What: OREA Statewide Legislative Lobby Day and Luncheon
When: March 2, 2010, registration beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Oklahoma State Capitol, 2300 N. Lincoln Boulevard, Oklahoma City
Who: All OREA members and friends
Purpose: Lobby legislators on behalf of OREA legislative goals
Attendance: Goal of 300 members, or two members per legislator
Cost: Member pays cost of personal travel to and from Oklahoma City, with lunch provided by OREA

Have you notified OREA that you’re coming?  If not, please send Sharon Cox an e-mail (scox@okea.org), giving her your name, mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address, so that we can send you important information about the day’s activities.  You may also send the same information to:  OREA, Attn: Sharon Cox, P. O. Box 18485, Oklahoma City, OK 73154.  Local unit leaders are also encouraged to compile a list of those coming and send them to Sharon at the OREA office.  To help in planning for the event – and to make sure you receive information to help your day be productive – we must have written notice of your intent to attend no later than Tuesday, February 23.  

Your travel to and from Oklahoma City March 2 will be at your own expense, but OREA will provide a great luncheon for members, legislators, and House and Senate staff.  The famous End ‘O Main Caterers from Watonga will cater the event, with the menu featuring smoked ham, roast beef, fried chicken, and barbecue sausage, along with several delicious vegetables, choice of desserts, salad buffet, and choice of beverage.

Check-in the day of the event will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the second floor rotunda of the state Capitol.  Members will be provided additional information at that time to facilitate visits with lawmakers during the entire morning.  The event will not be a rally, but instead will focus on opportunities for face-to-face meetings between OREA members and individual legislators on issues impacting the lives of Oklahoma’s 46,000 retired educators.  The luncheon will give members the further opportunity to socialize with lawmakers in a pleasant setting.

Local delegations coming to the Capitol are encouraged to go ahead and contact their home district House and Senate members to make arrangements to have lunch together.  Tell your legislators that lunch is on OREA, and that we look forward to visiting with them.  Some local unit delegations have already worked with their lawmakers to reserve meeting rooms in the Capitol to accommodate their luncheon discussions.  Perhaps your unit can do the same, but act quickly before available space is taken.

Shuttle transportation from the south Capitol parking lots (and other lots as needed) will be provided, with lunch served from approximately 11:30 a.m. until 12:45 p.m., after which members can exercise individual discretion regarding time of departure for safe travel home.

It is critically important that every lawmaker see home district constituents on March 2, so we hope you will make sure your local unit is represented.  Let us know you’re coming.  We’ll set a plate for you.