Tom Curtis: Special thanks to Dennis Leone and John Lazares, Thanksgiving 2005

November 25, 2005

Hello Dennis,

Thank you so much for your compliment. But really, thank you for being the initial person for taking on the responsibility, for bringing to light the much needed reform at the STRS.

I highly admire your intelligence, strength, fortitude and leadership abilities. You provided each of us in CORE with a reason to remain involved throughout this long, arduous process. You are a mentor to each of us and always will be (unless you start junketing around the world as your predecessors had done). : ) Most certainly a lot has been accomplished, due to your initial efforts and continued involvement.

You are the most deserving of the board seat you were elected to. It is my firm belief, after working in conjunction with you and CORE for the past 2-1/2 years that one by one, each of the other board members will find you to be all of the things I have mentioned within this message. Other board members have possibly characterized you as a trouble maker, without knowing who you truly are. Once each board member begins to work with you to establish rules and guidelines which will best serve the membership, they will soon find out how sincere and truthful your efforts have always been.

Yes, CORE was there to support your efforts and that has been a part of this winning formula for our grass roots effort. But obviously, had you not continued to provide CORE with the necessary leadership, this group of mostly noisy classroom teachers would have given up long ago and gone home, as many others have already done to date.

Dennis, you and John had the insight to be able to acknowledge what needed to be done. The two of you were able to open doors, first in getting into the STRS and locating the necessary documentation needed to bring your concerns to light. You went on to open doors to our legislators, the State Inspector General, the ORSC, the OEC and others. None of the rest of us would have been able to open many of these doors, especially the first one. For that everyone in CORE and I are eternally thankful. What a ride thus far, though it has just begun, hasn't it?

Take care,

Tom Curtis

----- Original Message -----

From: Dennis Leone

To: Tom Curtis

Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Subject: Happy Thanksgiving

To one who is the core of CORE, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. You certainly deserve it.

Dennis Leone