2008 Annual Meeting of TelecomPioneers
Chairman’s Address
JOHN McCULLOUCH
Students of Pioneer U…congratulations on the completion of your studies!
We’ve worked hard and we’ve had some fun…And here we stand…
Graduates of the world’s finest school of volunteerism…
Poised to venture out into the world…And determined to make a difference in our communities.
I commend you for making this commitment to your education and to community service.
For many of us, a few years have passed since we last sat in a classroom.
But it’s never too late to learn, or to use that knowledge to make a difference.
And that’s the message that I would like to focus on here this afternoon…
How we, as students of volunteerism…as leaders in service to others…can make a difference.
Because there are so many opportunities for us to make a difference.
From the effort we put into fund raising and membership recruitment, to the time we take to develop relationships with our sponsoring companies and community partners.
You are probably aware of the Bill Gates story…
Of how he dropped out of Harvard, and went on to found a little company known as Microsoft.
Well, last year 32 years after dropping out Bill Gates went back to Harvard to receive his honorary degree.
Bill Gates has made a difference in so many ways, yet in his graduation remarks, he focused not on business or technology, but on the dire need to help others.
Call it an awakening, call it an epiphany, but something caught his attention, and now the focus of his foundation is assisting the underprivileged of the world, particularly the impoverished and the uneducated.
A person of Bill Gates’ stature lends instant credibility and resources to a cause.
However…we can also make the case that Pioneers have instant credibility and resources 620,000 resources that comprise our membership. And we also have a nearly 100-year head start on Mr. Gates in the volunteer forum.
But our resources are not worth much if we don’t use them.
That is why it is so critical that the lessons learned here are shared beyond these walls. Our time and effort here mean nothing if we don’t extend the campus and the teachings of Pioneer U across all of
Lee Iacocca once said that “In a completely rational society, the best of us would aspire to be teachers.”
As leaders in Pioneering, we are students and we are teachers.
It is imperative that we share what we have learned with those we lead, because we are their role models and at some point, we will pass the torch to them.
Even as we lead, we still have plenty to learn, as we have experienced here this week. If it seems as if there is a lot on our plates, that’s a good thing.
In anything we do, we never want to stop learning, or stop looking for new ways to grow.
We have developed some exciting new programs in Pioneering, all of them designed to tap into our potential to make a difference.
Programs such as Project Connect and Power Up To Read ...
These are programs that were developed with multiple strategic goals in mind:
· Education
· Technology
· Member recruitment
· Relevance
· Community service
· And sponsor company alignment
We have upgraded our data management and accounting systems to better serve the administration of today’s volunteer organization, and to make it easier and more comfortable for new or potential members to become engaged.
We have also greatly strengthened our member benefits and royalties programs and I hope you have taken the opportunity to visit with the various meeting sponsors here this week.
Our relationship with them is a win-win but only if we spread the word about their products and services.
Keep in mind that 70 percent of the royalties received from these partners is returned to you, to support your volunteer efforts.
It is critical that you study these programs, for your personal benefit and for the benefit of the organization.
As you know, when we utilize these services, we are contributing to the financial stability of our organization. And frankly, we would be hard-pressed to replace the royalty funds if these programs did not enjoy success.
Whether it’s information on banking services, mortgages or long-term care, it’s always wise to compare. And it’s never too late to learn more.
We believe you will find a better deal with our partners. And you also have family members, friends and neighbors who might find these programs attractive.
They are all welcome to participate, so I urge you to share the information with them.
Such programs could also be opportunities to engage more members.
Maybe it’s a member who isn’t interested in or simply can’t participate in some of our more physical, hands-on projects, but when they support our royalty programs, we all win.
These programs might appeal to another whole segment of membership we’ll never know if they are interested unless we ask them.
And we never want to stop asking questions…
Questions such as:
· How can we make our projects better?
· What else can we do in our communities?
· Who can we get to help us?
· What new need can we address?
What we have learned here this week is just the beginning, and there really is no end. Our education – and the education of those we lead – is ongoing.
All of our programs will be monitored and updated to keep pace with the latest trends and technologies in support of our strategic direction.
It requires the whole of Pioneer U to keep the momentum going…
From members providing feedback…
To
To the Board of Directors and Advisory Board studying the issues.
We must never stop seeking out opportunities to make a difference.
We must never stop learning, myself included.
Last year I experienced a personal first in Pioneering when I attended the World Series of Beep Baseball in
What I witnessed at the World Series was truly inspiring.
The competitiveness, the enthusiasm, the athleticism.
After giving it all they had for three days, they played the championship in a downpour. I mean, major league teams would have put the tarp on the field and sent the fans home.
But the harder it rained, the more intense the players got.
They didn’t make excuses, they just played harder. It was interesting to watch this unfold because instead of complaining, they adapted.
They didn’t complain about the grass being slippery…
They used the slick conditions to slide faster when fielding the ball.
They didn’t complain about wind and rain making it difficult to hear the beeping ball…
They talked more in the field and became better communicators. They turned obstacles into opportunities.
Can we do the same?
My answer is yes!
In closing my remarks, I would like to make the point that we will face many challenges in our efforts to make a difference.
These challenges will come in many forms…
But, as graduates of Pioneer U, I believe we will be prepared to meet these challenges head on…and turn them into opportunities.
Poet and author William Butler Yates once wrote that “Education is not the filling of a bucket…but the lighting of a fire.”
It is a fire and a passion that burns within all of us.
It is evident in our desire to learn, in our commitment to improving our communities, and in our commitment to make a difference.
We are all here because we care.
And we heard during this morning’s breakfast that we DO make a difference…in our home communities and across the globe.
I applaud all that you do, each and every day, to make life better for the less fortunate. I applaud you, and by the power vested in me by the Board of Directors of TelecomPioneers, I hereby declare you graduates of
Thank you…and congratulations!
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