BeingThankful 

    It's that time of year when all Americans pause to count their blessings. Most of the people I know take the time to be thankful for their families and friends, for their health and for the privilege of living in this great nation.
The majority of historians agree that the first Thanksgiving in America took place in the autumn of 1621 as the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated a bountiful harvest. Thanksgiving did not become a holiday until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in October setting aside the last Thursday in November as a "day of Thanksgiving and Praise ..." We've been celebrating ever since.
One wonders what the people of 1863 must have thought about Lincoln's proclamation. Our nation was involved in a bloody Civil War, which would rage on for another year and a half. It must have been a difficult time to be thankful. But Lincoln asked his fellow citizens to find a reason to be thankful. As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving 2011, let me suggest that, just as those who in 1863 might have had some doubts, we still have much to be thankful for.
First, as your National President, I want to say thanks to all of you. We survived the initial attack on our earned benefits when Congress and the president approved the debt-ceiling legislation in August. When I say, "we survived," I mean that our benefits were not reduced or eliminated. The reason is mainly due to those of you who responded to our requests to contact your legislators and the president. You definitely made the difference through your participation.
But even though we survived this attack on our benefits, this does not mean that we shouldn't prepare for the next round. Continuing to call or e-mail your legislators and the president will remind them that you are holding them accountable for keeping the promises that were made when you were first hired to work for the federal government.
 As we count our blessings, I would hope that you also will think of NARFE, and your membership in NARFE, as a blessing. For 90 years, NARFE has been the only association solely dedicated to protecting and enhancing the retirement annuity and health care benefits of federal workers and retirees. This has been a trying year, with one assault after another aimed at the federal employee and retiree community. And yet, as National President, I look with pride at what we have accomplished thus far, and I pledge that we will continue to fight to protect our earned benefits.
But we need each and every one of you to stand with us in this fight. Whether it's a call, a letter or an e-mail message to your members of Congress and the White House, a personal visit with your senators or representative (or his or her staff), or a contribution to assist us in this effort, all that you do is greatly appreciated.
Many of you have received the NARFE Photo Contest Calendar in the last few weeks. While this calendar is our gift to all NARFE members, we know that thousands of you will take the opportunity to send a voluntary donation so we can continue to advocate for the federal family. For that, I am grateful. As we close out our yearlong celebration of NARFE's 90 years of service, let me again thank you for all that you do for NARFE, and wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at NARFE Headquarters.

Joseph A. Beaudoin