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2010 Annual Meeting Awards
Feb. 26, 2010; Atlanta, Ga.;
Marriott Marquis
Chapter of Excellence -
W.J. Denver
It’s no
wonder that a chapter so committed to training and developing strong
leaders has enjoyed the success that Verizon William Denver has in
recent years. When that leadership is backed by a dedicated
membership and the solid support of Verizon and Verizon Foundation,
the result is a model of chapter excellence.
In 2009, projects that captured the essence of
the Denver Chapter involved members providing pajamas for Jammie
Time…collecting old cell phones for Project Hopeline…and gathering
supplies for Health Kits. All this and more was achieved as part of
the chapter’s leadership and communication in rallying volunteers to
support local shelters.
When all was said and done, the chapter had engaged a range of
volunteers in support of projects that would benefit more than 700
children and adults in a variety of ways, from basic supplies to
improving their quality of life. And that was just in the shelters.
The chapter also successfully aligned with a number of Verizon
Corporation’s education goals, such as Project Connect, Thinkfinity, A
Student’s Dictionary, and Season’s Readings.
Community Impact - W.J.
Denver
 William J. Denver Chapter takes many approaches
to community support, but at the end of the day, education is the
focus of so much of what the chapter provides.
When New Hope, Inc., a domestic violence and sexual assault program,
needed assistance, Pioneers stepped up to help in hosting an
education forum. The forum pulled together state lawmakers, batterer
intervention experts, former batterer intervention participants and
law enforcement officials to talk about how batterer intervention
can be more effectively used to reduce the rate of violence and
domestic violence related to homicides.
The chapter was also quick to get involved in a hands-on
environmental education project on the grounds of Burncoat High
School in Worcester, Mass. After 20,000 diseased trees had to be cut
down, Denver Chapter supported a recovery effort that included a
donation of $2,000, participation in an informational workshop on
tree care, and getting down in the dirt to plant.
Denver Chapter Pioneers also partner with elementary school
organizations to provide them with a Pioneers Playground Map, as
well as dictionaries and thesauruses.
Excellence in
Fundraising - Maryland
 Verizon Maryland Pioneers enjoyed the taste of
sweet success at Hershey Park, raising more than $66,000 through
their 17th Annual Family Day at the amusement park.
For a $10,000 deposit, the Pioneers had the park all to themselves
for the day and were able to sell tickets for the average base price
of $23 – well below the park’s retail price of $52.95 for a daily
adult ticket. To drive early sales, the chapter used an escalating
price scale that capped at $30 the day of the event – still a sweet
deal.
The bargain price was welcomed in the challenging economic times as
the event attracted 10,879 visitors and easily surpassed the
chapter’s goal of $40,000.
The funds were earmarked to support projects such as Book’em,
Students Under Construction, Dictionaries for Students, Lap Robes
for the Military, as well as four domestic violence shelters around
the state.
The fundraiser attracted new families and families with children who
learned more about Verizon Pioneers and their educational programs
and projects that involve children.
The event also served as a membership recruiting venue. Ticket
holders were invited to join Pioneering as they entered the park. Of
course, Pioneers provided additional incentive for guests to visit
the membership table by offering free Hershey’s chocolate kisses.
The plan resulted in the signing of six new members on the spot –
and 29 potential members leaving with membership information kits.
Individual
Excellence - Deb Foley
 One sentence in a description of Deborah Foley’s Pioneer career
pretty much says it all: "Deb has been the main reason for the
success of our chapter." The narrative goes on to note that it
"makes no difference whether a project is local or 150 miles away:
Deb will be there."
And she has been there, ever since beginning her Pioneers hitch back
in 1989. To say that Deborah has "done it all" would not be a cliché
– it would be a statement of indisputable fact. She has held
leadership positions at the council, club, and chapter levels –
including her current role as Chapter President, a position she has
held at various times for a combined total of five years.
With years of Pioneering to draw from, Deborah has developed the
ability to simply know what works for Pioneering and how best to
turn that vision into action. While it is a common challenge in any
volunteer organization to strike the balance between sustaining
successful projects and seeking out new opportunities, Deborah has
been tireless in her efforts to identify projects that are diverse,
attractive to new members and that address community need.
The popular song claimed "Ain’t no mountain high enough…." In
Deborah’s case, that includes Mt. Everest, which at 29,035 feet
above sea level stands as the highest point on the planet. When a
team of climbers attempted the summit a few years back, Deborah
arranged for elementary schools across Massachusetts to follow the
expedition via satellite phone and the Internet.
The driving force behind the distribution of more than 10,000
dictionaries and thesauruses to school children, Deborah recently
addressed a drop in summer volunteer hours by creating a reading
program that is delivered in summer camps.
The list of Deborah’s accomplishments leads from here to, well, the
summit of Mt. Everest. And while the projects may vary, there
remains one constant: Deborah Foley will be there.
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