Future Dates
05/04-05 Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll drive for Cardinal Services
05/05 Octagon breakfast for BYC
05/05 District Meeting in West Lafayette
05/05 Chain of Lakes concert – Lakeview Middle School
05/07 visit Noon Club
05/09 6:30 a.m. Car Show Set-Up meeting
05/09 Gary Gerard – Times Union
05/12 Respect for Law
05/16 6:30 a.m. Car Show Parking and Security meeting
05/16 8 a.m. Car Show Registration meeting.
05/20 Car Show
05/23 Optimist Singers
06/06 Remnant Trust
06/07 Golf Outing at Stonehenge
06/13 Jim Reeve – Roy Rogers
06/20 Triathlon welcome bags
06/23 Triathlon
06/27 Sally Hogan – Kosciusko County Historical Society
07/11 Vicki Kitchin – Build Indiana Council
07/25 Jim Erickson – National Pork Board

>>>>OPENING
93 Optimists & 9 guests attended our meeting. Kellie Malcom was the guest of Josh Gordon; Akash Jain was the guest of Dr. K.T. Kishan; Jason Zaugg was the guest of Dr. David Haines; Mike Reed was the guest of Sam Whitaker; Joan Younce was the guest of Rick Kerlin; Chad Goon, Ryan Goon, Nate Stone, & Simon Stone were the guests of Octagon.
Door Greeters: Cory Rogers and Jim Reeve.
Prayer was offered by Don Reinholt.
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: George Paton and Josh Gordon. Martin Becker led us in the medley of the birthday song and Row, Row, Row Your Boat with our kind of results.

>>>> INFORMATION
Prayer Request: Bill Landrigan’s family at the passing of his brother.
John Ames is recovering from surgery.
Joann Heckaman’s leg’s recovery.
Praise: Jerry Titus is back with us after his planned overhaul.

Membership: Lt. Gov. Sam Whitaker read Kellie Malcolm’s, Akash Jain’s, & Jason Zaugg’s applications. Josh Gordon sponsored Kellie, Dr. K.T. Kishan sponsored Akash, and Past Lt. Gov. Dr. David Haines sponsored Jason.

Past President Joel Wihebrink conducted our election. We will find our results next week.

Sheriff of Attendance: Bill Landrigan & Harry Gigous greeted Bonnie Bradley, Tonya Douglass, and Tom Kline. Thanks To Bill and Harry’s efforts we had 91 at last week’s meeting.

City of Lakes Cruise In on May 20th: John Elliott announced the following committees with meet at these times:
Set-Up at 6:30 a.m. on May 9th,
Parking and Security at 6:30 a.m. on May 16th,
Registration at 8 a.m. May 16th.
The deadline to get your $25 to John Teevan is May 9th. Overall we have raised around $7,200 so far.
Art Gakstatter is looking for someone who can pick up and return a Choo Choo Train for our show.

Everett Nifong reported that teams are signing up for our June 7th Golf Outing at Stonehenge. Cost is $400 for a foursome (includes golf, cart, lunch, & driving range). A single golfer can sign up for $100. Sponsorships are available at the Bronze $100, Silver $475, & Gold $1000 levels. The Esther Pfleiderer Charitable Trust and Sliveus Insurance are Gold level sponsors. Everett is looking for another Gold sponsor. Hole sponsorships are $100, Door Prizes and Goody Bag items are also needed. Everett says whatever you need is in the “bro-chures for-sure.” Thanks go to committee members: Mike Cusick, Josh Gordon, Jay Tate, and Jerry Clevenger.

Past Gov. Ron Donkers reminded us that our Triathlon is on June 23rd, the FOUTH Saturday of June. Ron asked us to give him 700 of anything we want to donate to the goody bags. We need someone to step up and chair the computer chips for our race. Luke Becknell introduced us to Registration chair, Mary Ellen Jordan and Parking co-chairs, Jim Nesbitt and Martin Becker.

Jay Tate reported 33 kids were enrolled in Safe Assured ID on April 28th. Thanks go to all who helped.

Ron Chambers invited us to visit the Noon Club, Monday, May 7th at Noon at Golden Corral.

Scott Whitaker announced Respect for Law will be May 12th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Applications and information are on our website. Please pick up some applications at our next meeting. Ages are from 6 to 16 years old. See Sam Whitaker about registering kids. Help is needed at the event. Art Gakstatter is bringing his Viper!

Past Gov. Ron Donkers invited us to the District Meeting in West Lafayette on May 5th. Let him or Treasurer Jennifer Dorman know if you are going.

Bill Landrigan reminded us this weekend is the Knights of Columbus Tootsie Roll drive for Cardinal Services.

Chad Goon, Ryan Goon, Nate Stone, and Simon Stone sold tickets to the Octagon fundraiser breakfast at Baker Youth Club for BYC on May 5th from 7 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Cost is $6 at the door or $5 in advance. Kids ages 6 & under are $2.50. Advanced tickets can still be purchased at Today’s Headlines at 721 E Center St.

Fred Nieter asked us to donate books to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). The books need to be appropriate for ages 3 to 12 years old.

Please pray for our Troops and Families: LCpl Dan McNulty – Marines

Sergeants-at-Arms: Bob Jackson, James Nesbitt and Luke Becknell entertained us.
Jerry Titus is doing great after his decades long pre-scheduled tune up. He is good to go.
Josh Gordon is welcoming his 2nd daughter & is celebrating his 4th anniversary.
Jerry Clevenger was 1st Source Bank’s Citizen of the Year out of 78 1st Source Bank branches.
Trace Hansen’s son was inducted into the National Honor Society. He noticed Kristin Quick and Meredith Hollar there also.
Kathy Kurosky’s son, Nathan is Student of the Month.
Past Lt. Gov. Dr. David Haines invited us to the May 5th Chain of Lakes concert at Lakeview Middle School.
Correction: Dan Metzger WAS IN Boston. (no running)
President John Sullivan bought a familiar looking gavel.
Mayor Dr. Joe Thallemer’s table was fined for having no trees.
Dan Metzger is glad citizens are taking an interest in the school board.
50/50: Don Kenipe won $35.

Program:
Joan Younce, County Extension Director of Purdue Health & Human Resources talked to us about food and nutrition. 65% of Indiana adults are overweight and 30% of children between the ages of 10 and 17 in Indiana are overweight.

One tip is that the adults in a home should make conscious decisions about the food in the house. Then the children will choose how much of it to eat.

Another tip is that the families that eat together 4 nights a week or more have less drug abuse, less teen pregnancies, and more school graduations.

The new www.ChooseMyPlate.gov website has good food choice information. The main thing we are short of in our culture is fruits and vegetables.

Rich Haddad mentioned Milford’s Harvest with a Heart program is expanding the fresh produce available locally.

Rich also quoted Dr. Steve Hollar as saying sugared drinks are the biggest problem for kids today.