BECKLEY, W.Va. – Christmas was in the air when members and their families attended Raleigh County Education Association’s party at the Tamarack in Beckley, WV earlier this month. Additionally, the local combined the party with a Toys for Tots drive and had over 50 donated toys brought in by members and their families. RCEA members met new members and their families, socialized with friends, and had hors d’oeuvres followed by dinner.

Many retirees and staff from the West Virginia Education Association attended as well, including WVEA President Dale Lee who commented on the great opportunity the local gave their members with the party. Door prizes were drawn for each member in attendance. The prizes included blankets, designer purses, tools, and much more. The drawing also included a $100 cash prize picked from surveys the attendees completed. The surveys asked members to identify which issues were most important to them in the classrooms, what tools and resources they most needed to educate their students, and what types of trainings would assist them moving forward in their career. The surveys will be used to create professional development opportunities and help WVEA provide the resources most needed by members. 

The RCEA officers and leadership received a round of applause for the hard work in organizing the event to thank their members for everything they have done during this extremely difficult year. RCEA Co-President Wendy Peters was very pleased with the turnout and the number of toys donated. Combined with a great gesture of appreciation for the hard-working RCEA’s members, it was a great evening for everyone.