Sparking Excellence

2009 Pioneers Award Winners

Project Excellence - Life Enrichment Award

was awarded to Verizon Pioneers - L. H. Kinnard Chapter, Reading Pioneer Club

.Leni Herr from the Reading Club accepted the award on behalf of the club. In the picture with Leni are left to right Jerry Ross, L. H. Kinnard Chapter President; Jim Schmidt, Pioneer Chairman of the Board; Leni and Sue Epler, Chapter Vice President.

Reading Pioneers have long supported the Berks Women in Crisis (BWIC) shelter with food, luggage, cell phones and hygiene kits. Members were eager to do more, particularly in the area of education, but atop everyone's VWIC wish list was to replace the old wooden playground that had rotted out years ago. To meet their objectives, Pioneers would need $5,000, a potentially daunting sum for a small club thinking big.

The competitive grant process levels the playing field, however, and with help from Verizon Foundation, the dreams at Reading Club became a reality for BWIC. Today, co-branded backpacks for BWIC children are as plentiful as they are useful. Every child receives a dictionary, a book, school supplies, a "Lingo" vocabulary learning game Kinnard is developing, and a Hug-a-Bear. Today, for each mom there are Pioneers tote bags of much needed supplies as well as a duffle full of sheets and towels. And there is that brand new playground for all of BWIC to enjoy

L. H. Kinnard Hall Of Fame Winners

2009 Winner

Charles E. (Charlie) Hoke, III (Capital Club)

Charles, as he's known to us, has served as life member representative, club presidents, Sports Jamboree chairman, chapter vice president and chapter president for two terms.

Charlie Hoke Charlie was the vice president of the chapter team that made 75 master maps for the U.S. Playground Map project. These maps were distributed to the other chapters at the Annual Meeting. He has been the club Playground Map chairman for 14 years. He assists in giving out dictionaries and electronic maps to schools.

Charlie is a charter organizational representative for Boy Scout Troop #196. He also helps the club with Talking Book repairs and assist continuously with numerous events throughout the year. He can be seen volunteering at membership sign-up tables, serving refreshments at central offices and garages during Pioneer Week. Charlie mentored teenage boys who recently lost their fathers. He participated nationally with a display & fundraising for the Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Charlie participates in Caitlin's Smiles which is a program to help children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses. He is also a rest stop chairman for the two-day bike tour for the Multiple Sclerosis Society and attended organizational meetings throughout the year.

Past Hall of Fame Winners

2008 Lidia Folk (Seven Mountains Club)

2007 Jerry Ross (Seven Mountains Club)

2006 Francis George (Lehigh Valley Club)

2005 Shirley Hoffman (Reading Club)

2004 Bob Kraft (Scranton Club)

2003 Arlene Heintzelman (Capital Club)

2002 Betty Decker (Pocono Club)

2001 Doris Epler (Reading Club)

2000 Herb Cruikshank (Wilkes Barre)

1999 Sarah DePaolo (Pocono Club) & Leni Herr (Reading Club)