Healthy Smiles
The AT&T Life Member Pioneers recently introduced a new project, HEALTHY SMILES. To date, a total of 1,000 dental hygiene kits have been donated to local Food Pantries. Smiley faces are affixed to the outside of clear zip lock bags and the kits contain a toothbrush w/cap, full size toothpaste and dental floss. An AT&T branded card with a catchy poem is enclosed in each bag to let those in our communities know that we care about them.
We were in search of a place where 10 volunteers could gather to assemble the dental hygiene kits and Durbin’s restaurant in Tinley Park went above and beyond to meet our needs. We provided the Manager, Jamie with information about the Pioneers and our many projects. She was so impressed with all that we do for those in our communities that she offered us their banquet room FREE OF CHARGE and said the room would always be available whenever the retired Pioneers needed a place to work. Thanks to Durbin’s generosity, the volunteers enjoyed a wonderful day filled with fellowship, great food and “answering the call of those in need.”
Baskets of Joy
Volunteers shopped for Easter baskets and all the fillings i.e., grass, chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps, individually wrapped packages of jelly beans and bunny gummies, sidewalk chalk, bubbles and children’s playing cards. After all the baskets were assembled, they were wrapped in cellophane, tied with ribbons and donated to the Together We Cope Food Pantry for them to distribute to needy children. Together We Cope was overwhelmed with our generous donation and all the beautiful baskets. They said the baskets are sure to put smiles on the faces of many little ones! “PIONEER PETE” supervised the volunteers, he joined us to make the delivery and he also reminded us that ideas on ways to “answer the call of those in need” are like rabbits. You get a couple, learn how to handle them and pretty soon you have a dozen!
Karen Wieland Face Mask Achievement
Karen Wieland, spouse of James Wieland – Illinois Black Hawk Life Member Club Treasurer personally made over 1,200 COVID-19 face masks. When the cold weather set in, Karen switched gears and started making fleece mittens for those in need in her community. A total of 100 pair of warm, handmade fleece mittens were donated to her Church for their Angel Tree project but Karen’s work didn’t stop there. To date, she has made 40 pair of fleece mittens that will be provided to needy children when the Black Hawk Life Member Club holds their ALL CHILDREN SHALL HAVE SHOES project in December! Kudos to Karen and thanks for all that you do to “answer the call of those in need.” Our Life Member Pioneer Partners are the BEST.
COVID-19 Face Mask Project
Karen Wieland, Pioneer Partner and spouse of Jim Wieland – Illinois Black Hawk Life Member Club Treasurer has gone above and beyond to “answer the call” personally making over 800 COVID-19 face masks! She began making the masks in April and she’s currently working on Christmas patterns. The masks have been distributed to hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, teachers, students, family and friends. Masks have reached people in Iowa, Colorado, Missouri, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Kansas, Wisconsin and Louisiana in addition to Illinois. We applaud Karen for her efforts and we’re sure those who have received her wonderful donations of masks applaud her as well. Way to go Karen and thanks for your dedication and support of the Pioneers!
COVID-19 FACE MASK project
Karen Wieland, Pioneer Partner and spouse of Jim Wieland – Illinois Black Hawk Life Member Club Treasurer has gone above and beyond to “answer the call” personally making over 800 COVID-19 face masks! She began making the masks in April and she’s currently working on Christmas patterns. The masks have been distributed to hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, teachers, students, family and friends. Masks have reached people in Iowa, Colorado, Missouri, California, Michigan, Minnesota, Indiana, Kansas, Wisconsin and Louisiana in addition to Illinois. We applaud Karen for her efforts and we’re sure those who have received her wonderful donations of masks applaud her as well. Way to go Karen and thanks for your dedication and support of the Pioneers!
Shelter Buddy Care Bags
SHELTER BUDDY CARE BAG project – When the Life Members learned that domestic violence was on the rise due to COVID-19, we reached out to the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. The Crisis Center serves the Chicago South Suburbs and they have 35 bed emergency shelter and 24 transitional living apartments for their clients. We wanted to find a way to comfort the children who are affected by domestic violence while at the same time, supporting the victims. To “answer the call” we filled AT&T Pioneer drawstring totes with fleece throws, Pioneer Teddy Bears, coloring books, crayons, sketching pads, puzzle books and children’s playing cards. Each child is provided with a tote when they arrive at the emergency shelter and totes were also provided for those in who reside in the transitional apartments. Gift bags are provided for the domestic violence victims and for those who reach out for counseling, advocacy, outreach and education. An AT&T Pioneer decal is affixed to each bag and they are filled with a fleece throw, a notebook and an AT&T Pioneer pen so victims can journal during this difficult time. The bags also contain an AT&T Pioneer notecard handwritten by volunteers expressing our personal words of encouragement. Special attention was paid to branding the items!
The Crisis Center provides three meals per day for all their clients and two snacks for the children. They receive State Grants for the purchase of food but are restricted on what they can buy and are always in need of snacks. We believe that no child should go hungry and we personally shopped for snack items and made four large deliveries of individually wrapped items i.e., chips, crackers, cookies, fruit snacks and juice boxes!
The Staff was overwhelmed with our donations and we’ve been told that the comfort bags have been so well received by all. Because of the great response to this project we have already reached out to Harbor House Domestic Violence Shelter in Kankakee and are currently working on bags for their clients. It’s our hope to continue with our SHELTER BUDDY CARE BAG project throughout the pandemic and beyond based on funding.
McDonald House Project 2020
The AT&T Illinois Pioneers created “Thinking of You” Care Bags for this COVID-19 project. They were donated to the families currently staying at the Ronald McDonald houses affiliated with Christ Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and University of Chicago Hospital in Hyde Park(Chicago).”
A total of 56 bags were donated to all parents with children in the hospitals along with restaurant gift cards to the following restaurants, Subway, Five Guys, McDonald’s, Chipotle Grill, and Panera Bread. The gift cards will be distributed between all 3 houses for their guest to use for meals as needed. Each bag also had a PPE Kit that was donated to us from Prince Hall Masons, coloring books, crayons, a word search puzzle book, a personalized “Thinking of You” card, an AT&T Pioneers branded pouch and Disney reading books. We hope each of the families will know that we are thinking about them and that we truly care.
National Donut Day 2020
NATIONAL DONUT DAY! Pioneer retirees delivered donuts to many police stations and to the state police to thank them for all that they do. The police and staff personnel were very appreciative and thankful. One of our members told us that a church group that she belongs to was serving lunch at the Oak Lawn Police Station that day! We were all so happy that we could show our support in some small way. This kicks off a new Life Member project – “Supporting Those Who Serve and Protect” – and we will be researching additional ways to show our support of the police and firefighters.
Feed My Starving Children 2019
AT&T employees and retires with their families volunteered at the Hope Filled Holiday event for Feed My Starving Children during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Volunteers hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals. The completed meal packs are shipped to FMSC partners around the world. The meals are packed for undernourished children and distributed worldwide to schools, clinics and feeding programs.
Pioneer Pie Day 2019
MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH DISABILITIES – On 12/2 Life Members gathered at Park Lawn Charity for PIONEER PIE DAY! Park Lawn is a non-profit organization located in Oak Lawn that offers a wide variety of programs and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Sixteen large pies were purchased from Sam’s Club and Baker’s Square donated five sugar-free pies for those who are diabetic. The Pioneers sliced and plated Pumpkin and Apple pies for approximately 100 participants at the Park Lawn Work Center. Pies were also provided for participants at other Park Lawn facilities and for those who reside in their community living homes. In addition to the pies, trays of candy canes and Hershey Kisses were also available. The highlight of the event was when Jim Tabor, Program Manager played his guitar and we all sang Christmas Carols as a group! It was a wonderful and very memorable day and a great time was had by all.
