Join the Pioneers Centennial Society

There are many opportunities for members to get involved in Pioneers' Centennial year celebration.  One such opportunity is the Centennial Society. 

The Centennial Society recognizes those members who elect to commemorate this momentous anniversary by making a charitable contribution of $100 or greater.  In 1958, Pioneers President William V. Kahler said “There have been changes, of course, for without change, there would have been no progress.”  This ushered in a new period for Pioneers in which community service came to officially define our mission.  Years later, in 2002 Pioneers changed its status to a public charity enabling and encouraging both members and non-members who believe in our mission to support our work with charitable gifts.

And now, thanks to the commitment of our membership, we are officially celebrating 100 years of making a difference - a remarkable accomplishment you can recognize by joining the Centennial Society.  When you join the Centennial Society, 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.  Additionally, the first 500 Pioneers who join the Centennial Society by donating online will receive a copy of Edwin S. Grosvenor's coffee table book - Alexander Graham Bell:  The Life and Times of the Man Who Invented the Telephone (retail value $45) as a token of our appreciation.

The Centennial Society offers a wonderful opportunity to not only commemorate the Pioneers' 100th Anniversary but make your gift in honor or in memory of a family member, colleague, fellow member or special occasion.  Several payment options are available to ensure all have an opportunity to participate.  Become part of the Centennial Society by using your credit card online at the Pioneers' website or through electronic fund transfer (EFT) from a bank account by calling Pioneers Headquarters at 1-800-976-1914.

We sincerely thank those who elect to make Pioneers their charity of choice and thank all of our membership and supporters for being part of the changes and progress that have brought us to this momentous occasion. 

Taking on Hunger Across North America

When a fierce blizzard hit the northeast coast in 1888, Angus Macdonald and his coworkers not only kept the lines of communication open between Boston and New York, they also trudged through the snow to bring food to travelers stranded on a train.

In that Pioneering spirit of service in our 100th year, we're planning a Pioneers International Centennial Project focused on hunger that will unite Pioneers across North America and fulfill our mission to effect immediate, tangible change in our communities.  Hunger is increasing at an alarming rate and today one in eight people can't afford the food and groceries they need - a 50% increase since 2006.  And hunger is especially prevalent among children.

As part of the Pioneers Centennial year, we will be encouraging all Pioneers units to participate in a fall weekend project to address the acute hunger issue - whether it be holding a healthy food drive, volunteering at a soup kitchen or delivering meals to ill or elderly shut-ins - the Pioneers International Centennial Project will underscore the need for nutritional foods that provide hungry people with healthy, balanced meals.  As the year progresses, we will be sharing more details with you as they become available.

To ensure that you receive information about the Pioneers International Centennial Project and all Centennial communications, be sure that we have your email address.  You can register your email at http://pioneersvolunteer.org/emailregistration.aspx or you can update your email at https://www.pioneersvolunteer.org/profile/edit_profile.aspx

At the Heart of Pioneering is Fellowship

In the beginning, friendship and fellowship were what it was all about. Industry people recalling the facts, traditions, and memories of the early history of the telephone.  As we know, the years that followed have been filled by Pioneers' steadfast commitment to making a difference as volunteers.  But fellowship has always remained at the heart of Pioneering.

Pioneers' 25th anniversary - our Silver Jubilee - was celebrated by Pioneers coming together in 164 different cities and towns throughout the U.S. and Canada.  This massive, multi-location meeting in 1936 drew more than 25,000 Pioneers guests, all united by a telephone network that followed the events as they unfolded.

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 honored through the entire year, with dinner dances, assemblies, pagents, media coverage and other chapter events.

The 75th too was marked by fellowship as 1,300 delegates attended the 1986 General Assembly which included a seven-tiered anniversary cake topped with a giant “75”, pin swapping, project sharing, informative seminars, awards presentations, distinguished speakers, and banquets with exciting entertainment.

Pioneers have worked hard as volunteers - but as they've contributed millions of hours of service, they formed friendships, enjoyed comraderie and had fun!

And in our 100th year, already nearly 1,500 members from all across North America have purchased tickets for the Centennial Celebration in Boston this coming November.  What inspires so many to make the commitment so far in advance to come to together in celebration?  There is the pride in our shared history, our mission and accomplishments, the industry we represent but at the heart of it all is fellowship.  Our members create life long friendships through Pioneering.  Our meetings and projects many times feel like family reunions.  Through our volunteerism, we have touched others lives but our lives have also been touched. 

How will you celebrate Pioneers' Centennial milestone?  It's not too late to buy a ticket for the Centennial Celebration but if you can't make it to Boston, why not make a date (or several!) to join your local Pioneers for a meeting or project - a wonderful way to commemorate this momentous milestone while connecting with fellow Pioneers!