BCBSM Retirees NewsletterProduced for and by members of the

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Retiree Association

Volume 21, Issue 1 • Winter 2012

Tiny Blissfield, Mich., was the destination for Association members on Sept. 29 where they caught a ride on the Blissfield Murder Mystery Train. The event included transportation to Blissfield via bus from Warren and Farmington Hills and “dinner, drinks and a dead guy” on the mystery train.

The mystery train, with cars dating from the 1930s, 40s and 50s, travels along a segment of the Erie &

Mystery train riders solve Blissfield whodunit

Murder Mystery Train performer “Coach Pat” with Leonard and Mary Hicks

More photos on page 2…

Kalamazoo Railroad Line that began operations in 1836. Along the historic route riders get a view of Michigan’s rich farmland.

Along with a sit-down dinner at cozy tables for four, members participated in a murder mystery called “School’s Out” in which performers provided background information and a series of clues to help the audience guess the murderer — with lots of laughs along the way.

On the return to Blissfield some of the visitors took advantage of the opportunity to visit Blissfield’s antique shops. Then everyone boarded their bus back to the pickup locations. All in all, it was a fun and entertaining day.

Blissfield mystery... (continued from page 1)

Sharon Jones, right (retiree Kathie Helms’s sister) hams it up with

performer “Paula Lean”

Alice Reynolds and Marilyn Radlicki

Ed Barszcz leaving the train

Edith Glaspie and DiAnn Vaughn at

the station

Kathy Dolan, one of the event coordinators, goes over the day’s agenda on the bus headed for Blissfield

Kathy Adamus boards the train

Wanda Black and Sarah Durrough

Linda Jamison, left, a friend and Brenda Johnson are ready to board the bus

Thanks to Kath Arndt, Edith Glaspie, Linda Jamison and Delores Gelemey Newak for contributing photos

for this issue. To view more photos, go to bcbsmretireeassoc.com.

Exciting event lineup set for 2012February 10

COFFEE CONCERT WITH THE DSO, DETROITThe Detroit Symphony Orchestra plays Rachmaninoff and Shostakovich at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.

March 3

“SOUTH PACIFIC” AT THE FOX THEATER, DETROITLunch on the Mezzanine followed by “South Pacific.”

March 13

SNOWBIRD LUNCHEON, WESLEY CHAPEL, FLThe snowbirds will convene at Remington’s Steak House. For more info, call Dee Stilson at 727-815-3526.

April 14

BOWL-A-RAMA, FARMINGTON HILLS Charity fundraiser at Country Lanes of Farmington. Pizza, pop and lots of prizes!

May 17

SPRING LUNCHEON, GROSSE POINTE SHORES Luncheon at the Edsel and Eleanor Ford House will include a tour of the estate.

June

CLINTON RIVER CRUISE, MT. CLEMENSLunch and cruise on the Clinton River.

July

DETROIT TIGERS, DETROITJoin our annual outing to cheer on the Tigers.

August 10 or 17

BILL BURKE MEMORIAL GOLF OUTING, HOLLY The 22nd annual golf outing is set for the Heather Highlands Golf Course.

September

JACKSON PRISON TOUR, JACKSONLunch and tour of the historic prison.

October 18

ANNUAL MEETING & LUNCHEON, STERLING HEIGHTS Join us for the annual business meeting and lunch at the Best Western Sterling Inn.

November 14

DIA, DETROITEnjoy lunch and see the Faberge exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Arts.

December 6

HOLIDAY PARTY, LIVONIA Join your friends for the holiday luncheon at the Italian American Club in Livonia.

Be sure to check our Web site at bcbsmretireeassoc.com for more information about our Association events.

28th Annual Holiday Party a sparkling event What better way to kick off the holiday season than spending time with old friends and new at the Retiree Association’s annual holiday get-together. This year’s celebration was an evening event at the Club Venetian in Madison Heights on Dec. 7.

The tasty full-course dinner, holiday decorations and entertainment by Detroit’s Blue Dawne band (playing blues, jazz and soul) all made for a festive evening.

As always, party-goers gave generously to the charity auction and 50/50 raffle. Those who won auction items were Sue Grzelewski-Fessler, Kathleen Roten, Mary Kay Fedak, Delores Gelemey Newak, Kay Jones, Rosemary Nixon, Christine Kuljurgis, Claudea Meadows and Mary Kay Kelly. The 50/50 raffle winners were Vicki Moore ($175), Sandy Lasiuta ($125) and Sandy Bright ($60).

Retirees attending their first Association event, from left to right, Adrienne Starling, Gary Lassic, Vicki Moore, Rita McClendon, Lucy Foerg, Helen Russell, Patricia Roach, Rick Polomski, Veronica Farrell, Ruvester Kelley, Patricia Norris, Ruth Diane Speight-Johnson, Robbie Sherman and Cellestine Carter.

Gene and Susan Dubois-Reetz

From left to right, Barb Lipinski, Karen

McCrary, Kathleen Jacka and Patrick

and Patricia Roach

Left to right, Helen Russell and Pat and

Ken Shelton

Blue Dawne lead singer Daune Smith

Agnes and Harry Tokatlian

Philip Howell and Tom Skiba

Ruth Diane Speight-Johnson, Veronica Farrell, Karen Stecher and Terry Rotare

Stella Mullen and Rita McClendon

Janetta and Robert Pittman

Rod Meyer and Paul Marzec

Lois Carter and Philip Jackson at the hors d’oeuvre table

Elections, lunch, Medicare update round out annual meeting agendaThe 29th Annual Membership Meeting and Luncheon was held Oct. 20 in Canton at the Summit on the Park Banquet & Conference Center.

Outgoing Association president Spencer Brown presided over the business portion of the meeting. He introduced the board officers and committee chairpersons. Attendees received handouts that included the annual financial report, reports from each committee of the board and the Retirement Plans Key Indicators Report. The election of officers followed. The 2012 officers are:

• President, Ray Newak• Vice President, John McCrary• Secretary, Marie Bjerke• Treasurer, Joyce Obenhoff• Immediate Past President, Spencer Brown

John Dowsley, Senior Markets Consultant at the Blues, was the guest speaker. He gave a general overview of where Medicare is headed and some of the changes on the horizon. Expanded preventive benefits like an annual wellness exam and gradual closing of the “donut hole” for drug coverage are two positive changes, he said.

Following his talk, John was peppered with Medicare-related questions from the audience. Many of the questions focused on the process for enrolling in Medicare Advantage when retirees approach age 65. Association board members collected the names and phone numbers of those with unanswered questions and shared them with company representatives for follow-up.

“We are pleased that after the meeting Retirement Adminstration and Employee Benefits staff contacted everyone on the list to assist them in resolving their issues,” said Board President Ray Newak. “Our feedback from the individuals we heard from indicates that they were very satisfied with the outcome.”

This lively discussion was followed by a buffet luncheon, a charity auction, 50/50 raffle and the traditional giveaway of table centerpieces. Winners of charity auction items were Norma Taylor, Annette Foster, Maryann Monk, Linda Little, Joyce Obenhoff, Marlene Sadlowski, Carl Bentz, Linda Lee and Mike Cartier.

The 50/50 raffle winners were Joyce Obenhoff, $100; Janice Crossland, $35, and Denise Coggins, $20.

2012 officers, seated from left, Marie Bjerke and Joyce Obenhoff; standing from left, Ray Newak, John McCrary and Spencer Brown.

Janet Crain and Elaine Schoder look

over reports

Mike Cartier claiming his prize in the charity auction from (left to right) Kay Jones, Beleta Williams and Annette Foster

Carl Benz poses a question Guest speaker John Dowsley

Congratulations and Welcome to Our New RetireesJohn Anthony

Thomas Bachman

Joyce Calhoun

Dennis Clifford

Alan Dahlen

Susan Defrancis

Patricia Drabick

Carolyn Gilmore

Marilyn Hansford

Victoria Jackson

Sheryl Jones

Carol Kachaturoff

Catherine Lanier

Cheryl McDonald

Kathleen Nauta

Marianne Peterson

Joanne Riney

Norene Schreck

Kenneth Setera

Ilene Seve

Barbara VanRaaphorst

Rose Vital

Shirley Wilt

Who’s Who in the BCBSM Retiree AssociationOfficers

President Ray Newak

Vice President John McCrary

Treasurer Joyce Obenhoff

Secretary Marie Bjerke

Immediate Past President Spencer Brown

Committees

Operations John McCrary, chairperson; Marie Bjerke, BCBSM liaison and records retention; Saundra Freeman, committee member

Social Annette Foster, chairperson; Kathy Dolan, Connie Dowe and Ed Barszcz, committee members; Nick Grabowski, golf outing; Dee Stilson, Florida luncheon

Planning John Flint and Phyllis Hampton, co-chairpersons

Finance Richard Dow, chairperson

Membership Communications

Kath Arndt, Web master and photographer; Janice Crossland, newsletter editor

Membership Liaison Beleta Williams, chairperson; Kay Jones, coordinator

Fundraising Beleta Williams, chairperson

Contact Information

Association Web site bcbsmretireeassoc.com

Association e-mail information@bcbsmretireeassoc.com

BCBSM Retirement Administration

Toll-free: 1-800-922-0699Local: 313-225-9609 Fax: 1-866-238-3295E-mail: retirementadministration@bcbsm.com

Change of address, phone number

All changes must be made in writing to Retirement Administration via Fax, e-mail or U.S. Mail at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Retirement Administration, Mail Code 0126, 600 East Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226.

BCBSM medical claims inquiries

E-mail: employeeinquiry@BCBSM.comPhone: Medicare Plus Blue customer service, 1-866-684-8216; CAREN IVR, 1-800-858-7915

BCN claims BCN Ombudsman, 1-888-265-4703; BCN Advantage customer service, 1-866-966-2583

Retiree checks/State Street Bank

1-888-419-8769

COVER FORM# IS HERER000074

The BCBSM Retirees Newsletter is published three times a year for members of the BCBSM Retiree Association. We’d like to hear from you. If you have a comment on the newsletter or

an idea for an article, please contact us at information@bcbsmretireeassoc.com.Also be sure to check out our Web site at bcbsmretireeassoc.com for information about upcoming events

and photos of past events. We’re on Facebook, too. You will find the link on our Web site.E-mail Directory updates: The directory is updated periodically and sent via e-mail to everyone on the list.

If you would like to add your e-mail address, make a correction or remove your name from the list, send your request to information@bcbsmretireeassoc.com.

Leo Simpson in the news If you live in the Farmington area and read the Farmington Observer you may have read two articles last fall featuring BCBSM retiree Leo Simpson — a champion speller and blood donor.

A story in the Sept. 18 edition of the newspaper congratulated Leo as he donated his 144th unit — 18 gallons — of blood at the Farmington Hills Red Cross Donation Center.

Diane Brandt of the center said in the article Simpson has helped 432 people with the 18 gallons, a “nearly unheard of” quantity. Because of his generous contribution the Farmington Center is presenting Leo with a special “18 gallon” pin and plaque.

Simpson told the paper he’s been donating on and off for 30 years. “It’s not as much of an obligation as it is a wish to help somebody,” Leo said in the article. “It doesn’t hurt and it replenishes itself quickly — it’s good for everybody.”

Shortly after the September article appeared, Leo was once again featured when he came in first place at the annual Farmington Hills Senior Spelling Bee. In the Oct. 4 article Leo said that while he had participated in the local bee for the past five years, he’d never placed first until now.

Explaining why he enjoys participating in spelling bees, Leo said “it’s a little bit of showing off and maybe it helps me believe I’m not slowing down...even if I am.”

Leo retired from BCBSM in 2002. He worked for the Blues for 46 years, the first 28 in Cleveland and the remainder in Detroit. He worked in the legal department for most of his tenure in Cleveland and all of his time in Michigan.

Leo Simpson

...May they rest in peaceDonald J. Clune

July 23, 2011

Stephen “Steve” Mass September 7, 2011

Onofrio “Norm” Bongiorno September 23, 2011

Robert A. Mitchell October 19, 2011

Sydney J. Turner October 28, 2011

Ruth Cain November 19, 2011

Betty J. Van Tongeren December 7, 2011

Selene L. McCoy December 14, 2011

Virginia R. Dwyer December 28, 2011

The Retiree Association Board notes with sadness the loss of Syd Turner, a long-time active Association member who served on the board for many years. He was an officer from 1991 to 1995, serving as president in 1994 and 1995. For several years he was also the coordinator of the annual retiree golf outing as well as the newsletter editor.

“During my tenure on the board, I always admired Syd and appreciated all he and his wife did in editing the newsletter,” said Board President Ray Newak. “Syd was a dedicated board member whose calm and thoughtful presence at meetings, along with his good humor, are missed by all.”

The board also mourns the loss of Don Clune, who for many years organized the Bay Area holiday party.