A TIME FOR GIVING — The Steubenville City Schools Retirees are made up of teachers, secretaries, bus drivers and other professionals who have retired from the district. Members of the group have gathered every month for nearly a quarter century to reminisce and give back to the community. Members recently purchased gifts for area seniors during the Christmas holiday. Among those taking part in the holiday donation were, from left, retirees Becky Bryan, Linda Holub and Anne Misselwitz, giving to Marie Holt, Erika Kirkpatrick and Nick Demitras of the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services. -- Contributed

STEUBENVILLE — Retired teachers and staff from Steubenville City Schools have made it a point to reunite regularly for nearly a quarter century, taking time to reminisce about their days in the classroom and to support senior citizens in the community.

The Steubenville School Retirees gather at a different eating establishment every month, sharing stories and discussing issues which have impacted them. The only exception occurred during the COVID pandemic.

Linda Holub, who served as an educator for 31 years and co-founded the social group with Carl Myers and Judy Weaver in 2001, said it has consistently brought their colleagues together. They continue to look for others to attend.

“We meet for lunch every month and have tried to get numbers and names of newer retirees,” Holub said. “It was a way to bring the elementary and high school teachers together. We’ve discussed our stories plus insurance and teacher retirement laws. We only missed during COVID, but we have been together for all of these years.”

The next luncheon is set for noon on Jan. 9 at the Ville restaurant, located inside the Fort Steuben Mall.

Organizers are putting out the word for any recent retirees to join. There was a time when the group numbered between 25-30 people; however, attendance has slightly dropped. Holub said it has been steadily growing once again.

“We’ve lost a lot of members who have come through over the years and we’ve had superintendents attend,” she said. “We’ve had bus drivers, secretaries and aides, too. We really enjoy it and we do a lot of laughing and sharing. We consider it a social group and talk about teachers’ retirement at the state level and the cost of living. We’re fighting hard to get the cost of living back.”

Member Andrea Anderson has kept locals updated with her reports in the area news. The retirees even had their own nutcracker on display at Historic Fort Steuben this year. Holub said its greatest accomplishment has been working with the elderly. The group has collaborated with the Jefferson County Department of Job and Family Services to collect names and provide gifts during the holiday season, with items ranging from clothing to a microwave oven.

“We had done a lot of talking and decided the organizations were dwelling on kids” she stated. “We concentrated on seniors. We got names from family services, purchased the items and took the gifts to them. I also made lap blankets for them.

Retiree Becky Bryan collected the money, while members did the shopping. Approximately 12 people were able to be helped this year, they noted.

The school district will host the retirees for a luncheon at the Pugliese STEM Academy this spring, where they will view a presentation and take a guided tour of the facilities with Steubenville High School Principal Ted Gorman. Gorman and Holub recently did some reminiscing of their own about the close-knit community within the buildings and the experiences they had.

“You think about this profession we’re in, and I really believe it’s one of the most rewarding,” Gorman commented. “It’s great to get together and talk about things at the state level and things that are current. I am looking forward to the tour in March to show off our students and what we are doing.”

Amy Colantoni, district public relations and fundraising specialist, said it was a way to help the retired staff reconnect with their former surroundings and view the latest opportunities.

“Our retired educators remind us of the lasting impact of education,” Colantoni said. “These incredible individuals dedicated their lives to educating generations, shaping futures and making Steubenville City Schools a better place. We are so thankful for their years of service and look forward to hosting this group in the spring for lunch and to tour the Pugliese STEM building.”

For information about the retirees’ luncheons, contact Holub at (740) 424-8188.