I just turned 65 and now I'm on Medicare. YAY!!! And now my wife and I are getting our 'supplemental' coverage via the AARP network and their massive buying power. Double YAY!!! This was the trigger, my turning 65. Medicare. Turns out that I COULD HAVE joined AARP at 50. But it never crossed my mind to do so.
We live in New Jersey but all of our kids live in Connecticut. Normally my wife and I would drive together to see the kids, but recently (from time to time) she has been making the trip solo to spend a few days in Connecticut. "You know what, we should get AAA just in case you get a flat tire or breakdown or such, and I'm not there." I just realized that even if I WAS there, now I'm just going to call AAA to come fix the flat tire. I'll just wait for them to come - listening to a book on Audible or a podcast on SiriusXM. Maybe do a Zoom call or watch YouTube. Yeah, I'm not fixing the flat - after all - I'm now on Medicare!
There was a 'trigger' to make me activate both AARP and AAA. I would see their TV commercials and print ads all the time, pretty much my entire life. But those ads never made me dial their 800 number, or go to a website. Now in 2025, I'm in their clubs.
Both clubs.
And now that I AM in their clubs, I see the amazing benefits. The discounts. I can see the reasons to justify the membership fees. The discounts (and the pre negotiated benefits) of membership were always there - I just did not...... SEE THEM. I needed 'a trigger event' { my turning 65...... all of our kids living in Connecticut..... and having GRANDKIDS!!!! } to make me act. To open my eyes.
To trigger me to join AAA and to join AARP.
I run the NYDLA | NADLA Distance Learning Associations which services 174K+ K-20 schools across North America. Some schools have 800K+ living alumni. Some, not so much. But ALL of the schools have Alumni NETWORKS. All of the schools hope that their living alumni base will support their alma mater. Financially and otherwise.
AND SO.... these schools introduce NYDLA and NADLA to their alumni networks as a member benefit. Same way that AAA and AARP offer their members discounts and benefits.
NYDLA ('NEIGH-DLAH') was born in NYC in 1983 and NADLA ('NAH-DLAH') was born in NYC in 2020 when the pandemic shut down all of North America. Remember when Zoom became a verb?
The pandemic was the trigger to expand from just 'NYC' to all of North America. COVID lockdowns (trigger) made membership in the DISTANCE Learning ASSOCIATION a thing. A very good thing. You on lock down? Well, you should JoinNYDLA.org
2025: membership in the DLA is like calling AAA from your smartphone to come fix your flat tire. In the rain. At 65 years old. But you can join us at any age. (18+ and up).
From anywhere in the world.....
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Cell: 201-466-8442 { texting preferred}
