Buffalo Elementary praises Technology Display
following are excerpts from a letter by Mary Eileen Prisinzano, technology coordinator at Buffalo Elementary
     As an inner city school that wanted to focus on technology in order to prepare our students for the future, we were most fortunate to be introduced to Phil Hahn, an engineer for [Verizon and an Excelsior Chapter Pioneer]... He created a professional looking display [for our Technology Fair]. Throughout the Technology Fair, our [375] middle level students viewed the Pioneer's Technical Display and were given an overview of telecommunication technologies. Phil also added some hands on activities, such as working with fiber optics, telephone cables, hardware and electronics. The best feature of this display is that it could be used by any of the Pioneers to exhibit the development and uses of telephone communication to groups of any age.

Walter Reed Army Medical Center says "thanks!"
     On June 10, the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. presented a plaque of appreciation to the Verizon TelecomPioneers for setting up DSL services at their three Fisher Houses. The Verizon TelecomPioneers contributed more than $8,000 for the first year of DSL services.
     The Fisher Houses provide a temporary home-away-from-home for families of patients receiving medical care on an inpatient and sometimes outpatient basis. The Fisher Houses allow families to stay together while receiving treatments. The troops will use the DSL service to communicate with the troops they left overseas, their families, and taking online classes.

Life Member Spotlight is on... Linda Sutak
     Linda Sutak has been active with the Pioneer organization for more than 30 years. She was involved with the Pioneer organization as a Future Pioneer while working for Ohio Bell. She brought her knowledge of Pioneering with her when she transferred to C&P Telephone Company. She has assisted with nearly every community service activity at one time or another. Since retiring from Verizon in July 2000, she has become more involved with the Northern Virginia Council and Alexander Graham Bell (AGB) Chapter activities.
     Over the years Linda has chaired or assisted with several events and projects such as: Special Olympics games, nursing home visits, map painting, Camp Friendship clean up day, Hug-a-Bears, Santa Bell, Christmas children’s events, fundraising activities and the Annual Easter Egg Hunts and Beep Ball teams.
     Linda received one of the Chapter’s highest awards – Pioneer of the Year in 2002 for her dedication to the Pioneer organization. She also received AGB's 2004 Hall of Fame Award.

McCully Upstate spruces up Belmon Camp
     More than a dozen McCully Upstate Chapter members attended the Belmon Camp Clean-up in Butler, New Jersey, on June 4. While most of the Pioneers cleaned indoors, several men cleaned outdoors, including one member who brought his own tractor and cleared large areas of land. The volunteers went cabin to cabin, cleaning, dusting, vacuuming and just sprucing the place up for incoming guests starting June 13.
     The Salvation Army operates the camp and hosts guests (homeless veterans, families with Aids, and homeless families) on a weekly basis, allowing them to experience camp life. The guests have the opportunity to swim, fish, hike and generally enjoy life outdoors.

Interested in becoming a TelecomPioneer?
    If you'd like to join the Verizon TelecomPioneers, go to http://www.verizonpioneers.org/ChptrJoinmap.htm. If you have any questions, please contact Stephen Kohn, vice president - Verizon/Telcordia/Frontier TelecomPioneers, at stephenkohn@verizon.net.

We look forward to your questions and comments. Please send them to editor@verizonpioneers.org. Our Estore manager is also curious about what products you recommend we stock in our online store. Please e-mail him at estore@verizonpioneers.org.
Please visit our website at www.verizonpioneers.org.

June 15, 2005