Three Pioneer chapters in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are sponsoring Sports Jamborees for contestants who are blind, legally blind or use a wheelchair. Depending on the venue, contestants may be as young as seven and as old as 23. There may be between 50-70 contestants at each venue. Volunteers are needed to help with the games and entertainment. The games generally include beep softball, 40-yard- dash, basketball, wheelchair and bike races, horseshoes, archery, gun range, hockey shot and pilot races. The chapters will host a show or dance for the contestants and their families.

For more information and to volunteer, contact: Pine Hill, New Jersey, Aug. 14-16 (McCully Downstate Chapter), Bob Hawk, hawk927@msn.com; Fort Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Aug. 7-9 (Kinnard Chapter), Jim Dowd, jim.dowd@verizon.net; and North Bend State Park, West Virginia, July 17-19 (West Virginia Chapter), Kim Basnett, BASNETT5@aol.com.

The H.G. McCully Upstate Chapter, in partnership with the New Jersey Pequest Trout Hatchery, hosted a "Celebrating Bird in Culture" poster contest for the fourth graders at Rockaway Valley School. The winning posters will be published in a calendar that will include information on websites for Pioneers, Thinkfinity, the Verizon Foundation and the Pequest Hatchery.

(Photo, l-r:) Liz Jackson, public education assistant - NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife; Dorene DeWitt, chapter president - H.G. McCully Chapter; Pam Bagot, art teacher, Clare Monarch, librarian; and Linda Beyer, education chairperson - H.G. McCully, are standing above the display of posters.

On April 7, Paumanok Chapter's Suffolk Council assembled age and gender appropriate Easter baskets for children ranging in ages from two to 15 years of age who are victims of domestic violence. These personalized baskets were distributed to two domestic violence shelters in New York: Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence's Safe House in Bayshore and Brighter Tomorrows in Shirley. The surplus Easter goodies were distributed to another community service organization, the Helping Hands Rescue Mission in Huntington Station.

(Photo, l-r:) Tammy Kuey, John Polosino, Brooke Newman, Allison Polosino, Artie Polosino, and Jake Polosino.

Our Life Member Spotlight is on...
the FairPoint Chapter

On Saturday April 25, the Southern New Hampshire Life Member Club and Council work helped renovate a house in Manchester, N.H. It was a group activity as well as a great fellowship time. Many of the life and council members have done Rebuilding Together since the chapter first began this project 10 years ago.

The project house the chapter refurbished this year needed the following work: cleaning out a basement, placing a handrail down to the basement, removing tiles in the bathroom, putting up a new tub surround, removing the linoleum floor in the bathroom, replacing the floor with new tiles, making a new concrete step and handrail, painting the side entryway of the house, cutting down trees and brush, raking the yard and planting some plants in the front of the house.

Rebuilding Together is a nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Rebuilding Together believes in a safe and healthy home for every person.

On April 3, the WJ Denver Chapter in partnership with New Hope, Inc., a domestic violence and sexual assault program in Southeastern and Central Mass., hosted a statewide forum on batterer intervention. In collaboration with the Department of Public Health, Congressman Jim McGovern and other domestic violence agencies, this forum was used to educate prosecutors, domestic violence advocates and community members on the need to increase referrals to batterer intervention programs and the ways in which support for programs and legislation around mandated batterer intervention can be fostered throughout the state. This is the first forum of its kind in the state that pulled together state lawmakers, batterer intervention experts, former batterer intervention participants and law enforcement officials to talk about how batterer intervention can be more effectively used in our communities to reduce the rate of violence and domestic violence related homicides. More than 200 participants took advantage of this forum at the Crowne Plaza in Worcester, Mass.

Pioneers and Partners volunteered to assemble over 250 folders with informational materials and name badges prior to the event and were present the day of the event hosting the Registration table. This event was made possible due to Pioneer Jim Crosbie's identification of a need and following up with a winning Verizon Pioneer Competitive Grant submission. The $5,000 check was presented to New Hope during the forum.

(Photo, l-r:) Kevin Galipeau, V.P. Operations - New Hope Inc.; Tim Murray, Lt. Governor - Massachusetts; Kimberly Thomas, Executive Director - New Hope Inc.; Jim Crosbie, Community Service - WJ Denver Chapter; Jeanne Crosbie, Pioneer Partner; Diane Rodger, Member at Large - WJ Denver Chapter; Deb Foley, President - WJ Denver Chapter.

Excelsior Pioneers unload their truck with household supplies at the Cortland YWCA on Clayton Avenue in Cortland, N.Y. As part of their Showers for Shelters program, the Pioneers collected and dropped off supplies for the YWCA's Domestic Violence Shelter.

(Photo, l-r:) Pioneers Greg Lee, Mickey Cavanaugh, Greg Crawford on the truck, Cathy Carbone; and Rita Wright, director of the YWCA Aid for Victims of Violence.

Dear Jim Glass:

On behalf of the entire Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and our hospitalized veterans, please accept our sincere appreciation for your recent donation. The veterans on Ward 7-2 enjoyed the social you hosted for them. Thank you for remembering our veterans.

This year, our medical center will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the original dedication of our facility. During his 1934 dedication speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed the spirit of community, "Most of you in this great audience are from this neighborhood and in the years to come you will see how your government treats the men who have served it, treats the men who will occupy this hospital. They will be your friends and your neighbors. I commend them to your care and I am very certain that you will give it to them."

Your generosity demonstrates the community and patriotic spirit expressed in President Roosevelt's words in 1934 and which continues to thrive. Please express our sincere thanks to the members of your organization who have made this contribution and for their own service to our nation.

Sincerely,
Ann Benois
Chief, Voluntary, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Salem, VA

Jim Glass is the president of the Old Dominion Chapter's Roanoke Council.

Spring is in the air, and now is the perfect time to start using the Pioneers Visa® Card! If you apply now, you'll receive a $25 statement credit when you spend just $30 in the first 90 days. The Pioneers Visa Card is a perfect way to show your support for the Pioneers, while you earn great rewards and privileges. Click here to apply today! Offer ends June 30, 2009. The creditor and issuer of the Visa Platinum card is the U.S. Bank National Association ND. You may choose one of three types of cards.

Choose the Select Rewards Visa Card and you'll receive:
· Rewards points with every net purchase, plus your choice of almost any reward with the Choose Your Own Rewards program
· 1,000 bonus points with your first purchase, and rewards starting at just 1,500 points!

Choose the Cash Rewards Visa Card to earn:
· 1% cash back on net purchases per year
· $10 statement credit with first purchase bonus

If you prefer a card with the same great Visa benefits, a lower rate, and you don't require rewards, choose a Visa Platinum Card. Every time you make a purchase with the Pioneers Visa Card, a percentage of your purchase helps us continue to fund important programs and activities.

P.O. Box 4406 . Salem, MA 01970

Bird Festival

The H.G. McCully Upstate Chapter, in partnership with the New Jersey Pequest Trout Hatchery, hosted a "Celebrating Bird in Culture" poster contest for the fourth graders at Rockaway Valley School. The winning posters will be published in a calendar that will include information on websites for Pioneers, Thinkfinity, the Verizon Foundation and the Pequest Hatchery. (Photo, l-r:) Liz Jackson, public education assistant - NJDEP Division of Fish & Wildlife; Dorene DeWitt, chapter president - H.G. McCully Chapter; Pam Bagot, art teacher, Clare Monarch, librarian; and Linda Beyer, education chairperson - H.G. McCully, are standing above the display of posters.

Easter Baskets

On April 7, Paumanok Chapter's Suffolk Council assembled age and gender appropriate Easter baskets for children ranging in ages from two to 15 years of age who are victims of domestic violence. These personalized baskets were distributed to two domestic violence shelters in New York: Suffolk County Coalition Against Domestic Violence's Safe House in Bayshore and Brighter Tomorrows in Shirley. The surplus Easter goodies were distributed to another community service organization, the Helping Hands Rescue Mission in Huntington Station. (Photo, l-r:) Tammy Kuey, John Polosino, Brooke Newman, Allison Polosino, Artie Polosino, and Jake Polosino.

FairPoint Chapter

Our Life Member Spotlight is on... the FairPoint Chapter On Saturday April 25, the Southern New Hampshire Life Member Club and Council work helped renovate a house in Manchester, N.H. It was a group activity as well as a great fellowship time. Many of the life and council members have done Rebuilding Together since the chapter first began this project 10 years ago. The project house the chapter refurbished this year needed the following work: cleaning out a basement, placing a handrail down to the basement, removing tiles in the bathroom, putting up a new tub surround, removing the linoleum floor in the bathroom, replacing the floor with new tiles, making a new concrete step and handrail, painting the side entryway of the house, cutting down trees and brush, raking the yard and planting some plants in the front of the house. Rebuilding Together is a nonprofit working to preserve affordable homeownership and revitalize communities. Rebuilding Together believes in a safe and healthy home for every person.

Batterer Intervention

On April 3, the WJ Denver Chapter in partnership with New Hope, Inc., a domestic violence and sexual assault program in Southeastern and Central Mass., hosted a statewide forum on batterer intervention. In collaboration with the Department of Public Health, Congressman Jim McGovern and other domestic violence agencies, this forum was used to educate prosecutors, domestic violence advocates and community members on the need to increase referrals to batterer intervention programs and the ways in which support for programs and legislation around mandated batterer intervention can be fostered throughout the state. This is the first forum of its kind in the state that pulled together state lawmakers, batterer intervention experts, former batterer intervention participants and law enforcement officials to talk about how batterer intervention can be more effectively used in our communities to reduce the rate of violence and domestic violence related homicides. More than 200 participants took advantage of this forum at the Crowne Plaza in Worcester, Mass. Pioneers and Partners volunteered to assemble over 250 folders with informational materials and name badges prior to the event and were present the day of the event hosting the Registration table. This event was made possible due to Pioneer Jim Crosbie's identification of a need and following up with a winning Verizon Pioneer Competitive Grant submission. The $5,000 check was presented to New Hope during the forum. (Photo, l-r:) Kevin Galipeau, V.P. Operations - New Hope Inc.; Tim Murray, Lt. Governor - Massachusetts; Kimberly Thomas, Executive Director - New Hope Inc.; Jim Crosbie, Community Service - WJ Denver Chapter; Jeanne Crosbie, Pioneer Partner; Diane Rodger, Member at Large - WJ Denver Chapter; Deb Foley, President - WJ Denver Chapter.

Showers for Shelters

Excelsior Pioneers unload their truck with household supplies at the Cortland YWCA on Clayton Avenue in Cortland, N.Y. As part of their Showers for Shelters program, the Pioneers collected and dropped off supplies for the YWCA's Domestic Violence Shelter. (Photo, l-r:) Pioneers Greg Lee, Mickey Cavanaugh, Greg Crawford on the truck, Cathy Carbone; and Rita Wright, director of the YWCA Aid for Victims of Violence.

Thank you!

Dear Jim Glass: On behalf of the entire Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and our hospitalized veterans, please accept our sincere appreciation for your recent donation. The veterans on Ward 7-2 enjoyed the social you hosted for them. Thank you for remembering our veterans. This year, our medical center will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the original dedication of our facility. During his 1934 dedication speech, President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed the spirit of community, "Most of you in this great audience are from this neighborhood and in the years to come you will see how your government treats the men who have served it, treats the men who will occupy this hospital. They will be your friends and your neighbors. I commend them to your care and I am very certain that you will give it to them." Your generosity demonstrates the community and patriotic spirit expressed in President Roosevelt's words in 1934 and which continues to thrive. Please express our sincere thanks to the members of your organization who have made this contribution and for their own service to our nation. Sincerely, Ann Benois Chief, Voluntary, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Salem, VA Jim Glass is the president of the Old Dominion Chapter's Roanoke Council.

Pioneer Visa

Spring is in the air, and now is the perfect time to start using the Pioneers Visa® Card! If you apply now, you'll receive a $25 statement credit when you spend just $30 in the first 90 days. The Pioneers Visa Card is a perfect way to show your support for the Pioneers, while you earn great rewards and privileges. Click here to apply today! Offer ends June 30, 2009. The creditor and issuer of the Visa Platinum card is the U.S. Bank National Association ND. You may choose one of three types of cards. Choose the Select Rewards Visa Card and you'll receive: · Rewards points with every net purchase, plus your choice of almost any reward with the Choose Your Own Rewards program · 1,000 bonus points with your first purchase, and rewards starting at just 1,500 points! Choose the Cash Rewards Visa Card to earn: · 1% cash back on net purchases per year · $10 statement credit with first purchase bonus If you prefer a card with the same great Visa benefits, a lower rate, and you don't require rewards, choose a Visa Platinum Card. Every time you make a purchase with the Pioneers Visa Card, a percentage of your purchase helps us continue to fund important programs and activities.