Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
Dear God,
As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, may we be reminded that while independence and self-reliance are things to be celebrated, You created us to be in communion with one another. Help us to remember we were each created with strengths and weaknesses, we were made to support and help one another, and there is strength in not only assisting others, but also in asking for and accepting it ourselves.
Amen.
Thank You, Sarah Umbreit
President Elect Sarah Umbreit led today’s meeting in place of President Paul Boeckman, who is in St. Louis for the Optimist International Convention. Determined not to misplace the bell and gavel, which Paul predicted in his weekly notes, Sarah took no chances. She even prepaid $3 in fines to ensure the bell and gavel would appear in any podium photos Beth Duncan took during the meeting.
Announcements
Volunteer Opportunity: Big Backyard Party on July 26, 2025
Erin Dickerson announced that the annual Big Backyard Party will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at Oak Grove Park. The Centerville Noon Optimist Club will run a fun fishing game using plastic fish. There will be no live fish, bait, or hooks. Members will also serve as club ambassadors during the event.
Volunteers are needed to help with the fishing game and to represent the club. Two-hour shifts are available between 10:45 AM and 2:15 PM. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
The event is sponsored by the Centerville-Washington Park District and offers a variety of hands-on activities for all ages and abilities, including inflatables, archery, field games, face painting, and more. It is a great opportunity to serve and have fun at the same time.
33rd Annual Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic
Mike Bevis asked for your help finding additional sponsors for the golf fundraiser. There is room for one more foursome to play. Additionally, Steve Rau is coordinating volunteers for the day of the event, July 14, 2025. Val Huff and Vida McDowell are collecting items for the silent auction gift baskets. Gift cards and creative donations are welcome. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
CNO 2.0 Meeting on July 17, 2025 – Community Service Project
Diane Arehart announced that the next CNO 2.0 meeting will be held at Zink’s and will feature a Crayons to Classrooms community service project. The group will be collecting school supplies to support local students. You can bring your donations to the meeting or drop them off at a regular lunch meeting beforehand.
Items needed are:
- Marker Packs (regular and dry erase)
- Colored Pencil Packs
- Pencils
- Crayons
- Children’s Scissors
- 70ct Spiral Notebooks
- Glue Sticks
- Filler Paper
- Pocket Folders
- Construction Paper
Safetyville Square 2025 is a Wrap
Bob Myers, speaking on behalf of Katie Calloway, shared that this year’s Safetyville Square has officially concluded after three weeks of running two sessions per day. He reported that the program went exceptionally well. A special highlight was the new traffic light, built as an Eagle Scout project, which turned out great. Thank you to everyone who helped make the program a success.
Americana 5K Thank You
Sarah Umbreit thanked co-chairs Jeff Umbreit and Greg Wasmund for helping organize the 5K on behalf of the Americana Festival. Of special note is that it takes three people to handle the role Joan Cordonnier used to manage on her own for many years. She also expressed appreciation to all the volunteers who helped distribute race packets ahead of time, as well as those who helped very early on race morning. Always a great team of volunteers and we are very grateful.
Annie Molnar Shares the Story Behind Molnar Family Lights
Bob Burkman introduced Annie Molnar, a part-time freelance graphic designer and owner of Molnar Designs. In addition to design, she provides IT support for several companies. Annie is a graduate of Centerville High School and Taylor University in Indiana, where she studied Christian Education with a focus on youth ministry.
Annie grew up in Centerville and lived there until her parents moved to Springboro while she was away at college. She joked that they made the move “without her permission.” Today, she lives in Springboro with her husband and two children. Her daughter is currently attending Taylor University, and her son is at Miami University. Annie shared that she would do her best to be optimistic during her talk, though she admitted she tends to be a natural pessimist.
Her earliest interest in design began in elementary school when she noticed the alligator logo on an Izod shirt. That sparked an awareness of branding and visual storytelling. Despite earning a degree in Christian Education, Annie’s skills in design are self-taught. She spent several years at Fairhaven Church, first as the Junior High Director and later as the Multimedia Director, creating video highlights, promotional graphics, and themed materials for youth programs. That experience fueled her love of using visuals to connect with others.
She explained how graphic design has changed with the emergence of new tools. In the past, she would spend hours online searching for the right image or clip. Now, with tools like ChatGPT, she can generate custom images in minutes. She showed us one funny example where her family asked the AI to place her husband on a dinosaur—then asked to make the image patriotic. You can find the slides here.
In 2000, Annie and her husband visited Disney World on their honeymoon and were mesmerized by the nightly projection mapping during the fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. They dreamed of creating a similar experience at home, but didn’t have access to Disney’s $100,000 projectors. Several years later, with a used projector from eBay, a collection of discounted white lights, and a lot of trial and error, Molnar Family Lights was born in 2010.
Their first show was basic: lights synchronized to music broadcast on a low-power FM station so cars could tune in. They housed their projector in a weatherproof box, found control software developed by a college student who needed a project, and slowly upgraded their setup year after year.
Today, the display includes full-house projection mapping, side screens, RGB lights each with 16 million color combinations, fog machines, and even reindeer on the roof. They introduced a Halloween show in 2020 with both kid-friendly and spookier versions, added a Veterans Day tribute in 2021, and their Christmas show has become a local favorite. Annie’s husband even performs live guitar as Santa during some shows.
The full-length performance runs about 18 minutes and draws an estimated 9,000 to 10,000 people each season. Families come from all over the region, including those with special needs children who can enjoy the show safely from inside their vehicles. Annie said some visitors return year after year as part of their family holiday traditions, and some large groups have arrived on buses.
It hasn’t always been smooth. They’ve dealt with burnt-out equipment, tangled lights, chewed wiring, and the occasional prop fire. But they keep going. The couple now begins prep in September to ease the seasonal crunch, rolling out Halloween in mid-October, a Veterans tribute the week of November 11, and the Christmas show through the end of the year.
You can visit Molnar Family Lights at 620 Reed Road in Springboro, Ohio. The Halloween show typically starts around mid-October. A full-length video of the 2024 display can be found on YouTube. For more photos, videos, and updates, search for Molnar Family Lights on Facebook.
Thank You
Thank you, Annie, for showing us how a creative spark, paired with dedication, can become a meaningful tradition that brings joy and light to thousands.
Slides
View Annie Molnar’s presentation slides here.
President Paul’s Quote of the Week
“We must dare to be great, and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.” – Teddy Roosevelt
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Annie Molnar | Speaker |
| Emma Grom | Larry England |
| Greyson Curry | Theresa Curry |
| Jack Grom | Larry England |
| John Grom | Lary England |
| Michelle Willey | Melanie Asbel |
| Stacy Grom | Larry England |
New Member Readings and Inductions
No Readings nor Inductions this week.
Happy Bucks
| Member | Reason |
| Kristen Marks | She thanked CNO for its donation to fund a Universal changing table at Oak Grove Park where TOP soccer is played each year. The tables are designed to support older children and adults with developmental disabilities, medical conditions, or other special needs that require incontinence care. These tables provide a private, safe and dignified space for individuals to manage their personal hygiene needs. |
| Vida McDowell | She and Val Huff are happy that Lacy Owens, Julie Walling Noeth, and Kathy Rearick have created baskets for the silent auction at the golf fundraiser. She said they have lots of empty baskets that members can use to make baskets for the golf silent auction. |
| Greg Wasmund | He is thankful for the Universal Changing table at Oak Grove Park that will be a wonderful help for TOP Soccer. |
| Michael Horton | He’s heading to Orlando for an AAU basketball tournament. He said it’s a great opportunity for the team. |
| Sarah Umbreit | She is happy there is photo evidence to show Paul Boeckman that she protected the Bell and Gavel even though he was sure she would lose them today! |
| Annie Molnar | Annie Molnar was today’s speaker and was inspired to give a Happy Buck because she feels so happy being around all of the Optimistic CNO members today. |
Sergeants at Arms – Guest Sergeants – Larry England and Don Kelley
| Member | Infraction |
| Scott Langer | He was being too good today by not trying to steal the bell and gavel and he was on time to the meeting. |
| Bob Duffy | Bob Duffy was assisting Art Hung to find his name badge alphabetically implying that Art doesn’t know how to spell his own name. |
| Diane Arehart | She bought a single 50/50 ticket with a $20 bill. Sergeant Larry England said that she was testing his math skills. |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Sara Hemmeter | July 1, 2014 | 11 |
| Roy Barclay | July 1, 1986 | 39 |
| Mark Scarpino | July 2, 2018 | 7 |
| Jeff Umbreit | July 2, 2018 | 7 |
| Andy Harmon | July 2, 2018 | 7 |
| Diane Arehart | July 5, 2016 | 9 |
| Thomas Wagner | July 5, 2024 | 1 |
Birthdays
| John Speers | July 4 |
| John Carroll | July 5 |
| Christopher Mackey | July 5 |
| Bob Lawson | July 6 |
| Cris Peterson | July 6 |
| Mark Scarpino | July 6 |
CNO Donations – Since 2013
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received this Week
CLICK HERE to see This Week’s Thank You Notes
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slides from this week’s meeting