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On Sat., April 5, the Liberty Bell Chapter participated in the
Spring Clean Up of Philadelphia. This event was coordinated at
the request of Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Pioneers took
the lead in West Philadelphia by cleaning streets, parks and
recreational facilities in the areas surrounding 63rd and Cobbs
Creek Parkway and the Cobbs Creek Environmental Center. Verizon
President Bill Petersen joined Allen Lewis, Liberty Bell chapter
vice president and project coordinator, and the other Pioneers
in this much-needed volunteer effort.
According to news media reports, the city of Philadelphia far exceeded the goal of 10,000 volunteers with a final count of 15,000. The city expected to remove one million pounds of trash; however, the final report credits the entire volunteer force that day with collecting 2.5 million pounds. |
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Recently, the Volunteers of America (VOA) opened a new emergency
shelter in Rochester, N.Y., designed to help families while they
try to get back on their feet. This new shelter features 10
private guest rooms and several large common areas, including a
children's activity area, community room, kitchen, dining area
and bath facilities. The VOA asked the Genesee Chapter and its
sponsor company, Frontier Communications, for assistance in
adopting the community room's Learning and Technology Lab. Of
course, the Pioneers jumped at the opportunity.
The Pioneers and Frontier employees worked together to complete this task. Lynn DiBiase, chapter community partnership coordinator, contacted Jen Rudolph, Frontier's real estate planner, to see what excess supplies might be available. Frontier donated work surfaces, chairs, conference table, couch, artificial plants, file cabinets and wastebaskets. Deb Fasciano, chapter president, and Steve Cackett, Frontier marketing database analyst, contacted Micrecycle, a nonprofit that transforms donated computers into useable equipment for low-income families. Micrecycle donated eight computers and three printers to the VOA. The Pioneers also donated bookshelves, games, puzzles, carpets, beanbag chairs and toy boxes. |
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George Snyder from the Kinnard Chapter
George Snyder, past president of Lehigh Valley Pioneer Club, is a multi-tasking volunteer. Besides his Pioneer activities over the past 10 years, he has been a driving force in the Trexler District, Minsi Trail Council of the Boy Scouts and the Knights of Columbus (Council # 14397). George was significantly responsible for more than 150 Boy Scouts and other volunteers for the Kinnard Chapter- sponsored International Coastal Cleanup project in the Lehigh Valley. George has made significant contributions to Pioneering at the chapter and club levels. Possibly his most visible contribution has been the number of president's terms he has served -- five. During George's tenure as president, he was nicknamed the "Educational President" because of his keen interest in providing books to 2nd through 5th grade students. These include the Dictionary Project (averaging 15 classrooms per year) and the Verizon Reads program (averaging 25 classrooms per year). George has not forgotten our military. On several occasions during his tenure, the club supported local troops when they were being deployed overseas (Iraq and Afghanistan) and again when they safely returned home. This observance involved the PA National Guard units stationed at the Allentown Armory, including "C" Company, 213 Airfield Support Task Force, and PA National Guard. Possibly George's most difficult task in the past three years has been his efforts toward saving the Lehigh Valley Pioneer Club from disbanding due to reduced member participation. George's outstanding volunteering effort with Pioneering, Scouting and Knights of Columbus over the years is a testimony to his dedication to his community in concert with the Pioneer aim: "Answering the Call of those in Need." |
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The W.J. Denver Pioneers, based in Providence, R.I., recently
partnered with Girl Scouts and Brownies to help them earn badges
and provide a resource to collect and distribute Girl Scout
cookies at home and abroad. Girl Scout Troop #913 created a
project called "Cookies for a Cause." The girls and their
advisors sold cookies at Verizon's 251 Locke Drive facility in
Marlboro one morning. For every box of cookies employees
purchased and donated, Pioneers matched that sale. In all, 57
boxes were donated and with a match of 57 more from the
Pioneers, 114 boxes of cookies were distributed by the Girl
Scouts to the Franklin Food Pantry and Bedford VA Hospital.
Pioneers also partnered with 19 second graders from Brownie Troop #2289 from Natick, Mass. When an employee came to chapter leaders requesting assistance in helping the troop find a contact in Iraq to send the cookies, a fellow Pioneer and employee's son came to mind. The chapter connected the two and the Brownies soon had 25 cases (nearly 300 boxes) of Girl Scout cookies to send overseas. Realizing this was a great expense to the troop, Pioneers offered to fund the mailing. Twenty cases went to a unit identified by the employee's son as one in need. The other five cases were sent to the friend of a Brownie troop member's family. That soldier is also stationed in Iraq. The girls also wrote letters on patriotic stationery with a heading that read, "From Our Troop To Your Troop." The letters were included with the cases of cookies. The letters helped them to finish earning their Writing badges and the cookie sales for the troops helped them earn a Service patch. They also enclosed some disposable cameras so, hopefully, some pictures of the soldiers opening the cookies will be sent back. |
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The Morristown Council of the McCully Upstate Chapter delivered
dictionaries, handmade bookmarks, a U.S. map rug, and a $250
check to the Academy Street School in Dover, N.J. on on April 1.
"We appreciate your recognition of the needs of our diverse
school population," said Deborah A. D'Urso, principal of the
Academy Street School.
The check helped defray the school's expenses for student tickets to the Liberty Science Center, an annual chapter project. Each council sponsors a school. Academy Street has three 3rd grade sections and they wanted to bring all the 3rd grade students. They needed an additional 25 tickets above the 40 student tickets and five chaperone tickets provided to each school by the chapter, so the Morristown Council added the check as an extra surprise for the school. The Warren Life Member Club crafted the bookmarks. On April 1, the principal and 5th grade teacher recruited the Pioneers to play a role in an April Fool's joke. The Pioneers pretended to be school neighbors whose house had been vandalized by students. The students, who had been studying detective investigation and crime solving techniques, had to discover the guilty parties. It was great fun for the Pioneers, teacher and principal, and a total surprise to the students. Morristown Council started a partnership with the school back in 2000 when they requested a playground map. The council not only painted the map but, over the years, has also donated school supplies, dictionaries, books, bookmarks, and the carpet map. |
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The Excelsior Chapter Pioneers invite you to join them for the
Camp Badger spring cleanup and playground upgrade June 6 - 8.
Located on 420 acres of beautiful woodlands with a man-made
lake, Camp Badger, home of the Empire State Speech and Hearing
Clinic, Inc. (ESSHC) provides a living and learning experience
uninhibited by traditional school buildings and classrooms. The
ESSHC is centrally located in upstate New York, convenient to
Ithaca, Binghamton, Elmira, and Syracuse. Students who attend
the ESSHC come from school districts throughout the state.
Out-of-state students are also welcome to attend. Children
reside in rustic cabins that house six to 10 students and are
equipped with electricity. Modern bathroom and shower facilities
are located near the cabin areas. Four counselors are assigned
to each cabin to share the responsibility of 24-hour
supervision.
Learn more.
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Dear Mr. Ivan Seidenberg:
I am writing to express our appreciation of the work and craftsmanship of the Nova 5 Chapter of the Verizon TelecomPioneers. Today, I received another delivery of beautifully handmade items that will benefit the patients in our maternity and newborn nursery. Many of our patients do not have the appropriate clothing to dress their newborn for the trip home. The sweaters, booties, hats and blankets are truly appreciated by these patients and their families. We are truly grateful to be associated with this special group of people. Sincerely, Joan M. DeMarco Administrative Director of Volunteer Services Richmond University Medical Center
Ivan G. Seidenberg is the chairman and chief executive
officer of Verizon Communications.
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May:
Historic Preservation Month Older Americans Month National Fitness & Sports Month National Military Appreciation Month May 28 - Memorial Day
June:
1 - National Cancer Survivors Day 6 - National Hunger Awareness Day 14 - Flag Day 15 - Father's Day |
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Our Estore manager would like to hear your recommendations on new products. Please e-mail bruceyennie@verizon.net with your feedback. Verizon TelecomPioneers
P.O. Box 4406 . Salem, MA 01970
email:
info@verizonpioneers.org
phone:
978.745.9600
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