FCERA guest speaker Charlotte Wilson talks with attendees about her work with Ruby doing pet therapy with at-risk and disadvantaged children as well as people in the hospital – both the mentally and physically ill.

Every month, the Franklin County Education Retirees Association meets to talk business and have a special program. November’s meeting is special – coinciding with the holiday, the meeting is hosted by Russellville’s Country Cottage, which provides a Thanksgiving dinner for attendees, as they have done annually for years.

“It’s just something we want to do for them,” managing director Regina Lawler said.

Nearly two dozen retired teachers and associate members attended last week’s meeting, at which guest speaker Charlotte Wilson shared with attendees about her work with pet therapy. Wilson takes therapy dogs Ruby – who attended the meeting with her – and Jack to engage in pet therapy with at-risk and disadvantaged children as well as people in the hospital – both the mentally and physically ill.

Country Cottage serves up Thanksgiving dinner plates to retired teachers for Wednesday’s monthly meeting of the Franklin County Education Retirees Association.

Teachers with all kinds of stories were in attendance. Ray Ogle, for example, taught middle school math and served as a counselor for grades K-12. He has also taught GED prep for decades – and in fact, still does so, at Russellville High School. He said his first day in the classroom, he thought, “What in the world am I doing here?” But although he left his teaching career for a period time to work in the engineering field, he realized teaching was what he was supposed to be doing.

Grady Fuller was another teacher in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting. After 34 years teaching history and political science at the high school and college level, he went on to serve as a missionary with the Gideons, visiting 30 countries in all. “I did just what I wanted to do,” he said.

Brenda Oliver serves as vice president of the group. Sandy Gibson is president. FCERA is open to all retired teachers of Franklin County.