JACKSON VOLUNTEERS `PIONEER' COMMUNITY

Corresponding secretary Virginia Kies, left, and second vice president Pat Brooks look over Telephone Pioneers of America literature. The benevolent organization dates to 1811, and Alexander Graham Bell was the first member.

Pat Brooks and Virginia Kies of Jackson are two of over half a million members of what might be the world's largest voluntary association of industrial employees.

A community service organization, Telephone Pioneers of America stretches from Canada to Florida, from Nova Scotia east to California. It comprises past and present employees of telephone companies.

"Pioneering" dates to 1911 when Henry Pope, a special agent of the American Telephone and Telegraph Co., became aware of a growing sentiment for some kind of fraternal society for telephone veterans.

With the assistance of Charles Truex, an associate who had traveled the nation establishing telephone exchanges, and Thomas Doolittle, the inventor of hard-drawn copper wire, which helped make long distance calls practical, Pope circulated a membership petition.

The aim of Telephone Pioneers of America was to perpetuate the ideals of fellowship, loyalty and service -- and the first member was Alexander Graham Bell.

"The organization has a real interesting history," said Brooks. "It's well organized and we do a lot of charity work."

In 1921, local chapters began forming and membership soared as chapters evolved continuing programs of social and fellowship appeal.

In 1930, administration was further localized by subdividing chapters into councils and clubs. The work of chapters and their units is under the direction of elected officers and executive committees and their appointed committees. Chapters are grouped geographically into 12 regions.

Brooks and Kies are associated with the George F. Durant Chapter #11; they are part of the chapter's Sho-Me Council and are members of the council's Cape Girardeau Club.

"Our community service activities are pretty much centered on the Jackson and Cape areas," said Brooks, who retired from Southwestern Bell after 32 years. She started as an operator and retired as an equipment and service orders assigner.

"Our club has about 310 members," Brooks said, "and we're involved in the Easter Seals telethons, we have lots of fund-raisers and we make and sell crafts at festivals and craft shows. We donate money to those who need it."

Brooks is the club's second vice president and a former president and secretary. Kies is the corresponding secretary.

"We also worked with the flood victims in Perryville last year," said Kies, who retired from Southwestern Bell after 39 years; she was a secretary to the district manager.

Club members meet monthly at the Southwestern Bell business office in Cape. They often use a room there to sew "Huggy Bears," which are given to police agencies for distribution to troubled children.

"It's a nationwide program," said Brooks of the Huggy Bears. "We have a little assembly line at the office, somebody cuts the material, somebody stuffs the bear, another person sews on the eyes ... we have fun."

About 15 years ago the club bought all the pots and pans for the new Jackson Senior Citizens Center. In July, club members sold over 700 "lemon shake-ups" at the Chaffee German Days celebration. A month later in Oran, they made more money serving the cool drinks.

"We have lots of ways to raise money and we spend it in a lot of ways," said Brooks.

Pioneers have salad luncheons at the Southwestern Bell business office where employees eat for $3. On Nov. 15 they will host a big chicken and dumplings dinner. Every year an exquisite quilt is raffled. Cook books are sold.

They sell nylon jackets that sport the Pioneers emblem; they sell sweaters and caps with "telephone scenes" sewn on; and they sell mugs and cups that show a telephone lineman repairing wire.

There are several charities the Pioneers regularly assist, such as St. Judes and the Salvation Army. They ring the salvation bells around Christmas and also drop money into the kettles.

Also around Christmas, elderly people who need assistance receive it from the local Pioneers.

Earlier this month, Ella Hall, who was born in Oran and who worked for Southwestern Bell in St. Louis for many years, turned 100 years old at Cape Girardeau Nursing Center. Local Pioneers visited and gave her a gift.

"We help a lot with things that just pop up," said Brooks, "And we help others in our organization who need help. One person had a grandson who was very ill last month. His parents had a big phone bill, and we paid it."

Another boy, who was deaf, was afraid there'd be a fire in his home and he wouldn't be able to hear the fire alarm. He slept near the front door or by his parents' bed.

To alleviate the situation, the Pioneers bought and paid to have installed an extra loud alarm with a big flashing red light. "It just tickled him," said Brooks, smiling.

At the veterans home between Jackson and Cape, Pioneers sponsor bingo games and cook and deliver cookies to the veterans there. Currently, club members are making bibs for residents of the Jackson Nursing Home.

Kies said all Pioneer clubs keep track of the number of hours members and their partners -- wives and husbands -- volunteer for community service. Last month it was 3,606.

Four times a year the club sends its president, currently Bob Tyler of Scott City, to St. Louis for a general meeting to see what other clubs are doing.

Southwestern Bell sponsors the clubs in this area and pays the dues of the retired employees. The company sometimes asks club members for help in charities it's involved with, "but we take care of our own community," said Brooks. "Until one really needs a service, one might be surprised to see what we have available here."