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Project:Connect gets high marks in
Queens, NY
On April 26, the Queens Council of the Nova Five Chapter rolled
out Project:Connect at Jackie Robinson High School P.S.15, in
Jamaica Queens. The educational presentation by Queens Council Vice
President Rubin Patterson and Education Chair Steve Anderson held
the attention of more than 300 third and fourth grade students.
Steve displayed on a large screen a computerized video program
detailing Project:Connect while Rubin narrated. The students viewed
a demonstration on how information gets transmitted from one
location to another. Students were given a login and password so
that they could access the games from their home computers.
Behind the scenes were Queens Council President Chris Winston,
Past President Marty Gnolfo, Queens Council members Karen Gnolfo,
Marina Rohlehr, and Catherine Banasiak, and Chapter President John
Lynch. |
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Sun shines on painting project
On June 11, seven members of the Mountain Valley Empire Chapter
painted three cabins that will be used by underprivileged children
this season at Camp Sculley. The camp has benn in operation since
1920. The painters included Ron Simpson (project chairperson), Ron
Dibbs, Bev Freemantle, Gerry Simpson, Tom Finn, Kathy Provost, and
Liz Kenneally. "After 3 weeks of rain we finally got one sunny day
to paint," said Gabe Olah, president of the Mountain Valley Empire
Chapter. |
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L.H. Kinnard Chapter hosts Sports Jamboree
A three-day camp in Fort Indiantown Gap, PA, the Sports
Jamboree offers sports opportunities to athletes who are blind,
legally blind, or in wheelchairs. There are adapted team sports,
such as softball, basketball, soccer and horseshoes, and individual
events such as the 40-yard dash, archery, and the bicycle slalom.
"The Verizon TelecomPioneers have been running this camp for people
ages 9 to 21 for 24 years," said Sarah DePaolo, Sports Jamboree
chairperson. "The camp also gets financial support from them." This
year, Kinnard provided 125 volunteers. |
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Verizon's oldest employee retires
after 37 years
Verizon’s oldest employee, Bertha Sagerian is bidding
farewell after more than 37 years with the company. Even though she
doesn’t want to reveal her age, she can talk about living through
the Roaring 20s and about Woodrow Wilson, who was president when she
was born!
An entire building full of friends and co-workers in 251 Locke
Drive, Marlboro, Mass., are getting together under a four-foot
banner with personally signed well wishes to honor Bertha for her
dedication and incredible customer service. Until a bout with
pneumonia earlier this year forced her to stay home, Bertha boasted
perfect attendance for her entire career. Because she doesn’t drive,
this star employee used her imagination along with carpools, buses,
trains, taxis and friends for her daily commute. At one point, this
included a 50-mile train ride to Boston to catch the company shuttle
back along the same path to Marlboro.
“Discovered” in her mid-50s in a downtown Worcester, Mass.,
coffee shop, she was asked to leave her first career to come join
the Bell System as part of the Worcester, Mass., cafeteria staff.
The company Bertha joined on October 14, 1968, had just begun
selling Princess Phones to New Englanders who couldn’t imagine text
messaging, let alone video and Internet services. In 1974 she moved
on to work in the Framingham, Mass., cafeteria. Bertha joined her
current department in 1988 in the Marlboro mailroom, delivering to
the entire 251 Locke Drive complex.
Throughout nearly two decades in Marlboro, people have come to
depend on Bertha, who traverses the halls with her trusted mailcart,
ensuring the packages and letters are always delivered on time and
with a smile. Her one-person operation has included occasional
part-time help for lifting heavy packages. The steady sound of her
portable transistor radio sent a reliable signal that the mail had
arrived.
She has supported the local fundraising efforts by purchasing
many items from the Pioneer Store and always contributing to the
appeals by the National Association. She donated items for the food
drives and various other drives held by Pioneers in the building.
"Bertha has been an inspiration to us all,” said Joan Dubis,
director - Real Estate Operations. “Her spunk, her drive and her
commitment to her customers are an inspiration to the real estate
team.”
A chapter of Verizon history closes as Bertha says her farewell
under the big banner emblazoned with: “Bertha – Best Wishes and Good
Luck. We’ll miss you.” |
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Verizon's oldest Pioneer... 106 years young!
Mrs. Landenberger, born
June 5, 1900, is a life member of the Maryland Chapter and lives in
Baltimore. She began work with Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone in
1943 as a switchboard operator. As a result of health problems, she
was required to leave the company in 1949.
She maintained friendships with active
Pioneers and began a lifetime of volunteer work. Because of her
commitment, the Maryland Pioneers awarded her a Life Membership. She
was later named Pioneer of the Year. She has also received many
plaques, letters of appreciation, and awards, including the Channel
13 pin and the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Award.
Prior to a serious fall in 2003, she spent
many hours of her time crocheting hundreds of baby hats that were
distributed to baby wards at various local hospitals. She also
crocheted hundreds of lap robes for veterans at the local VA
Hospital. Mrs. Landenberger's time is now spent resting and enjoying
visits from her many friends and family members. |
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The Life Member Spotlight is on... Mel Harbert!
Just as soon as Mel Harbert retired after 38
years with GTE, he became active in Pioneering. He not only became
active, but started out running. Mel joined the R. Parker Sullivan
Club of the Verizon West Chapter in 1992 and since that time he has
held all of the offices in this club, including three years as
president.
While he was president, the club won national Pioneering awards
every year, a tribute to his leadership. He assumed all of the
activities related to candy sales, the clubs biggest fund raiser,
almost immediately. He orders the supplies, transports the candy,
handles all of the advertising, contacts and schedules people to
staff the various venues, and he works every day of the sales. Mel
takes part in almost all of the committees in some fashion. Dan
Nelson, president of the R. Parker Sullivan Club, said, "I’m sure if
we needed a janitor he would assume that responsibility as well."
For more than three years he has worked with another pioneer,
Dan Nelson, to rehab used handicap instruments supplied by the
California Telephone Access Program (CTAP). An average of 100 of
these instruments are mailed each month to individuals with various
disabilities at no charge to them. He spends between 30 and 40 hours
a month on this project.
According to Verizon West Chapter President Marsha Young, "They
do a marvelous job and have been supporting the entire State of
California on this project... just the two of them! SBC people (now
AT&T) used to support their own areas, but dropped out of the
program a few years back. Dan and Mel have done it all since then."
(photo: Mel receives the President's Plaque from Dan.) |
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Elaine Person voted Mother of the Year
Elaine Person on the left hugs her friend Maureen Singer
after the announcement that she was voted Mother of the Year at the
Albany, NY, Tulip Festival. There were five finalists. Elaine is a
mother of 19 children of which only one is her biological daughter.
The others are children labeled "hard to place," which means older
(ages 8-17) and with emotional problems and/or background of
physical or sexual abuse. Over the last 25 years, these children
were either adopted or welcomed into Elaine's home for long term
foster care. In addition to raising them, Elaine has four part-time
jobs, is a clown, and serves on the Board of Clowns on Rounds. She
participates in and organizes numerous charitable and community
events. |
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