VALDOSTA — Retired educators were urged to find ways to protect their pensions at the annual Retiree Appreciation Breakfast. 

Mark Gilpatrick, part of the Lowndes County local chapter of Georgia Retired Educators Association, spoke to a crowd of retired Valdosta City Schools and Lowndes County Schools educators Tuesday morning about joining the chapter for $15 a year.

“We aim to protect our benefits, and we have to protect the TRS system,” Gilpatrick said. “It’s not just for us, but we want to protect future retirees too.”

Superintendents Wes Taylor and Todd Cason at Rainwater Conference Center congratulated he retired educators for their service over breakfast.

Taylor said protecting the retirement system is just as important for current school employees as it is for those who have retired.

“This is a condition of employment and a promise that was made,” Taylor said. “We don’t want (legislators) to mess with that. I encourage you to ask them to please not adjust that TRS machine, which works very well and sound.”

The event started in 1997 in the Lowndes County Schools as a way to show appreciation for retired educators.

It later expanded into a joint annual event between county and city schools, said Ron Irwin, a county schools retiree.

“I’ve seen it from both sides,” Irwin said. “When I planned it and carried it out, that was gratifying because you’re so appreciative of retired teachers. Once you’re retired, it’s very nice to have your contribution to the public remembered.”

More than 1,000 invitations were sent out to retirees between the two school systems.

One educator who has attended the breakfast since he retired three years ago is Michael Stephens, a former teacher and administrator of city schools.

For he and his wife, who is a retired county schools teacher, the event serves as a reunion.

“We grow bonds for 30 years of service, then you cut off from that,” Stephens said. “This is a great thing for people to have because we get back in touch.”

Cason and Taylor lit a candle prior to a moment of silence to honor those educators in the school systems who have passed away.

The event continued with Christmas music played by the Valdosta High School jazz ensemble and a door prize giveaway of centerpieces donated by Valdosta Greenhouses, the Flower Gallery, Southern Occasions, Nature’s Splendor, the Flower Shoppe and Miller Hardware.

“Just remember: you are great because you served,” Cason said. “You are great because of the lives you’ve touched. You are great because of who you are.”

Katelyn Umholtz is a reporter with the Valdosta Daily Times. She can be contacted at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256.