Ruth B. Perry
RLACEI Board President
“Let our New Year’s resolution be this: We will be there for one another as fellow members of humanity, in the finest sense of the word.”
– Goran Persson, former Prime Minister of Sweden
On behalf of the Board of the Retired Los Angeles City Employees, Inc. (RLACEI), I extend a very Happy New Year’s greeting. We hope everyone was able to rest, stay healthy and enjoy treasured time with loved ones over the holidays. Let the old year end and the New Year begin with the warmest of aspirations. We have had so much planned for our members since 2020 but have been unable to bring our plans to fruition thus far due to the pandemic. We have high expectations that 2022 will be the year we are able to regroup and put all our plans into action. Not to mention that 2023 will be RLACEI’s 50th anniversary! Thanks to our faithful following of members, we have been and will continue to be the one and only organization that actively protects our retirement benefits.
In June 2020, the RLACEI Board of Directors revised our Mission Statement to read: “The Retired Los Angeles City Employees, Inc (RLACEI) exists to provide opportunities for fellowship, to promote lifelong learning, to advocate for fair benefits, to recognize the accomplishments of our members, and to strengthen the relationship between Retirees and the Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS) and the City of Los Angeles elected officials.”
To this end, we have forged strong relationships and partnerships with the Employees Club and with LACERS. The continued collaboration between our organizations will only strengthen our abilities to provide pertinent information for all Retirees, to provide assistance when needed or asked for, and to ensure that our members receive each and every benefit they have worked for and deserve. Along with RLACEI’s annual golf tournament, summer picnic and holiday party, we anticipate going forward with the Retirement Expo previously planned to take place in 2020 and will accept any and all invitations to both the Employees Club and LACERS events to provide outreach to current members and those interested in becoming part of our worthy organization.
Inevitably, the reasons for our inability to socially interact as we would have liked brought some sad moments. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to all the families of the almost 400 RLACEI members who passed away this past year. We honor former RLACEI Directors Edward Harding, Gary Mattingly, Neil Ricci and Tom Stemnock who also passed and whom we miss daily. Despite the challenging times, we hope that the beautiful moments spent with our deceased loved ones provide us with wonderful memories of them for years to come.
Much can happen in a year and in between the good, the bad and the ugly, it is important to recognize the special symbolism the new year brings — new beginnings, fresh starts, as well as a time of reflection.
As I reflect on my last four years on the RLACEI Board, I would be remiss if I did not mention the current Directors. I am so fortunate to work with an exceptional group of dedicated colleagues who put their hearts and souls into helping our members. Being at the helm of RLACEI is both a privilege and a great responsibility. I am determined to make the absolute best of the upcoming year. With our strong, motivated team working together, we can surely make our goals happen. Let it be known that we genuinely appreciate your membership to RLACEI.
Once again, on behalf of the RLACEI Board of Directors, we wish you and your families a happy, healthy and successful 2022!
Best regards,
Ruth B. Perry, President
RLACEI
