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May 2007
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Vol. 2 / Issue 5
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In This
Issue
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Quick Links
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Dear Jill,
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If you're
receiving this
issue at work,
the design might
be compromised
because Verizon
firewalls are
blocking the
coding. You may
view a clean
version on the
Verizon
TelecomPioneers'
website. If
you'd prefer a
version be sent
to your home
e-mail address,
please e-mail
newsletter@verizonpioneers.org
and we'll
exchange your
e-mail
addresses.
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The Verizon
Literacy
Network (VLN)
is now
Thinkfinity
(www.thinkfinity.org
).
Thinkfinity
is a
powerful
educational
platform
created
through the
merger of
two
highly-acclaimed
programs -
Verizon
Literacy
Network and
Verizon
MarcoPolo.
In addition
to the more
than 55,000
standards-
and
research-based
educational
resources
and
comprehensive
professional
development
for K-12
teachers,
literacy
instructors
and
volunteers,
Thinkfinity
offers the
literacy
community:
- More
than 40
online
courses
for
literacy
instructors,
community-based
organizations,
students
and
volunteers,
-
Exclusive
best
practices
like the
Life
Span
Literacy
Matrix,
which
identifies
relevant
literacy
outcomes,
appropriate
measurement
tools
and
practices
to
improve
literacy
across
the
lifespan,
-
Activities
and
instruction
for
English
language
learners
and ESL
instructors,
-
How-to
instruction
for
program
managers
on
topics
like
program
development,
volunteer
recruiting
and
community
engagement,
-
Searchable
databases
of
hundreds
of
literacy
organizations
in need
of
volunteers,
-
Studies,
research
and
statistics
highlighting
the
importance
of
literacy
development
across
the life
span.
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by: Deb Foley,
president, W.J.
Denver Chapter
On Saturday April
28, I attended the
Earth Day
celebration at the
Oak Knoll Wildlife
Sanctuary in
Attleboro, Ma. There
were many activities
like building bird
houses, learning
about ponds, up
close encounters
with birds of prey,
hissing Madagascar
cockroaches (yuck)
and opportunities to
hike the trails.
They even offered to
let us try cooked
crickets and rice
(double yuck)! I
held two different
reading sessions
with about 25
children in
attendance at each
session. We
purchased 30
blueberry bushes and
planted them in the
Sanctuary in
celebration of Earth
Day. I walked around
afterwards and
handed out about 50
more books and left
50 books that the
store can use as a
fundraiser. It was a
beautiful day with
many families in
attendance. Everyone
enjoyed the
opportunity to sit
down, relax, and
read their books.
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by: Morrie
Sachsenmaier,
president,
Verizon West Chapter
Members of the R.
Parker Sullivan club
in Thousand Oaks,
CA, have been
working with the
state operated
California Telephone
Access Program
(CTAP) to provide
instruments for the
handicapped in
California for the
past seven years.
CTAP will provide
free of charge one
type of instrument
for the handicapped
to anyone who has a
doctor's
certificate. If the
customer requires
another one for
another room or a
different type of
handicap unit, they
refer those requests
to our club. Our
members fill those
requests with
equipment provided
by the state. They
are units that they
have removed and do
not plan to
reinstall. We test,
clean and make
repairs to each
piece of equipment
and provide it to
individuals in need
of this service at
no cost. Our club
mails an average of
150 units each
month. We provide a
wide variety of
instruments for the
hard of hearing,
sight impaired, and
bed or wheelchair
bound. This project
is time consuming
and sometimes
physically taxing;
however, the
wonderful letters
and calls we receive
from the customers
makes it all
worthwhile.
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Our Life Member
Spotlight is on...
Doris Epler!
Doris is involved
with numerous
volunteer programs
throughout Berks
County. She was
recently recognized
with the Heritage
Foundation "Person
of the Year" award
for her volunteer
work with the
Seniors of Berks
County. Doris serves
as a member of the
Foster Grandparent
Board, the Advisory
Board of the Berks
County Office of
Aging, and the
Regional Council for
the PA Department of
Aging. Doris also
volunteers for the
VITA (Volunteer
Income Tax
Assistance) program
helping seniors
prepare their
federal, state and
local taxes.
Doris has been a
member of the L.H.
Kinnard Chapter
Reading Club for
more than 45 years
serving as president
and treasurer many
times over. Doris
volunteers her time
by helping with
numerous local
projects, such as
purchasing and
delivering
dictionaries to area
schools and items to
local shelters and
crisis centers. Once
a month, Doris and
some of her Pioneer
friends help promote
literacy in a local
Kindergarden class
by reading and
distributing books.
Doris has been a
member of the
Kinnard Hall of Fame
since 2001. The
projects Doris finds
most fulfilling are
projects with her
family. Daughter
Susan is the current
Kinnard Chapter
president, while her
sister, Linda, is a
past president. Also
actively involved is
their other sister,
Elizabeth, and her
sons, James and
William.
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Every month, you'll
find Jim Crosbie at
Jeremiah's Inn
cooking a meal for
the clients. March
was special because
Jim presented Walter
Spencer, Director of
the Inn, with a
check for $750 from
the Verizon
Foundation through
the Matching Gifts
Program. Jim also
brought in a box of
food that his
granddaughter,
Megan, collected for
Jeremiah's. Click
here to view
additional
volunteers that
helped Jim prepare
and serve the meal
for February and
March.
Verizon rewards
employee volunteers
through grants to
nonprofits that
employees support.
If you are a Verizon
employee and would
like to learn more
about the Matching
Gifts program,
please visit the
Foundation's
website.
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Every day, Pioneers
go the extra mile to
make our communities
better places to
live and work. Now,
Wells Fargo would
like to do the same
for the Pioneers,
with a new member
benefit: the
Pioneers Home
Financing Program,
designed to help
members purchase or
refinance their
homes and to make
the most of
homeownership.
Offered exclusively
through the nation's
leading retail
mortgage lender,
Wells Fargo Home
Mortgage, the
Pioneers Home
Financing Program
has the experience
and expertise to
make home financing
fast and
hassle-free. Turn to
the Pioneers Home
Financing Program
for personalized
solutions,
including:
- Home
financing
options for
those with
less-than
perfect credit,
- Financing
for second home
and investment
property
purchases,
- Access to
the nation's
leading Reverse
Mortgage
originator.
The Pioneers Home
Financing Program is
your source for:
- Refinancing
- FHA/VA loans
- New
construction
- Renovation
financing
- Low- and
no-money down
programs
- Special
programs for
first-time home
buyers
Call Wells Fargo
Home Mortgage
Toll-Free at 1-
866-262-1505 or
click here for more
information.
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Our Estore manager would
like to hear your
recommendations on new
products. Please e-mail
bruceyennie@verizon.net
with your feedback.
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