A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together

 

The Pioneer's Club

The Pioneer’s Club Newsletter

Volume 3, Issue  6 

July, 2009

July Holidays

Obituary Page

I found myself updating the Obituary page again last month.

 

George R. Crabb - June 17, 2009, Geneseo, NY at age 75. George retired from the Purchasing Dept and the Electric Substations Department.

 

Raymond R. Follaco - June 18, 2007, Irondequoit, NY                       at age 82. Ray retired from General Maint. and                  was a WWII veteran.

They will be missed by all who knew them.

 

 

1st - Canada Day

4th - (If you don’t remember what this day is, time to commit yourself)

That’s all the holidays this month.  (I guess it’s to give you time to recover from the 4th.)

2009 Rochester Pioneer’s Picnic

This year's picnic will be on Thursday, August 6, 2009. 

 

We are again holding the picnic at the:

 

Barnard Exempt Party House,

360 Maiden Lane

from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

 

We feel that the facilities are centrally located and perfect for our needs. We also have received no complaints from anyone attending about the place.  So we booked it again for this year.

 

Arnie and I feel that holding it on the first Thursday in August will be easy for everyone to remember.  It also keeps us from competing with all the organizations that want to use picnic facilities on weekends.

 

The menu this year consists of:

 

Hot dogs (Red & White), Hamburgers, Grilled Chicken Breast, Rolls, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw, Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, Milk, Tea, and Coffee, and Dessert, and Chips, Pretzels & Peanuts at the bar

 

 The food will be available from  12:30 – 3 PM

 

From 1:00 to 2:00,

We will have the RG&E Big Band playing for your enjoyment.

 

It's buy your own adult refreshments and/or soft drinks, so don't forget to bring money. 

 

For those of you that still are working, this is a perfect excuse for a days vacation (or some sick time!) 

 

 

For tickets, you must send a check made out to the “Pioneers of RG&E” for $16.00 per person..  Then mail it to:

Arnie Stockslader

131  LeGran Rd

Rochester, NY  14617

 

We would like the checks in our hands by Thursday, July 16, 2009.  This will give us time to make sure there is enough food and drink for everyone attending.

 

Remember there will be no tickets sold at the door.  The caterer only brings enough food to feed the attendance we guaranteed by the end of July.

 

So let’s get out there and spread the word. It’s up to each and everyone of us to make sure our club continues.

 

And as always, Arnie and I are always looking for volunteers and or suggestions for this party.  You can email us at Arnie@thepioneersclub.org or Tom@thepioneersclub.org.

If the above sounds familiar, it’s because I copied it from last month’s issue.  But it is just a reminder that your check is due in this month on Thursday, July 16, 2009.

 

I’m going to send each and everyone of you (if I have your email address) one more reminder before the 16th.

 

Lets face it. The Pioneer’s Picnic is the only chance we have to socialize with the other RG&E’ers we don’t see anymore.  Don’t let it slip away, because at our ages, they might not be around for next years picnic.

He’s at it Again

For any of you who may be interested, Ken will be conducting two astronomy presentations at the Penfield Recreation Center at 1985 Baird Road this summer.

 

General Astronomy Overview:        7/9/09 - 6:30 - 8:30PM

 

The module includes a two-hour presentation, demonstration, and discussion along with a handout of the presenter's notes.  Topics include: The Solar System, Stars, Nebulae, Galaxies, and the Strange Universe.  Incredible images from the Hubble, Spitzer, and Chandra telescopes courtesy of NASA and other sources are featured.   New discoveries are included in the presentation along with a cosmic tour using some astronomy software and the demonstration of some astronomy “toys.”

 

Getting Started in Astronomy:  8/6/09 - 6:30 - 8:30PM

 

The module includes a two-hour presentation, demonstration, and discussion along with a handout of the presenter's notes. Topics include:

   a. What do you need to know;

   b. What reference material, tools and aids are available;

   c. What do you need/don't need to have;

   d. Preview of some astronomy software.

 

Cost for each presentation is $10.00 per person and only $15.00 for families (2 or more people).  Contact the Penfield Parks and Recreation Department at 585-340-8655 for details and registration information.  Seating is limited, so register early if you are interested.

Ken Kuzia just won’t retire!  Now he’s sharing his expertise in Astronomy with classes at the Penfield Recreation Center.

 

I got this outline for the two courses he’s presenting this summer.

 

If you’re interested, keep reading.

Repairs/Replacements

OK, I know that’s a weird title but it fits this next section. 

 

Last month I got notified of a few of our members and friends, who had to spend a little time in the hospital.  I’ll share what I know with you.

 

The first was from Sue Mitchell, her husband Bill is a retiree from Line Op.

 

 I just wanted to let you and your readers know that Bill went through a total knee replacement on the right knee on May 11th.  Neither one of us knew this could be such a painful experience.  However, Bill is undergoing Therapy and is slowly but surely getting much better.  Sue didn't want him to get all the attention, so she is going through another back surgery July 8th.  It seems that at least half of the Seniors we know have had new knees, new hips, Rotator Cuff surgeries and you name it.

 

Sue 

 

Next note I received concerned my old friend Dick Cooney, a retiree from Customer Service.

 

Tom, Just wanted to let you know that Dick had a lung transplant over a week ago.  He is doing as well as can be expected.  We will be in Cleveland for the next 6 weeks.  I will try to keep you up to date.

 

Nora

 

The last update is on Bill Goodman, our Florida Picnic Chairman. He had an ankle fused this winter and is undergoing therapy.

 

I haven’t received any updates on their conditions yet, but I wish all of them well in their recoveries.

Our Condolences

Dave Payne, RG&E Band Director, Armed Forces Club Bugler and good friend, lost his mother on Saturday, June 20, 2009.

 

Her complete obituary can be read by clicking here.

 

All our hearts go out to Dave on the passing of his mother.

Follow-up

In the March 2009 Newsletter, I mentioned that Norm Eckrich was celebrating his 100th birthday on May 15, 2009.

 

I got an email back from his son, Don, that he did in fact receive Birthday cards from some of you out there and he wanted to thank you. It gave his father a thrill receiving those cards.

 

We have since communicated back and forth by email several times. I’ll share the last email with you.

 

Tom:
What an enjoyable website!  I was picking through the meter reading pictures, although not yet all of them. I need more time!  You already have one of the photos I was talking about...it's in the very last set where you have three men, one with a shirt rather than a jacket on the right side.  That's my Dad, Norman.  The very last picture in that set of a group circa 1930's, my Dad is in the back row, fourth from the right.  I've sent him a copy and will see if he can add any names.  Computer printout is a bit fuzzy so I don't have high hopes, but you can rest assured, seeing them will make his day!  He's down in Pittsburg and I am in Ithaca and probably won't see him for a couple of months.  When I do, I'll sit him down in front of my computer and ask for specific details.  Again, many thanks. Don

 

It’s nice to be able to identify some of the people on our web site. The pictures he’s talking about are here.

Newsletter Articles

This particular Newsletter is a little shorter than usual. 

 

There are many things I could be telling you guys, but I’m not sure you’d be interested.  For example, I could report on the union strike vote but I don’t have the results and I’m not sure that your interested.

 

I try to keep this little publication about each other.  So if you have news or other information you’d like to share, just drop me an email at tom@thepioneersclub.org with the information.

 

Don’t worry about the format, I’ll put it in something every one can read.  And I can’t spell either, but the computer can and it beeps at me if there’s an error.

Membership

I haven’t given you a rundown on how our membership is going.

 

We have 1699 members in the club. 

 

             Of those 84 are listed as deceased. 

             We have email address for 402 members.

 

I do not get any notifications from RG&E about anything. 

 

             The only reason I know about retirements, is from you.

             The only reason I know about deaths, is from you (and the D&C if the work location is listed).

 

You get the picture!  It’s not the same company we retired from any more.  So we can’t count on them for any news or any support.

 

It’s up to you to notify retirees of the Club, or notify the Club of retirees.  I love to go to retirement parties and would like to get the information  about the party while there is still time to put it in the newsletter, and in the Coming Events section of the web site.

 

And don’t forget, tell everyone to get an email address or at least share that email address with us so we can keep in touch.

 

While we can’t supply the computer or the internet connection, we can supply you with an email address for free:

 (yourname)@thepioneersclub.org .

 

One more thing, I don’t mean to harp but the picnic postcard that was mailed via the US Post Office this year, will not be coming next year unless someone offers the $200-$300 it costs.

 

So if you know someone who got one and doesn’t have email, tell them that they won’t be getting one next year.

 

 

 

 

Membership Roster

At the picnic, I plan to have a printed copy of the membership roster for you to peruse.

 

Last year it ran about 500 pages, so it’s a big book. (Last year Arnie had to move it and complained his back hurt for weeks, says his wife)

 

It will be on or near the Welcome table. Please take the time to look over your entry and update it if necessary. 

 

(And here comes the plug for email address)

 

 

 

We would also like it if you updated any friend’s information you know is in error or add their email address.

 

 

 

 

Coming Events

The Big Band has a few concerts coming up this month.

 

We hope you can attend. 

** The Dunn Tower concert is outside, so bring your own chair.