NEARTA is a branch of ARTA. NEARTA stretches from the Saskatchewan border on the East, the North Saskatchewan River on the South, West to Smoky Lake and North to the Cold Lake – Lac La Biche area, including the communities of St. Paul, Glendon, and Bonnyville.

We meet at least four times per year and take part in a variety of events and activities.

NEARTA was officially proclaimed as the eleventh branch of ARTA at the Annual General Meeting held on October 22nd, 1986.

For several years, some retired teachers from the Elk Point and St. Paul areas had travelled to Vermilion to attend functions organized by the up and running Central East Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (CEARTA), a branch which was formed in 1975. These visiting retirees liked what was happening at CEARTA and received encouragement from their CEARTA colleagues to pursue a Northeastern Alberta branch.

The organizational meeting for the purpose of forming a Retired Teachers’ organization for the northeastern part of Alberta was held in Elk Point on September 18, 1986, with Mr. Sid Holte acting as chairman and Mr. Oliver Lafleur acting as recording secretary. At this meeting, an Executive was elected: President: Mr. Sid Holte, Elk Point; Vice President: Mr. Oliver Lafleur, St. Paul; Secretary: Mrs. Vera Romanchuk, Elk Point; Treasurer: Mrs. Ruth Youie, Grand Centre.

A motion was made for the group to be called the “Lakeland Retired Teachers”, which was defeated. A new motion was made that the branch be called the “Northeastern Retired Teachers”. On September 30, 1986, this was changed by the constitution and by-laws committee to Northeastern Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association (NEARTA) and an application was made to the Alberta Retired Teachers’ Association. On October 22, 1986, NEARTA was proclaimed as the eleventh Branch of ARTA.