Collins Retiree Insurance Program Signups

Details

On Oct 7, 8, & 9, 2019 (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday ), CRVI (formerly RCRV) will hold our annual seminar on the Collins Avionics Insurance Seminar for retirees at

     Kirkwood Regional Center of Linn County
     1770 Boyson Road
     Hiawatha, IA 52233

The briefing will be repeated at 9:00, 12:30 and 3:00 each of the days. We again will have Collins Avionics Insurance executives and Via Benefits (formerly Towers Watson One Exchange) representatives available to assist in answering questions that you may have.

Agenda:

• Collins Avionics Insurance options for pre-65 retires (40 minutes)
• break
• Optional Welcome to Medicare discussion (50 minutes)

You do need to make reservations, as we have space for only 200 people for each session. To make reservations for a specific seminar, sign up online at “CRVIowa.org/reservations”. You will get confirmation of your reservation by return email.  This is the preferred way to register.

If you do not have access to a computer, or do not have an email address, you may call 319-804-8801 and leave a message with the desired seminar date and time, and the number of people attending. 
You will not receive a return call unless your selected seminar time is no longer available.

2019 CRVI Charitable Grant Program

Details

Written by Jim Green

Grant Funding is available through the Collins Retiree Volunteers in Iowa (CRVI, formerly RCRV) charitable grant program for calendar year 2019. Collins Aerospace, Inc sponsors this program.

2019 Focus Area: This year's community grant program will be available for schools and non-profits that support educational programs in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM).

Statement of Purpose: Allow CRVI and its members to recognize and reward deserving non-profit organizations in support of CRVI’s mission statement:

“Collins retirees connecting to identify and support volunteer needs in our community and beyond while enriching the lives of the volunteers.”

The CRVI grant program offers up to $15,000 to deserving organizations. The minimum grant award will be $1,000.

• This year’s program targets organizations that will provide educational opportunities in STEM related subjects. Grants can be used for equipment & supplies purchase, curriculum development, or other one-time expenses that support new or existing STEM opportunities for young people. Emphasis will be on sustainable, long term programs/activities, rather than one-time events.
• The organizations supported by these grants need to meet the same qualifications as used by Collins Aerospace, Inc. for its charitable giving program. Applicants are requested to provide documentation of non-profit status.
• Applicants need to be recommended and endorsed by an active member of Collins Retiree Volunteers Iowa.
• The application should be short and succinct, describing how both the funding and retirees volunteer resources will be used to support the focus area identified for this year’s grant program.
• Request for funds may include an open ended list of opportunities such as mini-grants for participation, transportation, or a staff position for organizations that support this year’s focus area.
• Applicants are encouraged to creatively apply for funds in collaborative ways.
• No more than one grant will be made in any year to a particular agency.

Grant application deadline has been extended to COB April 15, 2019.

An Application Form in Microsoft Word format and the Evaluation Criteria in Adobe Reader format are available for download at www.crviowa.org. Completed applications should be submitted electronically to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  or  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..  Please include signatures from the organization’s executive and chairman as well as the CRVI sponsor. Decisions will be announced by June 1, 2019. A committee of active CRVI members will evaluate applications and make award proposals to the CRVI Board of Directors.

All recipients of CRVI grants will be required to submit a report summarizing the results of their project and the impact it had on the target clients. Reports are due to CRVI at the conclusion of a program/project, or twelve months after receipt of a grant, whichever is earlier.

We look forward to your submission.

Collins Retiree Insurance Program Signups & Handouts

Details

Written by Bob Ocken

On Oct 9, 10, & 11, 2018 (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday), RCRV will hold our annual seminar on the Collins Retiree Insurance program at

Kirkwood Regional Center of Linn County
1770 Boyson Road
Hiawatha, IA 52233

The briefing will be repeated at 9:00, 12:30 and 3:00 each of the days. We will present the Medicare Insurance program for retirees 65 and older, as well as what is available to Rockwell Collins retirees under the age of 65. We again will have  Via Benefits (formerly Towers Watson One Exchange) representatives available to assist in answering questions that you may have.

You do need to make reservations, as we have space for only 200 people for each session. To make reservations for a specific seminar, sign up online at “crshiip.org/reservations”. You will get confirmation of your reservation by return email (unless you enter the wrong email address). This is the preferred way to register.

If you do not have access to a computer, or do not have an email address, you may call 319-804-8801 and leave a message with the desired seminar date and time, and the number of people attending.

You will not receive a return call unless your selected seminar time is no longer available.

If you are unable to attend one of these seminars, or would like a copy of the handouts, the handouts are available at:
Collins Insurance Presentation Hand-outs 2019       Pdf format

Cedar Amateur Astronomers Push for Volunteers

Details

Cedar Amateur Astronomers, (CAA), recently received a grant from Rockwell Collins administered by Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers (RCRV). This grant was for the purpose of “volunteer recruitment, retention and training.” CAA, a non-profit organization, manages a million-dollar facility known as the Eastern Iowa Observatory and Learning Center (EIOLC) located on the Linn County Conservation’s Palisades-Dows nature preserve south-east of Cedar Rapids. The astronomical observatory is manned entirely by volunteers, there is no paid staff, so obviously volunteers are a vital part of the operation of the observatory. CAA officers Greg Frohner (President) and John Leeson (Vice President and RCRV member) accepted the grant award at the RCRV board meeting in June, thanking the RCRV review team for their careful consideration of their application. This grant was very timely for CAA.

Over the last ten years the Learning Center portion of the facility has had several additions in the way of interactive exhibits, aiming to expand the services of the EIOLC toward expanded visitor involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Popular exhibits of "Lessons in Light", "Stellarium Planetarium Software Stations", "Size of the Universe" touch screen display, and "Our Sun and How it Works" are providing interactive learning experiences that are related to astronomy and space science, but not directly involving telescopes or observing the night sky. These activities are important because visitors may not be able to observe the sky through telescopes if they visit during the daytime, as many younger school children do, or if the sky is cloudy when they arrive for scheduled or reserved events. Astronomy itself is described by President Frohner as the “embodiment of STEM” due to its deep involvement in all aspects of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.. When combined with the current and planned interactive exhibits the EIOLC is becoming a STEM Center, a new generation of ‘Science Center’.

It is no longer sufficient to have a number of astronomy enthusiasts and telescope operators manning the EIOLC for visitors to the center. The EIOLC receives between 2500 and 3000 visitors a year, generally about one-third children and students and two-thirds adults. As mentioned above, oftentimes the sky is too cloudy or conditions not optimal for these visitors to view the sky; they always receive a tour of the sophisticated and valuable telescope facilities however. When they cannot fully appreciate the astronomical experience, they can participate in the interactive exhibits that support phases of the astronomical sciences or tour the other static displays of pictures, astronomy news, or other items of interest. For purposes of assisting visitors in enjoying the full capability of the facility, we often need not only our telescope operators and astronomy enthusiasts, but volunteers acting as hosts, exhibit docents, and organizational representatives. The CAA has a membership with a wide variety of experience and interests. We plan to utilize the grant money to extend our reach for volunteers into a larger portion of this membership as well as reaching outside of the association into a greater pool of available volunteers. Anyone with an interest in meeting people, in STEM, or who believes exposure of our children to more science related activities could help with our mission. You can contact CAA to explore volunteering opportunities by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or attend any of our public events and meet Greg or John, who are nearly always there. 

More information is available at the website: https://cedar-astronomers.org