Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Life is unfair. While some of your children seem to never be able to catch a break, others appear to skate through life with only minor bumps and bruises. We may struggle to understand why and keep faith, but deep down we know you love and care for us all. Help us to serve as examples of your love and light, not only for our own sake, but for the sake of others.
Amen.
Get to Know Beth Duncan
President Sarah Umbreit interviewed Beth Duncan for this week’s Get to Know a Member.
- Favorite local restaurant: Beth has many favorites, but her newest is Mudlick Tap House.
- Something she thought was cool when younger but now realizes was not: knee surgery.
- First album purchased: Journey, on vinyl.
Beth Duncan joined CNO on November 20, 2016, and was sponsored by Bill Stone.
Announcements
Trout Stocking at the Rec Center
Bob Lawson shared that 600 trout will be stocked in one of the ponds on Thursday, April 9. Anglers can take home up to five per day.
Safety on Wheels
Steve Mays is looking for volunteers for Safety on Wheels on Sunday, May 17 at Forest Field. The kids bring their bikes and scooters out for an afternoon of fun. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
Regional Oratorical Contest
Debe Dockins reminded everyone about the regional contest on Wednesday, April 15 at the Woodbourne Library. Arrive no later than 5:45 p.m. Five speakers will compete, including two from Centerville.
Childhood Health and Wellness Emergency Kits
Carol Smerz announced the Childhood Health and Wellness Committee will assemble 100 emergency kits for Daybreak, the homeless youth center in Dayton, on Wednesday, April 8 at her house. Anyone who would like to help is welcome.
Primary Village North Summer Reading Fair
Andy Higgins is looking for a couple of volunteers for next Thursday around 5:00 p.m. to represent the Wait Until 8th program, which encourages parents to delay smartphones for their kids until ninth grade.
Avenue of Flags Renewal Update
Tom Novak shared that renewals have hit the 80% mark. About 235 subscribers have not opened their renewal emails despite three attempts, so the committee has launched a phone campaign to reach them before flag route checks begin May 1.
Optimist 2.0 Kits of Hope Service Project
Sarah Umbreit announced that the next Optimist 2.0 meeting on Thursday, April 16 will be a student-led Kits of Hope service project. The Centerville High School senior who founded the program will share about it and lead a service project with the group. Items needed include hand sanitizer, travel-sized tissue packs, antiseptic wipes, masks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and stickers. Contact Connie Risch if you can donate but cannot attend the meeting.
Visual Arts Contest 2026
Jane Fiehrer and Rachael Goetz introduced this year’s Visual Arts Contest winners. The annual competition is open to children who live or attend school in the Centerville–Washington Township area, with two age categories and three winners in each. The winner of each category advances to the international competition, with results expected by June. This year’s theme was “Be Bold, Be the Change.” Students were asked to create an 8.5×11 piece in any medium reflecting hope and positivity, and participation was phenomenal.
A special thank you to Debe Dockins for arranging to have the winning artwork displayed at the Woodbourne Library.
Age 7 and Younger
- 1st Place ($125): Williamette Zhou, age 8, John Hole Elementary
- 2nd Place ($60): Theo Chima, age 6.5
- 3rd Place ($25): Molly Collins, age 5, Primary Village South
Age 8 to 11
- 1st Place ($125): Grace Marshall, age 11, Tower Heights Elementary
- 2nd Place ($60): Eleanor Lindsey, age 11, Normandy Elementary
- 3rd Place ($25): Dean Kruse, age 11, Spring Valley Academy
Art teachers for each of the 6 winners also received prize money for their classroom. Thank you to all the students, families, and teachers for supporting these young artists and giving them the courage to participate.
Pictures of the Art
You can view the slide deck of the Art here.
Election Process for 2026–2027 Leadership Team Begins
Sarah Umbreit introduced Club Secretary Jean Pummill, who presented the first of three scheduled readings of the slate of nominees for the 2026–2027 Optimist year, which begins October 1. The Nomination Committee is comprised of 32 past presidents, the current President, and President-Elect Greg Wasmund. Together they help Greg select the nominees who will lead the club. The full slate will be read for three weeks, with a motion to approve on the fourth week. Members may bring nominations from the floor at any of the readings.
Nominees for 2026–2027
- President-Elect: Jane Fiehrer
Vice Presidents:
- Greg Hoffbauer
- Steve Rau
Board of Directors (Two-Year Term):
- Tony Danial
- Craig Dring
- Debby Moore
- Sam Routsong
- Fran Sheehan
Current Board Members Finishing Their Second Term (not voted on, joining the nominees for their final year):
- Cameron Langer
- Stephanie Llacuna
- Kristen Passidomo
- Sam Pfabe
- Don Stafford
Other Roles:
- Immediate Past President: Sarah Umbreit
- Past President Representative: Greg Griffin (selected by President-Elect Greg Wasmund)
- Treasurer: Jeff Umbreit (selected by President-Elect Greg Wasmund)
- Secretary: Jean Pummill (selected by President-Elect Greg Wasmund)
As Jean noted in her remarks, the Past President Representative, Treasurer, and Secretary are chosen at the discretion of the incoming President rather than nominated by committee. Sarah Umbreit will become Immediate Past President when Greg’s year begins.
Four of this year’s nominees, Jane Fiehrer, Greg Hoffbauer, Steve Rau, and Tony Danial, spoke at the April 7 meeting to introduce themselves. Jeff Umbreit, selected by President-Elect Greg Wasmund to serve as the club’s next Treasurer, also shared a few words about his background. Their remarks are summarized below. The remaining board nominees will speak at next week’s meeting.
Jane Fiehrer, President-Elect
Jane has been a member of CNO for 28 years and said that at a certain point it was time to step up. She has a deep passion for the club’s simple but valuable mission of helping kids. Her favorite Optimist program is the Avenue of Flags. When it started, she thought it would never fly, but with a perfect military community and charitable hearts, it earns crazy amounts of money that goes straight back to the kids. Past experiences that might benefit her include co-captain of the drill team at Ashland High School, captain of the gymnastics team at Miami University, lifeguard, secret shopper for JC Penney, and Mary Kay Cosmetics rep (not a good one, no pink car). She also holds a black belt in Taekwondo. Her favorite color is pink, favorite foods are pasta and cookies, favorite band is Queen, and favorite club is the Centerville Noon Optimist Club.
Greg Hoffbauer, Vice President
Greg has been a member for over three years and said it has been a great experience getting to know everyone and helping the community. Being on the Board of Directors the past year and a half has given him a fascinating behind-the-scenes view of how the club operates and gives money away. When invited to be nominated for Vice President, he saw it as a logical next step. Greg serves on the Finance Committee and brings a Finance and Accounting background, including roles as Treasurer and Past President of the Boonshoft Museum and chair of several charter schools. He looks forward to bringing his nonprofit experience to bear in service to the club.
Steve Rau, Vice President
Steve opened with a story about an egg hunt he attended in Arlington, Virginia over the weekend, noting that while it was at least as big as ours, it was nowhere near as organized. He thanked the Nominating Committee and said he accepted Paul Beckman’s call without hesitation. Steve was raised in Kettering, has lived in Centerville for 40 years, graduated from Alter High School, and earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Dayton. He has been married to Joanne for nearly 44 years, with three children and four grandchildren. After a 44-year engineering career at companies including Monsanto and Formica, Steve is currently co-chair of the Golf Committee, working to make the Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth golf outing a huge success. He said the two best things about CNO are its support of youth and the friendships made along the way.
Tony Danial, Board of Directors
Tony said that 18 months ago he stood in front of the club and took the new member pledge, and never in his wildest dreams imagined he would be on the Board of Directors so quickly. He earned the Gray Hair Rookie of the Year award in his first year by saying yes to events. He and his wife Arlene moved to Centerville two and a half years ago from Buffalo, New York, knowing very few people, and the club has been a wonderful way to meet people. He has participated in Avenue of Flags for three years, helped with the Christmas tree lot, and served on the Golf Committee. When Greg Wasmund called, he did not have to think about it, though he noted he turned down the Sergeant role twice. Tony has served as Past President and Treasurer of many community organizations in the towns he has lived in, and gratefully accepts this nomination.
Jeff Umbreit, Treasurer
Jeff was born and raised in Dayton, attended Bishop Leibold School, graduated from West Carrollton High School in 1989, and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Wright State University in 1994. He has been a licensed CPA since 1999 and has spent the past 14 years as CFO of a small research and development company in Beavercreek. He also runs a small Accounting and Tax practice he started in 1995. Jeff has served as Treasurer of the Incarnation PTO, on the church Finance Committee for six years, and as Treasurer of the Centerville High School Athletic Boosters for six years. He joined CNO in 2018, served three years as Treasurer of the Ohio District (followed by his wife serving three years), and is currently in his last year as District Treasurer. He has also served as Treasurer for the Ohio South Optimist International Junior Golf Championship qualifying event. Jeff said Treasurer roles have followed him throughout his adult life, and what he has always enjoyed is helping others do the real work without having to worry about the money. He is honored by the nomination and looks forward to providing steady, reliable financial stewardship.
Thank you to Jean for organizing the nominees and to all the candidates who have stepped up to lead the club forward. The remaining board nominees will speak next week.
New Member Readings and Inductions
None this week.
Happy Bucks and Fines – Sergeants Tony Danial and Don Stafford
In keeping with the visual arts theme, Tony ran a blanket collection that served as both a Happy Buck and a Fine. Anyone who, as a kid, had ever participated in an Oratorical Contest, Visual Arts Contest, Photography Contest, Talent Show, Essay Contest, Scholarship Competition, or Instrumental Recital was asked to stand and pay a dollar, happy for the experience. Everyone who remained seated was fined a dollar for not having participated. A representative from each table collected the money.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Barbara Campbell | Visual Arts Contest |
| Richard Campbell | Visual Arts Contest |
| Mengwan Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| Nicholas Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| MaryLou Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| Theo Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| Lance Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| Noelle Chima | Visual Arts Contest |
| Kristin Collins | Visual Arts Contest |
| Molly Collins | Visual Arts Contest |
| Jordan Collins | Visual Arts Contest |
| Richard Campbell | Visual Arts Contest |
| Junfang He | Visual Arts Contest |
| Adam Kruse | Visual Arts Contest |
| Felicia Kruse | Visual Arts Contest |
| Dean Kruse | Visual Arts Contest |
| Jeff Lindsay | Visual Arts Contest |
| Eleanor Lindsay | Visual Arts Contest |
| Jon Marshall | Visual Arts Contest |
| Ashley Marshall | Visual Arts Contest |
| Grace Marshall | Visual Arts Contest |
| Elizabeth Miller | Visual Arts Contest |
| Lisa Ovenden | Visual Arts Contest |
| Rockson Zhou | Visual Arts Contest |
| Fangshi Zhou | Visual Arts Contest |
| Willamette Zhou | Visual Arts Contest |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Jane Herman | April 10, 2024 | 2 |
| Judy Johnson | April 11, 2022 | 4 |
| Ron Tinnerman | April 11, 2005 | 21 |
| Byron Wade | April 13, 2024 | 2 |
Birthdays
| McKenzie Morin | April 7 |
| Scott Hertenstein | April 7 |
| Mike Newkirk | April 7 |
| Erin Belangia-Sanchez | April 9 |
| Steve Kohls | April 12 |
| Rick Talda | April 13 |
| Berneta Daley | April 13 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
No Thank You Notes we received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting