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!