Friday, April 29, 2011

The Countdown Begins!

This coming week (May 2 to be exact!) marks the 6 month count down to the official 100th anniverary date of Pioneers founding on November 2, 1911.

The events leading up to our founding were truly the result of  Henry Pope’s remarkable idea to keep the past alive. In 1910 Henry Pope was nearing the end of his long and successful career in the telephone business. An entire generation had already grown up with the telephone, and the advancements in those three short decades were astounding—more than 5.1 million Bell System phones were already in service, not to mention the phones of several thousand independent telephone companies.  

As Pope was reminiscing, he couldn’t help but wonder about all the other telephone pioneers he had known and worked with through the years. He thought it would be interesting to make a list of all the former co-workers he could remember, and he enlisted the help of two other long-time telephone employees, Charles Truex and Thomas Doolittle.

As the list circulated over the next few months, another idea began to take shape—forming an official organization and seeing how many veterans of the early days they could bring together in celebration of their many years of service. They ran their idea past Theodore Vail, the president of AT&T, who was so intrigued by the idea.  In March 1911, Pope followed up with a letter to prospective members.   By May, the list  had more than 200 names, and by October, it had grown to more than 400.

A meeting was organized, and “The First Annual Reunion of the Telephone Pioneers of America” was held on November 2 and 3 at the Hotel Somerset in Boston, with 244 members in attendance.  At this first meeting, the Pioneers reviewed and discussed the proposed constitution and by-laws and also elected a slate of officers. Vail was named president, W.T. Gentry was named vVice president, and Pope was named secretary/treasurer. Although Vail was absent from the first two meetings, he sent these inspiring words to Pioneers at the second meeting, in New York in 1912:  “There is much to do yet, and most of you, though Pioneers, have the youth and health and possibility of still doing and helping others, those who are to be the doers of the future.”

Today, 100 successful years into the future Vail spoke of, some things have changed, but Pioneers remain true to Article 1 of the original Constitution of the Telephone Pioneers of America:“The Association is formed for the purpose of recalling and perpetuating the facts, traditions, and memories attaching to the early history of the telephone and the telephone system; preserving the names and records of the participants in the establishment and extension of this great system of electrical intercommunication; the promotion, renewal, and continuance of the friendships and fellowships made during the progress of the telephone industry between those interested therein; and the encouragement of such other meritorious objects consistent with the foregoing as may be desirable.”

In the weeks and months ahead, stay tuned for more "moments" in Pioneers' history and opportunities to get involved in this momentous anniversary celebration as the countdown to our Boston Centennial Celebration begins!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Pioneers Dish It Up! Feeding Families Healthy Food

Planning and preparation for the first ever Pioneers International Centennial Project continues.  We hope you will choose to be involved in the largest focused North American-wide project in Pioneers history – Pioneers Dish It Up!  
 
The goal of the project is to create an opportunity that will mobilize and unite as many of our 620,000 Pioneers as possible over a two week period in September to help the ever-growing food insecure population across North America. 


Food banks have experienced severe shortages for the past few years as many people have reduced their charitable giving and more people have needed a helping hand.  While there are many people doing great things around this issue, our research brought to light some harsh realities about the food being provided to those in need.  For example, many families have to eat canned, highly processed foods that are full of preservatives and lack nutritional value, as that is the only food available at their local food pantry.  We all know that a healthy diet helps children grow, develop and do well in school and enables people of all ages to work productively and feel their best.  What people eat can also help reduce the risk for chronic diseases and reduce the risk of obesity, high blood pressure and more.

Pioneers can help address this issue by collecting and donating nutritious food to the organizations that provide food, as well as by participating in other service projects that help feed those who are “food insecure.”  This builds on our Pioneers history of food drives, work in soup kitchens and other food projects.

Pioneers Dish It Up will kick off on September 11, 2011, the National Day of Service and Remembrance, with a focus on collecting nutritious, non-perishable food that will go directly to support local food banks and other food service agencies.  The project will be completed the weekend of September 24-25, 2011.

All project materials and information will be distributed in the June timeframe, so we hope we can count on your participation!

Currently the following chapters/units have signed up to participate:

Northeast #125
Paumanok #85
Mississippi #36
South Texas Chapter
Tennessee Chapter 21
Iowa Chapter
Texas Pride / Fort Worth Council
Minnesota Chapter #18
Wisconsin Chapter #4
Georgia Chapter #124
Kansas Chapter
Silver State Chapter #101
L H Kinnard Chapter
Eagle Rock Club, Idaho
Golden Bear Chapter
Utah Chapter#67
Oklahoma Chapter
Old Dominion Chapter #43 (Virginia)
De Anza Chapter
William J. Denver Chapter
Maryland Chapter
Florida Chapter #39
Chapter 105
Golden Gate Chapter
Louisiana Chapter
Nova 5 Chapter
Bell Aliant Pioneers - Acadia Chapter #49
Oregon Chapter #31
West Virginia Chapter #42
Mid-Atlantic Chapter #126
Wyoming Chapter
Ohio Chapter #2
Virginia Council - Atlantic Coast Chapter #133
Dallas Life Council
Pioneer Michigan Chapter #10
Alabama Chapter
Telcordia Pioneers
Jewett Chapter #132, South Jersey Council, South Life Member Club
Chapter #131
Fredericton Chapter
Alaska Chapter
Illinois Chapter # 1
Missouri Chapter #11
South Carolina Chapter, Midland's Council
San Diego Life Member Club
Pacific Chapter
Fort Sumter Club
Reading-Berks Council
Upstate Council – SC #61
Chapter #51 - New Brunswick
Kentucky Chapter #32
AT&T Pioneers Chapter #139
Colorado #8
Penn-Jersey #132, Reading Council, Phil/Del/Mar Club
West Texas Rattlers Club
Gulf Coast Council
Arkansas
Frontier Genesee Chapter
Chapter #16 Indiana
De Anza Chapter #68 - Inland/Orange Council - Orange Life Member Club
Alexander Graham Bell Chapter #15
Thomas Sherwin #14
Montana #122
Mountain Valley Empire Chapter#97
Idaho Chapter #121


Watch for additional project information from your chapter, or call Kari Biesendorfer at Pioneers Headquarters at 303-571-9262 for more information on leading a project in your area. 

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Celebrating Pioneers During Volunteer Week

During annual International Volunteer Week, April 10-16, 2011 we recognize and celebrate the commitment of our membership.

Through your dedication to making your hometowns a better place to live and work, you make a real difference.  It is no small accomplishment that Pioneers have faithfully remained commited to our communities for 100 years.

In 1940, Pioneers Association President said, “Our service cannot remain static…the chill hand of complacency must never be laid on this service of ours, because if it is, then ladies and gentlemen, we may continue to be very nice people with the best of intentions but we will no longer be Pioneers.”  In its century-long history, our members have never faltered in their intentions to lend their time and talents as volunteers to those in need.

And in this, our Centennial year, the Pioneer spirit is indeed alive, well, and thriving.  All you do in the spirit of Pioneering builds stronger communities and inspires others to increase their volunteer efforts.

During Volunteer Week, we thank you for your personal commitment to volunteering and encourage you to continue to:

•  Visit VolunteerNow! often to find volunteer projects in your area.  There are Centennial projects ocurring in many communities this year so be sure to visit VolunteerNow! to find one of these or other Pioneers projects in your area.
•  Invite a friend or colleague to join you for a Pioneers project. Our Centennial year is an extra special time to remind those who are not currently volunteering of the importance of rolling up their sleeves, sharing their skills, and bettering their communities and the lives of others.
•  Be proud of your accomplishments as part of the Pioneers network of volunteers with a century of service!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Looking Back 20 Years

As Pioneers plan their participation in the International Centennial Project, Pioneers Dish It Up: Feeding Families Healthy Food, we're reminded that Pioneers have been feeding the hungry throughout our history through a variety of local projects and programs.

Looking back twenty years ago to April of 1991, in Kingston, Ontario, the then 256-member Life Member Club of the Pioneers' Mohawk Loyalist Council donated a ton of food to the local food bank. (Literally a ton!)  That same year, the Ohio Valley Pioneers' Chapter bought over $2,000 worth of Ohio-made food products that were locally grown, harvested and packed by Ohio businesses and donated the food to help families in need.  Meanwhile, in Bangor, Maine, Pioneers donated a new electric stove to the Greater Bangor Area Shelter to help provide meals for the residents.  In addition, members of the South Central Bell Pioneers sold cookbooks at an arts and crafts fair. Proceeds from the books, which included volumes from Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama, benefited local Pioneers projects.

Clearly this is an issue that Pioneers care about, and the need continues to be vast, stretching across all Pioneers' territories. It is reported that there are presently 49 million food insecure people in the United States and over 800,000 Canadians access food banks on a monthly basis.  True to our history, Pioneers answer the call of those in need.  In this our Centennial year, we hope you and your Pioneers' unit will join us in participating in our Pioneers'  International Centennial Project this Fall.

For more information on this project, read our March 13, 2011 blog or visit http://www.pioneersvolunteer.org/

Friday, April 1, 2011

Quote for Funding Challenge

As a proud supporter of our Centennial, Liberty Mutual is sponsoring a “Quote for Funding Challenge” - and giving away six $2,500 grants to units across the country. By simply getting a no-obligation home, auto or renters insurance quote, you could help your unit receive additional funding to use during the Centennial year. Just think of all the good you could do in your community with some extra funding!

The top six Pioneers units with the most auto, home and renters insurance quotes between April 1 – May 31 will receive a $2,500 grant to spend during the Centennial year.

This offer is not available to residents of IA, MA, ME, NJ, NY or NV. This offer is not available in Canada.

For more information, and to get a quote today, visit www.libertymutual.com/centennial or call 1-800-357-2305.