Hall of Fame | Paumanok Chapter #85

Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have by exemplary acts of loyalty, fellowship and service come to represent the highest calling of Pioneering. These members have truly made superior contributions to advancing the purpose and ideals of Pioneering. This honor is bestowed with the utmost respect of the membership.

2013 Phyllis Ahrens

2012 Maryann Wiese

2011 Arlene Pottash

2010 Richard H. Doster

2009 Ralf Krause

2008 Merle Steiner

2007 Everett Meyer

2006 Joe Caruso

2005 Linda Steuerwald

2004 Charlie Coll

2003 John Kaiser

2002 Judy Tharp

2001 Kank Nowicki

2000 George Ambrosio

1999 None

1998 Gerrie Fitzpatrick

1997 Louise Protosow

1996 Mary K Smith

1995 Donna Tranchina

1994 Joan M Kaiser

1993 Anne Kopsky

1992 Bill Elasser

Phyllis Ahrens – 2013

Over the years Phyllis has been involved in many activities such as walk-a-thons, collecting, packing and mailing items to our troops overseas, bingo and holiday parties at veteran and nursing homes. She is the project coordinator providing dictionaries, USA MAP rugs and scholastic books at Mother Goose readings to children on Long Island. Phyllis is instrumental in preparing, stuffing and mailing of the Chapter and her clubs calendar fundraiser which is Paumanok’s largest fundraiser.

Phyllis helps coordinate Pioneer Day Fundraisers and plant sales at various Verizon buildings which help fund the project that her club and the chapter take on each year. She has volunteered for over 20 years at the Annual Apple Festival fundraiser at the Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf.

She along with several of her club members received a citation and letter from President Obama for over 20 years of volunteering at the Lemon Street Soup Kitchen where she helps prepare and serve meals for those less fortunate.

When her club was faced with no one willing to take the presidency, Phyllis volunteered and recruited a full board, not surprising to anyone who knows her.

Phyllis may be very quiet and soft spoken but she is always there when needed offering assistance before being asked.

Maryann Wiese – 2012

Maryann has been a pioneer since the early 1970’s. She shows true pioneer spirit in all she does. She is currently the chapter partner chairperson and the Sagamore Life Member Club fellowship chair.Maryann is involved in many community activities including the veteran stand-downs, the packing of supplies for our soldiers overseas and the POW/MIA ceremony at Eisenhower Park. She was awarded a citation from the Nassau County Executive Office and the Veteran Service Agency for these efforts.

She has crocheted and knitted lap robes, baby blankets, preemie hats, prayer shawls for hospitals and nursing homes on Long Island. She can be found at nursing homes assisting the residents as they playing bingo, serving snacks and Christmas caroling. She is always there whenever we call upon her.

Maryann volunteers at park cleanups, walkathons, golden donor calling and blood drives, Special Olympics and the Easter Egg Hunt at Mill Neck School for the Deaf to name a few. She is very active in her church as treasurer for their Christmas fair and is a member of Maria Regina’s Peanut Butter and Jelly Gang making sandwiches and spearheading food drives for those less fortunate.

Arlene Pottash – 2011

Exemplifying Pioneering principles, fellowship, service and loyalty, Arlene Pottash has been an active Pioneer for 34 years. She has held various chair positions including participation, group and life member representative, and recording secretary. She has shopped, collected, stored and delivered more than 4,000 items of clothing, non-perishable foods, toiletries and toys to shelters and other non-profit organizations across Long Island. She has served meals at the Ronald McDonald house, soup kitchens, and Veteran Stand Downs. Pottash spearheaded a successful drive for silly string for the military to use for bomb detection. She collected several hundred cans and arranged for them to be sent overseas. She volunteered at the Traveling Vietnam Wall and has participated at the annual placing of flags at Calverton National Cemetery Memorial Day weekend.

She was instrumental in helping Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder receive a $5,000 Verizon Foundation grant. She volunteers regularly at walk-a-thons for breast cancer, juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Special Olympics, just to name a few. She also transports elderly and disabled neighbors to their medical appointments, does their grocery shopping and shovels snow for them in bad weather. Pottash has received numerous citations for her work over the years.

Richard H. Doster – 2010

Richard joined the Pioneers in 1972 and the Life Member Club in 1996. He served as president of the Sagamore Life Member Club, member-at-large, Environmental chair, project director for the Garvies Point Museum, a member of the retiree Executive Board of CWA Local 1104, and a supervisor of the Long Island Fair. The list of chapter, council and life member projects Richard has been involved in are numerous. He has organized blood drives, recycled tabs and batteries, painted Pioneer playground maps, and delivered rug maps, dictionaries, Earth Day seedlings and books to various schools.Richard volunteers at the Mill Neck School for the Deaf and their Apple Festival.Richard volunteers for the Old Bethpage Village Christmas, Mill Neck Memorial Gardens and Heart Fund Golf Tournament. He has helped with tree planting at Tobay Beach, replaced handrails at Smith Point, built trails and fences at Blydenburgh Park, and painted at Mary Brennen Inn. He is a driver at the Good Will Games and the Hamlet Cup.As Environmental project director for the Sagamore Life Member Club, he regularly and diligently works in the following areas: Tiffany Preserve, Muttontown Preserve, Welwyn Preserve, Garvies Point Museum building. He repairs bridges, maintains trails, and takes care of drainage problems. Richard recruits new Pioneers at membership drives and has trained new members at large. He volunteers in the Pioneer store and sells club calendars and raffle tickets. Richard has received the “Pioneer of the Year” award, and in 2003 the Nassau County “Senior of the Year” award.

Ralf Krause – 2009

Ralf, a Pioneer since 1968, has held many positions with the Paumanok Chapter — council vice president and president, chapter first and second vice president and president.Ralf has been curator of the Paumanok Chapter Verizon Pioneer Museum since 1990. In fact, Ralf established the chapter museum in 1989. He provides guided tours through the museum for school children. He also conducts “911 Simulator” emergency calling training to school children on Long Island.He created miniature wall telephone kits for Boy Scouts to make for their merit badges and can be found at many local fairs displaying telephone memorabilia. Ralf went on to create a piece of equipment to assist with companion dog training for challenged individuals. This device was a box that when you pressed a button, the sound of a doorbell or telephone would be simulated and could be used to train the dog to lead the person to the front door if the doorbell chimes or bring the phone over to their owner if it should ring.As chapter president, he raised $10,000 for the Arthritis Foundation with an “Up-Up-and-Away” balloon program where balloons were sold for $1 each and released at fairs and other community events. Ralf has received awards for time spent repairing Talking Books for the Library of Congress and for creating Companion Dog Training equipment.

Merle Steiner – 2008

With an instant friendly handshake and a warm smile, Merle greets one and all. He is characterized as dedicated, hardworking, amicable, knowledgeable, energetic and modest. He genuinely cares about people and gives unselfishly of his time and talent in the true spirit of Pioneering. Merle became a life member in 1988 serving each year either at the club, council or chapter level in some capacity, including chairperson for the Community Service, Environmental, Nominating and Information and Publicity committees. He also served as treasurer, vice president and president of the Sagamore Life Member Club.
Merle assists clients at nursing home bingo games twice a month, and delivers lap robes to nursing homes and food to the Outreach Center. He volunteers for the Special Olympics, “I Like Me” books, “Getting Kids on Track” and “Christmas in July” projects. Merle places and removes Memorial Day flags at Long Island National Cemetery, performs as an entertainer and sings Christmas carols at nursing homes and paints Pioneer playground maps. He volunteers at the Easter Egg Hunt and Apple Festival at Mill Neck Manor and the “Hole in the Woods” Chapter project. He prepares and serves food at Hicksville Inn, participates in the beach cleanup at Welwyn Preserve, and went on a Santa Goodwill Tour.Merle donates blood for the Golden Donor and the Nassau Council Blood drive. He has assisted in the purchase of a Seeing Eye Dog for a blind person, instituted the purchase of “Spinoza Bears” for nursing home Alzheimer patients and gathered therapeutic games and videos for Daleview Nursing Home. He collects cancelled stamps for veterans and aluminum tabs to assist in sending a child with kidney problems to camp. Merle organized horse racing trips and fundraised for the Heart Association. He stuffs envelopes for the Chapter Sweepstakes and is on the mailing committee at St. Luke’s.

Everett Meyer – 2007

Everett has been a Pioneer since 1956 holding chairs at the council, club and chapter level. He has received the Pioneer and Life Member of the Year Awards as well as several citations, including Suffolk County Executive for his help in refurbishing a room at the Kid’s Court and volunteering for the March of Dimes, Special Olympics, Association for Help of Retarded Children, A.P.P.L.E., and the Masonic Lodge’s “Getting Kids on Track.” Everett shares his talents of laughter, magic and joy through his hobby of clowning. He taught a group of his peers and formed a clown troop giving advice on make-up application, balloon sculpturing, and their attire. He also performs magic tricks, and sing-a-longs for many of the charities on Long Island. His wife, also a clown, is always at his side. They are known as the “Duke and Dutchess.” Everett has that something special and you can feel the love he has for giving joy to others. He is respected and admired by all those who have met and worked with him over the years. Truly the “Duke” is one tough act to follow.

Joe Caruso – 2006

Joe has been an active Pioneer since 1966. He’s held many chairs on the executive board of the Nesconset Life Member Club, including vice president and president. He’s currently serving as fundraising chairperson for his club.Joe is one of the original team members who established the Paumanok Chapter Telephone Museum in 1989 and to this day continues to be an active volunteer. In 1985, he established the first annual summer picnic of his life member club. The event is still held and is very popular with the members.Joe always has a smile and a kind word for all he comes in contact with.In the last three years, he has played a big part in the chapter’s Living History Program – Freedom Isn’t Free. He goes into local high schools and talks about his career in the Air Force during World War II. Joe works with his partner by his side and is still going strong at 85.

Linda Steuerwald – 2005

Linda is a much deserving Pioneer. Her manner is quiet and reserved, but she is a powerhouse when it comes to answering the call of those in need. She served a two-year term as chapter president, was president of the Suffolk Council, and has held numerous council and chapter chairs. During her term as president, the chapter was awarded two Project of Excellence Awards for educational projects that included distributing more than 10,000 books in the communities.She has decorated graves at the National Cemetery, packed items to send to overseas troops, visited area shelters, played the role of Mother Goose when needed, spearheaded the seedlings project, ran the Mother’s Day plant sales and painted USA Maps, just to mention a few of the projects in which she has been involved. She is a full time working mother of four and includes her entire family in man volunteer projects. Her actions personify what “Fellowship, Loyalty and Service” are all about.

Charlie Coll – 2004

Since 1966, Charlie Coll has been involved with talking books, his life member club, nursing homes and local soup kitchens. He has devoted his time repairing talking books, serving on his life member club, assisting at nursing homes and local soup kitchens. He can be found volunteering at the Lemon Street Soup Kitchen where he cooks, cleans, serves and speaks to the clients in their native tongue. Clients have established a trusting relationship with Charlie. Since his involvement with Pioneers he has donated more than 40,000 hours of community service.

John Kaiser – 2003

In his 25 years of being a Pioneer John has served on the executive Board of the Suffolk Council as fund raiser for five years, Community service member at large as well as fellowship member at large. On a chapter level on the executive board as fundraiser member at large for 15 years and historical member at large. On the club level he has been Treasurer for nine years and Entertainment Member at large.In his spare time, ee has worked every week at soup kitchens and Nursing Homes for the past 11 years, helped establish 20 head start libraries on Long island, worked on the renovations at the Hollis House for which he won the Pioneer Foundation award, headed the annual Chapter Sweepstakes for the past 20 years, chapter calendar raffles for 10 years and also sold merchandise at company locations and town fairs for the past 10 years raising over $50,000.00 dollars in the past 20 years.John also volunteers at many walkathons such as Aids, March of Dimes, and M.S. Besides selling food at the Mill Neck Apple Fest to help the Mill Neck School for the Deaf he also put his carpentry skills to good use at the 4H Camp, Hole in the Wall, and Camp Horizon. In the past 25 years he was awarded the Pioneer of the Year, Life Member of the Year, the Bill Fundus award for outstanding service as a Future Pioneer and certificates of Appreciation from St. Patrick’s and Berkshire Nursing Home.

Judy Tharp – 2002

Judy became a Pioneer in 1983, and has accrued over 87,000 community service hours. She has held many chairs on council, club and has given her service as chapter president for 4 years.In keeping with Verizon’s focus on education, in her term, along with the clubs and council, donated over 10,000 personalized books to children grades K-2. She promoted the Open Airways Program (teaching children with asthma how to understand and cope with their condition), and instituted the 911 simulator program.Her dedication to volunteerism also includes crocheting of afghans, lap robes and baby blankets. She volunteers annually at walkathons, Mill Neck Manor Apple Festival, holiday parties and the collection of food and clothing for the underprivileged. This is just a glimpse of some of the activities she has been involved with over the past several years. She truly goes the extra mile whenever called upon exemplifying the true spirit of Pioneering.

Hank Nowicki – 2001

Hank started his active volunteering in 1981, first as a Group Representative, then an Area Administrator. He then became President of Nassau Council and Chapter President in 1988. Hank won the “Bell Ringer” Award for fundraising when he raised more than $22,000. This was for the Nassau County Medical Center to purchase a submersion tank to aid burn victims. He initiated the Golden Donor Blood Drive in 1990, which is still very successful today. He is also director for our Pioneer PX at Zeckendorf Boulevard, Garden City. All in all, Hank has achieved community service hours too numerous to mention and is a true asset to our Hall of Fame.

George Ambrusio – 2000

George retired from a 37-year career with New York Telephone and became a Life Member Pioneer. He has held the titles of Life Member Club President and Life Member Representative, as well as holding positions on various chairs within his club. Some of his work has been with North Shore University Hospital, Guide Dog Foundation, American Kidney Foundation, Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf Applefest, horse racing fundraisers and nursing home bingos. George is a true leader with many contributions to advancing the purpose and objectives of Pioneering.

Gerrie Fitzpatrick – 1998

Gerrie became a Pioneer in 1986, but was a Future Pioneer for several years prior to that. Her involvement is non-stop enthusiastic energy filled with compassion and dedication. She has held the position of Council and Chapter President and is currently Life Member Representative.Her community service projects have been: Hole in the Woods Camp, Getting Kids on Track, L.I. Hooked on Literacy, putting libraries in every Headstart Center, hooking up three deaf schools on Long Island with computers and Internet capabilities of networking together and Hollins House renovations at East Islip School District. Still very active, she is now our chapter webmaster.

Louise Protosow – 1997

Louise retired with 44-1/2 years of service. She has been a Pioneer since 1967 and active since 1970. She has held positions with the Long Island Empire Chapter, Paumanok Chapter, Suffolk Council and Nesconset Life Member Club. She has held positions as group rep, fundraising chair, two terms as Suffolk Council president, community service chair and fellowship chair. She also was a guide and operated the museum store. Louise served as Suffolk Life Member Representative for two years.

Mary Smith – 1996

Since Mary’s retirement in 1980, she has been an integral part of all aspects of Pioneering. She served twice as President for her Life Member Club and Life Member Representative for the chapter. To name a few, Mary has participated in food drives for “Athletes for Hunger,” Festival of Trees, Dial an Elf Program, Golden Donor Blood Drive, Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf Applefest, outreaches, and has been a wooden soldier for 10 years. She also helps out in the chapter office as needed. She is an extraordinary Pioneer giving countless volunteer hours.

Donna Tranchina -1995

Donna became a Pioneer in 1981, at which time she handled Suffolk Council’s toy drive. That was the start of her enthusiasm, compassion and dedication. She served as many Suffolk Council chairs and became President in 1985.In 1993, she was Chapter President, participating in PT Phone Home, Medical Dolls, March of Dimes Walk-a-Thon, and her “KIDS” Project. Her “KIDS” Project won the Chapter People Who Care Award from the region. Her involvement in many projects demonstrated diversity in her dedication to foster the ideals and traditions of Pioneering.

Joan M. Kaiser – 1994

Joan has made superior contributions to advancing the purpose and objectives of Pioneering over an extensive time span. She has been a Pioneer since 1979 and helped establish Paumanok Chapter.She has served as Council President, Chapter President and Life Member Representative, to name a few. She won the Pacesetter award for her work at A.P.P.L.E., a drug rehabilitation center, but has been recognized numerous times for her volunteering all over Long Island and beyond. One would be hard pressed to name a project that Joan was not involved with throughout the years. When there is a project going on, you can be sure Joan will be there. Now a Life member, she works tirelessly doing administrative work for the chapter while still keeping her community service as busy as ever.

Anne Kopsky – 1993

Anne worked for New York Telephone for 37 years in the traffic department. In 1966, Anne became a Pioneer and then a life member upon her retirement. Although deeply involved in all aspects of Pioneering, Anne’s major achievement has been fundraising for Paumanok. Through her efforts, she has generated thousands of dollars for her club and the chapter. She also has held the position of president for her Sewanhaka Life Member Club. Anne has love, sincerity and devotion to Pioneering.

Willard (Bill) Elsasser – 1992

Bill was the 3rd president of the Paumanok Chapter. His Pioneer career started in 1967 when he had 21 years of service in the New York Telephone Company. He began on the council as chairman of the Historical Group. This committee began by collecting any items of telephone memorabilia that could be found and cleaning and classifying these items with the idea of creating a museum for in-house as well as serving as an exhibit out-of-house.Some of the Pioneer positions Bill has held include: Historical Chairman of Council and Chapter, 1st Vice President of Chapter, 2nd Vice President of Chapter, Chapter President and Past-President Life Member Club President and Vice-President and Chapter Life Member Representative. Bill was instrumental in the Statue of Liberty Restoration in the bicentennial year.