Hall of Fame
2012 Hall of Fame Awarded to Joan Marino
The story begins at a Pioneer 1989 Luncheon when one of the Council members handed Joan three Hug-a-Bears to sew. After that she asked the Company for a few volunteers to help her make more. Six volunteers arrived, then ten and then they grew to thirty within a year. They meet every Tuesday to sew and stuff them. This enthusiastic group at the Peabody Council on Aging work hard to help the Pioneers. Bears are always ready to take off to any areas or organizations in need. Joan organizes the appreciation luncheon for the Hug-a-Bear ladies. She helps with the serving at the New England Center for Homeless Veterans, 17 Court Street, Boston, MA, and with the annual cookout at the Brockton VA Hospital and bingo night at Chelsea Soldiers Home. Making and serving sandwiches to our Veterans. She also helps with the assembly of ditty bags for our Veterans at Christmas time. She is involved with the Children’s Christmas Project for needy children with the wrapping and the delivery of items. Volunteers at the Annual Special Needs Event at Triangle. Helps making lunch for the clients and with other activities that take place on this day.Joan is truly an extraordinary woman who has given her time, her talents, her determination and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others.
2011 Hall of Fame Awarded to Richard Matthews
Richard Matthews started Pioneering in 1972 while working in Brockton, MA. He was president of the Old Colony Council, served on the Pilgrim Chapter Executive Board, held positions of treasurer, vice president and president of the Mayflower Life Member Club and served on the Sherwin Chapter board as Life Member club representative.Matthews has served meals at the Brockton Main Spring House, a homeless shelter, and has volunteered at the annual Brockton V.A.Hospital cookout. For more than 20 years, he has provided the Brockton V.A. Building Number Four with a night of bowling. He has also served on the organizing committee for auctions and played a key role in fundraising. Matthews feels that fundraising has been his most important contribution to Pioneering.2010 Hall of Fame Awarded to Verna Semple
Verna joined the Pioneers in 1988 and has served as council president in 2001, chapter president in 2003 and life member club president 2004 through 2006.
Verna began her Pioneer career coding Braille playing cards for the blind by hand and continued this project for many years. She has delivered thousands of dictionaries from the South Shore and Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard. Verna is responsible for organizing the Chapter Make-A-Difference days at the Latham Center in Brewster, MA for the past 10 years. Verna is the Pioneer playground map painting coordinator for the Pilgrim Council and has overseen hundreds of map projects.
Verna mentors incoming council and chapter board members and organized numerous membership drives when she was an active employee.
Verna coordinated many successful fundraising events in the Wareham and Pocasset, MA Pioneer areas. Verna was able to revitalize the Cape Cod Life Member Club single handedly.
In 2006 Verna received a certificate of appreciation from the chapter and a certificate of appreciation from the Pilgrim Council for her participation in their Hug-A-Bear project.
2009 Hall of Fame Awarded to Cynthia Carnali
Cynthia Carnali began volunteering with the Pioneers in 1990. She joined the Old Colony Council under the Pilgrim Chapter. After the merger, Old Colony Council became Pilgrim Council under the Thomas Sherwin Chapter. It was there that she became Pilgrim Council Secretary. Within a couple of years Cindy became Vice-President for two years, then President for two more years.
From 1990 to 2006 Cindy devoted much of her time to Pilgrim Council. In addition, she was involved in community service and education programs such as the “I Like Me” program, the Dictionary Project, and the Rug Map project. She took delight in the excitement these gifts brought to the children. Cindy participated in many clean-up projects as local YMCA’s and beautified the grounds by planting flowers for everyone to enjoy. She encouraged new members by engaging in membership drives at various company locations. Cindy worked tirelessly to raise funds for her council and chapter. She donated countless hours of her time working in council stores, organizing yard sales, working with the auction committee, enjoying the Cape Cod Canal walks, as well as helping out with the calendar committee. She later became chairperson of the Thomas Sherwin Chapter Scholarship Committee.
Cindy was awarded the VA Hospital Award for 1000 hours of volunteer service as well as the very prestigious Thomas Sherwin Chapter ” Pioneer of the Year ” award in 2001.
Perhaps her proudest accomplishment was organizing and implementing the Conway House Shelter Christmas party for many years, seeing to it that every disadvantaged child received a toy and some clothing for Christmas. This was no small undertaking, involving her family in sorting all of the gifts and wrapping each one to ensure each child received an equal amount of presents. Her living room was a flurry of bows, gifts and wrapping paper as she and her family worked diligently to make sure the task was completed on time. Besides being quite a philanthropist, Cindy was a devoted mother and dedicated wife.
For sixteen years Cynthia Carnali devoted countless hours volunteering her time, a cause she was passionate about and one she firmly believed in.
Cindy rose to each challenge and found such satisfaction in making a difference in other people’s lives and bringing them such happiness. That is why Cynthia Carnali has been chosen this year as the Thomas Sherwin Chapter Hall of Fame recipient. She is a shining example to all of us as a hard working, loving volunteer and we can all learn from her dedication and view her volunteer work as a model for our own philanthropic goals.
2008 Hall of Fame Awarded to Robert W. Sylvia
Robert W. Sylvia has been a Pioneer Member since 1976. He has served as President/Vice President – Cape Cod Council, and Served as President (1982 – 1983) & Vice President (1981 – 1982) in the Pilgrim Chapter. He has been a Life Member Representative – 2 terms, a Cape Cod Life Member Club President – 3 two-year terms. Built playground area for handicapped children at the Mayflower Nursing Home and also painted USA Maps in Wareham, and Falmouth, MA. Also to his credit, he worked on the Life Line Program, (for 19 years, and still active), which install Life Line Units for the Falmouth Hospital.
He has shopped, packaged and mailed Care Packages for Armed Forces serving in Iraq/Afghanistan. He worked with the Membership Committee to set up membership drives. He set up “Safety Meetings” with employees to stress the importance of Pioneering work, to encourage new membership. He has over 2000 hours credited to the Pioneers and participated in many major fundraising projects for the Pilgrim Chapter.
2007 Hall of Fame Awarded to Thomas R. Rowen
PIONEER LEADERSHIP:
Community Service chair – Patriot Chapter #86 – 1987-1991
Vice President – Patriot Chapter #86 – 1991-1992
Vice President – Thomas Sherwin Chapter #14 – 1992-1994
President – Thomas Sherwin Chapter #14 – 1994-1996
Chapter Executive Board – 1987 to present
Computer Recycling – 1995 to present
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Tom has been the volunteer coordinator for this program since 1995. This project focused on computers to schools, the veterans, disabled, and other non-profit groups, and libraries. This dedicated group was persistent in light of the economy, providing computers, especially to the schools. Since the economy has changed, the requests have escalated due to budget cuts. The group provides P3 Processors or higher, monitor, mouse, and keyboards, tested and cleaned, to these organizations. Any processor P2 and lower, we dismantle and recycle them for parts or to a recycling company to help support the program. These volunteers would meet two to three times a week based up supply and demand.
2006 Hall of Fame Awarded to Caroline Cook
Caroline Cook has held many leadership roles on the chapter, council and club levels as member-at-large, treasurer, and office assistant. She has also served on the calendar and luncheon committees. She is currently working as the chapter office assistant. Caroline has served as the North Shore Map coordinator and volunteered her time on the computer recycling program. She has also delivered dictionaries to various schools.
She has chaired The New England Shelter for Homeless Veterans since 2001 and The Special Needs Event since 2002.
Caroline has been involved with the Adopt A Child Christmas Project since 1998. She makes her home available to store, wrap and distribute presents for the annual Adopt a Child Christmas Project. Caroline always shops around for the best items needed for chapter, council and club projects.
2005 Hall of Fame Awarded to Rosemary Thomas
Each year the Hall of Fame Award goes to an outstanding Pioneer who has achieved the highest level of commitment in the world of pioneering. When a person gets the Pioneering spirit it opens up a whole new world that includes sharing your life with others, bringing joy to those that may have little and comforting those that need it.
Rosemary Thomas is this such person.
Her commitment, caring and comforting spirit has brought many in Pioneering to their feet with applause. Not only has she served as Southern Mass. Council secretary, president and council member, Rose has stepped up and taken leadership roles at the Chapter level as well, where she is presently serving on the Executive Board as a Council President, and is a member of the Calendar Committee.
She has served as Fellowship Chairperson, Finance Committee Member and Chapter note taker.
Since 1981 to the present Rose’s enthusiasm and fervor have led the way in a myriad of projects. She has participated in seven VP Projects, Chaired and Co-Chaired the Bill Desmond Special Needs Track Meet, organized Pioneering for a Cure in the Relay for Life, promoted membership drives and chaired spaghetti suppers. From Smart Bears to nursing home visits, participating in the Big Sister program to membership drives, Rose has led with expertise and compassion.
Mary LaGarde receives the 2004
Hall of Fame Award
Mary has been a pioneer since 1980, serving as president and vice president of councils and clubs as well as secretary. She is currently serving as life member rep. and scholarship committee member. She initiated the Coupon project and Shoebox Christmas project. For the last 16 years she has been a volunteer at the Brockton Veterans Hospital and helping to feed the homeless at the Coalition for the Homeless. She has helped raise funds through sales of calendars, helping at yard sales and volunteers at the 3-day auction. Mary was recently awarded a service pin by the Brockton Veterans Administration Hospital in recognition of her 16 years of volunteer service
Dorothea Punch receives the 2003
Hall of Fame Award
Dorothea has been a pioneer for 30 years and held the position of Old Sherwin auditor, member at large, chapter education chairperson, Executive board member, Vice Pres. and Pres. Of the Neponset Life Member Club, Life membership, Scholarship Committee, Finance Committee, calendar committee, started the Pioneer store, and the Editor of the Thomas Sherwin Centennial.
Dorothea volunteers at the Boston Food Bank, Quincy Crisis Center, Veterans Hospital, Mattapan Adult Day Care Center, Long Island Shelter, and the Father Bill’s Place. She bakes, clowns around, distributes lap robes and heart pillows and Hug A Bears. Dorothea has received the pioneer of the month award for her work at the Boston Food Bank.
She answers the call of those in need.
Hall Of Fame Award – 2002
In Memory Of Millie Murphy
10-28-04
Millie Murphy receives the 2002
Hall of Fame Award
Millie Murphy had been an active participant in Pioneering for more than 30 years. She has held various positions on the Executive Boards at both Council and Chapter levels. In the late 70s and early 80s, she was Vice President and President of the Old Colony Council (Pilgrim Chapter). She currently the chairperson for Community Services for the Pilgrim Council (Thomas Sherwin Chapter #14).
For 27 years, Millie has organized the annual Easter Egg Hunt for special needs children at the Howard School in Brockton, Mass., where more than 200 children enjoy the performance of B.B. the clown after hunting for their Easter bags of candy. For many years, she coordinated with local nursing homes to sing Christmas carols and have Santa bring shawls and lap robes made by Pioneers and friends.
Millie was one of the Pioneer team members who prepared and served meals at the Main Spring Homeless Shelter. She had been doing this monthly for 16 years. She was also very active at the Brockton Veteran’s Hospital. Wheelchair bowling, birthday parties, pizza parties and Christmas card writing are some of the projects she has been involved in.
For more that 20 years, Millie had participated in the Annual Bill Desmond Special Needs Track Meet. She has been on the committee getting sponsors to donate food for the event and other items to fill the “goodie bags” given to each Olympian at the end of the days celebration. She worked with local councilors recruiting participants and coordinating bus schedules.
Mille has assisted in everything from working Telethons, cleaning beaches, planting flower gardens at nursing homes, building handicapped ramps, even traveling to area Fire Departments and nursing homes to show safety films. She has spent many years promoting Pioneering by her actions and enthusiasm.
She was named Region 12 Life Member of the Year in 1994
She will be sadly missed.
But will be remembered for her unselfish deeds .
She truly answered the call of those in need.
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