August 2008 Chapter President’s Letter
Another season of change is upon us. We move along in this year of Pioneering with our focused service agenda.
During August and September school supply collections are going on around the state. I tried a new idea to help councils and clubs raise funds for supporting local schools with supplies or donations. I sent each President a nice hooded sweatshirt and black ball cap, both with a Qwest Pioneer logo. I challenged them to use it to fundraise creatively. My club, Hiawathaland, sold raffle tickets for the sweatshirt/cap combo and promoted the Qwest 1% to School program at the same time. We did this at our summer picnic and raised $71.00. Funds will be used to augment the school supplies we also collected and then distributed to Hiawathaland area schools. I’m still waiting to hear how the other clubs used their sweatshirt/cap combo.
Along the Education theme, Qwest Pioneers is starting a new cell phone recycling program called Go Green for Schools with proceeds earmarked for the Chapter to use for educational purposes. Basically, when a person has a cell phone to discard it can be placed in a pre-addressed bag we’ve distributed and dropped in a mailbox for recycling. The bags are barcoded to indicate it came from MN and Chapter 18 is credited with the recycling funds. I will be providing your Council and Club leaders with a supply of cell phone recycling bags at the Sept 12 Chapter meeting. Meanwhile to learn more about this new program go to: www.qwest.com/gogreenforschools
The beginning of another school year is a time when people assess their need for a faster or enhanced service or wireless service or even digital TV. If you are thinking of doing that, call 1-888-285-8533 for an account review or visit www.qwestdirectawards.com or directawards@qwest.com to see how your service purchase can qualify for the Direct Awards program and direct funds to your MN Chapter as well. You can be assured the Pioneers will use those funds for community projects around Minnesota.
Well, that is a lot of education news and tips on how you can support the Pioneer focus on Education.
Our Award Chairperson, Sheryl Wold, and I have submitted Excellence Award nominations. They were due in August for projects from late 2007 through 2008. We are hopeful Minnesota can bring awards home again from the Annual Meeting. There is no shortage of excellent Pioneers doing excellent work for other in Minnesota.
This week I return to my seasonal job at Community Action Partnership. It too is a place where good things are done by dedicated people for Minnesotans in need. It takes some commitment of time and organization (and a supportive Pioneer Partner, Roger) to balance the job and Chapter President role. I am determined to do it because you and the Pioneer mission of service to others are worth it.
Yours in Pioneering,
MN Chapter 18 Qwest Pioneer President