Interactive video lesson plan for: Eileen Darwin: NYSUT Retiree Member of the Year

Eileen Darwin
Huntington Association of Retired Teachers and Employees

As an in-service member of the Associated Teachers of Huntington, Eileen Darwin was instrumental in forming a local retiree chapter. Upon her retirement in 1991, she became a member of the HARTE, serving as vice president from 1993-95 and as president from 1995 to the present. Darwin is a member of the Board of Directors of RC 23 and an RA delegate from the council. She is a member of the Long Island Retiree Delegate Council and is Suffolk co-president of the Coalition of Retired Teachers of Long Island. Darwin is a voting member of the ATH board, and is frequently asked to provide a historical perspective to pending issues.

Among her other responsibilities, Darwin has volunteered to chair the fund-raising activities in her chapter for the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Jones Beach. She also has been VOTE-COPE coordinator for HARTE, annually achieving either the Dan Sanders or Abel Blattman award levels. On top of all that, under her leadership the chapter newsletter has received many honors in NYSUT's annual journalism awards competition.

Darwin has been an aggressive advocate for retiree benefits. She played a major role in energizing support for a pension COLA, not only on Long Island but also throughout the state. As a member of the Committee of 100, she was one of the retiree leaders who relentlessly pursued a permanent health insurance moratorium for retirees which finally became a reality last year.

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