New Outlook Pioneers
Transcription
New Outlook Pioneers
Atlantic Coast Chapter #133 Virginia Council Volume 4, Issue 4 Spring 2013 Annual Reunion Lights Holiday Season The Belmont Club and Recreation Center (formerly the Hermitage Country Club) stands on 118 acres in north-central Henrico County. From the Center’s main hall, the view sweeps across manicured lawns and a majestic 18-hole golf course where Sam Snead won the PGA Championship in 1949. And it was here, on December 1, that the Pioneers sponsored the ninth reunion of former employees of the Richmond Works. Veterans of Western Electric, AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Viasystems (or some or all of the above) got together to spend an afternoon re-living the good and bad (mostly good) times at the plant, remembering old names and faces, and regaling each other with tales of their lives beyond the brick walls of the old building. A panoramic view of the dining hall and a portion of those attending the event. A total of 72 people signed up for the affair; and virtually all arrived in time for the main event - a fantastic meal consisting of fried chicken and London Broil, with plenty of side dishes and desserts. Several people made the trip from North Carolina. But the award for the greatest distance travelled must be shared by the folks who came all the way from Atlanta, Georgia (Larry Phillips) and Columbus, Ohio (Roger Hines). Some people will obviously go to great lengths to get together with old friends over a good meal! Before the meal, Council president Dave Haught formally welcomed everyone; and he briefly reviewed some of the current Pioneer activities - most notably the Pioneers’ support of the Southside Child Development Center. Pat Baccus provided an overview of the Center; and she outlined her plan to present Christmas gifts of underwear to all of the children at the Center. People in attendance contributed a total of $268 to help fund Pat’s efforts. The 50-50 raffle (somewhat of a staple at Pioneer functions) was won by Henry and Barbara Prieber. (There was a bit of confusion as to who actually held the winning ticket.) Henry and Barbara then contributed their $100 winning prize to Lonnie Brandon (plaid shirt) regales the Pioneers. Thanks both! the group with one of his many After four hours of reclining and reminiscing, the crowd stories of the old Richmond Works. dispersed; and individuals took off for a round of early-season Seated around the table (clockwise Christmas shopping or, in some cases, that long trip home. While from Lonnie) are Vickie Anderson, the cleanup was still underway, the organizers (Vickie Anderson, Charlotte Willhoit, Fran Hannah, Pat Baccus, Oscar Covington and Pat Keel) may have already Richard Hannah, Phil Campbell been thinking about the next reunion, which will be planned for and Rita Wilkerson. sometime in September 2013. See you there! New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Page 2 New Outlook Pioneers Atlantic Coast Chapter #133 Virginia Council Officers President……..............Dave Haught Vice President……....Fran Hannah Treasurer……..…….Bill Schone Secretary……….…...Charlotte Willhoit Committee Heads Jo Kruchten Motivation To Read… ……………….Fran Hannah Hug-A-Bears and Heart Pillows….. ………………..Fran Hannah Southside Children’s President’s Message Change, indeed, is inevitable; and New Outlook Pioneers has certainly not been spared. While major structural changes to the Pioneers are taking place at the national level, we are also seeing some modifications to our activities here in the Virginia Council. The aging knees of our aging membership are a primary reason that we will be phasing out the map painting program. Even at that, we have maintained this effort well beyond most of our sister Chapters. While we have managed to continue the Hug-A-Bear program by combining it with the Heart Pillow effort, we have not yet come up with a replacement activity for painting maps. Perhaps someone out there has ideas for some new activities that we might embrace. Let us know if you have some suggestions. I want to personally thank all of you who so generously contributed to the support of our Council. As noted elsewhere in this issue, due to your support we were able to essentially break even in 2012. We encourage your continued donations. Center…..……...Patricia Baccus Dave Haught - President Scholarships…….….Don Sage Power Up To Read...Don Sage Map Painting………..Vickie Anderson Fire Safety……….….Richard Hannah Annual Reunion…....Oscar Covington In Touch…………….Vernice Thaniel Battlefield Park…..….Bob Whiteman Council Historian…...Gladys Washington Ditty Bags.…………..Sheila Schone Newsletter Editor….Henry Janowitz Council Contact (e-mail)….. newoutlookpioneers.virginia@gmail.com Old Places - New Faces As of February, Charlotte Willhoit will serve as the new secretary, replacing the Council’s long time secretary - Vilma Graves, who had to relinquish the post. That role had been filled for the past few months, on an interim basis, by Arie Brandon. Thanks Vilma and Arie! And best wishes, Charlotte! Sheila Schone will chair the Council’s Ditty Bag program, filling the vacancy created by the untimely death of Eloise Miles. Vickie Anderson, and several others, have agreed to assist in this program. Virginia Council Meeting Schedule The Pioneers meet monthly (except August) - generally on the second Wednesday of the month. Most meetings are held at the Eastern Henrico Government Building at 3820 Nine Mile Road. Meetings at the Government Center begin at 9:30 AM; and all meetings are open to everyone. In 2013, the remaining monthly meetings at the Henrico County Government Building are scheduled on: April 3 (first Wednesday), May 1 (first Wednesday), July 10, September 11, October 9 and November 13. The June (12th) and December meetings will be combined with breakfast at a local restaurant - Mimi’s Cafe. The restaurant is located at 11275 West Broad Street. These two meetings will begin at 9:00 AM. New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Page 3 Pioneer Profile - Bruce Fichter Bruce always had Western Electric in his genes, as his father worked for Western from 1943 to 1971. From a start at the Kearny (NJ) Works, he moved his family to the newly built Allentown (PA) Works in 1949. The final few years of his career as an industrial engineer were spent at the Burlington (NC) factory. As a result, Bruce grew up in the Allentown area. And between his junior and senior years at Lehigh University, where he majored in Electrical Engineering, Bruce was employed at the Allentown Works as a Special Technical Assistant, working in the plastic encapsulated transistor department. Bruce joined Western Electric in Greensboro, North Carolina as part of a team that was being formed to start the PC Board fabrication plant in Richmond. His first task found him at Naperville, Illinois, working with the Bell Labs team that designed the Multilayer Boards that would be used in the new ESS telephone switching systems. He returned to Greensboro, and then Richmond, to start production of these PC boards. His career took him from engineer to senior engineer to department chief to assistant manager. His responsibilities, at various times included engineering, marketing, quality, sales and customer service. He stayed with the company as it was sold to Viasystems. With Viasystems, he oversaw corporate engineering functions at factories in Canada, China, Mexico, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Spain. At the end of 2008, Bruce retired from his 37-year career with Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent/ Viasystems. One month later he started working part time for a small German Hydropower Turbine company that makes “green energy” hydro power electrical generation systems for sale in the US. During his adult life, when he was not working on Printed Circuit Board functions, Bruce enjoyed a variety of activities, including wood working, car “maintenance” and boating. He undertook many building/construction projects at his homes and at the homes of his relatives. These projects included a two car detached garage, a screened porch, six decks or deck expansions and a storage shed. From this background, Bruce developed the skills that make him a vital member of the Virginia Council Pioneers. Bruce joined the Pioneers in 2008 - after retiring from, what was then, Viasystems. He found his niche in the construction and renovation projects that the Virginia Council performs at the Petersburg National Battlefield Park. Not only does he take a lead role in the actual construction phase; but he also handles the more critical planning phase - insuring that the right tools and materials are on hand when construction starts. To date, Bruce has supervised the construction of several new bridges and the renovation of a visitor center. He has also lent his “hands-on” work to the US map painting projects at local elementary schools. He and his wife, Pat, keep a boat on the York River near Yorktown; and they have enjoyed cruising the Chesapeake Bay for the past 23 years. As anyone who owns a boat knows, that also keeps him occupied performing the continual upkeep that is required for a boat that is kept in salt water year round. As they enjoy boating; they have been going to the Virgin Islands every other year since 2000, where they charter a sailing vessel and invite friends to join them. A close friend of Pat’s serves as their captain, as Bruce’s experience in Yorktown is on a power boat. Bruce contemplates the next step in one of his deck construction projects. Bruce and Pat also enjoy travelling throughout the US. Frequent trips take in Pat’s native state of Texas. One of their more interesting trips was a group bus tour of many National Parks, starting in Montana and ending in Arizona. They hope to continue to explore the great sites (sights) within the USA. Page 4 New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Classic Pioneer Programs - Transitions Ahead Virginia Council’s Hug-A-Bear and Schoolyard Map Painting Programs At A Critical Juncture Since the program was started in the mid 1970’s, this label has adorned the back of several thousand of the little critters that we call Hug-A-Bears. While some of these cuddly bears have found their way to assisted living facilities; most of them have wound up in the hands of little children. Randolph Medical Center Pediatric Unit, Richmond Child Protective Services, the VCU Intensive Care Unit and the Southside Child Development Center are just a few of the places where these little bears have brightened some child’s day. Over the past 35 or so years, the Virginia Council’s Hug-A-Bear program has had only two leaders - Jo Kruchten, who developed the program, and Pat Keel, who assumed the leadership role in 2007. But there have been many other Pioneers who have contributed their time and skill to this program. Many of the names are shrouded in the mists of time. But for the past six years (and undoubtedly longer) the following Virginia Council members have been active program participants: Vickie Anderson, Pat Baccus, Deborah Coleman, Elaine Cramme, Olivia Daniels, Mary Friend, Fran Hannah, Jane Haught, Jeanette Kahn, Pat Keel, Jo Kruchten, Eloise Miles, Nettie Settles, Vernice Thaniel, Gladys Washington, Sandy Whiteman and Charlotte Willhoit. Thanks all! At the end of December, this program reached a crisis point. The remaining three members of the team delivered their last group of bears. In January, Pat Keel had to announce the end of the program - unless a new group of volunteers could be found to continue this long–time tradition. For a month or so, the situation was desperate. Volunteers do have to possess some degree of skill. To produce these much-adored bears, some close-order sewing is required. And as we all know too well, time takes its toll on a person’s dexterity. Sometimes, fingers can find it difficult to respond to the mind’s command to maneuver needle and thread. For 35 years, the Virginia Council was fortunate to have a pool of skilled and dedicated members to staff this program. But the ranks have thinned over the years. February saw desperation turn to triumph. Members of the Virginia Council’s companion program (Heart Pillows, agreed to adopt the Hug-A-Bears and to merge the two programs into one. The team will produce both Hug-A-Bears and Heart Pillows; but the bears will have priority due to their greater impact on their recipients. Fran Hannah, who currently leads the Heart Pillow program, will assume leadership of the combined program. Other members who will serve in the combined program include Vickie Anderson, Jane Haught, Jeanette Kahn, Gladys Washington, Charlotte Willhoit and Sandy Whiteman. Others are encouraged to join the team. Participation in this program involves no cost - other than the time that a person dedicates to the work. And the work proceeds at each individual person’s pace. The reward is that your handiwork will bring a bit of joy and comfort to some child. If you have any questions about the program or if you are ready to volunteer; contact Fran at 804-746-3314. New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Page 5 Classic Pioneer Programs - Transitions Ahead Another long-time Pioneer program, that of painting maps of the United States on school yard playgrounds, faces an uncertain future come June - when the program in its current form will be phased out. For the most part, this is a Spring and Fall program - the weather controls when the maps can be painted. The task itself can be somewhat physically challenging - more so for older individuals. It takes about six hours to paint one of these maps, including the drying time between the application of the several coats of paint. And there is a bit of kneeling required for the detail work. But the critical role in this program is that of equipment manager. The paints (a total of seven colors are used for each map) and the tools to apply it (brushes, rollers, tape, stencils, cleaning rags, buckets, hose, air blower, etc., etc.) must be stored and transported to and from each school. This requires some spare garage space and a truck. Not an easy combination to find. For the past five years, Dave Haught has filled the role of equipment manager. But as of June; he will no longer be able to do so. And a replacement from within the Pioneer community is highly unlikely. Furthermore, the rest of the map painting team is finding just a few more residual aches and pains after each additional map has been painted. Some other arrangement must be Dave Haught pauses beside his truck to inspect found if the Richmond area school children are to continue benefitting from this much needed educational the progress on a map being painted. Note the array of equipment spread behind the truck. service. During Dave’s tenure as equipment manager, the Virginia Council has painted US maps at 17 schools, primarily in Henrico County. (The number of maps painted prior to Dave’s tenure is not readily available.) There are two maps scheduled to be painted this Spring. But there are several other local schools that have requested maps. Currently, the Pioneers can not honor those requests. As one avenue to insure that this service can continue and that these needs can be met, the Virginia Council is looking for one or more business partners to take over this program. In the past, the Pioneers have worked with teams from Capital One on several map painting projects. So Capital One is a potential candidate to assume this program. But there should be many other possibilities within the Richmond region. At this point, the Pioneers are most in need of contacts with other potential companies or groups that have the interest and capability to continue this program. Anyone who might have such a contact, through family or friends, should contact Dave at 804-794-4599 or the program’s chairperson, Vickie Anderson at 804-746-9299. Interested parties could participate in the next (last) two Pioneer map painting projects to get an appreciation of the efforts and rewards involved. Don’t let the Richmond areas school children down! Power Up To Read Don Sage, chairman of the Power Up To Read program, has had to announce that the program will be discontinued. In this case, the issue leading to the program cancellation is a lack of students wishing to take advantage of the program. This PC-based national Pioneer program was geared to improving the reading skills of older students. But both nationally and locally, the program failed to attract more than a handful of interested students. Locally, Don and Dave Haught had set up ten PC’s, donated by the University of Richmond, at a local church. After several years of low or no use, the reading program has reluctantly been shut down; and the PC’s have been turned over to other uses at the church. Page 6 New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council 2012 - 2013 Winter Activity Roundup Santa Tour 2012 - Florence and Beyond The day after Thanksgiving, when most people were recovering from the prior day’s feast, found Roy Sheets boarding a plane bound for Venice, Italy. Roy was embarking on his tenth excursion with the Pioneers/Kiwanis Santa Goodwill tours. Participants experience a variety of foreign cultures while spreading a bit of American style Christmas cheer to some of the children in those far off places. The 2012 tour (actually one of the two tours offered that year) covered northern and central Italy: Venice, Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Pisa and points in between. About fifty Santas chose this particular tour. The starting point was Venice, the World Heritage site that is built on 118 islands at the tip of the Adriatic Sea. The group scheduled a walking and boating tour of the city. To get around most of the city, one must travel by boat, including the iconic gondolas, to navigate the canals that serve as roads in that city. Roy, however, deviated from the planned tour. While crossing the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal, Roy took one step too many in the wrong direction. After a bit of a tumble, the rest of his tour of Venice consisted of a close inspection of the city’s medical facilities. His stay may have been lengthened by a language barrier. (All of the English speaking natives must have been off leading tours.) But after an inspection, he was declared fit; and he rejoined the tour group in time for a quick flight to Rome - the Eternal City. (But he Standing on the steps of Saint Peter’s Basilica, Roy fronts did miss out on the opportunity to distribute gifts at the group’s Santa the main square, with a 4,000 stop in Venice.) year old Egyptian obelisk at The riding/walking tour of Rome passed the main attractions that its center. marked Rome as the master of the ancient world. Buildings and bridges that have stood for 2,000 years dominate the scene. And the magnificence of the Vatican overwhelms. Roy returned home with many photos of this trip; and about a dozen of them are posted on the Virginia Council’s Yahoo group site. (If you are unfamiliar with this web site, simply send a note to newoutlookpioneers.virginia@gmail.com.) From Rome, the group proceeded to the medieval city of Florence. During the tour of that city, the group donned their Santa attire and visited a local primary school, where they distributed small gifts to the children. Roy handed out miniature autos - familiar as Hot Wheels or Match Box cars. Roy even gave one to the school principal. From Florence, the group took a short trip to the nearby town of Pisa, famous for its leaning tower. And after an exhausting and exhilarating 10 days in Italy; the group returned home. Attired in their Santa outfits, Roy and several companions prepare to hit the streets of Florence. Roy is already thinking of a possible 2013 tour. On the list is Casablanca - where he and a few other usual suspects can check out “Rick’s Café American”. (continued on page 7) New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Page 7 2012 - 2013 Winter Activity Roundup (continued from page 6) Jo Kruchten Motivation To Read Program Winter is the “quiet time” for the Jo Kruchten Motivation To Read program. The books have been distributed to the school children - in time for Christmas. The hectic process of organizing, sorting and labeling those books is but a distant memory. And that same round of activity for the 2013 rendition of the program has not yet begun. But winter is time when many of those children who received these books choose to return the favor. Some classes send group photos of the children holding their new books. In some classes, students prepare individual “thank-you” notes. Other classes produce a group poster. And some classes do all three. Gladys Washington will assemble all of the photos, notes and posters from the 2012 program in a scrapbook - as part of the historical record of this program. A few of the group posters are shown below. We appreciate every one of those photos, notes and posters. They make the program worthwhile. Thanks, kids! A group poster from Skipwith Elementary School in Henrico County. Lakeside Elementary School’s poster included all pre-school classes. Junior Fire Safety Program During the first quarter of 2013, program chairman Richard Hannah coordinated the presentation of the Junior Fire Safety program at seven Henrico County elementary schools: Nuckols Farm, Holladay, Davis, Baker, New Bridge, Montrose and Longdale. Through the middle of March, the program has been delivered to about 75% of the schools on the 2012-2013 school year schedule - reaching 110 teachers and 1,814 students. Five schools remain on the list to receive this program before the end of the school year. The familiar team of four Henrico County firemen (Scott McMillen, John Burns, Robert Long and Keen Trinh) performed the educational program. And assisting Richard at one or more of these presentations were fellow Pioneers Lonnie Brandon, Oscar Covington, Fran Hannah, Pat Keel, Bob Pinkham, Vernice Thaniel, Bob Whiteman and Sandy Whiteman. (continued on page 8) Page 8 New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council 2012 - 2013 Winter Activity Roundup (continued from page 7) Southside Child Development Center Pat Baccus surprised the (68) children who attend the Southside Child development Center with gifts of underwear for Christmas. Pat worked with the center’s director, Sheila Pleasants, to insure that each child received the appropriate size and style. The purchase and wrapping of these presents was handled entirely by Pat and her husband. The total cost of the gifts was $570.35. Pat raised $268 through an appeal to the Pioneers attending the December reunion. The Virginia Council provided the balance from its general funds. Fran Hannah also provided an assortment of miniature cars, which Pat delivered along with the personalized gifts. The cars are a welcome addition at the Center. They are being kept at the Center - for use by the older children during their daytime play periods. Jo Cleres Scholarship Program The application process is now complete. March 11 was the cutoff date for submissions. So now it is time for the difficult part of the process - the selection of the scholarship winners. As the national program chairman, Don Sage will be responsible for gathering all of the applications from the regional Chapters, for evaluating each application and for selecting those that will receive scholarships. As he did last year, Oscar Covington will collaborate with Don in this review and selection process. The winners will selected by the end of April; and the results will be announced in the next issue of the Newsletter. Newsletter Distribution Notice The Virginia Council publishes its newsletter four times each year (March, June, September and December). Electronic copies (full color) are sent to everyone on the Council’s e-mailing list. Print copies (black and white only) are available to active Council members. Non members and nonactive members may obtain print copies of the newsletter for an annual contribution of $10. If you would like to receive this newsletter; you have two options. If you wish to receive an electronic copy of the newsletter, please notify Oscar Covington (804-755-4266) or send an e-mail request to newoutlookpioneers.virginia@gmail.com. If you wish to receive a print copy of the newsletter, please notify Bill Schone (804-743-0896). And please note that, if you are not an active member of the Virginia Council Pioneers, a $10 annual contribution is required. Make your check payable to the New Outlook Pioneers Chapter #133; and send it to Bill at 7141 Barkbridge Road; Chesterfield, Virginia 23832. Copies of all Virginia Council newsletters are maintained on the council’s Yahoo Group site. So you can view or print your own copies of past issues that you may have missed. Membership in the Virginia Council’s Yahoo group is required (and free!). If you want access to this group, simply send an e-mail request to newoutlookpioneers.virginia@gmail.com. You will receive a reply with an invitation to join the group. New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council Page 9 Calendar Fundraiser Winners The first three winners in the 2013 Calendar Fundraiser are as follows. January ($200 prize): Melvin Brzostek (Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania - formerly of Baltimore, Maryland) February ($50 prize): Don Sage (Richmond, Virginia) March ($50 prize): Dick Kopro (Cockeysville, Maryland) Financially Speaking….. Financially, 2012 was a relatively good year for the Virginia Council Pioneers - perhaps the best year since Lucent Technologies withdrew its support for the Pioneers. Expenditures for the year to support our programs totaled $6,088. Total income, which is overwhelmingly supplied by member and “friend” donations was $5,978 - resulting in a deficit of $110 for the year. Member support increased last year. So did expenses. We anticipate expenses to rise again in 2013. Hopefully member support will keep pace. The last issue of the newsletter contained a list of all members and friends who contributed to the Virginia Council during 2012. One donation, however, was received too late in December to be included in that list. So we now thank Bruce Fichter and number him among the financial supporters of 2012. Upcoming Events Schoolyard Map Painting The Virginia Council’s US Map Painting program will be winding down in the Spring of 2013. Two projects remain on the Council’s schedule. One is a joint effort with an Eagle Scout candidate at Woolridge Elementary School in Chesterfield County. This particular project will be mostly advisory, as scouts are planning to do most of the work. We will also be painting a US map at the Glen Lea Elementary School in Henrico County. Dates for these projects have yet to be set. If you would like to experience the thrill of bringing knowledge to young minds, these two projects may be your last chances to participate in this activity. To sign up for either map painting project, contact the program leader, Vickie Anderson (804-746-9299). Tenth Annual Pioneer Reunion The 2013 Pioneer reunion will return to Dorey Park - sometime in the early Fall. Plans are now in the making; so make your own plans to attend. Complete details will be provided in the next (June) newsletter. Petersburg National Battlefield Park The Virginia Council has once again been invited to help forge a trail through the Battlefield. This time the need will be for a boardwalk and a bridge in the area known as the “Breakthrough”. This section of the Battlefield is currently owned by the Civil War Trust; but the Park Service plans to acquire this land for the Park. Work on the project will be scheduled for sometime in the early fall. The project will be led by fellow Pioneers with a proven record of bridge construction. You too can contribute to the preservation of Virginia’s history. Contact the program chairman, Bob Whiteman (804-360-0388) for more information or to add your name to the project team. Page 10 New Outlook Pioneers - Virginia Council In Memoriam Dewey Farley…………….December 22, 2012 Barbara (Betty) Sharpe…....December 30, 2012 Julian Miles…….…..…….January 06, 2013 Jesse Yowell…………..…..January 10, 2013 Eunice Knight…………....January 11, 2013 Srirama Reddy…………….January 28, 2012 Frank Richmond………....February 04, 2013 Jack Hetherington………....February 22, 2013 Moses McClendon…..…...March 03, 2013 New Outlook Pioneers — Confident, Committed, Connected The New Outlook Pioneers is a volunteer organization that is completely self-funding. All of the money that is needed to support the many volunteer programs that are funded by the Pioneers must be provided by the generous support of the members, partners and friends of the Pioneers. We would greatly appreciate donations in any amount. All contributions are tax-deductible. Please make checks payable to “New Outlook Pioneers Chapter #133”; and send your contributions to Bill Schone; 7141 Barkbridge Road; Chesterfield, Virginia 23832. Contribution: $5_____ $10_____ $25_____ Other_____ Name_______________________________ Phone_______________ Cell_______________ Address___________________________________ e-mail____________________________ City________________________________ State____________________ Zip____________ TelecomPioneers 7141 Barkbridge Road Chesterfield,Virginia 23832 Change Service Requested Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid Midlothian, VA PI# 4322