Welcome to the home of the Retired Faculty of the University of Florida, Inc., known as RFUF.  It is an exciting time as we celebrate our 50^th anniversary during the 2024-2025 academic year, a time for reflection and a look ahead.  RFUF is a not-for-profit, 501(C) 4 corporation which functions as an active, collegial, diverse group of more than 250 retired and emeriti faculty, administrators, non-faculty staff, spouses/partners, and supportive community members, primarily from the University of Florida but also retirees from other institutions of higher education as well, in pursuit of lifelong learning, continuing academic productivity and activism, social engagement, and a meaningful retirement.  The roots of RFUF date back to mid-May 1973 when UF president Stephen C. O’Connell and his special advisor Professor Rae O. Weimer hosted a luncheon attended by 25 newly retired UF faculty and administrators, at which time, according to Professor Weimer’s records, there arose “a popular demand for a permanent organization of retired faculty members of the University of Florida.”  A committee of five of the luncheon attendees were tasked with building a retired faculty organization from the ground up.   On November 18, 1974, an assembly of UF faculty members adopted articles of incorporation and bylaws, and Rae O. Weimer, having recently retired as emeritus dean of the UF College of Journalism and Communications, was elected president of the nascent RFUF.  On January 14, 1975, articles of incorporation were filed with the Florida Department of State, and on April 15, 1975, Florida Secretary of State and UF alumnus Bruce Smathers signed the official RFUF certificate of incorporation.  To this day, RFUF has remained true to its founders’ vision and principles outlined below in About RFUF.  During our second half-century we look forward to welcoming new members to RFUF, again not only UF retirees, but also their spouses and other academic retirees in the Gainesville community for enriching experiences and life-long learning.