members, the Alumni Association provides meeting space and vital support services to the UGARA Council at Wray-Nicholson House. Chair Helen Mills said "UGARA grows ever stronger as its partnership with the Alumni Association grows." In return, UGARA members volunteer their services at alumni functions, at the House itself, and through welcome visits to new faculty members and to alumni in hospitals or health care facilities. Helen Mills also noted that "no matter where you go, UGA alumni and retirees are ready to give their time for UGARA."
Activities sponsored by UGARA range from vital question/answer sessions each year for retirees in partnership with Human Reseources Employee Benefits group to sponsorships of UGA author presentations and popular travel ventures, as many as four a year, that are both social and informative. Retirees enjoy interacting with one another and they remain a vital part of supporting and achieving the goals of the university.
Chairs recalled especially memorable activities including early long trips to Natchez, Lake Junaluska, Highlands Theatre, Lexington, and Louisville. A very special trip was a 10-van caravan to Savannah, where Tom Nash and his wife Debbie had arranged to have a local Garden Club member join each van to host exclusive visits to historic homes and gardens. Recent trips have ranged from those to the theatre in Marietta for plays authored by a UGA alumnus to local tours around campus to view new buildings and even Whitehall Forest. UGARA has hosted activities as diverse as computer skills training and tours of Vince Dooley's Garden, and last year began a very active web page that keeps retirees informed in many ways with a click of a button.
UGARA recently adopted a new logo, "Keeping informed . . . Staying Involved," which clearly states its role in the University. At the close of the luncheon President Knapp said to the chairs, "Thank you for your role. UGARA is successful today because it was a natural for the university and because of the hard work of every chair."