Nina Gordon  – 2012 Hall of Fame Recipient

Michele “Micki” Cavanaugh  – 2011 Hall of Fame Recipient
Micki Cavanaugh joined the Pioneers in 1990, and has held many offices at the council and chapter level. Currently, she is the Excelsior Chapter president. Cavanaugh trains new members, provides updated materials to members and helps individuals when needed. She has written several grants, organized the Camp Badger project in 2009 and the Scoopers fundraiser.Cavanaugh received a Project Excellence award from the Pioneers for “Kids Café,” a Corning YMCA after school program. Computers, printers and Leap Frog learning tools were donated. Through Project Connect, Internet service was provided free during the first year. She also received an additional $1000 to purchase more items for “Kids Café.”The Verizon Foundation “Shower for Shelters” program recognized Cavanaugh for collecting a record dollar value per item for Cortland YWCA Domestic Violence Shelter. Several Verizon trucks and three personal SUVs were needed to deliver all the items.

 

 

Philip Hahn – 2010 Hall of Fame Recipient

Philip Hahn, a life member, joined the Pioneers in 1998. He served as Education chair working with the Buffalo Public Schools conducting Career Fairs and mentoring students on engineering topics. Shortly after retiring, Phil became president of the Buffalo-Niagara Region Life Member Club. After trying unsuccessfully to recruit a new president, he chose to take the role on again to keep the club viable; a position he holds today. Phil is the Group Project Connect coordinator and worked with the Pioneer headquarters staff on the initial evaluation, rollout and subsequent enhancements of Project Connect.

He is the project manager for SantaLand, partnering with the Erie County Parks Department in this seasonal event held at Chestnut Ridge Park. Phil organizes a Chinese Auction and collection of money, gift cards and toiletries at the SantaLand event that benefits Western New York domestic violence shelters. Through his efforts, the chapter has received the Pioneer Project Excellence award. Phil has coordinated SantaLand for the last four years.

Phil volunteers through the Buffalo Alliance for Education, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for students by facilitating business to school partnerships. Phil received a “Pathfinders in Education” award for personal service in support of education, and the WKBW-TV “Everyday Hero” award for mentoring efforts in the Buffalo Public Schools. His volunteer positions included Board President, Special Advisor and Interim Executive Director.

Phil volunteers for the town of West Seneca on the Emergency Response Team, and coordinates two issues of the Buffalo-Niagara Region Life Member Club newsletter yearly.

April Schad – Hall of Fame Recipient 2009

April, now a retiree, has been a Pioneer since 1982. She has served as Future Pioneer vice president and president, Council vice president and president, and has held every position at the council/club level. April has been participating in the Clown Troupe since it started, paints Pioneer playground maps and helps provide electronic maps for schools in her area. For the 27th year, she has volunteered for the Children’s Christmas party. April volunteered at many vice president projects over the years – Paul Newman’s “Hole in the Woods” Camp, 4-H camp (when traveling to Long Island, their van was broken into and their clothes stolen), camp in Sharon, MA, and many more. April volunteers at the YMCA Folksmarch, which is a non-competitive walking event for people of all ages and abilities in Central New York. She also volunteers at the Special Olympics in Syracuse, Buffalo and Albany.

She has been mentoring students at Edward Smith School since the program was started. April is always there to meet and greet new Pioneer members. April was instrumental in getting the council involved at Woodstock in 1999 selling water. The council made more than $20,000. It was hard working 24/7 for four days. The big fundraiser now is selling Christmas wreaths. April has received the Future Pioneer, Pioneer of the Year, and YMCA Folksmarch awards.

Gloria Moran – 2008 Hall of Fame Inductee

Gloria, an active Verizon employee, held several positions with the Southern Tier Council, including president. She served as chapter president from 2003 – 2006 and was involved with training the council/club presidents and vice presidents prior to the training offered by the Group.

Volunteering with the Bath, VA, Council, Gloria delivers dictionaries, welcome backpacks and other items to local shelters. She even traveled 18 hours one way to deliver backpacks stuffed with school supplies to a needy school in Tennessee. Gloria assists once a month at a local church feeding 80-100 homeless, handicapped, sick, poor and needy clients.

Gloria is always recruiting new members and promoting new ideas to keep the younger members involved. She hosts a membership drive breakfast for outside techs. Gloria organized and promoted a council and chapter cookbook, “Cooking with Excelsior.”

Gloria submitted a write-up and received the Pioneer Telecom Challenge Award for orchestrating the purchase and installation of computers, painting of classrooms, and set up of a computer lab for the Wyoming Conference Children’s Home.

She received an award from the New York State Higher Education Council for mentoring teenage parents at a company work location. She toured one summer with the New York State Educators going to different colleges presenting information on the mentoring program. Gloria is always willing and able to help others when needed throughout the chapter area and beyond.

2007 Hall of Fame Inductee – Barbara Meinhold

Barbara joined the Pioneers in 1981, and from 1982-1990 served as Publicity chair and secretary of the Western Frontier Council. She went on to lead the life member club and chair several committees. She oversaw the painting of playground maps at seven schools in the Buffalo and Niagara Falls areas, belonged to the clown troupe for 10 years, and participated in the Kids Escaping Drugs program, Camp Good Days, and Special Times for children with cancer. She taught immersion programs at Amherst Museum. Barbara teaches religious education to fourth and fifth graders and is a teacher’s aid for BOCES (for physically and mentally challenged children). Barbara promotes the Pioneer store and actively solicits donations for the Buffalo life member Chinese Auction and Western Area yearly calendars. Barbara, along with fellow Pioneers, is very active in Trooper Toys for Tots, which is chaired by her partner, Richard. Barbara, with her great enthusiasm, encourages others to volunteer, willingly assists at the Executive Board meetings, and feels that if a project has merit, “We can do it; no excuses.”

Dawn Aikman inducted into the 2006 Hall of Fame

Dawn has been a Pioneer member since 1993 and chaired many committees on the council and chapter levels before becoming the Southern Tier Council president. Next year, Dawn has agreed to serve as chapter vice president. She has volunteered at the Bath VA Hospital and the Wyoming Children’s Conference Center. She also has mentored, painted maps, and delivered dictionaries. She chairs Buddy’s Baseball for the Handicapped and is a zoo keeper for the chapter’s animals. Dawn was the Excelsior Chapter’s Pioneer of the Year for 2005. She does anything and everything she is asked to do.

2005 Hall of Fame Inductee – Christine LeClair

Chris has been involved in Pioneering since 1973, when she joined as a Future Pioneer. She has served as community service chairperson, vice president and president of Buffalo Life Member Club, and is currently serving as the life member representative. Christine is the project chairperson for Books for Kids Project, supervises 14 volunteers weekly with Project FLIGHT, runs a workshop at her home several times a year to make Smart Bears and assisted in the infamous pepperoni/cheese sale for the restoration of the Statue of Liberty. The biggest asset that Chris brings to the Pioneers is her ability to recruit volunteers. Her dedication to Pioneers is obvious and infectious to all that meet her.

2004 Hall of Fame Inductee – Sheila Dilmore

Sheila has been a pioneer since 1978 serving as educational chair, chapter life member rep., and club president.  She has been a volunteer at the Bath VA Hospital for the past 12 years and is a deputy rep., on the Veterans Admin. Volunteer Advisory Board representing the TelecomPioneers.  Sheila has been a major contributor in this years chapter project excel 2004, she has spent days at the children’s home painting, unpacking and setting up computers.  She makes and decorates Christmas stockings that are filled with educational items and basic necessities.  She has participated in E911, painting maps, making hug a bears, smart bears and helping repair talking books.  She has received an award from the Veterans Admin. for her club being the longest consecutive volunteer group.

Midge Brandao receives the 2003 Hall of Fame Award

 Midge in her 30 years as a pioneer she has been a Council VP, Chapter VP  and President, Group Rep, 911 Co-ordinator, Life Member Rep, Life Member Club President, and also the Environmental Chair person.Midge has demonstrated the 911 to thousands of children and seniors.  She has worked on many rehab projects for handicapped and mentally challenged youths, soup kitchens, fire prevention training, literacy projects, community cleanup projects, annual Christmas festival for underprivileged children and also is a clown.She has used her fund raising skills on the council, club and chapter level with lotteries, calendars, bake sales, collectable trucks and bells and apparel.Midge has held numerous positions in the community volunteer organizations and has been  presented the 911 recognition award for fire Prevention and the Pioneer of the Year.