A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together

The Pioneer's Club

The Pioneer’s Club

New Retirees

Volume 2, Issue 2   February 2008

Remember:    Pass this Newsletter on, so everyone can see it!

And if you’re not on our mailing list, click here to join

 

Questions or Comments or Articles?

Just Email me at Tom@ThePioneersClub.org

To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here

 

 

I was reading my “new” issue (December) of the Team NY Newsline, when I came across a listing of twenty-one  new retirees from RG&E. 

(I did notice that the one RG&E retiree, who’s party, I covered in the newsletter and on the web page, was not in that list.)

If you know any of these people, please tell them about us, and invite them to join. Either email them this newsletter, or email me (Click Here) their email address. I also need to add them to the RG&E Alumnus Directory.

Congratulations go out to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

May they enjoy their retirement as much as we do.

The December issue of the Team NY Newsline brought a certain sadness. I found myself updating the 2007 Obituary page on the web site with new names. 

 

I know these individuals will be missed by all who knew them. I wish there was some way to eulogize them, but alas I did not know them well enough to list their RG&E histories.

 

So I leave it to you, their friends and fellow co-workers, to take a second to remember them fondly.

 

Obituary Page

Florida Picnic

Since I’m a retiree myself, I can understand that wonderful feeling of putting off until tomorrow, stuff that should be done today. Because we have all that free time!

 

But the Florida Picnic is next month!  And you just can’t put that off any longer.

 

Just think, you have clothes to pack (if your traveling), a car to fill up, a spouse or special friend to invite, something for the desert table (but don’t do that one too far in advance).

 

Remember the date is March 10, 2008  (and in Florida, they don’t need a snow date).

 

So save this newsletter, get up, and start organizing your trip. You can come back to this newsletter later, but if you miss the picnic, you’ll have to wait a year for the next one.

 

If you have forgotten the details, they are still available on the web page at by clicking here.

 

 

If you need driving directions click here.

Jim Camp sent me some interesting pictures he found while looking in some old boxes. 

 

While these aren’t the old RG&E pictures I found while rummaging around the basement at 89 East Ave. They are a part of our RG&E history and bring back memories of old friends and fellow employees.

 

Keep sending us these memories.

 

 

Employee Memories

This picture, with the four dapperly dress guys, is of Tony Pergolizzi, Stan Allen, John Aczet, Jim Camp.

 

They were the officers of the Past Time bowling league which bowled at the Moose Club on East Ave. We do not have the date of this picture.

As the sign says, it is the RG&E Slow Pitch baseball team.

 

I don’t have the exact year of this picture, but it was taken in the 70’s judging by the age and the hair styles.  

 

The members in the picture are:

 

Seated l-r:Paul Grabenstetter, Bruce Ryker, Ken Esten, Craig Purdy, Bill Stoddard, Ken Semmel, Guy Taylor

Standing l-r: Mike Bracci, Jim Camp, Jim Giffi, Bill Burns, Tom Werner, John Cavileri, Tom Carey, Dave Schake, Tom Woods.

This is one Craig Purdy found when he was going through his dad's things following his passing.  I only know two in this one, far left Walt Purdy and in the middle Chris Franco. 

 

It was titled - Photo Club.

Thanks Jim for sharing these memories  with us.

Vera’s Trivia

We all remember Vera Bellows.  She was the editor of the RG&E News until her retirement. And still is a great source of information on RG&E.

 

Vera and I were “talking” (actually emailing each other) when she said,

 

“Did you know that in the first issue of the RG&E NEWS dated May l, 1912 that Jim Fassanella’s (Employee Center Manager before he retired) father was reported in the personals?  His father also worked for the company.  So young Jim was third generation.  Just a bit of trivia!”

 

As luck would have it, I also ran in to “young” Jim (he retired at the same time I did), and mentioned Vera’s factoid to him.

 

He said that actually, he was a 4th generation RG&E Employee.  He had a great grandfather that also worked for the company as a night watchman.

 

Keep up the good work Vera.  We would love to hear more from you.

 

 

 

 

Web Site News

My truck had to go in for repairs, so I was stuck home for a day. Not wanting to waste the time, I worked on our web site.

 

I added all the information Rick Meyer sent me on both the RG&E Men’s and Women’s Chorus.  That can be found in the Photo Gallery under The RG&E Musical Family.  The individuals in the photos were not described to me, so identifications were left blank.  If anyone wants to tackle identifying the members, just drop me an email with their names.

 

Next I found some pictures from various ice storms.  While they had no identification on them, they still show Mother Nature’s  power and beauty.  They can also be found in the Photo Gallery under Ice Storms.

 

Again, if anyone can add to the identification of these scenes, please email me.

I’m always posting things to our web site. So check it often. I try to remember to update the News Section when ever I add something to the site.  So you can start by looking there.

 

And if you haven’t noticed yet, by clicking on the underlined sections in this newsletter, you should be taken right to that part of the site.

 

If there is something you would like to see included on our web site, I’m always open for suggestions.

Bijou Theater

 

The back of this picture was labeled, "Rochester's First Movie 1881"

From the Web Site

Irondequoit couple shared good energy

This article was reprinted from the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. 

 

 

(January 17, 2008) — I first met Joe Abbamonte more than 20 years ago at work. We both worked at Rochester Gas & Electric — he worked "outside" as a serviceman and I worked inside — so we would run into each other occasionally and say hello. We met again nearly a decade later when I started another job within RG&E as a dispatcher. A few more years passed before we were both free and when we ran into each other again, we started a new life together.

 

It is said that it is not the amount of time with someone that counts but the quality and love that you share with one another that matters. I know now that is true. Joe passed away in February, almost a year ago, and there isn't an hour that goes by that I don't think of him.

 

We were married for eight years and I can honestly say they were the best eight years of my life. Joe was the nicest man I ever met. I never knew anyone who would get up in the morning and be so happy to be alive. He started every day with a smile — he was just a pleasure to wake up next to.

 

I try to remember all the good times, all the vacations and all the love he showed me. I have lost Joe but have gained his great big family, and for that I am so grateful. Somehow, being a part of his family keeps him alive for me. I will always remember his smile, his sense of humor and his love of life.

 

· Ann Marie Abbamonte of Irondequoit

 

 

I have no email address for Ann Marie. So if someone reading this can express our condolences to her.

-Tom

Meter Reading Pictures

I found some old pictures from the Meter Reading Department.  Most of them were not labeled, but this one is showing the uniforms they were changing to.  They were Winter, Summer, and in between.

 

This folder also included some pictures from the 1930, 1931, & 1932 Meter Reading Picnics. I will try and remember to include some in next month’s issue.

That’s a Meter Reader!

 

(Honest!)

 

Note the holster on his right side for his flashlight.