Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
God,
When we show our patriotism by pledging allegiance to our flag, help us to truly listen to what we are saying. Too often, we are just going through the motions. We do not act as “one nation under God,” and we struggle with “liberty and justice for all.” We put ourselves and our needs above You, what You expect of us, and what we pledge to be.
Lord, help us to strive to be better and do better. You and our nation deserve it.
Amen.
Get to Know Mark Karns
President Sarah Umbreit interviewed Mark Karns for this week’s “Get to Know a Member.”
- Salsa, guacamole, or queso for dipping tortilla chips: salsa.
- Favorite CNO memory: the holiday parties hosted by the Social Committee.
- One product he cannot live without: blueberries.
Mark joined CNO on April 18, 2019, sponsored by Jean Pummill.
Special Guest: Terry Schalnat, Immediate Past Governor of the Ohio District of Optimist International
Sarah Umbreit welcomed Terry Schalnat from the Kettering Noon Optimist Club. Terry is the Immediate Past Governor of the Ohio District of Optimist International and currently serves as the District Ambassador for the Optimist International Convention.
Terry encouraged members to register for the 2026 Optimist International Convention, June 28 to July 1, in Jacksonville, Florida. Optimist International President Tom Kendo is from the Kettering Dor-wood Optimist Club, and Terry asked for a strong turnout from the Ohio District. Early-bird registration has been extended; details and registration are available on the Optimist International website.
Terry also asked CNO members to consider stepping up at the District level. Governor-Elect Chuck Hillman still needs a Lieutenant Governor for our zone (which includes Centerville Noon, Springboro, Bellbrook, and Springfield) as well as a District Sergeant-at-Arms for the year beginning October 1, 2026. Interested members can contact Terry, Sarah Umbreit, or Chuck Hillman directly.
Announcements
Americana Parade Float
Sarah Umbreit reported that Gail Aiken was the first member to volunteer for this year’s Americana Parade Float, with Jack Pan and Tia Papp also signing up to ride along with their children. Sarah is still recruiting members, children, and grandchildren who would like to walk or ride on the float. She offered to teach first-timers how to wave.
Optimist 2.0
Sarah Umbreit announced that the next Optimist 2.0 meeting is Thursday, May 21, at 5:30 PM at Nelly’s. The speaker will be Karen King, Communications and Marketing Manager for Centerville-Washington History. She will share information about local history and current exhibits, including past Americana Festivals.
Americana Festival Booths
On behalf of Karen Charnesky and Andy Higgins, Sarah Umbreit announced that CNO will operate two booths at this year’s Americana Festival. The main CNO booth will focus on promoting the club, scholarships, free youth events, and the Avenue of Flags, with an emphasis on recruiting new members. The second booth, sponsored by the Youth Mental Health Initiative Committee, will be located near Benham’s Grove with the children’s activities and will revisit last year’s “what would you do without your phone for a day?” activity, tied to Wait Until 8th and Let Grow.
Two to three volunteers are needed throughout the day with shifts from 8 to 10 (setup), 10 to Noon, Noon to 2 PM, and 2 to 4 PM (including teardown), or any portion that fits a member’s schedule. Sign up using the Member Calendar or contact Karen or Andy with questions.
Fishing Derby
Bob Lawson announced that the Fishing Derby will be held Saturday, June 6, 2026. Volunteers are needed to handle registration, bait the worms, and weigh the fish. Sign up to help using the Member Calendar.
2026 Photography Contest Winners
Co-chairs Patrick Arehart and Roberta Taylor presented this year’s Photography Contest winners. They thanked judge Uriah Langmeyer for his work selecting the winners. As in past years, each entrant chose a verse from the Optimist Creed and submitted a photograph illustrating that verse.
You can view this year’s entries and winners at the CNO Photography Contest page.
Third Place: Kwame Tuffour
Kwame Tuffour, a 12th grader at Spring Valley Academy, took third place with his photograph “Ducks,” illustrating the Optimist Creed verse, “To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.” Kwame attended with his Photography teacher, Ms. May Thumper, and his friend Brandon.
Second Place: Aisleen Rosette
Aisleen Rosette, a 10th grader at Spring Valley Academy, took second place with her photograph “Parallel Happiness,” illustrating the Optimist Creed verse, “To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.” Aisleen was unable to attend the meeting.
First Place: Skylar Howell
Skylar Howell, a 10th grader at Centerville High School, took first place with her photograph “The Poetry of Nightfall in Autumn,” illustrating the Optimist Creed verse, “To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.” Skylar explained that in her photograph, dark clouds cover the moon, but the moon shines through brighter than the clouds surrounding it, a picture of a strong, settled mindset. Skylar attended with her parents, Sean and Heather Howell, and her Art teacher, Julie Armstrong.
Avenue of Flags Kickoff
Tom Novak, joined by Bob Burkman in costume as George Washington, kicked off this year’s Avenue of Flags program at today’s meeting.
Seven Flag Holidays and a 3,500+ Site Goal
Tom reminded members that AOF flags now fly for seven holidays: Memorial Day, Flag Day and Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day and Patriot Day, and Veterans Day. This week’s goal is to update all 3,500-plus flag sites so they are in the best possible condition for the Memorial Day display. Flag-site checks are happening all week; flag delivery follows in two weeks. Subscribers are not asked to do the flag-site checks. That work falls to club members and our partner volunteer teams.
A “Magic Wand” from George Washington
George Washington (Bob Burkman) presented Tom with a “magic wand,” the metal detector our flag-site and delivery teams use to find the buried sleeve at each flag site. Even with longitude and latitude in our route database for every address, sleeves can become covered over the winter, and the detector has been a game-changer for the team.
Who Covers the Routes
Tom shared a route map showing the club’s 107 flag routes and the recent split of the work. CNO members handle about 42% of routes; subscribers themselves handle the next-largest share at roughly 22%, a level of community outreach that grew naturally as subscribers got to know our volunteers in their yards. Partner teams cover the rest, including the VFW, Blue Star Mothers, the Centerville High School Wrestling Program (parents drive, the wrestlers help place flags, and the team earns volunteer hours), Boy Scout Troops 316 and 516, and the Knights of Columbus. Last year the wrestling program alone covered 17 routes.
How We Transport the Flags
Tom also walked through the various ways volunteers transport flags on delivery day. Trucks are best, then vans, then SUVs and other large vehicles, and Tom pointed out that just about anything that rolls will do. Bob Lawson, for example, has been known to hitch up his boat and press it into service as his AOF flag transport for the route. He reminded the club that placing a flag is not difficult, and that the small white stripe painted on the curb at each site, paired with the route sheet, makes it easy for volunteers to find the right spot.
Thank You to the AOF Helpers
Tom and Bob asked everyone who has helped on the Subscriber Renewal Team, the Flag Assembly Team, the Phone Call Renewal Helpers, the Flag Facility Team at Sinclair, or the Flag Delivery and Retrieval Teams to stand and be recognized, and the club gave them a round of applause. They closed with special thanks to database manager Diane Arehart, facility lead Jim Mogan (who practically sleeps at the AOF facility on Clyo Road), and Mike Brubaker for setting up and managing the database for so many years.
New Member Inductions
- Joyce Swiadek, Induction, sponsored by Judy McFadden.
Happy Bucks
- Gail Aiken was happy to be back in O-H-I-O after wintering away.
- Terry Schalnat gave $2 because she is optimistic that members of CNO will step up and volunteer at the District level for Chuck Hillman’s year as Governor, starting October 1, 2026.
- Fred Polizzi just returned from a great seven-day trip to Sedona with his son, who turned 40.
- Debe Dockins is happy that Skylar Howell’s first-place photograph will be on display at the Woodbourne Library beginning Friday.
- Stan Fronzaglia shared that his wife bet $5 at the Kentucky Derby and won $225.
- Tony Danial is happy that his Buffalo Sabres are in the second round of the NHL playoffs for the first time in 19 years; they play the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow night.
- Julie Walling Noeth wished a Happy Mother’s Day to all the young mothers and grandmothers in the club.
- Kelly George shared that today is her oldest son’s 30th birthday and that her youngest son passed his Firefighter II exam yesterday and has an interview next week to be a Firefighter EMT in Middletown.
- Debe Dockins is very happy to see Nancy Lehren back at meetings.
- Joan Cordonnier gave five happy bucks: she and her husband Mike celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary last weekend; Mike has 16 days of school left before retiring from CHS; she is happy to see Gail Aiken back; she is happy to see Nancy Lehren back; and she thanked Sarah for the Cinco de Mayo decorations and candy.
- Beth Duncan was happy that her friend Judy joined her at the meeting and gave a happy buck for the Photography Contest, thanking the students, the art teachers, and co-chairs Patrick Arehart and Roberta Taylor.
- Vida McDowell gave $5 in happy bucks. She thanked Connie Risch and the Social Committee for a wonderful Kentucky Derby Party with amazing food. Vida, Wanda Tapp and Joyce Fronzaglia shared horse-bidding tips at the party; Joyce won big and Vida won some.
- Don Stafford said the CNO Golf Outing is just over two months away on July 13, 2026, and he is happy to know everyone will be out pounding the pavement for sponsorships. Reach out to anyone who might be interested in sponsoring.
- Karl Frydryk celebrated his 42nd wedding anniversary with his wife Nancy. He proposed to her as Swale was crossing the finish line of the Kentucky Derby 42 years ago today.
- Mike Yoder reported that the John Kalaman Memorial Blood Drive last Monday was a success: 56 people donated, including a few CNO members. He thanked the community for coming together for the event.
- Sarah Umbreit paid $2 of preemptive happy bucks to retrieve her bell and gavel from the sergeants.
- Sarah Umbreit celebrates her 31st wedding anniversary with Jeff Umbreit tomorrow at the Centerville High School Got Talent finale at 6:30 PM, and she invited the club to join them.
Fines: Sergeants Jeff Busch and Mike Thonnerieux
New Sergeants-at-Arms Jeff Busch and Mike Thonnerieux took the floor for the first time this quarter, introducing themselves as “the Court Brothers, Kanga and Roo,” and reminding the club that in their court, “we’re always right, you’re always wrong, shut up and pay the buck.”
- Karl Frydryk was fined for making fun of Sergeant Jeff Busch in a crowded Kroger for not wearing his readers, and then running into Jeff with a shopping cart.
- Tony Danial (the previous Sergeant-at-Arms) was fined for not wearing his Optimist pin to today’s meeting. Tony pointed out that Sergeant Mike Thonnerieux was not wearing his pin either.
- Gail Aiken was fined for being away from the club for the last four months, a token “welcome back” fine.
- Cadance Lowell was fined for asking how much 50/50 tickets cost; if she does not know by now, she should pay extra.
- Dave Reiner was fined for showing up to an Optimist meeting in a shirt with paint on it, a little too sloppy.
- Terry Schalnat was fined despite being the special guest, for telling the club that being a District Sergeant-at-Arms is “a nothing job” while trying to recruit one.
Bob Burkman was fined for showing up dressed as a colonial TSA agent with a metal-detecting wand.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Julie Armstrong | Program |
| Skylar Howell | Program |
| Shawn Howell | Program |
| Heather Howell-Thomas | Program |
| Brandon Hernandez | Program |
| Carlina Figueroa | Mike Bevis |
| Hollie Macomber | Program |
| Judy Servis | Beth Duncan |
| Kwame Tuffour | Program |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Craig Dring | May 7, 1997 | 29 |
| Paul Bowell | May 8, 2000 | 26 |
| Dave Kay | May 8, 1992 | 34 |
Birthdays
| Lou Brinkman | May 6 |
| Tom Henderson | May 6 |
| Pam Miller | May 6 |
| Beth Duncan | May 9 |
| Julie Rado | May 9 |
| Jon Fox | May 10 |
| Jessica King | May 11 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
No Thank You Notes received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting