North Dakota United-Retired (NDU-R) provides retired professionals with benefits, community and an invitation to advocate for public education, public services and the professions to which they dedicated their lives. NDU-R members help effect positive changes for North Dakota’s children, public educators, public employees and communities.
NDU-Retired Book Club
2025 featured the launch of the NDU-Retired Book Club. This book club for retired union educators serves as a vibrant community where educators can continue to engage intellectually and socially.
Each session, members gather to explore a diverse selection of literature, spanning genres and themes
that resonate with their shared experiences and interests. Discussions are rich and reflective, allowing participants to draw from their vast wealth of knowledge and perspectives gained throughout their careers.
This club not only fosters a love for reading but also strengthens connections among members, offering a supportive environment that encourages lifelong learning and camaraderie in a meaningful post-retirement chapter. Each session lasts for six weeks, and is free for NDU-Retired members, though you are responsible for obtaining a copy of the book for yourself. There were 55 book club participants in 2025. Please visit courses.ndunited.org to register for the 2026 series.
Advocacy Efforts
The NDU-Retired Advisory Board spent the year advocating at NDU’s two lobby days at the state Capitol, the NDU Delegate Assembly in Bismarck, and the NEA-Retired Annual Meeting and NEA Representative Assembly in Portland, Ore. We were thrilled to partner with local education associations for their retirement celebrations this spring in Grand Forks, Mandan and West Fargo. NDU-R promoted membership while assisting the locals with the cost of the events, thanks to funding from the NEA-Retired organizing grant.
NDU-Retired continues their commitment to honor the service of our members with a secure, healthy and productive retirement. WE ARE RETIRED, BUT ACTIVE AND ENERGIZED!
NDU-Retired Advisory Board Members:
| Name | NDU-R Board Position | Residence |
| Karen Askerooth | President | Fargo |
| Toni Gumeringer | Vice President | Bismarck |
| Gale Haug | Secretary | Minnesota/Arizona |
| JoNell Bakke | Northeast Member | Grand Forks |
| Linda Benson | Public Employee Member | Minot |
| Mary Carlson | Northwest Member | Glenburn |
| Dakota Draper | Southeast Member | Fargo |
| Stephen Hayton | Public Employee Member | Horace |
| Erik Holland | Public Employee Member | Arizona |
| Bill Klimpel | Public Employee Member | Minot |
| Tim Thueson | Southwest Member | Bismarck |
