Jefferson County Retired Educators Association

12/10/2025

12/10/2025

🎉JCREA Retired Educators Day & Veterans Day Celebration on November 12th… additional photos!!! 🎉

12/10/2025

Jefferson County REA held its Veterans Day and Retired Educators Day Celebration on November 12th at the Herman Baker Municipal Complex in Wadley, Georgia. The program began with greetings from Wadley Mayor Harold Moore and culminated with an interesting presentation by the speaker for the occasion, Master Sergeant Clint Smith. Master Sergeant Smith is a retired warrant officer who is currently serving as a naval science instructor at Jefferson County High School. JCREA was also pleased to welcome several members of the Jefferson County Vets in Action group as guests for the celebration; in honor of all veterans, JCREA member Ellen Farmer-Brown delivered a moving tribute.

10/31/2025

A big “THANK YOU” to Chairman Mitchell McGraw and the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners who signed a resolution proclaiming November 2nd as “Retired Educators Day” in Jefferson County! In addition, JCREA will hold its official celebration of Retired Educators & Veterans Days on November 12th (see attached flyer). All retired educators and veterans are invited to come out and celebrate with us!

As educators and veterans, these days provide a special time for us to reflect on the God-given opportunities we have had to serve our children, our communities, our nation, and our world. The words of the old hymn are particularly meaningful during this time of celebration and reflection … “If I can help somebody as I pass along, then my living shall not be in vain.”

10/21/2025

JCREA members continue to read to our Pre-K babies. This time around Carolyn Huntley, Delores Battle, and Minnie Love are at Wrens Elementary School and Gwen Gibbons is at Louisville Academy. What a joy to see the excitement and wonder on the faces of the little ones as they enter the world of the book’s characters! 🤠👹👿

10/21/2025

What a GREA-t JCREA October meeting at the Jefferson County Leisure Center in Louisville! After greetings by Louisville Mayor Jenny Smith and a short business meeting, speaker Michael Weinroth shared the “hidden story” of the Rosenwald Schools with Jefferson County retired educators and guests. Of particular note was the fact that Jefferson County had two documented Rosenwald Schools for African American children built during the early 20th century (one in Louisville and one in Wrens).

10/07/2025

Come on out and learn the “Hidden Story” about the Rosenwald Schools! Mike Weinroth, researcher and historian, will be at the Jefferson County Leisure Center on October 8th at 3 pm to reveal information about the “training schools” which were built to provide education to African American children during the Jim Crow era; one was even built in Jefferson County.

09/19/2025

Jefferson County REA’s “Adopt-a-Pre-K Classroom” is off to a GREA-t start for the 2025-2026 school year. JCREA members Glenda Freeman and Freddie Heath read to Mrs. Wilcher’s class at Carver Elementary School in Wadley today. Excitement was in the air and smiles everywhere!!! 🤗👏🏽

09/02/2025

Jefferson County REA brought its largest number of members to date (14 members) to the 2025 GREA Area Meeting for Areas 11 & 12 hosted by Burke County REA. GREA President Geraldine Reid, along with the GREA travel team, “shared the vision,” giving the attending local units important information to jumpstart the 2025-2026 year. Hats off to Burke County REA for providing a delicious lunch, accompanied by the smooth, dulcet sounds of a wonderful jazz ensemble.

07/20/2025

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05/14/2025

“The End of an Era & A New Beginning”
Our illustrious executive director, Dr. Bill Sloan, is stepping down from his post, and Geraldine Reed is stepping on board as our new 2025-2026 GREA president.

GREA’s executive director, Dr. Bill Sloan, has been the face and the backbone of GREA for what seems like forever. At the 65th Annual GREA Convention in Augusta, we received the “unwelcome” news that he would be stepping down from his current position. When someone with such a depth of knowledge and experience coupled with a sincere, helpful, “open door,” “ready listener” spirit, you quite often feel they’re irreplaceable. That’s the kind of leader Dr. Bill Sloan has been to and for GREA! JCREA is glad he’s still going to be around, but we’ll certainly miss him as our executive director. All the best, Dr. Sloan, as you slow down and get a little more time to do those things you always wanted to do!

On behalf of Jefferson County Retired Educators Association, we say “Welcome Aboard” President Reed! We look forward to “keeping the vision” for fellowship, service, and support with you in the upcoming year. 🕶️😎

05/14/2025

The 65th Annual GREA Convention was a blast! JCREA once again was named a Unit of Distinction, an award earned by completing all items on the President’s Checklist (see photos of three of the certicates below). Seven JCREA members attended the convention held on May 6-8, 2025, in Augusta, Georgia, and enjoyed the informative general and breakout sessions as well as the entertainment. Hats off to JCREA President Dr. Michael Lewis for leading JCREA to another successful year of fellowship, service, and support and to GREA President Shirley Grant for planning a wonderful convention!!! 👏🏽👍🏽😊

Attending this year’s convention were President Dr. Michael Lewis, Past-Presidents Julia Wells, Dr. Barbara Jordan, Carolyn Huntley, and Marie Brown, as well as membership chairperson Marilyn Davis (largely responsible for the unit’s 12% growth), and awards committee chairperson Glenda Freeman.