Pioneers of RG&E Newsletter - 08/01/2021

A Newsletter for Retirees and Friends * Also posted at www.pioneersofrge.com Hello! PICNIC UPDATE:   The picnic is full steam ahead this Thursday. We have just about 200 people signed up! (This is actually our typical headcount). I'm excited to see everyone - much of the usual crowd and also quite a bit of first-timers joining. We will be doing a 50/50 raffle (see JIM WHITE) that helps with funding the postcards and keeping this picnic so affordable - so bring some CASH if you want to help support this effort! We also usually have folks bringing old RG&E memorabilia that is FREE for you to take home!   Check-in and nametag pickup is at the front of the pavillion, so please stop there first - also note, we request you turn your nametag back in to us before you leave for safe-keeping for future years.    I want to THANK YOU all that included little notes in with your checks for the picnic - it is much appreciated and keeps me going - I appreciate all of you too!   Keep in mind that RG&E no longer provides recent retiree info, so sharing this information is basically word of mouth. Much of the group is on facebook and on this email chain, and I still have an old database of addresses where I send picnic postcards.  Warmest regards, Molly The below sections are email replies to newsletters. It is SO NICE to have things to share other than obituaries... I LOVE THIS SO MUCH! Keep it coming! You can email me HERE. Email from Don Jeerings on April 28th -  "Yes I received the report and I am extremely grateful that you sent it.. My name is Donald Jeerings, I am 93 years old and still driving. I worked in the Electric Meter and Lab on Front Street and later at Jefferson Rd.  My memory is reasonably good, but it is strictly one track...  Change the subject and I am Lost.  I do not have any living family. basically I am an electronic engineer, and hold 3 (worthless) patents in 5 foreign countries.  My main functions at RG&E were maintenance of the Supervisory Control systems, and later, research for design of a fallen conductor sensor.  I was at Hydro Station 5 during the North East Blackout and instrumental is getting cranking power for Beebe station. I directed the RG&E / Westinghouse acceptance test at the Gina station.  I am still doing engineering work (no license in Florida) but I have a suitable income to pay for my research toys and help others in distress. Engineering and money wise. I have done a tremendous amount of work in the DNA field and have concluded that the Lord lives in the DNA within me. (this is contrary to bible teachings and kept personal)  My wife passed away 3 years ago after I spent 10 months of 24/7 bedside attendance.  My father was Carl Jeerings, Rural Electro-frication Third Floor, East Avenue office.   I have a lot of RG&E memorabilia that I wish I could find a home for. Is there any Rochester Museum available Perhaps a local collector that might possibly use it ? Respectfully Submitted          Donald Jeerings " Email from Chuck Weigand on June 6th -  "Thank you, thank you.  I read in the obits that my friend, Paul J. Knipper passed away.  It was a stark reminder of life and passing.  We used to play euchre from dusk to dawn.  Memories that will be forever etched on my hard drive.  It seems each day I endeavor to contact friends from the past, unfortunately it becomes a job for tomorrow.  The thought of calling and finding out another friend has passed is much too painful.  Living in the Valley of the sun is marvelous and absolutely refreshing.  Yep, it is a dry heat!!   Considering the virus and frightful fallout, newsletters such as this become a vital line of communications for remembrance and reminiscing.  Beebee Station now is long gone.  It reminds me of the song that involves removing the trees and putting up a parking lot.  Preservation of station history fell into my lap, but upon my departure I have no idea where is disappeared to.  Well preserved photos of the building of Station 3 were stored in folders as a memento of the past.  A great deal of photos were from 1898 illustrating workers hauling debris via donkey and cart up the gorge wall.  It was most certainly a massive undertaking.  Peering into dark deserted rooms were filled with apparatus used for what I imagine was street car power.  Turbines dated back to 1909 were still in use, but restricted because steam was lost to atmosphere, not recaptured for low pressure steam heating.   I love the memories from those years, even though some are painful reminders of unscrupulous personnel.  All in all the memories of Beebee Station parties at Logan’s brings a smile.   Chuck Weigand" Fundraiser Alert!   For Kevin Woolever Click HERE for the Go Fund Me page organized by James Zapetis. Info copied from the site is below -  Hi, my name is Jim and I am fundraising for my friend Kevin Woolever and his wife, Sharon.  After high school, Kevin went to Alfred State.  In 1980, He got hired by Rochester Gas & Electric company (RG&E) as an Instrument & Control Technician at Beebe Station and later transferred to R.E. Ginna Nuclear Power Plant in Ontario, NY.  He also provided outage support to Russel Station.  Kevin left Ginna station (then owned by Constellation) in 2007 and worked on the road as an I&C Tech at various power plants in the U.S., most recently with Greenidge Generation LLC in Dresden, NY. Kevin has been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.  Here’s a link that describes this disease: What is ALS ?  This is the same disease that his father had. Currently Kevin’s symptoms include slow or slurred speech (called dysarthria or “thick speech”) and difficulty in projecting the voice.  Having his personal experience seeing what this disease did to his father, Kevin is aware of what is to come. His wish is to be able to prevent foreclosure of their house and hopefully pay off the rest of the mortgage so Sharon doesn’t have to carry that burden.  Additionally, to help with the medical costs as this disease progresses. At the very least they are going to need help with their household expenses for the next few weeks.  Any help that you can provide is very much appreciated. Even if it is just sharing this GoFundMe. Thank you so much. Don't forget about Lifespan as a resource. Lifespan provides information, guidance and more than 30 services for older adults and caregivers. Obits Elmer Adkins (passed away in May in Arizona per Bill Schrouder - I don't see an obituary) From Legacy notifications: Dionizio "Dan" Abbazia Henry Elliott Wetherby Vera E. Bellows Edmund V. Knittel Quirino "Reno" Simonetti From Facebook posts Jack L. Lukens David J. "Blackie" Marrapese Alice J. Fishbeck Cynthia Mitchell (Coomber) Gloria A. DeMeo - wife of Stephen DeMeo   If you know of folks that should be getting this newsletter - have them check their spam or junk folders. I have come across a few that we send to, request that I put their email in, but they never open them, so I assume they are caught up in spam. Newsletter & User Maintenance: Unsubscribe Update Profile - help us collect retiree info! Subscribe Contact: molly@pioneersofrge.com / info@pioneersofrge.com   Share Tweet Forward Copyright © 2021 Pioneers of RG&E, All rights reserved.