News

Greetings, fellow retired educators!

As you read this, our fearless President Jayesh is off on a grand adventure in India—probably enjoying warm weather, delicious food, and trying to explain to locals why retired Manitoba teachers are the most dynamic group on the planet. While he's away, we’re keeping the ship sailing smoothly and have plenty of updates to share!

This past month, RTAM was represented at the Western Canadian ACER-CART online meeting. For those unfamiliar, ACER-CART (our national body of retired teachers) works to advocate on our behalf. You can learn more about them here. One of the biggest changes they’ve made? Their Annual General Meeting (AGM) format is evolving! Going forward, AGMs will alternate—one year in-person, the next online-only—to improve accessibility and cut costs. This year’s AGM is online, but in 2026, the in-person AGM is heading to Vancouver for the first time! RTAM is hoping to bid for the 2028 in-person AGM. Imagine all of Canada’s retired teachers coming to Manitoba—what an event that would be!

Speaking of in-person meetings, the Western Canadian retired teachers’ associations (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and us) have agreed to meet face-to-face in the years when the ACER-CART AGM will be online. We’re thrilled to head to Saskatoon this June for our first gathering with our Western Canadian retired teacher family.

Exciting New Events!

We love bringing our members together, and we have two exciting events to announce:

Investors Group Presents: Walk with Purpose – RTAM is proud to partner with Alzheimer’s Manitoba for their annual walk-a-thon on May 24th. Come out, support a great cause, and maybe even get some steps in before summer BBQ season.

• An event page will be set up on the RTAM website in late March with registration details
• This page will also connect participants to Alzheimer's Manitoba event page
• Participants will access this page for registration, walking maps of the Assiniboine Park site and other sites around the province and to register for the fundraiser (optional)

Teacher Appreciation Night with the Winnipeg Goldeyes –

RTAM is working with the Winnipeg Goldeyes to honour our members. We will be hosting a special afternoon at Blue Cross Park (located in the historical Downtown Exchange District) to recognize educators in Manitoba with a special focus on Retired Teachers. RTAM is sponsoring this event which takes place on Sunday June 22nd at 1pm.

• This is a "Family Fun" game! Healthy fruit snacks will be available for children before the game, extra games and face painters will be on site to help elevate those selfies and photos, and if you bring your grand children to the game, they will have the chance to Run the Bases once the game is over.
• RTAM will have a special presence to start the game and throughout.
• Members will be recognized for their long standing commitment to teaching and the community through a special contest starting on the RTAM website later in March.
• Tickets will be available through the Goldeyes website for this game, but links to help with registration and access to the RTAM section for this game will be available on our RTAM website in late March.
  • Ticket Prices - Approximately $20-$25 per seat
  • Section - For improved access and support, we have secured the section behind home plate in the middle of the ballpark.

This is a big one! RTAM members can nominate a Very Important RETIRED Teacher. Nomination forms and the nomination process will open on the RTAM website in late March and run through to the end of April. Everyone is welcome to nominate a retired teacher who made a special impact on the education community.

Three winners will be honoured at the game. Winners will:
✅ Have their bio and picture featured on the ballpark’s massive new screen
✅ Receive a special shout-out from the announcer
✅ Get four tickets to the game in the RTAM section

If you’re not nominated, you can buy tickets in the RTAM section and watch our very own RTAM Choir sing the national anthems! Plus, our Executive Committee will be throwing out the first pitch—fingers crossed that it reaches home plate!

Looking Ahead

Beyond events, the Board has been busy planning for RTAM’s future. With our office lease expiring in late 2026, we’re exploring new home options to make the best use of our resources. We’re also looking to expand our presence at pre-retirement seminars, as more and more future retirees are eager to join our community.

That’s all for now! If you have any questions, ideas, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out. And if you hear from Jayesh, remind him that he still owes us souvenirs!

Stay warm, stay engaged, and we’ll see you soon! Spring is around the corner.

- RTAM Board