Bob Burkman’s Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the annual transition from spring to summer. Thank You for the flowers that showed us Your artistry and for the sunshine that now reminds us where we might have left our sunglasses. As the days grow longer and the temperatures climb higher, grant us patience with lawn mowing, wisdom with sunscreen and mercy when we complain about the heat after spending all winter wishing freezing temperatures away.
Bless our picnics, vacations and backyard gatherings. May we enjoy Your creation, laugh often and remember that every season is a gift from You.
Amen.
Get to Know Tim Clemmer
President Sarah Umbreit interviewed Tim Clemmer for this week’s “Get to Know a Member.”
- At a summer barbecue, Tim grabs both a hot dog and a hamburger, usually one of each.
- His first summer job was painting and dragging piping out from beneath buildings 4 and 6 at the Harris Semiconductor plant in Melbourne, Florida, structures built in the 1960s that no one wanted to go under, where he had to watch out for sulfuric acid and worked in company-issued coveralls. When people asked why he took it, his standard reply was that it seemed like a good idea at the time.
- Asked what he had vowed never to do again, Tim did not have an answer, but he noted that the summer job had at least convinced him to get an education so he would not have to do that kind of work again.
Tim Clemmer joined CNO on November 16, 2001, sponsored by Ron Pinkowski.
Announcements
Americana Booth Assembly
Sarah Umbreit, on behalf of Karen Charnesky, announced that Karen needs help assembling the giveaways for the Americana booth, so anyone who can stay after next week’s meeting to help would be appreciated.
Americana 5K Volunteers
Sarah Umbreit still needs morning help on the day of the Americana 5K race. Volunteers should plan to arrive at 6:30 AM at the stadium, where the work mostly involves moving water and tables into place for the runners, and the morning usually wraps up around 9:30 AM. Anyone who can give even part of that time is welcome.
Americana Parade Float
Sarah Umbreit is also looking for members to ride or walk with the CNO float in the Americana parade, which kicks off at 10 AM. Members are encouraged to wear their Optimist gear, and Sarah will share the meeting place and time once she has them. Please let her know if you would like to take part.
CNO 2.0 at Heavier than Air Brewing
This month’s CNO 2.0 evening meeting will be held Thursday, June 18, at 5:30 PM at Heavier than Air Brewing Company. Our own Liz Fultz, Director of the Washington-Centerville Public Library, will speak about the renovations underway at the Centerville Library. Liz is also a club member, so please come out and support her.
CNO Family Picnic
Sarah Umbreit repeated last week’s announcement about the club’s family picnic, set for Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM at the Optimist Shelter in Oak Grove Park. The picnic is free, and members are asked to bring an appetizer, side dish or dessert to share. There will be games, and families and guests are welcome. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
Golf Outing Volunteers Needed
Steve Rau reported that the Golf Outing is approaching on July 13, 2026, and the committee could use about five more volunteers, particularly for the afternoon. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
Updated Marketing Materials
Mike Bevis shared that the marketing committee has refreshed the club’s business card, welcome guide, and postcard describing what CNO does, and encouraged members to keep a few on hand to share with people they meet. He offered an example from putting out flags the week before, when a passerby noticed his Optimist shirt, asked how to get a flag, and ended up connected with the club.
Americana Booths
Andy Higgins reported that the club’s two Americana booths are coming together but still need a volunteer or two, and he is especially looking for help with the middle sessions in the late morning and early afternoon. He noted that Mike Thonnerieux signed up for three shifts, including setup, teardown, and a shift during the day, and encouraged members to sign up so they can give him a break.
Avenue of Flags
Tom Novak asked members to help spot flags around the community that are worn, torn, or leaning, so the team can repair, replace, or straighten them before the Fourth of July. He is listed in the club directory and welcomes a call about any flag that needs attention.
Violence Free Futures
Jane Fiehrer introduced the afternoon’s speaker, Celeste Hurley, the CEO of Violence Free Futures. Celeste holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from Ohio University and has nearly nine years of experience with the organization, where she has worked in prevention, case management, advocacy, and counseling. She began there as an intern and stayed, she said, because the work matters. Celeste was joined by Carolyn Destefani, a member of the Violence Free Futures Board of Directors.
About Violence Free Futures
Celeste explained that Violence Free Futures, formerly the Family Violence Prevention Center, rebranded in 2023 but has served the community since 1979, growing and relocating several times along the way. The organization is based in Xenia at 380 Bellbrook Avenue and is supported by a staff of about 30 and a board of roughly 13 members. Its mission is to bring hope and healing to anyone impacted by domestic or sexual violence. Although the agency primarily serves Greene County and draws much of its funding and partnerships there, Celeste noted that safety comes first, so the team does not turn people away and recently took in someone from out of state who was fleeing to put distance between herself and the person harming her.
A 24-Hour Helpline
The organization’s 24-hour helpline, 937.426.2334, is often a survivor’s first point of contact and is answered by trained Crisis Support Advocates. Celeste said friends and family members also call, sometimes simply to say they are worried about someone and cannot see the next step. The staff are trained to make it a kind and gentle space to ask questions and talk through what someone is going through.
Partnership with Law Enforcement
Violence Free Futures partners with the Xenia Police Department, which has a detective on site. When a domestic violence incident occurs in Xenia, the detective and a victim advocate respond together to provide resources and support at the scene. When an advocate is not on duty, she follows up by phone to make sure the survivor gets help, and sometimes that connection leads to a stay in the safe house.
The Safe House
The organization’s central program is its 32-bed safe house, which on the day of the meeting was sheltering 37 individuals, including 23 children. The agency can serve beyond its bed count by adding cribs and toddler beds for families with young children. In 2025 the safe house housed 229 individuals, roughly half of them children. The property is secured by a gated perimeter, and the buildings require key-badge access or a buzz-in, because residents are only physically safe within those gates. The agency serves men as well, though most residents are mothers with children.
Celeste described how domestic violence strains the bond between a safe parent and their children, especially when an abusive parent has told the children not to listen to that parent. The team works to reassure these parents that they are doing a good job under very hard circumstances. She shared that while she was speaking to the club, the safe house residents and their children were out at Young’s Jersey Dairy as part of the agency’s summer fun program, enjoying ice cream and feeding the goats.
A Pet-Friendly Shelter
One of the safe house’s most distinctive features is that it accepts pets, which only about 19 to 20 percent of Ohio shelters do. With the help of a 2022 grant from Red Rover, the agency built a pet room with kennels and a washing station, provides pet food, and maintains a fund for veterinary care. Celeste explained that the inability to bring a pet is one of the major barriers that keeps survivors from leaving, since many fear the abuser will turn their anger on the animal.
Meeting Daily Needs
The safe house provides three meals a day plus snacks from a full commercial kitchen, along with on-site laundry, so that a survivor who does not want to leave the building for a few weeks can have every need met.
Supporting Child Development
Celeste emphasized that a parent’s stress level has a direct effect on a child, even during pregnancy. She recalled counseling a mother whose two-year-old had been significantly affected by the home environment despite never directly witnessing violence, and who pursued speech, physical, occupational, and behavioral therapy to help him. To support this work, the agency has a child development advocate who sets up intentional play time for children to practice developmental skills while their parents attend counseling, case management, or groups.
Counseling, Case Management, and an Outreach Campus
Violence Free Futures offers case management and counseling for ages four and up, both at the safe house and through outreach. In 2024 it opened an outreach campus about 1.2 miles from the safe house, which lets people access services without living in the shelter and adds privacy for those who do. Celeste recognized two longtime staff members. Cherie Dixon, who has been with the agency for 23 years and in the counseling field for 30, focuses on the emotional work of acknowledging the end of an abusive relationship, while Sarah Burke, who has served for 19 years, handles case management and the financial and housing barriers that stand between a survivor and independence.
Sexual Assault Response
The agency also has a sexual assault response advocate who provides around-the-clock support at local hospitals in Greene County. When a survivor arrives at the hospital after an assault, the advocate is there to help them slow down, understand what doctors and nurses are saying, and ask questions, putting the power back in their hands. The same advocate works with Title IX offices and offers prevention programming on local college campuses.
Prevention in the Schools
The prevention team, which the club’s recent donation helped support, reaches every middle school and high school in Greene County, about 15 high schools in all. Anna leads conversations with students about healthy relationships, while Katelyn works in the county’s juvenile courts, talking with young people about what they can and cannot control, from students with truancy issues to youth in a rehabilitation center for serious offenses. Celeste said it is far easier to address harmful beliefs with a 13-year-old than with an adult who has held them for decades, pointing to ideas about respect and disrespect that can open the door to mistreatment.
Batterers Intervention
The agency also runs a batterers intervention program that has operated for about 20 years. The 15-week virtual group serves individuals charged with domestic violence and works alongside their probation officers. Celeste said it is not the same as an anger management class, because it gets at core beliefs, and that nearly all of the participants were themselves victims of abuse as children.
The Survivors First Framework
Celeste described the Survivors First Framework that guides the organization. First, survivors are the experts of their own lives, so the team seeks out their feedback on how best to serve the community. Second, every decision is filtered through a survivor-centered lens, which keeps the people the agency serves at the forefront of board and strategic planning decisions.
How You Can Help
Celeste outlined several ways to support Violence Free Futures, from monetary gifts to in-kind opportunities such as volunteering and requesting a speaker. She highlighted an easy one: if you drop off donations at Goodwill and save the receipt, you can mail or deliver it to the agency, which turns those receipts into vouchers through a partnership with Goodwill so residents can choose their own clothing and household items. She thanked the club for its donation to the prevention program and pointed members to the organization’s website, which includes an escape button that hides the page from a browser’s search history for anyone who needs to leave the site quickly.
Upcoming Events
Celeste mentioned two upcoming events. Purses and Pastries, one of the agency’s major fundraisers, will be held on September 26, 2026, from 11 AM to 1:30 PM at Sunset Ridge Lavender Farm in Enon, with tickets at $50 and a raffle of many purses. In October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the agency will hold its candlelight vigil at The Greene Town Center in Beavercreek at 6 PM on Monday, October 5, where a survivor’s story is shared and the community pauses to reflect. She added that the spring fundraiser, the Spring Fling, raised $120,000 this April.
Questions from the Club
Asked about the average length of stay, Celeste said it is about five to six months, with the goal of preparing residents to leave rather than keeping them indefinitely, since there is always urgent demand for space. To help survivors move on, the agency has some funding for rent and connects them with the local housing authority for Section 8 vouchers, aiming for a permanent housing plan and improved finances by the time they leave. Asked how school-age children continue their education, Celeste explained that under the McKinney-Vento Act a child has the right to an education, and both the child’s home school and the district where the shelter is located share an obligation to arrange transportation. Many families choose to keep children in their original school for stability, and the agency advocates with school systems to make that work, in one case arranging a van that traveled 45 minutes each way.
Slides
These are the slides from Celeste’s presentation, and they include a number of photos. You can view the slide deck of the presentation here.
Thank You
Thank you, Celeste, for educating us about the work of Violence Free Futures and the support it provides to survivors in our community.
New Member Readings and Inductions
- Augustina DeLeon, Second Reading, sponsored by Jean Pummill.
- Niel McKinley, Third Reading, sponsored by Ron Tinnerman.
Happy Bucks
- Jesse Gaither gave a happy buck for new members Augustina DeLeon and Niel McKinley, saying the club could not ask for better new members.
- Jesse Gaither also cheered on those competing in the pie eating contest at the Americana fireworks, including fellow Optimists Jon Wesney, Mike Thonnerieux, and Brooks Compton, along with Teri Herbstreit representing the Washington-Centerville Public Library, and encouraged members to come watch.
- Tom Novak asked members to text him if they can help build or deliver flags.
- Andy Higgins encouraged everyone to watch the West Virginia Mountaineers in their College World Series elimination game that afternoon, noting they pulled off a steal of home that had not been seen in 26 years and are powered by a local player, Matthew Gravelin.
Sergeants-at-Arms Fines: Charlie Goodwin and Paul Stull
There was no time for fines this week.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Alan Bair | Matt Goeke |
| Augustina DeLeon | Jean Pummill |
| Carolyn Destefani | Guest |
| Celeste Hurley | Speaker |
| Leila | Erin Giffin |
| Niel McKinley | Jesse Gaither |
| Judge Patricia Campbell | Jim Long |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Sam Pfabe | June 17, 2015 | 11 |
| Denise Green | June 19, 2013 | 13 |
| Kathy Linder | June 19, 2019 | 7 |
| Michelle Tagliamonte | June 19, 2019 | 7 |
| Wes Cleaves | June 22, 1993 | 33 |
Birthdays
| Deanna Nesbit | June 16 |
| Ron Kuker | June 19 |
| Daniel France | June 20 |
| Deb Ulrich | June 22 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
CLICK HERE to see the Thank You Notes received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting