A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together”

 

The Pioneer's Club

The Pioneer’s Club Newsletter

Volume 3, Issue  9 

October, 2009

Can you Identify?

Obituary Page

I found myself updating the Obituary page again last month.

 

They will be missed by all who knew them.

Francis H. McAllister - September 16, 2009, Spencerport, NY. Mac retired from the Electric Meter Department after 36 years of service. He also served in the US Air Force in WWII.

 

Richard J. Rudman - September 16.2009, Brighton, NY. Dick was a retired Vice President from the Electric side of the company.

Juno J. Foster "Joe" - September 24, 2009, Penfield, NY. Joe retired in 1985 after 33 years at Russell Station

 

 

The Club’s Obituary page contains more information plus a link to the Democrat & Chronicle's Obituary on these individuals.

Coming Events

Here are some events coming up that might be of interest.

Rick Meier and I were talking about the picture below. 

October Holidays

Here are the holiday dates for October.

 

October 11th—National Children’s Day

 

October 12th—Columbus Day

                            Thanksgiving Day (Canada)

 

October 16th—National Boss Day

 

October 17th - Sweetest Day

 

October 26th—Labor Day (New Zealand)

 

October 31th—Halloween

 

 

Arnie’s at it Again

When RG&E changed ownership a lot of our Company’s history was tossed in to convenient dumpsters.

 

The RG&E News was bound in hard cover books to protect them from damage. But these were tossed out to make room for empty space by individuals who did not realize the extent of our history or how important that history would become to us.

 

Arnie was getting ready for retirement by practicing his dumpster diving, when he found 12 volumes of these bound books.   He rescued them and would like to share them with anyone who wants to read them.

 

Toward this end, he has set up a lending library for them.  If you wish to borrow a book for up to one month, drop him an email at

Arnie@thepioneersclub.org.

 

The years he has are:

 

 

 

 

It’s Not Your Father’s RG&E

Benefits

From the back of the picture we got ;

 

“No this isn't a convention of tooth fairies on steroids. Rather it's the dance of the dying coke ovens, a skit performed by these "gentlemen" signaling the end of the coke ovens, which were closed 50 years ago on Aug. 6, 1952.  That ended a system of gas manufacture by distillation of bituminous coal. Gas was first produced from coal in Rochester in 1848.  The coke ovens were dismantled and scrapped. Employees associated with the process found other jobs within RG&E."

 

This picture isn’t from the July/August 1952 RG&E News.  But it was from some later skit.  What we’d like is to be able to identify the employees featured  in these pictures. Can anyone help?

Happy Birthday

I bet you think I’m going to mention all the birthdays in October.  Well I’m not. I’m only going to mention one.

 

Ginna is 40 years old this month! (Boy it seems like just yesterday…..)

 

Any way, I’d like to wish all the employees of Constellation Energy (Ginna Division) congratulations on reaching this milestone.

 

Sharon Miller sent me a poster of a picnic for Ginna employees being held on October 16, 2009 at Ginegaw Park in Walworth.  It is a clam bake with entertainment by Nick and the Nice Guys.

 

Birthday’s

When I designed the database to store all the information, I thought that it would be nice if I collected everyone's birthdays.

 

That way I could list who was celebrating in this newsletter.

 

Well anyway, in the three years I have been collecting this information, I have only gotten 58 birth dates out of 1700 members.

 

Here are October’s “blessed” events:

 

Ron Brown—10/2

Berrnie Zapf—10/4

John Ehrhart—10/12

Nelson Kiedrowski—10/13

Roger Bohen—10/14

Carmella Vaudo—10/14

Old Friends

Our Club’s motto is “A Place for all the Old Timers to Get Together”

 

This came to mind when I was in Wegman’s last week. I was grocery shopping and picking up a prescription (don’t we all do that now!), when I heard my name called. A person I had worked with before retiring, and had not seen since, was standing there. 

 

Well my quick trip to the store turned into a “catching up” session. As we all know, it’s fun to see old friends.

 

After I walked away, I got to thinking about our Rochester Picnic.  That’s the glue that keeps us all together, old friendships.

 

When Arnie and I were talking over the 2010 picnic plans, we were discussing entertainment for the attendees.  Well heck, I couldn’t get you guys to stop talking long enough to announce “dinner was ready”.  Let alone anything else.

 

It seems that everybody wanted to play “catch up” since last year.

 

With that in mind, Arnie and I decided not to have any type of entertainment next year.

 

Also if you looked around and didn’t see any of your old department friends, you have until next August contact them and make sure they attend. It’s up to each and everyone of us to spread the word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are getting hammered by both sides in the “health care” debate, “public health option or not”, “government insurance or not”, Medicare Advantage or not”.  So I don’t want you to miss the local issues.

 

I noticed in the newspaper that Xerox retirees are suing Xerox over dropping their “lifetime” health care coverage. (I guess their “lifetimes” are up)

 

Any way, I would not be at all surprised if our former employer was watching the outcome of the Xerox case.

 

 Remember that the RG&E we all worked for is gone. 

 

When I started with the company 30+ years before, I was told by outsiders that this was a great place to work and they were envious of me. 

 

I worked hard at my jobs, trying to complete them quickly and completely. I took pride in the Company and the job we did.

 

Well somewhere alone the line the Company changed the rules and no longer cares for it’s employees.  When I run into some friends that are still working for the Company, I hear horror stories about how employees and customers are now treated.

 

Heck, the Company management even lies to the PSC!  When Energy East was being bought by the Spanish company (whose name I can’t spell) and they needed the PSC’s permission to proceed with the sale, they promised no rate increases for at least a year.  After the sale went through, they didn’t wait six months before trying to get a rate increase.

 

If they have that little respect for their governing body, what makes you think that they give a hoot about us?

 

 

 

 

While I have my “soap box” out, I might as well tell you about my experience with the “benefits” department. 

 

I moved about one year ago and needed to change my mailing address so that I could continue to receive my monthly bill for my share of my health care insurance. 

 

I called the “800” number thinking that the “Benefits Center” would be able to accomplish this change.  Well after going through all the “press 1” phone prompts I finally got an individual in the Carolinas. 

 

I explained what I wished to do and was told that they didn’t do that there and I had to call a number in Binghamton.  Just to keep up my reputation as a troublemaker, I asked what they do there. I was told “manage your benefits”……. (I won’t go there!)

 

So I called the number I was given.  Again I got a recording that instructed me to call the “800” number for the “Benefits Center” for changes to my benefits.  I was lucky because I recognized the “800” number as the number I called earlier to get to Carolina or else I’d be calling in circles.

 

My other option at the end of this recording was to “leave a message”.  So I did, explaining the reason I was calling and giving my account number, old address, and new address, and a call back number incase there were questions.

 

To make a very long story short, I took 4 or 5 more calls and six months before my bill was mailed to the correct address. And I never did get a phone call!

 

 

Names and Phone Numbers

OK, here’s where I get in trouble again. 

 

Let’s put together a list of individuals to call or voice mail when we have trouble with RG&E benefits.

 

I’ll start:

 

             Ms Amy J. Fleischman

             Executive Director

             Human Resources Performance

             89 East Ave

             Rochester, NY 14649

            

 

             RG&E Human Resources Department

             585-771-6038

 

As you find a current name address or phone number, I’ll be glad to share them with everyone. 

 

Just email me at tom@thepioneersclub.org

Refugees

I received this note from Ken Kuzia:

 

The attached e-mail is from our daughter, Jessica Velazquez-Schlegel who is a Special Ed and English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in the Rochester City School District.  We have met the children mentioned in her e-mail and can vouch for their need.  Many only have flip-flops for shoes and clothes we would consider as pajamas.

 

We realize that many of you do not have "little ones" at home, but, please contact nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc. to see if they have any of the articles listed below.  We are looking for clean and entirely usable items to help these children out. I've heard many people (including some of you) who have said, "If you live in this country, you should speak the language."  Well, these kids are really trying.  Let's help them out if we can.

 

If you do have useable items, feel free to contact me, Ken Kuzia, at 585-924-8931 or online at kkuzia@rochester.rr.com and I will arrange for pick-up of the items.

 

Hello All

 

As many of you know, I am working with newly arrived refugee students. This year I have 65 kids from K-6th grade. Many of them do not have basic school supplies, or appropriate clothing for Rochester winters.

If you have any of the following items, and could part with them, please let me know as I will pass them on to my kids.

 

Book bags

books

sweaters (boys & girls 4T to 12)

sneakers ( boys & girls toddler size 8 and up to youth sizes)

jeans (boys & girls 4T to 12)

socks

coats (boys & girls 4T to 12)

hats & mittens

scarfs

crayons

coloring books

 

Thank you so much for reading this, and please pass this on to anyone whom you think may want to help.

 

Thanks Jess