DOTRA’S…DotLine…

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

By Chet Andres

We are looking forward to a busy Spring and Summer this year. Many of us are planning vacations or extended trips around the USA or on international venues. When you return from these trips, please keep your DOTLINE in mind and send us an informal report on all the wonderful things you have been involved with. Are you just staying local? Involved in volunteer organizations? Let us know! We want to put your good deeds or adventures in the DOTLINE so your former co workers and friends can be informed about what our members are doing.

To those Directors, Officers and Members (along with spouses) who keep our DOTRA organization going throughout the year, many thanks for all your efforts. You have 400 plus members who are thanking you too!

UPCOMING EVENTS

ANNIVERSARY LUNCHEON- Thursday, JUNE 15,2006

MERCER OAKS C.C. Mercerville,NJ

See details in the Flyer enclosed!

ANNUAL PICNIC- A Repeat of a Successful Event

Wednesday, September 13, 2006 at Belle Mountain Park. All members will be invited as guests of DOTRA. Save this date!

Details to follow in August 2006 Issue

DOTRA BOARD MONTHLY MEETINGS

DOTRA holds its regular Monthly meetings on the first Tuesday of each month.

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006

At 11:30 ROMAN HALL

Whittaker Street,Trenton

Dutch treat lunch starts at 11:30–12:30

Meeting starts promptly at 12:30 PM

All members of DOTRA are welcome !!!

Schedule for Future Meetings:

Tuesday – May 2, 2006

Tuesday – June 6, 2006

Tuesday - August 1,2006 (Tentative)

Tuesday – September 5, 2006

North Jersey DOTRA Members

/Social Breakfast or Lunch??

Director Al Gallo (Safety Bureau) is working on getting a Reunion Luncheon scheduled someplace up north of New Brunswick so that you folks are able to attend more easily. We need your input now. Call Al at 609-586-0946 or call any other Directors or Officers if you are interested and can give us some ideas! This is your organization too !

Presently our events are being held in Mercer County, Burlington County and on the edge of Hunterdon (Belle Mountain.) We want to include another activity in your territory for all our members to come to.

DOTRA EXECUTIVE BOARD

AND OFFICERS

PRESIDENT- Chet Andres 609-818-1921

1^st VP- Adrian Lincoln 609-921-3036

2^nd VP- Jay Johnston 609-588-0930

TREASURER- Lou Papp 609-585-7697

ASST.TREAS– Frank Herrera 609-392-0633

REC.SEC- Hazel Rockhill 609-581-3560

CORRES. SEC-Dolores Murphy 609-466-3341

DIRECTORS/ TERM OF OFFICE

Chet Andres (06) Adrian Lincoln (07)

Dot Andres (06) Dolores Murphy (08)

Paul Bertucinni (07) Lou Papp (07)

Joe Bodnar (08) Hazel Rockhill (06)

Walt Gable (07) Jim Springstead(08)

Al Gallo (08) Richard Hobson (08)

Frank Herrera (08) Bruce Strickland (07)

Don Hutchinson (07)) Phil Vecere (07)

Jay Johnston (07)

Jim Dixon, Nancy Nelson, and Sal Noto-

Newly Nominated Directors

VACANT (1)

DOTRA COMMITTEES

CHAPLAIN – Jay Johnston 609-588-0930

MEMBERSHIP – Dot Andres 609-818-1921

or cellphone (FL) 609-638-1070

BY-LAWS – VACANT

HISTORIAN – VACANT

ACTIVITIES – Jim Springstead 609-392-0848

DOTLINE – Dot Andres & 609-818-1921

Bruce Strickland 609-538-8189

WEBSITE - Bruce Strickland 609-538-8189

DIRECTOR VACANCY

ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS:

We still have a Vacancy on our Board of Directors.

Take a good look at our Listing of Directors and if you are interested, can help out in any way, please contact Chet Andres or any current Director ASAP. Our phone numbers are listed in this Issue.

LIFE MEMBERS REPORT

The following DOTRA members have renewed their DOTRA memberships as Life Members:

Helen Rose Support Services

Ewing,NJ LIFE

Robert Kulvicki Const & Maint

Belle Mead,NJ LIFE

NEW MEMBERS REPORT

We continue to get responses to the batch of letters sent to retirees in 2004/2005. To date we have heard from the following people and are pleased to introduce the following New Members to DOTRA.

Joseph Burgio Const & Maint

Passaic NJ

Anthony Brinker Plant Engineering

Bordentown NJ

Robert Miller Const & Maint

Trenton NJ LIFE MEMBER

Donna Troiano Design

Bordentown NJ LIFE MEMBER

A special welcome to our newest members who continue to join, though in small numbers, and keep our organization going. Anthony Brinker (Buildings and Grounds) retired in 2004 after 26 years but is still involved in NJDOT snow removal as a “retiree volunteer (we get paid.) ” Sometimes it’s just in your blood and we can’t get away!

New retiree Bob Miller retired from the Bureau of Maintenance in January 2006- gee, we thought he was too young to retire! Welcome to the retired ranks and enjoy your free time!

Donna Troiano (Design) has been retired since2002 and has finally joined us as a Life Member! Nice to see her at some of our recent Holiday luncheon and Picnic, says DOTRA is a good way to stay in touch with the people who made the NJDOT a great place to work!

And welcome to Joe Burgio (Construction and Maintenance- North) who joins us from Passaic NJ. Joe worked in the NJDOT for 33 years and retired in 2005. We look forward to your joining a significant number of retirees living up in the Northern Division (formerly called Region 1 and 2 for the old-timers).

Again, welcome to the retired ranks and enjoy your free time! Maybe there is a little time for DOTRA volunteer work in your new schedule?

Remember to mention the DOTRA organization when you meet or run into former co-workers at the NJDOT. We are frequently hearing that there are retirees from some years back who did not take the advantage of joining our group and are now trying to reconnect.

DOTRA’S SPRING LUNCHEON

By Joe Bodnar

On Thursday March 23, 2006 DOTRA Members and their guests attended the Spring Luncheon at The Country House in Pemberton.

Mother Nature twice tried to sabotage this Luncheon, last year and the year before by dumping snow and freezing rain on the area the day before. This year, however, the weather was sunny and fairly warm.

NOTE: Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. Have you noticed that it bears a very close resemblance to the first?

CHAPLAIN’S REPORT

By Jay Johnston

We hear that a number of our members have been ill and are recovering from various illnesses and injuries.

We would like to keep informed of any retiree who is ill, anyone confined to their home, or any retiree who needs help in one form or another. Please call or send a note to Jay Johnston at 609-588-0930, e-mail – JayRJohnston@aol.com - or write to me at 3 Golden Crest Court, Hamilton Square NJ 08691.

Recent Obituaries:

*Juno Vanelli (71) DOT

Kenneth Cooper (67) DOT

Thomas J. King Jr. (71) DOT

James Craig (91) DOT

Donald Sessa (76) DOT

Pauline Bensky (78) MVS

Louise Carey (97) MVS

Ann Duncanin Smith (91) MVS

*DENOTES DOTRA MEMBER

DOTRA

PO BOX 77160

WEST TRENTON, NJ 08628

CHECK THIS DOTLINE MAILING LABEL FOR YOUR DUES STATUS !!!!

______________________

American Cancer Society’s Rally for Life will again have NJDOT representation at its June 2 and 3^rd event at Mercer County Community College. DOTRA members are encouraged to volunteer as “walking participants”- entry fee is $10 and information is available from Pat Bowker at Kellysaunt@comcast.net or PHONE 609-530- 5741.

DOTRA meets in Rockledge Florida!

It was a special Valentine’s Day reunion for a small group of former NJDOT employees who met at Rockledge CC on the east coast of Florida for a great lunch and several hours of “nostalgia.”

Several of the more athletic members played golf at the well- manicured Rockledge Country Club. They included Al Alaimo (C&M), Frank Scarpatti (C&M) and Charlie Takacs (Design.) No scores were turned in for publication at the time of this writing! Annual attendees Joan and Rick Fugaro (MVS), Nick Nicu (GeoTech), Ted Hamler and Dave Quaid (Construction) were back along with Don Clark (Electrical) with his wife Joan, Peg and Bob Micai (C&M) , Dot and Cliff Heckman (Materials) Kathy and Frank Wegel and Dot and Chet Andres. Newcomers Barbara and Al Ari were welcomed. Apologies to any folks who we may have not acknowledged. To those who couldn’t attend this year, we did miss you and hope to see you next year. To the others who “meant to come but didn’t get around to it”, put next February 13^th on your calendar now!

Many thanks to Frank Wegel (Materials) and Shirley Birkhead Pierce (wife of Bill Birkhead- Construction who was the initiator of this annual event more than 10 years ago.) Frank continues to contact and round up Florida alumni to attend the event throughout the year, and Shirley has sponsored the DOTRA group at the Rockledge CC ClubHouse luncheon.

Frank and several Florida residents have recommended that the 2007 event be held in the Fort Myers- Naples area, so more of the Florida west coast residents can participate.

Frank is looking for someone to assist he and Cliff Heckman (Materials) in setting up a location in that area during February 2007. Please contact Frank now at 772—388-3991 or email: fwegel@bellsouth.net.

Many thanks to Frank who has carried the organizing responsibility for so many years. How about someone pitching in and giving him a hand?

DOTRA’S ON THE INTERNET

Log onto DOTRA’s own Web Site at:

http:/www. dotra.org

Take a look and leave a note.

_________________________________

TRAVELS FOR DOTRA MEMBERS

DOTRA goes to Las Vegas in June 2006 or

A Caribbean Cruise in 2007 ?

On June 12^th 20 DOTRA members and friends are leaving for Las Vegas for five days of fun. At the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. Jay Johnston promises to report on the trip adventure upon their return.

SIGN UP FOR CARIBBEAN TRIP IN 2007

A great trip to the Southern Caribbean is scheduled for April 23 thru May 4, 2007 when DOTRA family and friends will sail on the Norwegian Dawn on an 11 night cruise. Leaving from New York City harbor, the ship will sail to St. Thomas, Antigua, Barbados, Grenada, Dominica and Tortola. Cost is $1699 per person, double occupancy for an Ocean View Stateroom with Balcony.

See the attached Flyer or call Jay Johnston at

At 609-588-0930.

“The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.”

“Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200 and a substantial tax cut saves you thirty cents!”

SENIOR EXERCISES

Lou Papp, (Construction) our DOTRA Treasurer, and a noted Health and Exercise advocate has come up with the following which all of our Members should be able to do!

Says Lou “I just came across this exercise suggested for seniors, to build muscle strength in the arms and shoulders. It is also recommended for osteoporosis.

“It seems easy enough, so I thought I would pass it along to some of my friends. The article suggested doing it three days a week. Just don’t overdo it.

“Begin by standing on a comfortable surface, where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5 LB potato sack in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides, and hold them as long as you can.

“Try to reach a full minute, then relax. Each day, you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

“After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-LB potato sacks.

“Then 50-LB potato sacks, and eventually get to where you can lift a 100-LB potato sack in each hand and hold your arms straight out for more than a full minute.

“After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each of the sacks!”

HERE AND THERE

By Dot Andres

News from Jay Johnston (Budget &Prog Analysis) that he and wife Angel are all excited about their new granddaughter born in Korea in November. She will be arriving in the US sometime after July this year. Jay and Angel are having a great time traveling. Besides setting up the various DOTRA excursions, they are finding time for a five day visit to Canada visiting Quebec City and Montreal.

Our DOTRA mailbox is always busy with renewals during the last two months and first four months of the year- our best time to hear from our members- and then it slows down to zero !! Bruce Strickland (Information Tech) has been forwarding our DOTRA Member news from the PO Box in West Trenton to me in Florida this winter. It has worked out great! I do not have to trudge through the snow to hear from or about you!

A nice note was received from Sante Falvo (Construction) who writes “now that my wife Maria and I are spending more time in the Trenton area, I hope to see more of my old Construction buddies. I have very happy memories.” Mike Gross (Construction) sends his “greetings to all from Lake Worth Florida.”

Note from Al Brogel (MVS) who retired in August 1991 after 42 + years and says “to keep up the good work! ‘

Dominic Tassone (Eqt) renews his Membership each year from his Winter location in Florida but still lives in Hammonton. He finds “the DOTRA news very informative and enjoyable to read. Congratulations to all involved in the DOTRA organization for a job well done.”

Norma Spleid (Electrical) retired back in 1988 and wrote from Sun City California to “please say “Hi” to anyone who remembers me and I say “Hi” back. Look forward to DOTLINE.”

Thanks, Al, Dominic and Norma- your comments are keeping us going!

Welcome to the retired ranks and enjoy your free time! Maybe there is a little time for DOTRA volunteer work in your new schedule?

We will have arrived back in NJ from New Smyrna Beach FL by the time you receive this DOTLINE in your mailbox.

Not too soon it seems! Bruce Strickland, one of our “younger retirees” decided to be a volunteer FireMan! Writes Bruce, “ I’m not sure the fire school (John T. Dempster Fire School - from the NJDOT, maybe you remember him) is going to continue. Since my training got cut short by me accidentally body-surfing down a flight of steps yesterday, reality may have intruded. Some aches and pains, but at my age that’s expected!”

Hope to see many of you at the Anniversary Luncheon on June 15th at the Mercer Oaks CC or if not there, at the Annual Picnic on September at Belle Mountain Mercer County Park, off of Route 29 outside of Lambertville.

· Are you going to be in Florida in February? Put Tuesday February 13^th 2007 on your calendar right now for the Annual Florida Reunion in ????? We are looking for a Naples-Fort Myers location !

· Contact Frank Wegel at 772-388-3991 for additional information or email to Frank at fwegel@bellsouth.net

ISSUE NO. 55 MAY 2006

LIFE MEMBERS REPORT

NEW MEMBERS REPORT