The KC Works was built in the 70’s and the product lines manufactured were electronics and switching equipment. After the Works closed it is now an industrial park. AT&T still leases space for phone center calls.
We represent the New Outlook Pioneers group 136, within the “pioneer volunteer network” (formerly TeleComPioneers). We are comprised of employees and retirees of Western Electric/AT&T/Lucent Technologies/Alcatel-Lucent/Agere Systems/LSI living in the area of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. We represent the Life Members (Retirees). Southwestern chapter 136 represents the industry’s commitment to responsible citizenship by volunteering to address community needs.
For the past 14 summers, children with heart conditions have been able to experience a camp created just for them at no cost. St. Louis Children’s Hospital founded Camp Rhythm and donors pick up the tab. Cardiologists and nurses are on hand at the camp to take care of children who might need medical attention.
More than 230 kids will take part in this year’s Camp Rhythm. Our council in the past has sponsored two campers, 2017 year due to lack of funds we dropped back to only sponsoring one camper, 2019 we would like to sponsor two campers. Our volunteers are people who have heart defects and can share with the campers.
In the evening,all sorts of new fun awaits campers. Camp Rhythm planning staff works very hard to plan really fun, engaging activities for all campers to enjoy.
Medical staff includes a minimum of a nurse and a pediatric cardiologist that is available at all times. Additional staff includes a certified child life specialist, pediatric social worker, cardiac nurses and St. Louis Children’s Hospital volunteers. All volunteers must go through training and screenings at St. Louis Children’s Hospital prior to camp.
Volunteers must be 18 years of age and older. Camp counselors are adults familiar with heart defects, including some former pediatric cardiac patients.
Eastern Missouri Council provides calming and comfort to adults, teens, pre-teens, toddlers and babies who are patients at Mercy Hospital, 615 S. Ballas Rd.; Missouri Baptist Medical Center, 3015 N. Ballas Rd. and SSM Health/ St. Joseph’s Hospital, 300 Medical Plaza, St. Louis, Missouri.
1. The need for the project and how the needs were determined; project goals and objectives, activities, and timeline. Our council had members volunteering at local hospitals who presented the council with some of the hospitals’ desires to provide their patients, beyond their medical care, with items to calm and comfort them. They particularly were interested in items for babies, toddlers, pre-teens, teens and ICU adults, such as receiving blankets, baby hats, hug-a-pillows, palm toys, adult ICU hats and shawls, and incubator coverlets for the NICU.
Our goals are to make some of the above items for the three local hospitals named above. Our objectives and timeline are to provide a quantity of 10 of each of the following: baby hats, receiving blankets, hug-a-pillows and palm toys to Mercy and Missouri Baptist Medical Center each month. To provide adult ICU hats and shawls to Mercy as we can. To provide Missouri Baptist Medical Center with Incubator Coverlets as we can. To provide SSM Health/St. Joseph’s Hospital with 20 hug-a-pillows and 10 palm toys each month.
2. The projected impacts the Mercy Hospital, St. Louis, MO helping Babies, toddlers, pre-teens and teenagers.
• 135 Newborn babies were swaddled in soft flannel receiving blankets
• 223 Babies were comforted with a Knitted or crocheted hat
• 136 Toddlers, pre-teens, and teenagers were calmed and comforted with a Hug-a-Pillow
• 121 Toddlers, pre-teens, and teenagers were calmed and comforted with a Palm Toy
• 12 Babies were comforted with knitted or crocheted afghans
Adult patients
• 27 Adults were comforted with crocheted shawls
• 14 Adult ICU patients were comforted with knitted hats
The project impacts, the Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St. Louis, Mo. helping Babies, toddlers, pre-teens, and teenagers.
• 135 Newborn babies were swaddled in soft flannel blankets
• 224 Babies were comforted with a crocheted hat
• 136 Toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers were calmed and comforted with a Hug-a-Pillow
• 121 Toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers were calmed and comforted with a Palm Toy
• 13 Babies were comforted with knitted or crocheted afghans
• Any number of NICU babies will have their eyes protected from lights because of the 15 Incubator Coverlets which can be used again and again.
The project impacts the SSM Health/St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Louis, Mo.
• 216 Emergency patients whether they were toddlers, pre-teens, teenagers, babies or adults, were comforted with a Hug-a-Pillow or Palm Toy.
Council President’s Name: Judy Herbs Business Address: P.O. Box 1104,
Ballwin, Mo.63022
The CHARM shop fulfills the community’s need for no cost therapeutic devices for children with physical disabilities through its woodworking shop. CHARM is an acronym for Children Helped and Rehabilitation Motivated. The CHARM Shop was established in 1983. The CHARM Shop has produced and distributed over 36,000 therapeutic devices to 25 agencies. Throughout its thirty-six years, the New Outlook chapter has continued to consult with local therapists and agencies to determine both ongoing and changing needs with regard to therapeutic devices. Pioneer CHARM Shop offers a catalog of over one hundred standard therapeutic devices. The devices are available to all state and local therapists as well as individuals at no cost. The cost of materials is provided by a variety of project sponsors solicited by the Pioneers.
The CHARM shop is currently furnished operational space (including a 3500 sq ft shop and free utilities) to fabricate our products. We in turn help with the building maintenance and personnel needs of our benefactors, Seasons Memory Care (an alzheimer’s facility) and One Community Hospice in Kansas City Missouri. In providing this help we impact the lives of the patients under the care of these businesses. Our budget of $3,600.00 ($3,000.00 Grant and $600 from our SOS fund) will allow us to undertake the following:
2. Projected Impact:
•Sanitary—the upgrade of two 70-year-old bathrooms to serve the needs of patients and family members at a cost of $2,000.00.
•Outdoors—the improvement of building and grounds to support Alzheimer patients in accessing and utilizing areas that include upgrades to benches and access to bird feeders and the peace and quiet of nature in support of their daily care and well-being at a cost of
$1,100.
•Security—the upgrade of the security system for the One Community Hospice/CHARM Shop to eliminate false entry and exit alarms at a cost of $600.00. These alarms are reported and recorded by the local police Pioneers Charitable Foundation Fund Grant Application, Revised 11/16/2018 Page 3 of 4 which causes response by authorities to false alarms. Improvements to the current system will eliminate these false alarms and the associated costs.
Southwestern Chapter 136
Chapter President: Gary Tarkington
1118 Chelsea Chase
Oklahoma City, OK 73170
Council President: Judy Herbst
3708 Hawks Rest,
Wildwood, MO 63069
Council President: Lon Austin
923 Hisel Rd.
Del City, OK 73115
Council President Kansas: Bill Akers
1601 NE Thames Dr,
Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
Pioneer Headquarters
5680 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 500
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
T: 800.872.5995 F: 888.477.3351
