|
| |
 |
|
Special Edition
2005 Hall of Fame Inductees
The Hall of Fame was established to honor by chapter the "Best of the Best." The Pioneers honored here
have devoted countless hours to serving their communities with their time
and leadership. |
 June Weakley, Alexander Graham Bell Chapter
June has been active in Pioneering since 1979. She has
served as council and chapter president, is the current chapter fundraiser
and is serving as the volunteer chairperson on the region's Key Operating
Committee. June has been an active and loyal member of the Montgomery
Council and the AGB Chapter for more than 25 years. She has written
fundraising guidelines, participated in training programs, recruited
members, raised funds and participated in numerous community service
projects. June has supported all chapter projects whether they were
ongoing events or one time only. She always comes through with a can-do
attitude, a cheerful smile and heartfelt laugh. June's love for this
organization is obvious. |
 Christine LeClair, Excelsior Chapter
Chris has been involved in Pioneering since 1973, when
she joined as a Future Pioneer. She has served as community service
chairperson, vice president and president of Buffalo Life Member Club, and
is currently serving as the life member representative. Christine is the
project chairperson for Books for Kids Project, supervises 14 volunteers
weekly with Project FLIGHT, runs a workshop at her home several times a
year to make Smart Bears and assisted in the infamous pepperoni/cheese
sale for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. The biggest asset that
Chris brings to the Pioneers is her ability to recruit volunteers. Her
dedication to Pioneers is obvious and infectious to all that meet her. |
 Mary Palfy, Fort Pitt Chapter
Mary has been the editor of the Fort Pitt Chapter
quarterly newsletter, "Tele-AII," for six years, the chapter webmaster for
five years, and is the current life member council president. She also has
served as community service chairperson and member-at-large. Mary has
volunteered at annual Easter Egg Hunts for the past 18 years, helps at the
local food bank, supports the Girls Hope project, assists at Borders Book
gift wrap fundraiser, coordinates holiday donations via Project SATAR,
participates in Verizon Reads, ABAM, Hug-A-Bears, toy collections and so
much more. Mary coordinates with the Children's Institute for the
chapter's annual Fall Craft Night for the children who are patients of the
rehab facility. She organizes 20 plus volunteers to assist the 40
multi-handicapped children with the preparation of five or six holiday
crafts. For the past 14 years, Mary has hosted this event, which includes
the making of crafts, entertainment by the volunteer clowns and assistance
by therapy dogs. |
 Olivia Sandy, H.G. McCully Downstate Chapter
Olivia has served as club, council, and chapter
president, as well as life member representative. She is now the
chapter administrator and the current chapter treasurer. In 1991, Olivia
encouraged the chapter to embrace and complete its first Annual Sports
Jamboree. Fourteen years later, the event is still going strong. She is
always ready to volunteer at her club's fundraising events, luncheons and
at vendor sales. She has been involved with the Pioneer Annual Meeting in
Pittsburgh and has served as the entertainment chairperson for the New
Jersey Pioneers Reunion. Olivia is so actively involved that her fellow
Pioneers often forget that she is a life member. |
 Bruce Yennie,
H.G. McCully Upstate Chapter
Bruce
joined the Paterson-Passaic-Ridgewood Council in 1987, held various
chairperson positions, served as council president, and environmental
co-chairperson. He became 2nd vice president of the chapter and served as
chapter president for four years. Bruce designed and helped build 27
wheelchair ramps, assisted in delivering A Book About Me, helped paint
playground maps and delivered Hug-A-Bears. He is the chapter webmaster and
an active committee member on two of the chapter's biggest fundraisers --
Golf Outing and Tricky Tray. Bruce has served as the chairperson of the
Development Key Operating Committee and developed the online E-store as a
fundraising tool for both the region and the chapters. Bruce is a
dedicated Pioneer who has the full support and commitment of his family. |
 Betty Hackett, Jasper N. Keller Chapter
Betty has served as Future Pioneer representative,
member-at-large, vice president and president of the New Hampshire
Council. She has served on the Board of Directors for Rebuilding Together,
Special Olympics of New Hampshire, and as chairperson on numerous
committees. Betty's volunteer activities include: Special Olympics, Vial
Of Life, Hug-A-Bears, Prescott Park, Cooking at Water Country, reading at
local schools, in addition to serving as building coordinator for numerous
projects. Betty exemplifies the spirit of Pioneering. |
 Shirley Hoffman, Leonard H.
Kinnard Chapter
Shirley has held numerous committee chair positions,
served as life member representative twice, served on the Sports Jamboree
Committee from 1983 to 2002 and was president of both Reading Council and
Reading Life Member Club. She established a drug education program for the
Reading Council and has distributed books, painted USA Maps, volunteered
at Bingo, trained Kinnard Klowns in makeup, balloon animals and face
painting, volunteered on the Advisory Council of the Berks County Office
of Aging and the American Cancer Society. She has taken Woodsy Owl into
the schools in Reading, teaching the importance of not littering. She also
helped establish Creek Watchers on the chapter level and volunteered
weekly for several years, monitoring the water at a local creek. Shirley
was the chapter reunion chairperson several times where she wrote many
plays and skits for the entertainment events. |
 Robert L. Erne, Liberty Bell
Chapter
Bob has served as president of the Diamond State Life
Member Club twice and was member-at-large twice. He also served as
member-at-large on the chapter level and has been the MAP committee chair
since 1996. Bob was responsible for getting playground maps painted at 55
locations in New Castle County, Delaware. He developed procedures for all
facets of the map project, including stencil design and training on how to
make them. He spearheaded the MAP project for the 1994 General Assembly in
Pittsburgh, Penn., where it was so well received that he provided
instructions and stencils for all 90 chapters in the U.S. and Canada. Bob
took on another enormous undertaking -- the making of electronic maps to
be used in school classrooms. A total of 168 have been assembled to date.
Bob helped redesign the original E-Map to its current and much improved
version, then provided hands-on training sessions to all interested
parties. Bob is also involved in the 911 project, volunteers at a local
school for the hearing impaired, volunteers for wiring projects, builds
ramps, helps with fundraising at garage and yard sales and is very active
with the Boy Scouts. Bob is currently collecting information on the
beeping Easter Egg Project for the purpose of preparing an instructional
manual. Bob is ambitious, dedicated, involved, engaged and the Liberty
Bell Chapter's Pioneer Extraordinaire. |
 Jack Brown, Maryland Chapter
Jack has served as president of the chapter, club and
central region, as well as vendor chairperson and life member
representative. He has been involved in Christmas in April, USA Map
Project, Habitat for Humanity, Book-Em, and Students Under Construction
Environmental Projects. He has been Maryland's Santa for breakfasts and
luncheons during the holiday season for the last decade. He has helped
with all fundraising activities, including shrimp, bull and oyster roasts,
sold cookbooks, lottery and Hershey Park tickets and is in charge of
vendors for the Maryland Chapter. Through his fundraising efforts, the
chapter has been able to enhance its educational programs. Jack continues
to show his dedication to Pioneers and the Maryland Chapter by accepting
the position of chapter president for the Pioneer year of 2006. |
 Beverly Freemantle,
Mountain Valley Empire Chapter
Beverly has served as fundraising co-chairperson of the
Capital Valley Council and Troy Life Member Club. She has worked in the
Pioneer office for four years as the administrative assistant. She has
participated in the Christmas Sacks Project, Pioneer Flag Day float,
mentoring program, and chapter yarn project. Beverly has painted numerous
playground and canvas maps, and has participated in Pioneer trips and
helped on various environmental activities. She was instrumental in
starting and heading the "Catch the Spirit Project," sponsored by the Troy
Life Member Club and the Pittstown Methodist Church. This program provides
children a place to go after school while their parents are still working.
The children can read, get assistance with their homework and play games
until their parents pick them up. Four days a week, Beverly stops at Price
Chopper and picks up the day old food items that can be used as snacks for
the children and for the needy in the community. Beverly's commitment to
the community is demonstrated by her volunteer efforts. You could say that
Beverly has caught the Pioneer Spirit. |
 Mary Leonard, Nova 5 Chapter
Mary has served as group representative, area
administrator, president of the Gems Life Member Club and life member
representative. Mary organized the contact calling for the former Carl
Whitmore Chapter, has served the Queens Council for 12 years organizing
and writing the memorial service for deceased pioneers, assisted in Blind
Bowling, Special Olympics, Santa Tours, Toys for Needy, Make A Difference
Day, distributed books at various schools and so much more. She has been
named Pioneer of the Year of the Carl Whitmore Chapter and Life Member of
the Year for the Gems Life Member Club. Mary volunteered as the store
clerk in the Pioneer Store and assisted in ordering merchandise and
managing the funds. Mary has truly made superior contributions to
advancing the purpose and objective of Pioneering over the past 33 years.
She has been a dedicated volunteer to her council, club and chapter and
their respective activities. She has a genuine concern for the community
and enjoys serving their needs. |
 Tommy Harris, Old Dominion Chapter
Tommy has been a Pioneer since 1967. He has been
involved with the magazine project for nursing homes and has painted maps
on school grounds. In 1992, Tommy and his partner, Eleanor, became two of
the key founders of the Virginia Telephone Museum. He worked long and hard
to provide working exhibits to reflect the evolution of telephony in
Virginia as a living history for numerous school children that visit by
the busloads. He also searched far and wide for donations and has
reconditioned numerous pieces of equipment. In 2004, the museum moved to a
new location. This was a huge undertaking and Tommy was up for the
challenge. He is a strong supporter of Pioneering and has donated at least
10,000 hours over the past 12 years. |
 Linda Steuerwald, Paumanok Chapter
Linda is a much deserving Pioneer. Her manner is quiet
and reserved, but she is a powerhouse when it comes to answering the call
of those in need. She served a two-year term as chapter president, was
president of the Suffolk Council, and has held numerous council and
chapter chairs. During her term as president, the chapter was awarded two
Project of Excellence Awards for educational projects that included
distributing more than 10,000 books in the communities. She has decorated
graves at the National Cemetery, packed items to send to overseas troops,
visited area shelters, played the role of Mother Goose when needed,
spearheaded the seedlings project, ran the Mother's Day plant sales and
painted USA Maps, just to mention a few of the projects in which she has
been involved. She is a full time working mother of four and includes her
entire family in many volunteer projects. Her actions personify what
"Fellowship, Loyalty and Service" are all about. |
 Joseph Robbins, Telcordia Chapter
Joseph has been involved with Pioneering since 1975 and
has served as council, chapter and life member vice president and
president, as well as a member-at-large. He has been involved with CASA
for the Morris County Court System, coordinated Computer Repair for
Schools, worked on repairing and refurbishing computers, helped on the
internet wiring project for schools, helped on the Coastal Clean up
project and is currently designing the chapter's website. Joseph helped
raise over $1300.00 in a one-day Pioneer sale. He is a regular speaker at
the life member luncheons sharing information about recycling, computers,
the Internet and financial planning. Joseph is an asset to the Telcordia
Chapter and a wonderful volunteer. |
 Rosemary Thomas, Thomas Sherwin Chapter
Rose has served as president, secretary and
executive board member of the Council and as a member of the chapter
finance committee. Rose has served on the calendar committee for five
years and is the coordinator for the Canal Walk, which is in its 14th
year. She has volunteered at five vice president's projects, coordinated
membership drives, and has promoted the Hug-A-Bear Project. If you need a
volunteer, call Rose, she is willing and able to heed the Pioneer call for
those in need. |
 Morris Sachsenmaier, Verizon West Chapter
Morrie has been a Pioneer since 1988. He serves Verizon
West as vice president and has been president of the Norwesco Club. He is
the National lTPA Historical Chairperson. Morrie started the Dictionary
Project for the Verizon West Pioneers. The project was so successful that
the Verizon TelecomPioneers adopted this as their national project. He
does all of the grant writing for his Pioneer Museum, helps to rebuild
parks, and paints homes for Housing Hope. Morrie is the chairperson for
Toys for Boys Holiday Project and is active in the Verizon Reads Literacy
Program. He recently completed Verizon West's first playground map.
Verizon West is proud of Morrie and his contributions. |
 Richard Lee "Dick" Cook, West Virginia Chapter
Dick has served as fellowship chairman, life member
club president and chapter coordinator of the Vial of Life project. He is
a tireless worker and inspiring leader. Doing legwork, brainwork and just
plain hard work, Dick has set the example for others to follow. He
initiated the Life Member breakfast, which is held the 2nd Wednesday of
each month, helped build the first fishing pier for the disabled in West
Virginia, assisted in building a nature trail for the disabled, helped
turn the forgotten shell at the old Pinecrest Hospital into Beckley's
first homeless shelter, worked with Ghent Elementary School to create a
nature trail, which has tagged trees, shrubs and bluebird houses. The list
goes on ..... Is he done yet? Not even heart bypass surgery and other
health problems have stopped him, just slowed him down a bit. Dick is a
hard act to follow, but a blessing to have as a teacher, a friend, and a
Pioneer. |
 Stephen Spafford, W.J. Denver Chapter
Steve has held the office of president of both council
and chapter. Because of his participation and leadership, the following
projects were planned and executed to Pioneer perfection: Clarke School
for the Deaf Shoot-A-Thon and Auction, Seasons Readings, Alzheimer's
Memory Ride, Jr. Achievement and Big Brother & Sisters Bowl-A-Thons, YMCA
ARCH program. As a professional DJ, Steve donates his services to many
Pioneer events. Steve has recently been named Volunteer of the Month by
the Verizon Diversity Committee. His leadership style is one of inclusion
where he feels everyone has a voice and brings value to the conversation
or project. Steve is a Pioneer for life. |
 Gold
Glass 2005 Commemorative Bell
These handsome limited-edition gold glass bell
paperweights were cast by the Fenton Artists and used to promote the 2005
TelecomPioneers annual meeting in Las Vegas. There were only 225 produced
for this event making this a true collector's item! The words "2005 Las
Vegas Annual Meeting" are embossed on the bottom of this 2" tall by 2-1/4"
wide bell with "Bell System" embossed on the sides. Price: $18.95, plus
shipping. Please visit
http://www.verizonpioneers.org/Estore.htm. |
|
|
|
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. |
|
Interested
in becoming a TelecomPioneer?