Saturday, February 3, 2018

Pioneers of RG&E Newsletter - 02/03/2018

A Newsletter for Retirees * Also posted at www.pioneersofrge.com
Happy 2018!
     Wow, it is February already... I hope all of your holidays were happy and healthy, and that this new year is bringing you peace, health and happiness.
     Stay warm and safe, winter is still here! I heard the groundhog saw his shadow. Does he ever not see his shadow? And since Winter doesn't technically end until March 21st anyways, isn't there always 6+ more weeks of Winter?! (Especially here in Rochester).
     It's been a while since I've put a newsletter together, so we have a lot of information to share in this one. Go grab a cup of your favorite drink and settle in!
     So...I know someone that retired at the end of November and joined the ranks of folks trying to get information out of benefits and HR! I feel for you...he never received anything from the company regarding retiree medical benefits, called multiple times to the HR Hub and Benefit Service Center and they knew nothing about a company option and tried to tell him Cobra was the only option. After trying multiple times with multiple people on the phone, finally got some information after 60 days (almost too late for Cobra)! I'm not convinced it was even the right information. Regardless, it was exhausting and quite ridiculous that benefits folks know nothing about benefits. Sigh. But, I can't say I'm surprised and it seems everyone shares the same experience, even the current folks, so don't feel alone in this. The bottom line is, if you don't think something is right, keep calling and trying to get answers, you might get a different person that knows more. Don't settle, and get someone to help you if you don't have the patience.
     I will put the latest numbers in this message below.
Warmest regards,
Molly
2018 Florida Picnic

Reservations have been made for annual RG&E Emeritus Reunion Picnic.
This year it will be held on Monday, March 5, 2018 at:

Lake Seminole Park, Shelter # 5
10015 Park Boulevard
Seminole, Florida
From 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Please Note:  This is the same shelter used in previous years.

For this event we are planning a format similar to the one used for the last few years where each person, couple or group should bring their own food, drink and table service. Grills are available for anyone interested in cooking their own hots, burgers or sausages. Charcoal will be supplied.

The event is open to all retired and former RG&E employees. Immediate family members and interested current employees are welcome, too.
Everyone attending should also be aware that alcoholic beverages are not permitted in the park. Volunteers interested in helping are welcome. Suggestions to improve the format are also encouraged.

The annual Florida picnic is a great time to renew acquaintances with old friends and former co-workers. Help share family developments and work experiences. Some of these stories, especially those from work, can be quite hilarious.  Hope to see everyone there.

Jack Klein, 1966jklein@gmail.com      or       rgeretireenews@gmail.com

Please spread the news--------
We had mostly the older retirees and they would like to see more of you.  The gas department was missed as only a few showed.  New retirees are welcome.  We only have one or two last year.  Life is short come enjoy a visit with old friends.
Retiree Dennis Money does year round tours of the former Seneca Army Depot to showcase the white deer and the history of the depot. These are 90 minute escorted tours on our buses. For more information go to:  www.senecawhitedeer.org
Benefits
The Avangrid (RG&E) Benefits Service Center Hub is:
1-855-577-4237 
This is now serviced by Alight (formerly AON). They are available M-F 9am-6pm.
http://www.ybr.com/benefits/avangrid
Some information about Ken Kuzia and Rand Gee:
His friend and former co-worker, Rand Gee, has kept Ken Kuzia busy for the last couple of years.  Rand has written three books and Ken has edited and supplied graphics for two of them.  Rand is currently working on another book that Ken will be editing and contributing illustration for the front cover.
The books that the duo have worked on together include:
  • Village Secrets – a collection of short stories about the residents of a small lakeside resort town in Wisconsin.  Rand needed some images that represent small town America, so Ken took pictures of the buildings on Main Street in Victor.  The individual pictures decorate the blank pages before the start of new chapters.  Ken also created a larger picture where he combined the individual buildings into a panorama of Main Street.  The panorama wraps around the book from the front cover, over the spine, and across the back cover.
  • Palindromes, Paraprosdokians, and Posters – a collection of sentences that read the same forwards and backwards (palindromes), comical sentences that start off well but end with an ironic and unexpected twist (paraprosdokians), and hilarious posters that Rand creates and hangs on public bulletin boards in the small town of Pentwater, Michigan, where he lives.  Rand likes to tell of the reactions of the “town folk” as they try to make sense of the posters.  Rand wanted a picture of Albert Einstein with rainbow colored hair to grace the front cover.  However, the people who own the rights to Albert’s images wanted too much money for the rights to use a picture.  So, Ken created a likeness of Einstein, but used his own face instead of Albert’s.
  • The Forgotten Mines and Coal Towns of Thoms Run Road – a detailed history of a coal mining area near Pittsburgh that has had little written about it.  Rand and a co-writer, Gene Czambel, have compiled a great deal of research about the area from where Rand’s Family hails.  Ken is colorizing an image for the front cover.  The image is a picture taken in the late 1800’s showing a group of men standing before the Hickman Hotel that was built and run by Rand’s great-grandfather.  In the picture, the one gentleman, who looks like Rand, is his great-grandfather.

As a hobby, Ken takes photos of local scenes and digitally enhances them to look like paintings.Examples of his work, including images of main Street, Victor, can be found at: http://vicartgroup.wixsite.com/the-art-of-ken-kuzia.
This is older information, and these folks have already returned, but Avangrid sent a handful of employees to Puerto Rico last year.

Eight Avangrid Networks employees have arrived in Puerto Rico to aid in the ongoing recovery of the electrical system that was essentially wiped out by Hurricane Maria on Sept. 20.

These eight employees, representing our Avangrid Networks electric utilities, are part of a larger effort coordinated by the New York Power Authority, which includes employees from all major New York utilities. They will remain in Puerto Rico for a month.

More than 50 employees offered their services to those so desperately in need knowing they miss family time over Thanksgiving.
  • Beverly Allen, NYSEG
  • Deborah Boislard, UI
  • Eduardo DelMonte, UI
  • Marco Hernandez, UI
  • Michael Langlois, NYSEG
  • Marilyn Martinez, Avangrid Networks, New York
  • David McHugh, Avangrid Networks, Maine
  • Marco Mendez, NYSEG
Obits
John K. Faulkner
Bob Harper
Victor R. Lazzara
Deborah Ann Palumbo
Anthony F. Pergolizzi
Roland John Schinsing
Thomas W. "Tom" Roberts
Thomas W. Jubert
Reese Hatcher Jr.
Raymond E. Herrmann
Nelson A. Kiedrowski
William G. Stein
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.
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Contact: molly@pioneersofrge.com / info@pioneersofrge.com

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