Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Future Dates
10/28 Spooktakular
10/29 District Meeting
11/1 How Meth affects out community
11/2 Nathan Hooley/DNR & canned food drive
11/3 Community Education Event
11/4 Education Summit
11/4 Invisible Children
11/4 Grace College Community Wind Ensemble
11/9 Veterans Day Program/Optimist Singers & canned food drive
11/11 CASA Holiday Festival
11/11 & 12 Hoops for Hope
11/16 Lindsay Best/Big Brothers-Big Sisters & canned food drive
11/23 Cub Scout cake auction
11/30 Steve Miller / KCH
12/7 Chris Harrison / Indiana American Water
12/21 Optimist Singers
12/28 White Elephant auction
5/20/12 Car Show
06/23/12 Triathlon
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
>>>>OPENING
76 Optimists & 8 guests attended our meeting. Bill Katip was the guest of Pete Gano; Richard Tuttle was the guest of Ot Schroeder; Keith Sampson was the guest of Everett Nifong; Roland Kramer was the guest of Henry Church; Tammy Stackhouse, Brett Boggs, Cindy Cates, & Jeremiah Heierman were the guests of Trina Hoy.
Door Greeters: Dr. Steven Hollar & Dr. Charles Hollar.
Prayer was offered by Fred Nieter.
Pledge was given to the American Flag.
Promise yourself was said in unison.
Birthday Honorees: Harry Gigous. Martin Becker led our Optimist Singers in the birthday song with great results.
>>>> INFORMATION
Prayer: Pete Gano’s daughter. Ron Manahan’s wife.
Membership: Past Lt. Gov. Dr. David Haines inducted Alan Grossnickle. Sam Whitaker read Bill Katip’s & Richard Tuttle’s applications. Pete Gano is sponsoring Al & Bill. Ot Schroeder is sponsoring Richard.
Sherriff of Attendance, Bill Landrigan, deputized Harry Gigous.
Bruce Hansen presented a $500 check to Tammy Stackhouse for the new inclement weather building for Magical Meadows. Dr. Dane & Mary Louise Miller are matching up to $60,000. Magical Meadows needs more $100 donations. They help kids with disabilities to develop their core as they ride horses.
Angie Tom reminded us that 1000 kids came to our Spooktakular last year. This year it will be Friday Oct. 28 at the Courthouse. Registration for the Costume Contest is from 5:30 to 6 p.m. Trick or Treat is from 6 to 7 p.m. Costume Judging is from 7 p.m. on. Volunteers are needed to keep the kids safe. Show up when you can after 4:30 p.m.
Vice-President, Angie Tom, reminded us that Christmas is coming. This means the Santa House is coming. Keep the set-up, take-down & operation in mind. It will be open Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays.
Lt. Gov. Sam Whitaker announced our district meeting at Hall’s Guesthouse in Fort Wayne on Oct. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Contact Jennifer Dorman or John Sullivan if you are going.
Luke Becknell announced we have an upcoming canned food drive. Next week we should start bringing canned food or donations.
Past Lt. Gov. Jim Reeve reported that even though we stopped sellingChristmas Trees, Charles Neuwirth donated $5 per tree that Kroger sold last year. We made over $1000 with no investment. Charles is willing to order Christmas Trees this year, if we will set up & work the display. Contact Jim if you are interested.
Past Pres. Bob Jackson & Coach Jim Kessler reported Hoops for Hope will be November 11 & 12. Friday there are 4 games starting between 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday there are 4 more games starting between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Proceeds go to the Kosciusko County Cancer Care Fund to help local families fighting cancer. Tickets are $5. Sponsorships are needed at the $500 gold, $250 pink, & $100 orange levels.
Keith Sampson invited everyone to a free Frontline Tour film about Invisible Children on November 4th at 7 p.m. at Lakeview Auditorium. Children are abducted in Uganda, the Congo, Central African Republic, & southern Sudan. Three college aged guys are changing this situation. The promo video can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Tony Ciriello invited us to the November 1st presentation about how Meth affects our community. Recovering addicts will share their experiences. It is at 6:30 p.m. at Center Lake Pavilion.
Past Pres. George Brennan invited us to the CASA Holiday Festival fundraiser on Nov. 11, 2011 at the Biomet Hanger from 6 to 10 p.m. There will be a silent auction in addition to the wines, beers, liqueurs, coffees, & hors D’ Oeuvres.
Song Leader, Martin Becker invited us to a free Grace College Community Wind Ensemble fall concert at 7 p.m. on Friday, November 4th at Rodeheaver. The theme is portraits.
Trina Hoy invited us to nominate club members for the Chamber of Commerce Awards. Several of our members have been Man of the Year or Woman of the Year. Nomination forms are at the back table.
Please pray for our Troops and Families: Col John Schumacher – Army – Endorsing Agent
Sergeants-at-Arms: Luke Becknell, James Nesbitt, & Bob Jackson entertained us. We celebrated Joe Thallemer’s solidness. Bart Templeton was recognized for driving down from Middlebury each week. Troy Akers & Tracy Horrell were recognized for the high attendance at their schools. Judge Joe Sutton paid $2 to sit down. Dr. Steve Hollar reported that the Greek economy is not doing well. While he was there, everything was shut down. Brett Boggs reported on the new “landscaping” wind turbine at Tippecanoe Valley. Al Grossnickle reported that even with this year of 22% growth in enrollment, Grace has a low increase in tuition.
Luke Becknell won $27.50 in our 50/50.
The speaker at the Community Event and Education Summit is Dr. Patrick Carr, co-author of Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America. The problem is that we sometimes convey that “to be successful, our best and brightest must leave the community.” One of the solutions is to not just ask our children “what” they want to be when they grow up, but to also ask “where” they want to be.
Dr. Carr’s book will also be the Community Book Read this year.
Kosciusko Literacy Services is giving books to parents of families that are under 150% of the poverty level. They are encouraging parents to read to their children and to see themselves as their children’s first teacher. We know that children whose parents are involved with their educations do much better in school.
Kosciusko Literacy Services can be found at kcread.org and also in the old Madison Elementary School.
