Warm Holiday Wishes from Pioneers!

In 2011, Pioneers celebrated our 100th anniversary of helping those in need. As we look back on our past century of service, we are overwhelmed with thanks for your commitment, support and loyalty to our organization and the communities that rely on us year after year.

At this time of year, we are especially grateful for our dynamic network of Pioneers who continue to work in these final days of 2011 to brighten the Christmas and holiday season for all of our neighbors.  Thank you for your commitment as a Pioneer to making our world a better place.

As you make your year-end charitable contributions, we hope you will include the Pioneers among your charities of choice – a choice more important than ever.  Please support our local projects and programs by making a secure online donation.  As a not-for-profit organization, any contribution you make to the Pioneers is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

With your continued support, we will be able to meet the growing needs of our communities during these challenging times.  Thank you in advance and know that as a Pioneer you make a difference!

Warmest wishes and blessings to you and yours this holiday season.

Centennial Meeting Highlights

We truly enjoyed celebrating our 100-year anniversary with over 1,100 Pioneers on November 2 – 5 in Boston, MA. 

Several attendees (and those that were not able to join us) have asked for some of the information and links that were shared during the meeting. We've created a highlight page on our website. Enjoy!

Lifetime Achievement Winners Honored at Centennial Celebration

Pioneers, the largest industry-related volunteer organization in the world, celebrated its centennial anniversary this year.  To commemorate 100 years of fellowship, loyalty and service, Pioneers International Headquarters developed a special award for our Centennial year.  This award signifies how Pioneering has grown over the years and continues to make a difference in communities across North America.

The Centennial Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to one individual from each Pioneers sponsor group for their extraordinary deeds throughout their time as a Pioneer. Nominees must have been active in Pioneering for a minimum of 20 years to be eligible for the award.

The winners of the Centennial Lifetime Achievement were recognized on Saturday, November 5, 2011 at the Centennial Gala in Boston, Massachusetts. Winners were presented a specially designed Lifetime Achievement pin by Jim Schmit (Chairman of the Board, Pioneers) and Carey Wirtzfeld (Pioneers President & CEO) for going beyond the demands of everyday life and dedicate themselves to uplifting and improving the quality of life for others. The winners of the award are:
Fred Hampton, AT&T Pioneers

Jack Badcock, Bell Aliant Pioneers

Sheila O’Donoghue, Canadian Pioneers

Rawley Jackson, CenturyLink Pioneers

Mary P. Lefebvre, FairPoint Pioneers

William A. Reifsteck, Frontier Pioneers

Jack Wilson, New Outlook Pioneers

Phyllis Pearson, SaskTel Pioneers

Fred Jones, Telcordia Pioneers

Sarah DePaolo, Verizon Pioneers

November is Long Term Care Awareness Month

November is long-term care awareness month. It’s important to take a minute to think about your family’s overall financial plan and possible long-term care needs.

Long-term care insurance provides cash to cover the care you receive in a treatment facility or at home. It helps you maintain your independence by allowing you to participate in the decision making when it comes to the care you receive.

If you don’t think about it soon, your wallet may be hit with a big surprise. Traditional health insurance plans don’t cover the cost of long-term care expenses and these expenses can quickly deplete your nest egg if you’re not prepared.
 

Contact LTCR for more information on the Pioneers Long-Term Care insurance Program.

800-616-8759
http://www.myltcplan.com/pioneers

Happy Birthday Pioneers!

Dear Fellow Pioneer,

Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of members like you, Pioneers has reached our landmark Centennial Anniversary - 100 years of sharing the rewards and fellowship that come with volunteering to make a difference. We have achieved a century of making a positive, tangible impact in our communities and count on the Pioneers spirit to ensure that our highly valued work continues into the future.

The telecommunications industry has made an everlasting impact on the lives of people. It continues to make an impact as it grows and changes every day. The same is true of Pioneering. You and your fellow Pioneers accomplish great things because of your commitment to making life better for the people of your community. That's a fact you should take great pride in. Just think of how many hearts we've touched through the past 100 years and how our own lives have been enriched in the process.

As we all come together to celebrate 100 years, I want to say thank you to each and every one of you for the part you played in this momentous occasion.

Yours in Pioneering,

Carey Wirtzfeld
President, Pioneers

Celebrate Pioneers Week

During the week of October 31-November 6, Pioneers across North America will celebrate their commitment to build stronger communities through volunteerism. Included in Pioneers Week is Pioneers Day, celebrated on November 2nd. This year, November 2nd is very special to all Pioneers, as it marks the anniversary of the organization’s founding in 1911.

As we celebrate Pioneers Week, Pioneers recall a century of dedication to service, fellowship and loyalty, the principals on which we were founded. Through the contributions of hundreds of thousands of Pioneers members, past and present, these principals remain as important to Pioneers today as when we were founded 100 years ago. Pioneers Week is an excellent time to reflect on our heritage and recommit ourselves to improving the quality of life for all people, especially as we celebrate our Centennial.

Everyone is encouraged to participate in Pioneers Week by visiting the VolunteerNow! section of our site to find out what events are planned in their local community.

Happy Pioneers Week and thank you for improving the places we live and work.

Make a Difference Day - October 22

Make A Difference Day is celebrated each year on the 4th Saturday in October and is the nation’s largest day of volunteering. Together with long-standing partner HandsOn Network, the generosity of Newman’s Own and hundreds of carrier newspapers, USA WEEKEND rallies millions in a single day to help change the world.

National recognition for volunteers

Helping others on Make A Difference Day — and submitting your project for award consideration — gives your favorite charity a chance to receive a $10,000 donation from Newman’s Own.

Each year, projects from across the country are honored for their contributions. Honorees are recognized in a special April 2012 issue coinciding with National Volunteer Week, led by Points of Light Institute. Award honorees will receive their awards that month at an event in Washington, D.C.

This year:

• 10 National Honorees will receive a $10,000 charitable donation from Newman’s Own.

• 3 City Awards  will recognize the volunteer efforts of three cities. $10,000 charitable donations are made in each city by Newman’s Own.

• A $10,000 Encore Award will be funded by the Gannett Foundation and USA WEEKEND. This award goes to a former National Honoree who shows continued excellence in volunteerism.

To be eligible for awards, projects must be registered in the DAYtaBANK prior to Make A Difference Day and then updated with details of the day by the deadline.

Deadline for awards consideration is December 1, 2011. 

Make Your Mark This Week

Make Your Mark Week (formerly Kids Care Week) is celebrated during the third week of October, this year October 16-22, 2011.  The week inspires and mobilizes kids to use their energy, ingenuity and compassion to “make their mark on the world” through hands-on service to help others in their local and global communities. During the week, young people focus on issues that matter most to them by doing small acts or service projects that add up to making a big difference.  

Make Your Mark Week ends on Make a Difference Day, the largest national day of service. Find out what Pioneers in your area are doing by visiting VolunteerNow! and searching for local projects.

Memories from Fellow Pioneers

With just over a month to go until we celebrate our Centennial anniversary, here are a few of of the memories featured on the Pioneers website. Click here to read all of the memories that were shared by your fellow Pioneers.

"I started working for the telephone company in Bremerton, Washington in 1940.  Since I didn't have a lot of service, they put me on the night shift.  I had finished my shift and was ready to leave when the Chief Operator came running and said "Come back, we need you!"  The Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor and most of our ships were destroyed or sunk.  All of the operators came back to help.  It was certainly a big job.  In Washington state, I  worked in Bremerton, Seattle and Olympia.   In Oregon state, I worked in The Dalles and Portland.  I worked as an operator when I moved around during the war.  Finally settling in The Dalles, Oregon where I worked as Evening Chief Operator and then Chief Operator.  The office closed in 1973 and I went to Portland, Oregon.  In 1976, I retired and moved back to The Dalles." Helen George - Qwest Pioneer

"In 1987 as president of the MidState Empire Chapter in NY, one of our life members suggested that we clean the Appalachian Trail.  I explained that we were already doing a section of it every year and he said no I mean the whole trail.  I thought that it was a great idea and pursued it.  We spent over 500 hours mapping out sections of the trail and determining how many people would be needed for each section of the trail, coordinating the pickup of the trash removed, etc.  In April 1988 over 2,000 volunteers cleaned the entire trail over a single weekend. The weather cooperated in the north but there was snow on the south. My entire family took part as I'm sure was the case with other volunteers as well. I'm very thankful to my Chapter administrator Cliff Genez and all of the many member of the MidState Empire Chapter for their efforts to make this project a "Great one"."  John A. Bauman, AT&T Pioneer - Florida Chapter #39

"My best Pioneer memory is a love story, how the love of Pioneering and volunteering lead to my happy ever after story.  I first met Rick while we were attending the annual assembly is Indianapolis in 93.  We both were representing our local Tennessee councils – he the Knoxville area and me the Jackson area – about 300 miles apart.  Our 2 councils had always competed for the Tennessee Council of the Year.  That competition developed our Pioneer friendship leading to our first date – Dipping DOGS at a state meeting.  After long distance dating for 8 years we married.  Our honeymoon was spent volunteering at the Bellsouth Senior Golf Classic in 2001.  We love our Pioneer family who helped bring us together. Now 10 years later we continue to be active in Pioneering and the love story continues."  Melinda Davis - AT&T Pioneers, Tennessee Chapter #21  

Help Pioneers Dish It Up Go Viral!

Help us reach our goal of feeding 1 million people by going viral! Our first ever International Centennial project, Dish It Up, is well under way in over 45 states and provinces across the US and Canada. Please help us meet our goal!  Here is your chance to participate in some quick and easy micro volunteering opportunities!

Complete one or more of these activities each day for the next (and last!) 7 days of the project:

• Send this email to 10 people and ask them to participate in helping Pioneers Dish It Up go viral!

• Post a link to the project on your personal and/or Pioneers unit’s Facebook page and ask your friends and family to “like” it and repost

• Share some of the heartbreaking statistics with your online community about hunger (i.e. "50.2 million Americans struggle with hunger and 17.2 million of them are children." Visit the Feeding America web site.  Or, “38% of those helped by Canadian Food Banks are children and youth.”  See the Food Banks of Canada website.)

• Share these moving Hunger Counts videos and request support for Dish It Up through volunteer time, food, or funds.
• United States

• Canada

• Tweet on how your community is participating

• Tweet and update Facebook while you are at a Dish It Up event

• Email your friends and family and ask them to help spread the word

• Ask 10 people to donate $10 using our secure online donation form

• Share with your connections on LinkedIn

• Include project information as your next blog post

• Drive your friends and family to the August 2011 Pioneers Projects and Programs Periodical focusing on Dish It Up.

• Post pictures and videos from your project as it is happening or right after on Facebook, Twitter, your website, blog, etc.

• Text 5 friends and ask them to participate with you

• Share the link to the press release

• “Like” Pioneers a Volunteer Network on Facebook

And finally, remember to join Pioneers in your community from now to the 25th for special events as we wrap up our Dish It Up project and feed 1 million people.

Dish It Up kicks-off September 11

Pioneers across North America will kick off Pioneers Dish It Up on Sunday, September 11, the U.S. National Day of Service and Remembrance. Numerous volunteer efforts focused on addressing hunger will run through September 25th.

During this time, Pioneers volunteers will be collecting healthy, nutritious, non-perishable food donations, as well as transporting food to food banks, filling backpacks with healthy snacks or easy to prepare “weekend” food for children and serving food at local shelters or soup kitchens.

“The United States has 49 million people who do not have access to enough food, and in Canada over 800,000 individuals access food banks on a monthly basis,” said Carey Wirtzfeld, president of Pioneers. “We’ve been engaged in amazing volunteer efforts for 100 years and this year, as a tribute to our Centennial, we decided to address the issue of hunger in the US and Canada.”

With the support of partners such as Liberty Mutual and Feeding America, as well as local retailers, Pioneers have a goal of providing one million healthy meals to individuals across North America through a variety of community service activities. Volunteer efforts will occur in hundreds of cities across 45 states and provinces.

“The hunger issue isn’t going away,” said Doug Montgomery, Feeding America. “In 2010, food pantries and soup kitchens served more than 37 million Americans – this is an increase of 46% from 2006. Events like Pioneers Dish It Up are meeting a tremendous need, by not only focusing on filling food banks, but by raising awareness about the importance of bringing healthy food into our communities.”

Every Pioneers member is encouraged to participate by visiting us online for a list of food collection and drop-off sites in their community.

Examples of healthy food that Pioneers are collecting include:

    Whole wheat pastas
    Brown rice
    Canned fruit (packed in own juice)
    Canned vegetables
    Canned meats (tuna, salmon, ham, chicken or turkey)
    Canned or dry beans (such as black, kidney, pinto, navy, garbanzo)
    Peanut butter (plastic jars, please)

Pioneers can also participate by making a financial contribution through our secure online donation form. Each dollar donated can provide eight meals for people in need.

Together, we can make a difference in the fight against hunger!

Every Dollar Helps Feed Eight Hungry People

While donating food to Pioneers Dish It Up: Feeding Families Healthy Food is a great hands-on volunteer experience for Pioneers to participate in together from September 11th – 25th, your cash donations can go even further. A food bank or pantry can purchase food in bulk at a much greater discount than retail price. When you make a cash contribution to Dish It Up, your contributions benefit local food banks and hunger programs.

The easiest way to make a cash donation to Dish It Up is through our secure online donation page, plus your donation is tax deductible, where applicable by law. The best part is that each dollar you give can provide up to eight meals to people in need.

Please join the Pioneers in feeding one million people who are facing hunger in the United States and Canada.

A $100 donation, in celebration of the Pioneers’ Centennial, started by Alexander Graham Bell in 1911, will help provide a meal to 800 hungry people. Donate online now by clicking the button next to “I want to make a donation to Dish It Up".

Together, we can make a difference!

100 Years Means Hundreds of Dish It Up Projects

In celebration of the Pioneers 100 years of service, volunteerism and philanthropy, Pioneers Dish It Up: Feeding Families Healthy Food projects are taking place all across North America from September 11th – 25th.

During this time, Pioneers across the United States and Canada have committed to numerous local volunteer efforts including collecting healthy, nutritious, non-perishable food donations, as well as transporting food to food banks, filling backpacks with healthy snacks or easy to prepare “weekend” food for children, and serving food at local shelters or soup kitchens, just to name a few.

The following states and provinces have committed to efforts which aim to feed one million people: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Alberta, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

Food security is defined as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.” Food insecurity occurs when:

1. Sufficient quantities of food are not available on a consistent basis.

2. People don’t have the resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.

3. Knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation, are lacking.

Please help address this issue by volunteering your time, donating food, or donating money to the Pioneers Dish It Up project.

Join the Pioneers in Dish It Up: Feeding Families Healthy Food

In celebration of the Pioneers 100 years of service, volunteerism and philanthropy, Pioneers are joining together for one of the biggest volunteer efforts in our history. Pioneers Dish It Up aims to feed one million people across the U.S. and Canada who face the daily challenge of “food insecurity.”

Pioneers are volunteering in hundreds of cities across North America and we are inviting you to help make a difference.

Between September 11th and 25th, join Pioneers in addressing the hunger issue by participating in the Pioneers Dish It Up project, which includes a healthy food drive, as well as other service projects aimed at feeding the hungry. 

You can help by donating non-perishable, healthy, nutritious food for local food banks.  In partnership with Feeding America, and its network of member food banks, a list has been compiled of the most requested foods that also fall into the “healthy” category.  We ask that you donate one of the foods included on our food list. 

We hope that you will join us in this project.  By dropping your donated food in the Dish It Up collection receptacles or by making a cash contribution online you can help us succeed in our goal of feeding one million people. 

Volunteer efforts are occurring in almost every state and many provinces, so sign up today! To find a Dish It Up project in your area visit VolunteerNow!, enter your company preference (if any), your state, click search and look for Dish It Up under the Health and Human Services category.

Together, we can help make a difference!

Back to school means back to work for Pioneers

With the end of summer nearing, thoughts turn for many to heading back to school. “Back to School” means “Back to Work” for many of our volunteers who focus on helping students in the United States and Canada start off the school year on the right foot.

With education as a primary focus of our community service efforts, it has come to be expected that Pioneers will provide the support students need. Pioneers are making a difference inside and outside of the classroom, from pre-K on.

There are many organizations that provide for students in September, but what sets Pioneers apart is that we provide support throughout the year.  After filling backpacks with supplies, we develop relationships with schools and with teachers that lead to the introduction of programs such as Power Up To Read and Project Connect.

Pioneers serve as tutors and mentors, as teacher’s aids and classroom facilitators. We expand our reach beyond the classroom to paint playground maps, or, we go direct to students living in transitional housing to ensure educational materials are available at home.

These are just a few examples of how Pioneers enhance the education experience. Are you going back to school? If so, invite a co-worker, family member or friend to join you – so that they can learn what it means to be a Pioneer.

To help you out as you help others return to school, one lucky Pioneer will receive a canvas book bag. 

To enter for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post and answer the following question.

* What back to school project are you participating in this year?
* Deadline to enter is Tuesday, July 16th
* One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Wednesday

Good Luck!

2011 Beep Baseball World Series

In 1964, the first softball with an audio tone was designed by Mountain Bell employee Charlie Fairbanks.  Over the years, the design was improved, the Beep Ball game was born and in 1972 Pioneers began to manufacture the audio balls. 

In March of 1976, the National Beep Baseball Association (NBBA) was formed and the first World Series of Beep Baseball was planned.  Today, the NBBA manages the annual Beep Baseball World Series, which brings together blind athletes from all across the world to compete in the game.  Pioneers volunteer their time and talents to the local tournaments and the World Series and adopt beep balls.  The Qwest Pioneers manufacture and sell the beep balls and the ball chargers.  This year, the World Series is being held in Indianapolis, Indiana, July 31- August 6th.  

Do you have a favorite beep baseball memory? Share it with us!

 

 

Moments in Pioneers' History: Blazing a Trail to the Olympic Games

Re-creating the spirit and challenge of their namesake forebears, members of the Pioneers blazed a trail westward across the country to help carry the Olympic flame from New York City to Los Angeles for the 1984 Summer Games.

Nearly 5,000 Pioneers worked with AT&T and the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee to physically survey and map every inch of the 8,700-mile route that took the flame through 33 states and the District of Columbia.  Pioneers also obtained all necessary permits and clearances along the way, serving as a liaison with local and state authorities and law enforcement officials, and identified service and emergency facilities for the Olympic Torch Relay support caravan.

During the relay itself, which began on May 8 and took 82 days, 250 lucky Pioneers got to carry the torch on behalf of AT&T. Other Pioneers served as drivers for the 34-vehicle caravan, living onboard for the weeklong stints. Still others were responsible for marking off Youth Legacy Kilometers along the route, briefing and escorting the designated torchbearers, assisting handicapped runners, storing and distributing the propane-fueled Olympic

torches the runners carried, and helping to stage torch-arrival celebrations in communities along the route.

Looking Beyond the Centennial... 2012 Calendar Mails

Pioneers members who support the organization with charitable gifts will be mailed the annual Pioneers wall calendar this week.

This limited edition calendar — Forging Friendships and Sharing the Joy of Service — is filled with distinctive images that illustrate the fun and fellowship we experience as Pioneers — creating and nurturing friendships that can last a lifetime. As we reflect on all the projects and events that will bring us together in solidarity time and again, we celebrate the connectivity that is the heart of Pioneering.

If you've haven't supported a Pioneers with a charitable gift in the past, watch the Pioneers' website for an opportunity to do so and receive a 2012 calendar.  Remember, gifts made by U.S. Pioneers are fully tax-deductible and all Pioneers' charitable gifts go to work right away to support your local Pioneers' life-changing projects right in your area.

We hope recipients will display it with pride as a year-round reminder of how much we appreciate your support and everything you do to promote Pioneering!

Winners Announced in Quote for Funding Program

There are many ways to participate in Pioneers' Centennial for both Pioneers units and members.  The April 1, 2011 Pioneers Centennial Blog shared news about an opportunity presented by member benefit partner and proud Pioneers Centennial sponsor Liberty Mutual.  The "Quote for Funding Challenge" would award six $2,500 grants to the units across the country who had the most members request insurance quotes between April 1-May 31.  The response was great and the competition fierce as Pioneers across the United States participated in the challenge to help secure additional funding to be used during the Centennial year.

And now the winners of the Quote for Funding Challenge have been announced!  To learn which Pioneers' units will be awarded grants, read the current front page story on the Pioneers Headquarters website at http://www.pioneersvolunteer.org/

Pioneers Featured in People Magazine this Week

Pioneers Gordon and Connie Hankins, leaders of the New Outlook Pioneers Therapy Oriented Tricycle (“TOT”) Trike Program in Naperville, Illinois, are this week’s People Magazine’s “Heroes Among Us.”  This edition of People (the July 4^th issue) hits newsstands starting June 23. 

The New Outlook Pioneers Crossroads Chapter has been making and donating TOT Trikes since 1986 and Gordon and Connie have been leading the project for the past several years.  The trikes are assembled by an all-volunteer project team and are provided free of charge.  The Crossroads Chapter donates approximately 80 trikes per year, which translates into a $400,000 value since the beginning of the program, as it costs the chapter about $200 to build each trike.

Learn more about the TOT Trike Program and get information on how to order a trike. 

Make a gift in support of this and other Pioneers projects and programs.    

This is just one of many Pioneers stories being shared with international media as we celebrate our 100 years of grass-roots service to our communities.  For all the latest Pioneers information, check the website often, register your email to received the Centennial Times e-newsletter, follow the Centennial blog and the Pioneers page on Facebook. 

If you have a great Pioneers project story to tell, we encourage you to share it.  It may just be the next international media feature!  Please send your stories to pioneersprojects@pioneersvolunteer.org.  Be sure to include your name and complete contact information, including phone number and home and email address, along with a detailed summary of your program, including what makes it special or unique. 

Participation Opportunities Featured in Times

There are so many ways for members and units to participate in Pioneers' Centennial year.  One of the best ways to stay up-to-date on these opportunities is by registering your email address with Pioneers Headquarters to receive regular communication like the Pioneers Centennial Times.  We hope you will take an active role in our 100th anniversary by participating in ways like those highlighted in the current issue of the Times including -

pioneers centennial society
To commemorate this milestone year, we've created a special opportunity to become part of a select group of Pioneers who have committed to making a $100 contribution during our Centennial year - plus we're offering several payment options so everyone will be able to be a part of this special event.

When you join the Pioneers Centennial Society, you will receive the following:

• Your name will be added to our special Centennial donation wall, which will be online and at our Centennial Celebration in Boston. 

• All of the contributions you make as part of the Centennial Society will count towards the Centennial Rewards & Recognition Program.

Become part of the Centennial Society today by using your credit card.

centennial lifetime achievement award
In honor of the Centennial, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to individuals who go beyond the demands of everyday life and dedicate themselves to uplifting and improving the quality of life for others. This award is designed to recognize one individual from each Pioneers group for their extraordinary deeds throughout their time as a Pioneer.

Nominees must have been active in Pioneering for a minimum of 20 years to be eligible. All applications are due no later than June 30, 2011.  Download the manual.

centennial sweepstakes coming soon!
The 2011 Pioneers Centennial Sweepstakes will kick off mid-August.  Prizes include cash and vacation packages, with a Grand Prize of $25,000!  Entry will be available through your local chapter/council/club or through the Pioneers website.  Details will be shared in the coming weeks.

centennial merchandise
Have you purchased your limited-edition Centennial souvenirs and Centennial wear?  Be sure to visit Pioneers’ official supplier of Pioneers Essentials for pins, luggage tags, mouse pads, bookmarks, blankets, key chains, apparel and more – all sporting the Pioneers name and Centennial anniversary seal.

rewards & recognition program
Pioneers who have volunteered 400+ hours since our Centennial Rewards and Recognition Program launched have been invited to participate in an exclusive Chairman’s Conference Call with Pioneers Chairman, Jim Schmit, this month for an insider’s update on Centennial activities and plans.  Participate in the Centennial Rewards and Recognition Program by logging your hours into VolunteerNow and/or supporting the Pioneers financially

What Should We Be Dishing Up?

On September 11, the National Day of Service and Remembrance, the Pioneers Dish It Up: Feeding Families Healthy Food kicks off.

The focus is on collecting more nutritious, healthier, non-perishable food that will go directly to support local food banks and other food service agencies.

Feeding America provided Pioneers Headquarters with a list of the most requested food items from their system of over 200 food banks and thousands of other local service agencies that cover all 50 states.  With the support and endorsement of Feeding America, the most requested items were tweaked to highlight the healthier and more nutritious types of the product. 

Food recommended include:

Whole wheat pastas Brown rice
Canned fruits (packed in own juices, no sugar added)
Canned vegetables
Canned meat (tuna, salmon, ham, chicken or turkey)
Canned or dry beans – (i.e. black, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, navy)
Peanut butter

So as you plan your food drives in support of this or any project directed at helping our food insecure, strive to provide foods that will provide the greatest nutritional value.

Stay tuned for more information and tips on participating in Pioneers' first-ever Centennial International Project!

Moments in Pioneers History...The Golden Anniversary

As we continue our countdown this year to Pioneers' actual founding date of November 2nd, just five months away, we reflect on yet another great moment in Pioneers' history....

The year 1961 was full of 50th anniversary celebrations, with Chapters planning their own special events for the momentous anniversary on November 2. The 50th Anniversary theme was also carried throughout the entire year, with dinner dances, assemblies, pageants, media coverage, and other Chapter events.

On September 19-21, the General Assembly meeting was held in Boston, birthplace of both the telephone and of the Telephone Pioneers. Several speeches were given at the meeting, and one in particular was especially inspiring to the Telephone Pioneers: “We shall build a greater communications system in keeping with the needs of a new era in man’s history—and a service organization unparalleled anywhere in the world.”

The second 25 years of Telephone Pioneers history encompassed numerous accomplishments, changes, and innovations, both before and after meetings were suspended during the World War II years. In 1938, the General Assembly in Philadelphia had adopted a plan to divide the association into 17 regions along company lines, though it was realigned into 12 regions in 1942. At an executive committee meeting in New York in 1940, the decision was made to establish Affiliate Membership, so that members could retain their status even if they moved to a different Chapter. In Cleveland in 1946, at the first post-war General Assembly meeting, the 12 regions were further realigned, in order to balance membership numbers, which had reached 100,000 for the first time.

Then, at 1958’s General Assembly meeting in Chicago, just two years before membership ballooned to over 200,000, a change was made that would transform the entire look of the organization well into the future—the Telephone Pioneers adopted a new focus: community service, referred to as the organization’s “New Tradition,” but which still endures today.