Archive 2008

QUEENS MUSEUM, THANKS TO GENE

          

           Nova 5 chapter remembers and never forgets those special leaders who have moved on to other ventures or sometimes a different chapter.  Such is the case with this gentle man, Gene McCoy. He started with the N.Y. Telephone company in 1955 as a splicer's helper. Seventeen years later, as was required in order to be eligible, he joined the Pioneers and was immediately appointed to the Queens Council as the Historical co-chair. He would later ascend to Chapter President of what was formally, Carl Whitmore Chapter,1983-4. Gene however will always be remembered as the founder and curator of the Queens Museum which is still maintained  today by the Queens Council. The Museum is located at 88-08 164th Street, Basement-Pioneer Room, Jamaica, Queens. Gene is still very much an active and valued life member with our sister Paumanok chapter in Nassau County.

    Thanks Gene.                                             

                                                                                                     By: Eddie Williamson
MANHATTAN COUNCIL DECLARES, "THIS LAND IS OUR LAND"

           This MAP PAINTING PROJECT was the first in a long time for the Manhattan Council. Special thanks goes out to the Bronx Council. Mike Schnepf , Mike Mahoney, and Chris Thomas for all their help. They are the best!!!  It took place on July 27th, 2007. Another hot day in the city. We were going to post pone the date again, this would have been the third time, but thank goodness the weather held up for the duration of the project. It took us about 7 hours to complete. Thanks goes out to Alice Hom, principal at P.S. 124. She had purchased lunch for us at the local restaurant, yummy. Volunteers that participated in the event: Mike Schnepf , Mike Mahoney, Chris, Eileen Palazzola, Ramona Jamerson-James, Ron Spaulding, Luis Perea (Ron’s supervisor), Lynette Anthony, Christina Pun her daughter Allicia, her friends Diana and Eric. We are waiting for the beginning of the school year in order to properly present the map to the students and show them them how to best use it in a fun and learning way. 

 

 
SUN SHINES IN ON VP'S PROJECT
     The weekend May 18-20 found Lula Sisco, (photo left), Vice President of our Nova 5 Chapter very much hands-on at the VP's PROJECT this year at Camp NAWAKA CAMPFIRE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB in Massachusetts. The somewhat inclement weather was no match to the spirit of volunteers, office manager, Gradle Wallace, Manhattan Council President, Lynette Anthony, Manhattan Counci VP, Ron Spaulding, Bronx Council President, Mike Schnepf, Erwin Susura, Chris Thomas, Anthony Galante, Matt Mahoney, along with Lula.               

     Our volunteers were a small part of the larger regional contingent with several other sister chapters from our Verizon footprint taking part and totaling some 90 volunteers in all. Order of the day included building new bunk-beds and a new wooden dock, some roof repairs, various cleaning details not to overlook the kitchen detail which included meals for all the volunteers. At days end they roughed it with sleeping bags and such in order to get some shut-eye. Ultimately the sun did shine in on that community from all these selfless volunteers who gave of their selves in fellowship, fun and commitment. Here's to Nova 5 and all pioneers in general.

2008 INTRODUCES NEW LEADERSHIP TO NOVA 5

          

          

              Our Nova 5 Chapter celebrated the success of the past two years culminating with our Christmas and Hanukah season luncheon. The joyous event took place on Friday, December 28 at a local restaurant after concluding our last business meeting of the year.  Our President, John Lynch (pictured center), passes the gavel to our new President, Lula Sisco, (pictured left) and Vice-president, Judy Diaz, (pictured right)

               Good food, fellowship and gratitude to John for a job well done was the order of the day.

The Chapter now looks forward to pioneering with our new leadership and wish them every success.

 

                                                                                                     By: Eddie Williamson

SPOTLIGHT ON LIFE MEMBER MARGI  WOLCHOK                                                    August is designated Nova 5' month to submit our candidate life member to be spotlighted by our region and it is our privilege to have Margi, president of the Queens Keller club shine in well deserved recognition.  

Growing up in the depression prepared Margi for all the challenges that lay ahead.  After an uneventful childhood, her school years flew by and ended as a high school graduate with one year in college.  Margi’s employment started in the secretarial field and with the advent of WW-2 she found herself working for Uncle Sam after which she married and raised her family.

          In 1966 she began her career with New York Telephone in Flushing, Queens as a steno secretary.  Margi joined the pioneers as soon as she became eligible.  Then before she knew it the time for retirement had arrived.  With time on her hands, she volunteered at the College Point Poppenhusen Library and was useful in the many functions of the Library as well helping to prepare programs for children’s learning and entertainment. In 1989 she received a pioneer welcoming letter and decided to attend meetings.  She would soon be drafted into the secretary chair, then the entertainment as well as community service chairs.  She would ultimately be elected to the office of president of the William J. Keller Life Member Club and remains president to this day.  Margi is never shy about the pride she feels for her club and the record they have made for themselves. With the membership of the life member clubs waning, she fears their time is also coming to end. Hopefully her fears will be proved unfounded and they will continue to serve their community.

SPECIAL CHILDREN LOVE A CIRCUS WITH MANHATTAN COUNCIL

           Manhattan Council were graciously invited as volunteers by The Community of Mayors to help out with one of their many sponsored events. This event was celebrated at Madison Square Garden hosted by Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circus. They had invited over 40 schools of mostly handicapped children from around the NYC area to attend. Our charge was to help escort our special guests to there seats and offering neon necklaces as party gifts. There was a little over 4000 tickets given to the schools, but more then 6000 had attended which made for nothing short of a mad house. But in true pioneer fashion, we all made the best of it and had a great time.  Our pioneers who had attended were Sharron Brown and her daughter, Tom McKenna, Pam Grear, Ron Spaulding, Christina Pun and life member Herman Tucker.   Special thanks goes to Sharron Brown for informing us about this event, Thanks!!! 

                                                                                        BY: Ron Spaulding 

 

  

F.Y.I. -TELL EVERY ONE YOU KNOW!

          Date line: 1/24/2008

          Harvard University announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president, Lawrence H. Summers said, "When only 10 percent of the students in Elite higher education come from families in lower in lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education to the lower half of the income distribution".

           If you know of a family earning less than $60,000.00 a year with an honor student graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants to pay the tuition.

           To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition, visit Harvard's financial aid website at: http://adm-is.fas.harvard.edu/FAO/index.htm or call the schools financial aid office at: (617) 495-1581.

 

 

 

"BINGO, BINGO" IS THE WORD AT ST. MARGARETS                                          

      Bingo is the name of the game as Manhattan Council shares in the hosting of this fun event which took place September 25th 2008 at St. Margaret's Senior center at 49 Fulton Street, lower east side of Manhattan. Manhattan council volunteers, Joe Dunn, Eileen Palazzola, Joanne Finck, Chastidy Bonilla along with council President Ron Spaulding and VP Lynette Anthony presented gifts, chips, coffee and cookies to some sixty senior friends.  Ron reports that everyone was a winner at this game and that includes our dedicated and precious volunteers. Volunteer Joe Dunn is pictured here enjoying the game with a senior friend

                                                                             "BINGO TO MANHATTAN COUNCIL"

                                                                               By: Eddie Williamson                     


REGION GRANT FOR QUEENS COUNCIL  AND THEIR PROJECT, "FORGOTTEN VICTIMS" 

It took our volunteers a couple of months of meticulous planning, negotiation, research and basic leg work to bring this special project, the "FORGOTTEN VICTIMS" to it's fruition on Saturday December 6, 2008 and Wednesday, December 10, 2008.  Queens Council had just the pioneer to spearhead the project with Ray Quinn, their new education chairperson. 

Forgotten Victim's refers to more then 350,000 people each year who have been impacted by violence and served by Safe Horizon. The Queens Child Advocacy Center is a program of Safe Horizon the nation's leading victim assistance, advocacy and violence prevention organization. This facility located in Forest Hills, Queens serves abused and other children in crisis. They provide a comforting child friendly environment for interviews as well as medical and psychological evaluation. They are self contained with law enforcement including detectives, prosecutors, victim advocates, pediatricians, mental health professionals, caseworkers along with a wide network of help organizations all in this same building.

With funds made possible by our Verizon Telecom Pioneers region's competitive grant, Ray along with pioneer volunteers and CWA 1106 union members were able to build, install and paint or cover shelving in at least four rooms including the waiting room for children. The pioneers supplied the organization with a digital camera to use in conjunction with various investigations, supplied and installed a new flat screen TV with VCR-DVD for the children's entertainment while in the waiting room.
(Above photo from left: Rosie Castillio, Myra Shapiro, Gradle Wallace, Lula Sisco, Ray Quinn)

 

***ATTENTION ALL PIONEERS***

                   THE NOVA 5 CHAPTER OF THE TELECOM PIONEERS WILL CONDUCT THEIR EXECUTIVE ELECTION.  WE HERE WITH ANNOUNCE THAT  ANYONE INTERESTED FOR CONSIDERATION MUST SEND THEIR INTENTION WITH THEIR RESUME TO THE TELECOM PIONEER OFFICE, 210 WEST 18TH STREET, ROOM #1612, AND TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE. IT MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE OFFICE BY NO LATER THEN NOVEMBER 9,2009. WE ARE ACCEPTING POSSIBLE CANDIDATES  FOR VICE PRESIDENT NOMINATION.

 

 

 


 
Celebrate Pioneers Week
 

 

During the week of November 1-7, 2009, Pioneers will celebrate their commitment to build stronger communities through volunteerism. Included in Pioneers Week is Pioneers Day, celebrated on November 2nd, the anniversary of the organization’s founding in 1911.

 We invite everyone to visit with with us at various locations in our city.

    MANHATTAN:     210 West 18th Street, NYC,   10:30a.m. - 2p.m. November 4                       

                               230 East 30th Street, NYC     10:30a.m. - 2p.m. November 4

     

    BROOKLYN:        26th Avenue Garage              7:00a.m -             November 4

                               1580 Nostrand Avenue           7:00a.m. -            November 5

(contributing edit from CEO and president of the Pioneers, Marty Lee)

 

***ATTENTION ALL PIONEERS***

                   THE NOVA 5 CHAPTER OF THE TELECOM PIONEERS WILL CONDUCT THEIR EXECUTIVE ELECTION ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17TH AND FRIDAY DECEMBER 18TH. WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT OUR CANDIDATES FOR VICE PRESIDENT ARE:     Erica Brown and Dalia Santiago

The location schedule for voting are as follows:

           Thursday, December 17th, 2009

                  NYC    210 West 18th Street, Rm# 1612            11am -  2pm

                               227 East 30th Street, Lobby                   11am - 2pm

             BKLYN.   395 Flatbush Ave., Pioneer Store          11am - 2pm

                               Nostrand Avenue, Garage                       7am - 9am             

                Friday,  December 18th, 2009

                    NYC   210 West 18th Street, Rm# 1612            11am - 2pm                   

 

 

 

QUEENS COUNCIL SHARE THANKSGIVING

On November 25, 2009, The Queens Council participated in serving Thanksgiving Dinner at St
Gabriel's Church, in East Elmhurst.  We served the so many families from the shelters in the surrounding area. We had 18 volunteers ranging in age from 5 years old and up.  Our volunteers were very happy to take part in this event.  It was a great learning experience for everyone that participated.
Giving back to our community makes a difference.

 (Above photo shows six pioneers and partners unnamed)

 

 

DALIA SANTIAGO WINS OUR ELECTION SQUEAKER:

Dateline December 18th 2009, Nova 5 Chapter has a new vice president in Dalia Santiago from Brooklyn.  It was a spirited race sometimes neck and neck but Dalia wins by a nose, 94 to 79.  We congratulate Dalia and look forward to working for and with her and our incumbent president, Judith Diaz.  We also want to acknowledge her contender Erica Brown from Manhattan , who waged a valiant contest.  We also thank all those who took the time to cast their vote.

 

 

EXPERIENCE LIVING HISTORY WITH VERIZON PIONEER'S THINKFINITY:

Youth Town Hall with the Greensboro Four: Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Woolworth Lunch Counter Student Sit-Ins Live Webcast - February 4, 2010, 1:30–3:00 p.m.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is offering a remarkable living history experience! The three surviving members of the Greensboro Four, Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair, Jr.), Franklin McCain and Joseph McNeil, will participate in an oral history about their bold action that ignited student involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Watch for more details on Thinkfinity.org.

 

NOVA 5 REMEMBERS 9-11 WITH A DAY OF SERVICE                                                                                             

9-11 a day that will live in infamy was remembered with  a day of service. Our Nova 5 chapter, councils and clubs participated in the preparing and distribution of hearty and much appreciated hot lunches provided by soup kitchens in the five boroughs of New York City to our brothers and sisters in our communities. The photo to the right captures our Queens, Whitman life member club at The Tabernacle Prayer food pantry, The wonderful everyday volunteers at the kitchens were more then happy to have us aboard serving some 276 brothers and sisters and the photo left shows life member pioneers in Staten Island.

 EB 8 AND BX1 life member clubs partnered with Bronx council at Bronx council's past president, Marie Lopez's request to help with their P.O.T.S. (Part of the Solution) project. P.O.T.S. Served by the Sisters of Charity, they provide a meal twice a day, Monday thru Saturday. They also provide additional services including free shaves to the men and showers, offered on designated days to men and women as well as clean clothes should they want them. Our charge this day was to serve and distribute dinners to our brothers and sisters. Many thanks to Bronx Council: Marie Lopez, Madelyn Carlo, from EB 8: Geraldine Taylor, Ellie Auwaerter, Ann  Incoronato, Anne DeLuca, Connie Augusta and contributing writer, Stephanie Russo,( EB 8 president), from BX 1: Eileen Walsh, Jada Amaro and her daughter Ada.

Brooklyn Council with their past president, Dalia Santiago, served at the C.H.I.P.S. Kitchen, 200 4th Avenue assisting Sister Mary Maloney, SFP, Director and their group. Brooklyn additionally distributed backpacks containing various school supplies to PS 194.

Manhattan council spearheaded by their president, Ron Spaulding went to Saint Bartholomew Church located at 109 east 50th Street to help out with serving to "America's Hungry program". Manhattan council donated apples, bananas, pasta sauce. pasta, vegetables, crackers and various other caned goods. We assisted 12 families on this day, filling their bags or luggage with food supplies. Deacon J.D. Clark was very thankful for all the help and support. A special thank you goes out to all who volunteered herewith named, Cheryl Hayes, Eileen Palazzola, John Lynch, Lula Sisco, Melainie Carter and Elizabeth Grinage. Our appreciation to Stephanie Russo and Ron Spaulding for their contribution to this story.

We can only hope that such a tragic day in 2001 can never be forgotten but also to remember how we all came together, white, black, yellow or purple all as bother and sister to brother and sister in the true American spirit.

GOD BLESS AMERICA.   Moving flag

(photo top right from left: Lucita Christian, Cynthia Fairley, Dorcas Nicholson, Olivia Campbell, Sheila Etheridge, Lula Fisher)            by: Eddie Williamson

MANHATTAN COUNCIL AND OUR CLOWN UNIT SHARE SOME JOY: 

                        Manhattan Council along with our very special people in face paint brought some cheerful tidings to Nazareth Day Care Center on the west side of chelsea, Manhattan on Friday, December 4, 2009.  Project leader Joanne Fink along with volunteers, Cheryl Hayes, Elizabeth Grinage and clowns, Joe Dunn and Ron Spaulding were all part of the fun that was had by all. Gifts, balloons and treats were abound bringing smiles and laughs to the children's faces. Ho! Ho! Ho! to everyone.

 (Photo left to right: Joe Dunn, Joanne Fink, Ron Spaulding)                                                                            By: Eddie Williamosn