Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Future Dates
03/15 & 16 Radio-A-Thon for Riley Families
03/20 Warsaw Education Foundation Quiz Bowl
03/21 Oratorical Contest Winners
03/28 Sue Studebaker – Solid Waste District
04/02-06 Spring Break Skate
04/04 Jamie Visker – Winona PVD Coatings
04/11 Scott Tucker – Maple Leaf Farms
04/18 Eric Lane – Fellowship Missions
05/02 Joan Younce – Purdue Health & Human Res.
05/20 Car Show
05/23 Optimist Singers
06/06 Remnant Trust
06/07 Golf Outing at Stonehenge
06/20 Triathlon welcome bags
06/23 Triathlon
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
>>>>OPENING
86 Optimists & 4 guests attended our meeting. Mike Metzger was the guest of Dan Metzger; John Conley was the guest of John Fussle; Connor Singrey & Alek Jansen were the guests of John Sullivan.
Door Greeters: Bart Templeton & Ed Nordstrom.
Prayer was offered by Denny Andrews.
Pledge was given to the American Flag.
Promise yourself was said in unison.
Martin Becker led us as we sang “Hail to Optimism.”
>>>> INFORMATION
Prayer Request:
Fred Nieter’s recovery from a stroke. It was great to see Fred at our meeting.
John Sullivan’s mother’s recovery from a stroke.
John Teevan’s, 7 month old, granddaughter’s full recovery from heart surgery.
Larry Tucker’s wife, Roberta’s continued recovery at home.
Tornado victims and their families.
Membership: Lt. Gov. Sam Whitaker read Mike Metzger’s application. Dan Metzger sponsored Mike.
Sheriff of Attendance: Bill Landrigan & Harry Gigous greeted David Illingworth, Shawn Williamson, Mike Hall, & Dave Wolkins.
Art Gakstatter shared some of the history of Spring Break Skate. It is a chance for elementary school kids to skate for free during Spring Break. The cost is covered between Trace Hansen & our club. This year Trace is providing $4.50 per skater & our club is providing $2 per skater. Ann Sweet has generously agreed to provide the tickets again this year. This is a time consuming task. Help will be needed the last week of March to deliver the tickets to the schools.
City of Lakes Cruise In on May 20th: John Elliott is passing out a sign-up sheet for volunteers. John quoted John Crum when he said “Be There!” Please give your $25 to John Teevan. On the other hand, we are asking businesses to sponsor at the $100, $200, or $500 levels. Give the big checks to Ann Sweet.
Everett Nifong announced that our Golf Outing will be June 7th at Stonehenge. Brochures are out. Cost is $400 for a foursome (includes golf, cart, lunch, & driving range). Sponsorships are available at the Bronze $100, Silver $475, & Gold $1000 levels. Prize/Goody Bag items are also needed.
Past Gov. Ron Donkers reminded us that our Triathlon is on June 23rd, the FOUTH Saturday of June.
President Everett Nifong presented Connor Singrey and Alek Jansen a check for $300 for theirBoomerang Backpack program. They hand out backpacks of food to elementary kids on Fridays. On Mondays the kids bring the empty backpacks back to school. Tony Ciriello is proud of Connor & Alek’s KYLA project.
Rick Kerlin reminded us of our shifts answering the phones March 15 & 16 at the Radio-A-Thon for Riley Families. This is at WRSW, just west of John Elliott’s truck. President John Sullivan announced we are matching the 1st $2000 of pledges.
Past Lt. Gov. Juergen Voss thanked the club for putting an ad in the Lake City Skiers magazine.
Mitch Goon is looking for TEN (10) proctors/scorers for the Warsaw Education Foundation Quiz Bowlon the evening of March 20th. Inquire at edfoundation@warsaw.k12.in.us, 371-5098 ext. 2410,mmgoon@embarqmail.com, or 527-8337. Past Pres. George Brennan has our 2 teams who “know a lot about nothing.” They do not think they need a proctor.
Please pray for our Troops and Families: 2nd Lt Steve Slaughter – Air Force – KC135 pilot
Sergeants-at-Arms: Luke Becknell & Jim Nesbitt entertained us.
Bill Katip invited all to attend the NCCAA Men’s and Women’s Championship Tournaments at Grace. Games are tonight through Saturday.
Limericks were heard from Mary Ann Gradeless, Jim Hayes (about Merl), & Ed Nordstrom (wearing his Massachusetts plaid & stripes).
Dave Illingworth was recognized for being in the paper (good stuff).
Money was raised from those who would buy a new truck with the wrong color. President John Sullivanis buying one with the right color (red).
50/50: Lyle Enyeart and Past Lt. Gov. Jim Reeve have worked hard selling 50/50 tickets for a couple years. Anyone wanting to take on the job should see President John Sullivan. There was a spontaneous nomination from the floor that our master of attendance, Don Kenipe, should take it on. In his defense it should be pointed out he is busy practicing each week with the Optimist Singers. In addition he does not win EVERY week.
Program: Executive Director Christon Clark gave us some background on our Habitat for Humanity. The business of Habitat is to provide housing solutions, be a mortgage servicer, be an effective social services organization, and provide recycling opportunities.
As Habitat seeks to provide housing solutions the prospective family must have a need and the ability to repay a 25 year interest free loan for the cost of the build. In addition to new construction, Habitat can do critical home repair, weatherization, and the Brush with Kindness program that Christon and Mayor Joe Thallemer discussed. The Brush with Kindness core of volunteers would be people who had talent, tools and time to do curb appeal projects.
Habitat services the mortgages it does on the houses it builds. The income from past Habitat homes helps fund new Habitat houses. The first mortgage is for the cost of the build. The second mortgage is for the difference between the value of the house and the cost to build it. The second mortgage is forgivable after 10 years of good payments. Also the second mortgage helps protect the families from solicitations from predatory lenders.
Habitat is an effective social services agency as they provide economic development by helping families reduce their cost of housing as they build equity in their home. Also each family does 250 hours of sweat equity. About 100 hours of this is with other non-profits, so they can have the experience of giving back. About 50% of the hours are on their own home. This builds strong bonds between the family and the volunteers they work with.
Habitat is a recycling opportunity as they have stores reselling recycled building materials, like toilets.
This year Habitat will do a Women Build. The goal is that the funds and labor will come from women. Lowes is providing training.
Our Habitat is doing a nail-a-thon fund raiser. Each nail is a $1 donation. The nail club is a $10 donation. The 1 pound club is a $64 donation. The 5 pound club is a $320 donation.
What our Habitat needs is money, volunteers for labor AND brain power, & toilets to resell.
Habitat for Humanity is in the business of changing lives.
“Preach the Gospel always, when necessary use words.” St. Francis of Assisi
“No one made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little.” Edmund Burke
