Future Dates  

11/8 Thur.  Lakeview Middle School Veterans Day Programs

11/14 Wed. Akash Jain’s Eisenhower Elem. Robotics Teams

11/14 Wed. canned food for Salvation Army

11/16 & 17 Fri. & Sat. Hoops for Hope

11/16 Fri. Grace College Community Wind Ensemble

11/18 Sun. Lego League competition at Grace

11/21 Wed. Cub Scout Cake Auction

11/21 Wed. canned food for Salvation Army

11/24 Sat. Salvation Army Bell Ringing

11/28 Wed. Mayor Joe Thallemer

12/5 Wed. Lindsey Best – Big Brothers Big Sisters

12/12 Wed. Mike Couzens, voice of the Tin Caps – Business of Minor League

12/19 Wed. Optimist Singers

12/26 Wed. no program

1/2 Wed. White Elephant Auction

1/16 Wed. Christon Clark / Habitat for Humanity

1/23 Wed. Warsaw Schools Symphony

2/6 Wed. Rebecca Bazzoni / Jacob’s Ladder

2/13 Wed. Warsaw Schools Band

3/27 Wed. Dave Hoffert / Chief Academic Officer

5/19/13 Sun. Car Show

6/29/13 Sat. Triathlon

 

Wednesday, November 7, 2012 

>>>>OPENING

86 Optimists & 3 guests attended our meeting.  Dennis Williams was the guest of Coach Jim Kessler; Kris Farwell was the guest of Akash Jain; and Dennis Duncan was the guest of John Teevan.      

Door Greeters:  Coach Jim Kessler and Max Mock (the voter).

Prayer was offered by John Teevan. 

Pledge was given to the American flag. 

Promise yourself was said in unison.

Martin Becker led us as we sang “Hail to Optimism.” 

Birthday Honoree:  Mary Ann Gradeless.  Martin Becker led us in the birthday song with our best results.

 

            >>>> INFORMATION

Prayer Requests: 

Praise:  Art Gakstatter’s grandson and Angie Tom’s nephew, Brody, is home from the hospital.

 

Membership:  Past President Jeff Owens’ assistant Adam Turner read Dennis Williams’, and Jon Harding’s applications.  Past Lt. Gov. Jim Reeve inducted Dr. Craig Hintz and  Adam Turner   Dr. Craig Hintz is sponsored by Past President John Elliott.  Adam Turner is sponsored by Dave Turner.  Dennis Williams is sponsored by Coach Jim Kessler.  Jon Harding is sponsored by Board Member Andy Swihart.  Jeff Owens encouraged us to have a goal to bring guests.  Once they visit they will want to join.   

 

Sheriff of Attendance Bill Landrigan and Deputy Harry Gigous took a well deserved week off after getting 93 of us here last week.

 

Past Pres. Bob Jackson announced Hoops for Hope will be Friday, November 16 at 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 8 p.m. and Saturday, November 17 at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.  The games are at Grace’s Orthopaedic Capital Center and they raise money for the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund that help families dealing with cancer handle some of the incidentals.  K21 Health Foundation President Rich Haddad reported the need is bigger this year than any year before.  The cost of admission is $5 per person including the players, coaches and referees.  This year’s teams are Grace, Huntington, Robert Morris, and Missouri Baptist.  Both men’s and women’s teams are competing.  Sponsorships are available at the $500 Gold level, $250 Pink level, and $100 Orange level.  Sign up sheets are on the tables.   

 

Optimist Singer Director Martin Becker invited us to see the Veterans Program as Lakeview Middle School on Thursday, November 8 at either 10 a.m. or 7 p.m.

 

Optimist Singer Director and Grace College Community Wind Ensemble Director Martin Becker invited us to hear the Grace College Community Wind Ensembleperform their Fall Concert – Rejoice with Praise and Thanksgiving on Friday, November 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Rodeheaver.

 

Luke Becknell announced we will be collecting canned food and money for Salvation Army the next couple of Wednesdays of November.

 

Merl Heckaman announced we will ring the bell for Salvation Army at WalMart and Kmart on Saturday, November 24.  See Merl to get one of the last open spots.

 

Past President John Elliott announced our Car Show will be downtown on Sunday, May 19, 2013. 

 

Past Gov. Ron Donkers made a major announcement about our Triathlon.  The date has been changed to the Saturday JUST BEFORE the 4^th of July.  It will be Saturday,June 29, 2013.  Also this year in addition to a short swim after the traditional participants, there will be kid’s races for kid’s who are 11 to 12 or 13 to 14.

 

Please pray for our Troops and Families:   Jeff Borens – Army

 

Sergeants-at-Arms:  John Elliott read a short story that illustrated the huge reality gap between campaigns and what happens after people have already voted. 

 

Program:   Two part program this week.

1)

Optimist Singer Director Martin Becker, led our Optimist Singers with Millie Andrews accompanying them on the keyboard as they sang:

Our National Anthem

Dedication

America

This Land is Your Land

You Raise Me Up

American Heros, Armed Forces Salute to our

            Army

            Marines

            Navy

            Air Force.

Our veterans stood as their song was played.

Martin closed with Taps.

 

2)

Kris Farwell gave us more information on the Lego League Robotics teams.  He showed a video of a Lego Robot that the kids built.  The Lego Robot went through an obstacle course while doing fine motor skills. 

The kids build and program an autonomous robot with Legos.  Each team has between 6 to10 members.  The kids are graded on problem solving, teamwork, friendly competition, robot design, and the robot competition.

Lego League started in 1998 with 210 teams.  Now there are 19,000 teams.  The Lego League is designed to get kids into science and technology.  Kids who participate are more likely to go to college and to study science and engineering. 

Ben Barkey, Kris Farwell, and Akash Jain are actively involved with Warsaw’s Lego League teams.   Akash Jain invited us to see the Lego League competition Sunday, November 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Grace.  Twenty-two teams will compete.

FirstLegoLeague.org