Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Future Dates
08/25 Cruisin Hoosiers Car Show for Baker Youth Club
08/29 Jim Pinkerton – INDOT US 31 Projects
09/05 David Best – Thomas Jefferson
09/07 Big Wheel Race at Warsaw Downtown Days
09/08 Safe Assured ID
09/08 To Bourbon and Back bicycle race
09/08 Warsaw Tiger Basketball Golf Classic
09/12 Tom Kline – WCS Student Test Scores
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
>>>>OPENING
84 Optimists & 10 guests attended our meeting. Allan Kember was the guest of Trina Hoy; Pardee Gunter was the guest of Rich Haddad; Matt Deeds was the guest of Jon Lippe; Shannon Hansen and Elia Hansen were the guests of Trace Hansen; Harrison Vining, Shelby Vining, Austin Vining, Fred Vining, and Gary Dant were the guests of Sam Whitaker.
Door Greeter: Pete Gano.
Prayer was offered by Coach Doug Ogle.
Pledge was given to the American flag.
Promise yourself was said in unison.
Martin Becker led us as we sang “Hail to Optimism.”
Birthday Honorees: Scott Whitaker, Sam Whitaker, and Jim Nesbitt. Martin Becker & Jim Nesbitt led us in the birthday song with “Triathlon Parking” results.
>>>> INFORMATION
Prayer Requests:
Bonnie Bradley’s recovery from brain cancer. She is having radiation daily.
Membership: Lt. Gov. Sam Whitaker read Allan Kember’s application. Allan is sponsored by Trina Hoy.
President John Sullivan read the amendment to our Bylaws. Copies of the amendment were on the tables for us to review. The amendment is Article V, Section 1, about termination of membership.
Sheriff of Attendance: Bill Landrigan and Harry Gigous took the week off after several weeks of attendance over 90.
Jim Hayes reported he, Dr. Jason Rich, and Trina Hoy are working on the new Directory. If you want a new photograph, please see Trina Hoy. Jim sent out an e-mail to everyone to check their information; please respond or tell Jim or Jason your information. See Jim or Jason if you are doing an advertisement. Thanks to our Directory team. It is a difficult task.
Dave Meier reports the Big Wheel Race will be in conjunction with the First Friday, September 7. Registration starts at 5:30 p.m. and the race begins at 6:30 p.m. We provide the volunteers and Penguin Point provides the prizes. The Times-Union did a nice front page write-up for us.
Optimist Singers: Martin Becker and Millie Andrews thanked the club for the new Yamaha keyboard. It sounds great!
Art Gakstatter is looking for all the volunteers who can help at Baker Youth Club and the Cruisin Hoosiers Car Club’s car show on August 25. It is at Warsaw Buick GMC. Shifts are from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. However you can come anytime to help. Veteran parker Ot Schroeder is coordinating parking. This year there will be a Silent Auction and the Choo Choo Train from our May downtown show will be there.
Lt. Gov. Sam Whitaker presented Gary Dant, Fred Vining, Harrison Vining, Shelby Vining, and Austin Vining with a $500 check for our 4-H Shooting Sportsprogram. Sam attested to the safety and proficiency of the 4-Hers in the program.
Board Member Andrew Swihart presented Jane Wear with a $1,000 check for Cardinal Services. This is part of the Cardinal Call which needs to raise $400,000 this year.
Jay Tate announced we enroll young people in Safe Assured ID at Center Lake on September 8th. Shifts are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A sign-up sheet is going around.
Coach Doug Ogle invited us to participate in the Warsaw Tiger Basketball Golf Classic on September 8th at Rozella Ford Golf Course. Registration is at 8:30 am for 9 a.m. play and 1:00 p.m. for 1:30 p.m. play. $55 per player covers cart, greens fee, lunch, gift, and refreshments. dogle@warsaw.k12.in.us or 371-5099 ext 2363.
Luke Becknell invited cyclists to participate in the 2 Bourbon & Back for cystic fibrosis on September 8, 2012. $15 entry fee ($18 after August 31st). Family entry fee $40 ($45 after August 31st). Luke2bb@comcast.net or www.becknell.org .
Video Editor Jim Hayes showed us a video of a youngster who was an Olympian at relieving himself in a park. Also we saw Steve Albertson’s thief-cam video of people who looked like Lyle and Sam removing something from Steve’s barn.
Please pray for our Troops and Families: Pfc Josh Tomell – Army
Sergeants-at-Arms: Jim Nesbitt, Luke Becknell and Bob Jackson entertained us.
White Sox and Yankee fans were recognized.
Bob Jackson greeted his old Atwood principal, Pardee Gunter.
Angie Tom is proud of Keegan Tom for making the Harrison Soccer Team.
Rich Haddad and Dr. Steven Hollar will be golfing in Scotland.
Matt Deeds is celebrating his second child.
Gina Voelz is celebrating the Warsaw Girls Soccer Team’s victory over Mishawaka Marian, but even more her oldest child’s acclimation to college.
Dan Metzger and Mike Metzger are celebrating the Claypool bridge reopening soon.
Past Lt. Gov. Dr. David Haines read the letter from the Canadian government to a Canadian who was concerned about our treatment of the Taliban. The letter welcomed her to the Adopt A Terrorist program.
Past Pres. John Elliott read about the Department of Agriculture’s pride in distributing a record amount of food stamps. At the same time the Parks Department was posting signs to not feed the animals, since it makes them dependent.
Merl Heckaman interpreted the TGIF on shoes for blondes. Toes Go In First.
Fred Nieter told of the New Yorker with bad feet who was told to soak them in water with salt. He went to Florida and bought a couple buckets. He asked the lifeguard what a bucket of salt water cost. He paid a $1 per bucket and went back to his room and soaked his feet. That afternoon he thought he would repeat the process. The tide had gone out. He exclaimed to the lifeguard that they must be doing a land-office business.
Program:
Pardee Gunter told us about the Warsaw Biblical Gardens. The gardens are behind the wall East of Center Lake Park. It is one of the largest Biblical gardens in the world. Prior to 1981 it was the Levin and Sons Scrap Yard. In 1985 Saralee Levin dreamed of a Biblical Garden. It opened in 1991.
The Gardens have 8 sections: Gathering area, Sitting area, Herb and Crop area, Desert, Brook, Forest, Orchard, and Meadow. 230 plants are mentioned in the Bible. 120 are in the Gardens. Plants in the Gardens have one of the following Biblical references: direct, like lilied, grapes, and tamarisk; indirect, like mallow hollyhock; substitutions, like Russian olive; namesakes, like sycamore instead of the sycamore fig; and legends, like the red bud.
The Gardens provide the following services: tours for $2 per person, garden rentals for $150, on cell tour for free, Biblical Garden booklets for $3, and serenity for free.
Volunteers are needed especially in the spring and fall. There is lots of gardening to do.