Individual Pioneer Excellence

The Individual Pioneer Excellence Award recognizes individual Regular Members, Life Members and Partners who go above and beyond to answer the call of those in need.

Sue Epler is accepting the award for Leni Herr, Sarah and Tom DePaolo who couldn't attend.

Leni Herr (Life Member)

Verizon Pioneers – Kinnard Chapter #7

Leni Herr is tireless in her efforts to promote and support Pioneering.  She has increased membership, volunteer participation and funding. Leni even  initiated the development of a new educational game for schools called lingo. Lingo is similar to bingo with words replacing numbers. She has brought Pioneering back to the workplace, where management, employees, and union members contribute to projects. Leni also re-established a Pioneer Club that had disbanded. She has renewed the spirit of Pioneering! 

In addition to being Chapter President, Fundraiser and Webmaster, Leni is also the State Coordinator for the International Coastal Cleanup. She is Contestant Handout Chairman and Contestant Registration Chairman for the Sports Jamboree. She plans fundraising trips and has organized Region fundraising projects and serves on the Region Development Committee.

Leni has always been there to answer the call of those in need. She takes on projects, when others won’t. She motivates, encourages, praises, and always says thank you for a job well done. Leni averages 20 hours a week on Pioneer activities, reporting nearly 800 hours.

The first of Leni’s Pioneering awards came when her Chapter received the Association’s second-place award for membership during her first year as Chapter President.  The highlight of her Pioneering experience was being elected to the Verizon Pioneer Hall of Fame in 1999.

Sarah DePaolo (Life Member)

Verizon Pioneers – Kinnard Chapter #7

Sarah has been involved in Pioneering since 1973, and is often the first to volunteer for projects. She works constantly in the name of Pioneering, locally with her club, and at the chapter and Association levels.  Sarah is currently Life Member Representative and Community Service Chairman for the Chapter. She also served as Chairman of the Sports Jamboree this year, her second time in that position. She has been Member at-Large, Council and Life Member Club President, Chapter President, Reunion Chairman, and served on the By Laws Committee.

Sarah has been the Volunteer Registration Chairman of the Sports Jamboree for 22 years.  She makes Hug-a-Bears, knits blanket squares, baby hats, and cancer caps. She helps advance education, comfort those in need, and raise funds for community services. She volunteers for the Red Cross, the Cancer Society and works with the Women’s Resource Center.

At 74 years old, Sarah is still going strong. She learned how to use a computer and email to help solve problems and stay in touch with other Pioneers. Sarah has signed up dozens of new members over the years, signing up 8 new members in one month alone.  Sarah has logged more than 1,000 hours of volunteer service in each of the last 3 years.  Sarah was recently featured in the Life Member Spotlight in the Pioneer Communicator, an online email newsletter that goes out to over 20,000 people.

In 1999 she was elected to the Verizon Pioneer Hall of Fame. She is always there, ready to work and “Answer the Call of those in Need.”

Tom DePaolo (Pioneer Partner)

Verizon Pioneers – Kinnard Chapter #7

Since 1973, Tom DePaolo has been the quintessential “Pioneer Partner.” The Kinnard

Chapter and the Pocono Pioneer Club could not get along without him. He is always there to lift, load, register, move, organize, fix and fill in at Pioneer projects and events.  Tom is a member of the Sports Jamboree Planning Committee. He is at the site for four days setting up for his job at registration and helping out where ever he can. He volunteers over 125 hours each year for this one project. Tom has an additional 419 hours throughout the year for various other community service projects, including delivering Hug-a-Bears and cancer caps to hospitals, selling tickets for fundraising events, participating in highway cleanups, painting playground maps, and more.

Tom’s countless hours of volunteerism, representing the Verizon TelecomPioneers while helping other organizations, helps Pioneers gain recognition in his local community. When a ramp is needed, the Pioneers are called. When the highway needs to be cleaned, the Pioneers are there. Tom’s work with Pioneer educational projects has enhanced our image in the community, making us known as great supporters of schools.  Approximately 8 first-time volunteers have started helping with Pioneer projects because of Tom’s enthusiasm and encouragement. These are members who attend monthly luncheon meetings for socializing only, but have now started helping at Pioneer projects.