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Membership pays - now more than ever!

Congratulations to Cathy Oller -- Winner of the KNEA Membership Access Bahamas vacation!

KNEA provides many benefits. A four-day, three-night vacation to the Bahamas was not one Arkansas City TA member Cathy Oller expected. She was chosen from the 11,750 members who signed up for the KNEA Membership Access card last fall.

"I am amazed and pretty excited," she said. "I immediately e-mailed CJ (Walnut Valley UniServ Director Carolyn J. Schmitt) and asked if this is for real. She said yes…and Merry Christmas!"

"I joined KNEA because I think it's the professional thing to do," she said, adding that her supervising teacher during her student teaching experience encouraged her to become a member. She has been active in various association activities, including negotiations.

"KNEA is a good advocate for kids and teachers," Cathy added. "KNEA really works hard to help our profession. We (teaching professionals) look out for kids… and KNEA looks out for us."

Original plans to take the trip over spring break were waylaid by family health problems. Oller isn't sure when she and husband John, a construction worker, will fly south. First they have to figure out where to go.

"We didn't know there would be so many choices. We've never been to the Bahamas so I think that's where we'll go," she said. "They sent us a book of resorts to choose from in Brazil... Montego Bay, Runaway Bay, Punta Cana, Portal Plata, Curaco - some of those are in the Dominican Republic."

While the Ollers will pay for transportation (…"we'll get cheaper airfare using our KNEA Membership Access card," Cathy says), room, meals and facility activities are free. "I'm not much of a water person. I think we'll just sit on the beach and relax."

Cathy has been a KNEA member for 21 years. She was a member in Missouri for seven years before that. She enjoys being an elementary counselor, saying "I get to work with kids and be in classrooms!" She earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education from Wichita State and her masters in elementary counseling from Southwest Missouri State in Springfield.

She and husband John have saved money on motel rooms and restaurants when they travel to Oklahoma City to see their grandson. She's looking forward to having more local merchants listed.

"I talked up KNEA and its benefits to nonmembers. There are lots of benefits that save you money. Use the card a lot and save a lot - more than your membership dues," she said. "I think I may save the cost of my membership dues just on this Bahamas vacation!"

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