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17,439
Read
With
Me
Kits!
For the sixth year in a row,
Jasper N. Keller Chapter members met at the Armory in Augusta, Maine
on August 23, 2005 to assemble and pack 17,439 Read with Me kits for
kindergarten and first grade students throughout Maine. This
project, funded by Verizon, was started by Governor Angus King’s
wife, Mary, and is being continued by Karen Baldacci. The kits
contain “Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee” written by Chris Van Dusen,
a bookmark matching the book, suggestions on reading, and a letter
from Mrs. Baldacci encouraging the children to read and the parents
to read with them. Mr. Van Dusen was at the Armory to greet the
volunteers.
Pioneers from the Kennebec Life Member Club, the Maine Council,
members of the governor’s staff, and volunteers from MBNA assembled
the kits which were delivered to schools throughout Maine by the
National Guard, Verizon employees, and the Pioneers. Governor
Baldacci and Ed Dinan, president and CEO of Verizon-Maine thanked
all the volunteers for helping to make this such a successful
project.
Mrs. Baldacci told the volunteers that this year, for the first
time, Read with Me kits were distributed to every kindergarten in
Maine. She also thanked the Pioneer life members for their
dedication to her project. When the project was started in 2000, it
took two days to assemble and pack the Kits. This year the
volunteers completed it in one. |
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Help Liberty Bell sponsor Shamika
The Liberty Bell Chapter is now helping support
the American Indian Mission in Show Low, Arizona. The chapter
is sponsoring a child and providing financial support to the
mission's school that is educating children from the Navajo and
Apache reservations.
The child's name is Shamika. She is five years old and is in
kindergarten. At this school, the children are bused to school where
they stay overnight during the week and are then bused home for the
weekend to spend time with their families. The chapter has furnished
the school with stuffed bears, school supplies and 51 copies of our
dictionaries for two classes and teachers.
If anyone would like more information about this project,
please contact Bobbie Hartnett at 302-697-2960 or send an email to
BBHART098@aol.com
- be sure to put a AICM in the Subject block of the email. |
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"End Domestic Violence" awareness bracelets
Help fund the H.G. McCully Chapter's domestic
violence projects by purchasing "End Domestic Violence" awareness
bracelets. Each of these sturdy, 8-inch bracelets are specially
priced at $2 each. Quantity discounts available at 5 bracelets for
$9 or 10 bracelets for $18. Visit http://www.verizonpioneers.org/Estore.htm. |
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Verizon West makes 200 children happy
The Verizon West Norwesco Club in Everett,
Washington, delivered 100 dolls that were outfitted by 30 Pioneers
and 100 gifts for boys (collected through the Toys for Boys project)
to local schools as part of the club's holiday project. The dolls
and toys were given to children who had no family support. |
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The Life Member
spotlight is on... June Weakley
June Weakley is the Alexander Graham Bell
Chapter's 2005 Hall of Fame recipient! June began Pioneering with
C&P Telephone and has been actively involved with AGB for 25 years.
Her consistent active and loyal participation is the reason she has,
with the wonderful support of Pioneer Partner Russell, served as
Chapter President, Council President and Life Member Representative.
June was significant in helping organize Camp Friendship Clean
Up Day, the Sports Jamboree, and the Annual Covenant House project.
She supports the Annual Easter Egg Hunt and Beep Ball Inter-league
for the visually impaired. She especially enjoys going to schools
and reading to the children.
June admits that being a part of installing a 60-foot fence at
the Paxtuent Wildlife Center was quite an experience, but clearing a
bog and serving at Fisher House was great! She loves meeting the
needs of the community and is always ready to lend a hand in the
name of Pioneers. |
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Liberty Bell Chapter salutes Magnolia L. Smith
Magnolia started her commitment to Liberty Bell
as a Future Pioneer, continued her dedication to Pioneering for
numerous years, and now takes pride in her new status as a life
member. Magnolia has served as council Member at Large, Chairperson
of Hobbies and Education, Chapter Chairperson of External Media,
Past Chapter President, co-author of the chapter newsletter, and is
the incoming president of Germantown Council.
Writing is Magnolia's passion, and she is always available to
write news articles, speeches and anything necessary to meet the
needs of her council and chapter. Although retired, Magnolia has
remained a member of the Verizon External Affairs Team serving the
areas of Philadelphia and Chester, Pennsylvania and has served as
team co-chairperson for the past 12 years. She often incorporates
TelecomPioneers with her External Affairs commitments. When the
Republican National Convention convened in Philadelphia, many
Pioneers had the opportunity to play major roles in the convention
due to her persistence.
For many years, Magnolia has spearheaded efforts to collect
toys for Action AIDS, an agency that provides toys at Christmas for
children afflicted with AIDS. Hundreds of toys are collected from
Verizon employee worksites and Life Members through her Angel Tree
project. Magnolia constantly encourages others to join her in her
efforts to improve the lives of others by giving of their time and
talents to make a difference. Magnolia’s motto is “Most of us will
never do great things, but we can do small things in a great way.”
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The Iroquois Council held 27th Annual Christmas Party!
The Iroquois Council of the Excelsior Chapter invited 25 area
schools to the Verizon Center of Progress Building at the NY State
Fairgrounds. The participating students were pre-school to 5th
grade who were in resource or early intervention. All were
physically or mentally challenged.
Chapter members created a maze of tables for the children to go
through. Each table has goodies for them to collect and put in a bag
to take home. The goodies included candy, cookies, chips, hats,
toothbrushes, popcorn and apples. They also received a book and had
a story read to them. They had their faces painted and sang
Christmas carols. McGruff from the local police department visited
with them along with the K-9 dog. They were given a new hat - hand
knitted or store bought - they had their choice. Then they received
a gift from Santa and Mrs. Claus. For many of these children, these
were the only Christmas gifts they received. This year about 700
children were served. |
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Toys Across the Region keeps growing
For the last eight years, the Capital Valley Council of
the Mountain Valley Empire Chapter in Menands, NY, has been
collecting money and toys for "Toys Across the Region." Lists of
specific toys and games are distributed throughout the 11 Wards Lane
building and decorated drop off boxes are situated on all three
floors for people to drop their gifts. Each year, the contributions
have grown. The Council now contributes to the Cassell's Toy
Factory charity in Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake Christmas charity
"Holiday Helpers," and to various Head Start nursery school programs
in the Albany and Troy vicinities.
Toys Across the Region has partnered in the last few years with
the "Verizon Reads" program locally to include books with the
Council's toy contributions so that every child the council assists
receives a book as well as a toy. Several local toy and book stores
have given discounts to the program due to the volume of toys and
books the council has purchased with monetary contributions. In the
last two years, the council provided Christmas books and toys for
more than 500 children each year.
Both of the Adirondack communities have expressed their
appreciation and stated that without the Pioneers their charities
could not exist. They have ensured that both Verizon and the
Pioneers have received accolades through newspaper articles each
year when the toys and books are delivered. |
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