Bob Burkman’s Prayer
Gracious Lord,
We thank You for the life of our dear friend Roy Barclay, and for the love and kindness he shared with those around him. We rejoice that he is now reunited with his beloved wife Margaret in Your eternal presence, where there is no pain, no sorrow, only joy and peace.
We give thanks for our dear friend Margaret, whose kindness and spirit blessed so many. This picnic shelter stands as a lasting reminder of her generosity, joy, and love for others.
Let all who gather here feel the warmth of friendship and the beauty of Your creation.
Comfort us who remain and help us to honor Roy and Margaret’s memory by living with the same grace and love they showed others.
In your name we pray.
Amen
Announcements
Community Read – The Anxious Generation
Andy Higgins announced that the Youth Mental Health Initiative, in collaboration with Centerville Safe and Epiphany Lutheran, will host book clubs to read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. Andy will lead a Zoom club called “Bedheads” on Wednesday mornings from 7 to 8 AM. Participants are encouraged to have their cameras on during the meetings, but a just-rolled-out-of-bed look is expected!
Kickoff for the Community Read of The Anxious Generation is 9/9/2025 at Cline Elementary auditorium. Speakers will focus on “The Educational Cost of Constant Connectivity.”
Tri-Star Soccer
Co-chair Mike Creech announced that Tri-Star Soccer will take place on September 19, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the field behind Magsig. Volunteers for registration and scoring can sign up through the Member Calendar. No soccer experience is needed, as high school students will be running the stations.
Greg Griffin Makes Another Surprise Announcement About the Tree Lot
Greg Griffin announced, while it was 112 degrees outside and we are sweating at picnic tables, that it is just 108 days until the tree lot opens.
Happy Birthday Larry Lynde
Today is Larry Lynde’s birthday! A special outdoor rendition of Happy Birthday was performed by the all-star CNO choir under the direction of Bob Duffy. Nearby park workers paused their tasks and gazed in wild wonder at the joy they had found. They wisely decided to leave this one alone. We sang so bad you could feel it in your bones.
Larry joined CNO on September 1, 1988, and was sponsored by Dan Beck.
Annual Picnic Lunch at the Margaret Barclay Shelter
Today’s meeting was held at Yankee Park in the Margaret Barclay Shelter. We had a great turnout and enjoyed warm, but otherwise perfect, weather. With no scheduled speaker, members spent the time socializing with fellow Optimists.
The shelter, dedicated to Margaret Barclay, stands as a tribute to her many contributions to the community.
Thank You to Everyone Who Helped Make the Picnic Happen
President Paul Boeckman thanked Debe Dockins and her team for their hard work in organizing today’s gathering.
Debe Dockins thanked those who helped with setup and logistics for the picnic:
- Paul Boeckman, who picked up water, soda, and ice for the coolers
- Mike Bevis, who picked up chairs and tables from Kosins rental.
- Jim Mogan, Greg Hoffbauer, Joan Cordonnier, Mike Cordonnier, and Tom Novak, who arrived early to help cover the tables and set up
- Cameron Langer, who arranged Lee’s Famous Chicken lunches which were, once again, fantastic
- Jeff Neace, from Whitt’s Frozen custard, brought cups of custard: Buckeye Blitz, Vanilla, and Black Raspberry Chip
- Kristen Marks for telling Debe where to get reusable fitted tablecloths
- Patrick and Diane Arehart who brought and set up the sound system
- Margaret Barclay and her husband Roy who is surely standing beside her, provided the beautiful weather for today’s meeting
- Thanks to all who helped to tear down in record time
Margaret Barclay Shelter at Yankee Park
There is a plaque at the shelter about the dedication in honor of Margaret K. Barclay. It reads:
On this day September28, 2010 this shelter is hereby dedicated to Centerville Noon Optimist Member, Margaret K. Barclay, who has devoted her life to helping the youth of our community as an Educator, a Community Leader and an Optimist. We celebrate her tireless work ethic, her “can do” attitude and her fighting spirit.
THIS SHELTER FACILITY GIVEN TO THE PEOPLE
of
CENTERVILLE and WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
and
CENTERVILLE-WASHINGTON PARK DISTRICT
by
THE NOON OPTIMIST CLUB OF CENTERVILLE
OCTOBER 7, 2000
President Paul’s Quote of the Week
“It’s fine to celebrate success, but it’s more important to heed the lessons of failure.” -Bill Gates
New Member Readings
- Tony Feldkamp, Second Reading, Sponsored by Larry Lynde
- Bill Fischer, First Reading, Sponsored by Mike Bevis
Fines to Increase August 19, 2025
Sergeant Dave Kay announced that fines would be $2 starting next week. There has not been an increase since 1988.
Happy Bucks
- Patrick and Diane Arehart are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary.
- Bill Williams and Cadance Lowell are celebrating their 42nd wedding anniversary.
- Myron and Charla Rheaume are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary.
- Ron and Fayne Kuker are celebrating their 62nd wedding anniversary.
- Tom Novak was proud to announce that the flag assembly team built 200 flags and repaired dozens of flags.
- Vida McDowell recently took her grandchild to a Centerville school and saw the Optimist Creed on the wall as she entered.
- Andy Higgins celebrated his wife’s milestone birthday and their 40th wedding anniversary by reuniting with two other couples in upstate New York. They all became friends during their adoption trip to China 25 years ago. They’ve had 12 reunions with the girls over the years, and now that the girls are grown up it was just the couples getting together to celebrate.
- Gail Aiken was happy that her birthday was the same day as Andy Higgins’ wife.
- Ken Peacock shared that one of his best friends and fellow CNO member, Roy Barclay, passed away last night. He and Laura will deeply miss him. Ken recalled the many great times the four of them enjoyed together before Margaret’s passing.
Sergeants at Arms Fines – Dave Kay and Denise Green
- Jerry Stahley was selected by the Wheel of Misfortune app.
- Jim Mogan didn’t place the flag correctly.
- Michael Horton was late to the meeting. Better late than never, we are glad you joined our Optimist Service Club.
- Andy Higgins picked up Andy Harmon’s name badge.
- Cadance Lowell missed a Pink Floyd-based trivia question. The answer was Money, which was what Sergeant Dave was trying to collect.
- Cindy Lowndes missed answering that the artist for Money was Pink Floyd.
- Suzanne Werts was asked what movie originated with the catch phrase “Show Me the Money,” the answer was Jerry Maguire.
- Gail Aiken won the 50/50 pot last week. Sergeant Dave saw her at Sam’s Club right after and she didn’t offer to buy him anything.
- Don Stafford was selected for a fine last week by the Wheel of Misfortune. Don questioned Sergeant Dave Kay about the app’s legitimacy on his phone. Dave had to show him three times, and Sergeant Dave reminded us all that sergeants have no duty to prove anything!
- Mike Bevis told Sergeant Denise Green last week that the fix was in. Sergeant Dave Kay said you don’t ever question the integrity of a Sergeant.
- Mike Bevis was selected for the Random Fine of the Week for the second week in a row from the impressive random spinning barrel that Denise Green put together.
Welcome Guests
We welcomed many guests to our picnic lunch this week. We enjoyed having you all with us.
Club Membership Anniversaries
This week’s anniversaries were reported in the August 12, 2025 Edition of CNOtes
Birthdays
This week’s birthdays were reported in the August 12, 2025 Edition of CNOtes
CNO Donations – Since 2013
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received this Week
No Thank You Notes displayed at this week’s meeting due to outside venue
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
No PowerPoint his week due to the picnic outside venue