Welcome to the Paumanok Chapter Website!

Hello

My name is Laura Schools and I am the new Paumanok #85 Chapter president of New Vision Pioneers. I currently work in Garden City as a Central Office Technician, and have 29 years in the company.  I have been involved in pioneering for over 20 years and have held several chairs on the executive board of this wonderful organization, including president of Nassau Council from 1998-2002.

This year, my focus will be Answering the Call of Those WITH Need. Last year Paumanok Chapter used money received from The Dodd’s Fund to purchase equipment for children with disabilities who attend the Carmen Road School’s in Massapequa, and we will be partnering with them again this year. The E. B. Dodd’s Fund was established in 1983.  The money was left to the Telephone Pioneers (currently the New Vision Pioneers, a Volunteer Network) by Earl B. Dodd’s, who specified in his will that the “bequest be used by the Association Executive Committee in the promotion of community service activities by telephone employees, both active and retired.”

During the holiday season, thanks to the generosity of our employees in Garden City and the Centereach CMC we kicked off our new year by providing gifts to the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree project. Many thanks also to Rich Reiner , a special representative,  for spearheading this project in Garden City, and also to the hard work and dedication of our pioneer vice-president Linda Steuerwald.  Between Rich and Linda’s dedication to this project, 200 children were adopted for the holidays. Had they not been, many of these children would have had nothing to open on Christmas morning. Also, a very large thank you to all who participated in making these children’s holiday one to remember.

Paumanok#85  Chapter, which is the official name of the Long Island chapter, has many projects planned for 2016. We recently took part in a project called Valentine’s Day for Veterans. We donated 1100 handmade Valentine ’s Day cards, made by Pioneers and decorated by the children from the Park Avenue School in Westbury’s library program run by Ms. Gabrielsen /Folk, and two local girl scout troops .The cards were given to the Northport VA hospital, Stoney Brook VA hospital, and the Yaphank Vet center. In March we gave active employees in Garden City and Massapequa buildings empty Easter Baskets filled only with grass and asked them to fill them for a child of Domestic Violence. We received over 200 baskets between the two buildings.

I encourage all to visit our website www.newvision-paumanokpioneers.org to find out what we’re doing and invite you to join us if you’d like. I thank you for all your support and dedication. I am very honored and proud to be the current president, and I look forward to my term. I welcome both your criticism and ideas for projects in the coming year. I can be reached at 516-459-7765.

Thank you, Laura