Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Future Dates
5/18 Sun. City of Lakes Cruise-In
5/21 Wed. Optimist Singers / Memorial Day
5/28 Wed. Warsaw Community Schools / Dr. Craig Hintz
6/4 Wed. FWA Airport Authority – Jessica Miller
6/11 Wed. Mudlove Kyle Garberson
6/16 Mon. Boomerang Backpack Golf Outing
6/18 Wed. Guy Fisher / Goodwill Career Center
6/19 Thur. Optimist Golf Outing
6/25 Wed. Registration Packets for Triathlon
6/28 Sat. Triathlon
7/2 Wed. Rebecca Bazzoni / Jacobs Ladder
7/9 Wed. Christon Clark / Habitat for Humanity
7/16 Wed. Mayor Dr. Joe Thallemer / State of the City
7/23 Wed. Warsaw Area Career Center / Ronna Kawsky
7/23 Wed. Cheerleaders
7/30 Wed. Paragon
8/1 Fri. Penguin Point and Optimist Big Wheel Race
8/6 Wed. Boys Soccer
8/8 Fri. Indiana North District Golf Outing
8/8 & 9 Fri. & Sat. Indiana North District Convention at Warsaw
8/13 Wed. Boys Cross Country
8/20 Wed. Boys Tennis
9/3 Wed. Girls Soccer
9/10 Wed. Girls Golf
9/10 Wed. WCHS Athletics / Dave Anson
9/17 Wed. Crystal Heckaman / Rachel’s Challenge – Friends of Rachel
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
President Everett Nifong led our meeting.
>>>>OPENING
103 Optimists & 6 guests attended our meeting. Julia Yestrebsky was the guest of Jeff Owens; Chris Gabryluk & Eric Ohman were the guests of Art Gakstatter; Scott Reust was the guest of Joel Wihebrink; Kristin Quick was the guest of Bill Landrigan; & Josh Spangle was the guest of Aaron Rovenstine.
Door Greeters: Jim Kessler & John Teevan.
Prayer: Jim Kessler led us in prayer.
Pledge was given to the American flag.
Promise yourself was said in unison.
Martin Becker led us in singing Hail to Optimism.
>>>> INFORMATION
Prayer Requests:
Rocky Goshert’s family at his father, Bill’s passing.
Larry Bishop’s continued recovery from ankle surgery.
Coach Jim Kessler’s granddaughter, Claudia’s recovery from eye surgery. She will have follow-up surgeries around early June and early July. Pray for comfort and patience for Claudia this spring and summer.
Membership: Past Gov. Ron Donkers inducted Doug Baumgardner. Membership Chair Kellie Malcom read Julia Yestrembsky’s application. Doug and Julia are sponsored by John Elliott & Toni Derry.
Past President Tracy Furnivall is conducted our election of officers. Trace Hansen was elected President Elect for our 2015 to 2016 term. For our 2014 to 2015 term, Past Pres. George Brennan and Tracy Horrell were elected Vice-Presidents. Past Pres. Jeff Owens, Dr. Jenny Lucht, Lt. Gov. John Sulivan, & Dr. Mitch Reinholt were elected as Board Members for the 4 years that start October 2014. Luke Becknell is stepping down from our Board. Dr. Akash Jain was elected to fill the 2 years that start October 2014. Thanks to everyone who was willing to serve.
Jim Hayes is looking for someone to check out our projector, which is having issues.
President Everett Nifong reported that over and above providing a great breakfast, Golden Corral is donating 100 meals for our students we invite to our meetings. Thanks to Golden Corral for their generosity!
Past Gov. Ron Donkers & Lt. Gov. John Sullivan reminded us of Optimist International Foundation’s Dime-A-Day fundraising program. Some of the overhead for things like the Oratorical and Essay contests at the district and higher levels are in need of funding. The higher level Oratorical Contest winner receives $2,500 and the higher level Essay Contest winner receives $500. As a larger club, we need to cover a large part of these costs. The Dime-A Day program is a great way to do this. Please send your $36.50 to Optimist International Foundation, Dime-A-Day Campaign, P.O. Box 952126, St. Louis, MO 63195. Make sure you put “club # 04555” in the memo section of your check. An even better way to do this is to use a form Ron has to have your card charged $3.05 per month on an ongoing basis. The forms are by the badge box.
Craig Nayrocker is looking for someone to take over writing our Optibullette newsletter. See Craig to find out more. You can sit in the R Wayne Snider chairnext to Steady Eddy Don Kenipe. From this spot, you and Don will have an unparalleled view of the goings on of our meetings. For clarification, you can take the actual chair that Rade sometimes sits in and move it to the Wayne Snider spot next to Don. You do not have to sit in the actual chair that I have mushed down. I will move it over to Mary Ellen Jordan’s spot. I hope to be as good of a back-up to you as Mary Ellen was for me. Thanks to Dr. Jenny Lucht who interpreted for me this morning. Past Pres. Jeff Owens discovered Jenny’s linguistic gift. Everyone understands what she says.
Bart Templeton is passing around a sign-up sheet for greeters.
Trina Hoy reported our Suggestion Box needs suggestions. It is a great way to get ideas to our leadership.
Trace Hansen is looking for applicants for his Eastlake Skate – Octagon scholarships. The Scholarship is for a minimum of two (2) $1000 scholarships to Octagon members, who are graduating Seniors from WCHS. The application deadline is May 23rd, and can be picked up at the Scholarship office at WCHS. If you have a family member in the Octagon Club, an email request can be sent to Tracesk8s@yahoo.com and he will mail out to the address you provide.
Co-Chair John Elliott reported we need help for the Escorted Cruise part on Sunday, May 18th City of Lakes Cruise-In to Downtown Warsaw. We need to be prepared to get written instructions on Sunday afternoon. The escorted cruise starts around 6 p.m. and goes to Winona Lake and back. It looks like we will raise around $11,000 to $12,000 this year. The Set-Up team will start at 7 a.m. Sunday morning. If you have door prizes, give those to John. We have several organizations who donated $500. The Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust donated $3,000 to sponsor our Cruise-In, Golf Outing, and Speech Contest.
President Everett Nifong reminded us of our Golf Outing that will be Thursday, June 19 at Stonehenge. Registration begins at 11 a.m., lunch is at 11:30 a.m., and the Shotgun start is at 1 p.m. Cost is $440 per foursome including golf, cart, lunch, and driving range use. Please consider golfing, becoming a Tee Sponsor, donating a door prize or goody bag items. Tee Sponsorships are $100. Brochures are here and on our website.
Past Gov. and Triathlon Chairman Ron Donkers is sending around a T-shirt sign-up sheet. If you want a $5 T-shirt mark the size you want. Remember we all need to work our Triathlon. Our new members and our long term members all need to block off the last Saturday in June. We need to keep that open every year. This year it is June 28. Luke Becknell as our manpower chairman can connect anyone with a function that needs help. This year we will have youth races (11 & 12 year olds and 13 & 14 year olds, 15 year olds are with the adults) in addition to our usual event. This year Akash Jain is working with Jim Hayes on the database. Wow, we now have 2 “get-er-done” kind of guys doing this mountain of behind the scenes work!
Bill Landrigan is proud of his granddaughter, Kristin Quick. Kristin has won several pageants in our area. She is finishing her Freshman year at Purdue. She is an elementary education major with a concentration in special education. She is an Indy 500 Princess. They only interview the top 260 applicants and only 33 become Princesses. She has been to many events since February. One interesting experience for elementary students, is when a Indy 500 Princess pulls up to a school in a Pace Car. In addition to Kristin’s experience in pageants, she has done a lot of community service. This seems like a special fit for her.
Past Lt. Gov. Dr. David Haines provided our first post to our Year in Review series. It is featured on the front page of our website. Here is a direct linkhttps://warsawoptimist.org/
President Everett Nifong asked us to keep an eye out for our 3rd quarter dues statements. They went out by e-mail May 11.
Eric Ohman reported the Warsaw Evangelical Presbyterian Church has 50 paid scholarships available to their Day Camp that runs from June 16 to 20. He asked us to introduce this opportunity to any family who has kids between Kindergarten through 5th grade.
George Paton brought a supply of booklets with discounts at Martin’s Supermarket. They are good through June of 2014. If anyone knows anyone who would benefit from these can distribute them.
Mike Cusick reported the Fat Skinny Tire Festival is this Friday through Sunday.
Laurie Schotz invited us to the Pierceton Vintage Motorcycle Show on May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.. It is in the City Park on State Road 13 by the Old Railroad Depot.
The Walk-N-Wander display of sixteen life-size bronze sculptures by Seward Johnson is from June 6 to September 28.
Trina Hoy invited all to The Big Ride for Kid’s Sake to benefit Kosciusko County kids. It is August 2 with the proceeds go to Little Brothers & Little Sisters of our county. Registration is at 10 a.m.. The cost is $20 per rider or $25 per rider and passenger. The 100-mile ride starts at The Bowling Alley. See Trina Hoy for more information.
Dave Meier announced our 34th Annual Big Wheel Race is Friday, August 1 at Center Lake Park. Registration starts at 5:45 p.m. Race is at 7 p.m. Thanks to Penguin Point for sponsoring the bicycles, trophies, and gift certificates.
Past Gov. Ron Donkers reported our Indiana North District Convention will be in Warsaw, Friday & Saturday, August 8th and 9th. There will be a fun Golf Outingon Friday the 8th.
Past Gov. Ron Donkers thanked Akash Jain for stepping up to help Jim Hayes with our database.
Troy Akers invited us to the 2nd Annual Boomerang Backpacks Golf Outing, Monday, June 16 at Tippecanoe Lake Country Club. It will help feed students from Warsaw, Wawasee, & Tippy Valley on the weekends. Cost is $400 for a foursome. Sponsorship opportunities are available. See Tracey Akers attrakers@warsaw.k12.in.us .
Program:
Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Captain Aaron Rovenstine told of how today’s juries expect to see high tech evidence. He introduced us to Detective Josh Spanglewho is part of our Crime Scene Investigation team.
When our team arrives at a crime scene they first work to preserve life. Next they account for the witnesses. Their goal is to recognize, document, and collect items. They only have one time to get it right.
The team interviews the first responding officers. They then examine the scene. Then they take overview photos and close-up photos. A sketch of the area gives a framework for the jury to understand the pictures. The last step is to process and collect items of evidence.
