Presiding – Brooke Hamstra

Attendance – 71

Greeters – Brie Lycan & Gina Voelz

Invocation – John Teevan

Birthdays – Harry Gigous

Announcements –

• Santa House – Weekends in December 2025 ● Dec 5, 6, & 7 ● Dec 12, 13, & 14 ● Dec 19, 20, & 21
• Save the Date Fundraising calendar notifications were sent via email, mark your calendars. If you didn’t receive 4 emails, please get with Brooke
  • Car Show (05/17/26)
  • Fall Displays (sale starts 08/01/26)
  • Golf Outing (09/08/26)
  • Triathlon ( 06/27/26)
• First Board Meeting was held 10/20/25
• Fall Display Pick Up date 11/15/25
• Spooktackular, Friday, October 24, be downtown @ Courthouse @ 5:00 pm

Grant Presentation – Warsaw FOP, Christmas With A Cop $2,000 grant

Membership – Steve Brock, first reading

50/50 – $41 to Doc Haines

Membership Moment – Doc David Haines, we heard stories about his growing up and professional life.

Program – Habitat for Humanity, Ben Logan, Habitat for Humanity has affiliates that share the same mission all over the United States and the world, but our mission is right here in Kosciusko County. We build in the county for local families, use local volunteers and contractors, and even raise our money locally. When you give to our affiliate, you know your support is going to help local families make the jump the homeownership. Let’s build together!

QUOTE: Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions. ~ Dalai Lama

DID YOU KNOW: Honey never spoils? Archeologists have eaten 3,000 year old honey.

● Next week’s program – Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams

Presiding – Mitch Goon

Attendance – 67

Invocation – David Warner

Greeters – John and Susan Armacost

Birthdays – Alan Grossnickle

Announcements –

○ Fall Display – Kris Williams (Tentative Pick Up Date 11/15/25)

• Santa House – Will be operating in seven Weeks
• Fundraising Events – Save the Date email notifications went out this past week to help, mark your calendars
• Car Show (05/17/26)
• Triathlon ( 06/27/26)
• Fall Displays (sale starts 08/01/26)
• Golf Outing (09/08/26)

50/50 – $28.50 to Bob Walsh

Sergeants -Notre Dame Football trivia was asked by Bob Walsh.

Program – Ot Schroder – Ot along with Chad & Ryan Goon informed us about the plans and program of the WCHS Octagon Club

Next Week’s Program – Habitat for Humanity

Optimist Quote and Did you Know:

• Quote: Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear (George Addair)
• Did You Know: Coca-Cola was the first soft drink in space?

Presiding – Brooke Hamstra

Invocation – Jim Kessler

Greeters – Charlie Wagner & Rick Swaim

Attendance – 80

Grant Check Presentation – Board Member $700 Kathryn Fields, Cardinal Service – Early Head Start and Head Start

50/50 – $48.00 to Gary Tanner

Announcements:

• End of the Year Award Recipients
• President’s Personal Pick (PPP) new Award presented by Paul Finley-Jeff Owens,
• Pillar of the Community-KT Kishan, Rookie of the Year-John & Susan Armacost,
• Optimist of the Year-Brittany Lyon ○ Warsaw Breakfast Optimist –
• Contact/Email Address (warsawbreakfastoptimist@gmail.com)
• Fundraising Events – Save the Date email notifications will be coming from Warsaw Breakfast Optimist Email address this week, mark your calendars
• ■ Car Show (05/17/26) ■ Triathlon ( 06/27/26) ■ Fall Displays (sale starts 08/01/26) ■ Golf Outing (09/08/26)

Member Moment – Corban Holtsberry – We learned about Corban’s background and love of chickens.

● Sergeants – Jim Smith & Jeff Owens & Abby Smith harassed members with “old jokes”.

● Program – Will Stockdale, Elder Law – William J. Stockdale is an Elder Law Attorney practicing in and around Kosciusko County, Indiana. Will assists clients in all areas of elder law, estate planning, business and farm succession planning, Medicaid planning, and special needs planning. Will is passionate about keeping plans as simple as possible, minimizing taxes, preserving assets for future generations, and helping families afford long term care, whether at home, in assisted living, or in a healthcare facility if necessary.

Will grew up in Leesburg and Warsaw, and graduated from Warsaw Community High School. Prior to attending college, Will married his high school sweetheart and spent four years in the United States Army at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Will obtained his bachelor’s degree from IPFW and his law degree from the Maurer School of Law at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Will is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Warsaw and a board member of several local non-profit organizations, including Grace Village Retirement Community and Kosciusko Community Senior Services. Will also serves as an advisor to the Warsaw Community High School Key Club.

In his free time, Will enjoys basketball, reading, and spending time with his wife and three sons. Will enjoys solving problems large or small, and making the legal process as approachable and straightforward as it can be.

● Next week’s program – Warsaw Community High School, Octagon Club

Did you Know? – It is impossible to hummm while closing your nose

Presiding – Brooke Hamstra

Attendance – 75

Invocation – Ken Anderson

Greeters – Ken Shamblin & Maria Beltran

Guests – Kristin Jones joined us today!

Birthdays – Jim Brennan & Ot Schroeder

Announcements –

• Fall Display Report – There have been 137 Fall Displays placed at this time. Clean up @ the Goat Barn will be @ 8:00 am Saturday, October 4, 2025

Membership – Barry Andrew, Induction by Paul Finley.

50/50 – $44 to Ann Sweet

Sergeants – Abby Smith, Jeff Owens and Jim Smith harassed members and collected $1.00 for their trouble. Corban Holtsberry was recognized as our new Treasurer. Kristen Huscher-Paul has also begun her “reign” as Club Secretary.

Program – Brooke outlined her plans for the club for the year, including:

• Education and Awareness – Every event is a chance for us to grow
• Visibility – Increase our on-line presence, WarsawOptimist.org is our website. Our grant applications are available at the web site. A new opportunity on the website
• Opportunities – We need to be ready to seize opportunities as they become available
• Theme for the year: How does Optimist Make an Impact?

Program Next Week – Thomas Rose

Presiding – Paul Finley

Attendance – 94

Call to Order – Thank you to Four O’clock Shadow

Opening Speech – Paul Finley

Special gift presented to Jameson

Invocation – Jameson Pahl

Greeters – Michael Ray & Ben Snyder                      

Optimist Song  – Marty Becker

Guests –

• Chris Whitehead – Past Governor of the District of Northern Indiana, will also conduct our Induction later this evening.          

• Kathy Nelson – Current Governor for a few more days… Thank you for coming, please share for a couple of minutes

Announcements –

• Fall Displays Update by Kris Williams. Please sign up to help volunteer this weekend. 8-11a or 1:30-4p Saturday, Sunday 12:15.

• Thank Yous for Celebration Dinner – Paul

• Dana/Dara of Saucy’s Catering

• Austin Donovan -check in/organizing/tracking payments

• Lois Borkholder – Set up for tonight

• Brooke Hamstra – Organization and training for Brittany

• Brittany Lyon – Set up for “everything”

M&M – Brittany Lyon/Jim Smith interviewed Dana Munson       

Program – Paul Finley                                          

New Members – Please Stand

Grants for the Year – View on Screen

Thank You – Board Members/Chairs/Volunteers

Year in Review

Challenge for Future

Awards

• PPP – President’s Personal Pick – Jeff Owens
• Pillar of the Community – KT Kishan
• Rookie of the Year – John & Susan Armacost
• Optimist of the Year – Brittany Lyon

Induction of Officers/Board Members – Chris Whitehead

Special Thank You to Jennifer Dorman and Austin Donovan)

• Ken Shamblen – Board Member
• Chad Goon – Board Member
• Joe Thallemer – Board Member
• Gina Voelz – Board Member
• Ot Schroeder – VP
• Lois Borkholder – VP
• Corbin Holtsberry – Treasurer
• Kristin Huscher-Pahl – Secretary
• Paul Finley – Immediate Past Presiden
• Kris Williams – President Elect
• Brooke Hamstra – President

President Brooke Hamstra – Present the Gavel by Paul

Meeting is Adjourned – Ring the BELL!