Bob Burkman’s Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We know we need you to give us strength to pursue our goals in life. Give us that strength and happiness and peace of mind every day. While we know that there will be trying times in life, we also know that with you, all things are possible. We pray that we can live a life that is full and is a testimony to your goodness.
Amen
Bingo! CNO Club Day
Today was a “Club Day,” so there was no guest speaker. President Beth Duncan had bingo cards on all the tables today with CNO events and committees on the squares. As she revealed the squares, she explained more about the events, fundraisers and committees. We played a game while learning! What a clever idea, President Beth!
Anyone who got a bingo was able to select a prize like a t-shirt with an Optimist themed design. At the end were lots of winners quickly because we didn’t select new cards after each winner. Tom Novak was the first winner.
Squares Revealed Today for Bingo
- Sunshine Committee, chaired by Donna Huss and Art Hung, sends cards and flowers to those who could use a little sunshine.
- Tri-Star Basketball, chaired by Scott Langer and Craig Dring, is a free community event in March each year where kids go around to several basketball skill stations competing for fabulous medals. Contact them if you would like to volunteer.
- TOP Soccer, chaired by Bob Glavin, is a community soccer “league” for special needs kids that will have its twenty-third season in August 2023. The program needs volunteers, including assistant coaches and on-field buddies assigned to a participant (50 buddies needed each week). The kids look forward to the event each year. Volunteers do not need to know anything about soccer to help. All they need is enthusiasm and empathy.
- “Invite a Friend,” Bill Stone said that the International OI President, Bob McFadyen, has come up with the concept of “Invite a Friend.” Invite them to join you when you attend a CNO event you are most passionate about. Invite a friend or neighbor so they can see how excited you are when you are volunteering at an event. Hopefully they will see how much you love your club and want to join.
- Easter Egg Hunt, for kids under 10, will be held on April 8, 2023. Emily Duke and Ashley Simeone are taking over in 2024 and are shadowing Greg Griffin and Pat Behn, who are retiring from chairing the event. Egg stuffing will occur the week before and both The Castle Strong Club and TOP Optimist clubs plan to help to stuff the 8000 plastic eggs with candy. Note that this year the plastic egg halves are hinged – what an upgrade!
- CNO 2.0, chaired by Greg Fay, is a club within a club that meets at 5:30 PM on the third Thursday of each month. Members of CNO have the same rights and privileges as CNO members.
- Sergeant at Arms, chaired by Larry Lynde, Larry England and Don Massie, is the committee that chooses the two Sergeant at Arms each quarter. See them if you are interested in setting up for a meeting, greeting members, selling 50/50 tickets and fining your fellow Optimist members.
- St. Leonard Optimist Club, chaired by Donna Huss, is a club within a club for residents of St Leonard. Donna said they are a small but mighty group. They are running a food drive right now and you can help, see the announcement below.
- Got Talent Contest, chaired by Erin Laurito, is a newer event that lets community youth show off their talents and compete for money that will help with school or lessons. Contact Erin Laurito if you can help her with the contest this spring.
- CNOtes, written by Patrick Arehart, is the club blog entry about the speaker and club announcements from weekly lunch meetings. The monthly CNO 2.0 meeting is covered as well as the annual Officer Installation and Awards Dinner and Holiday Party.
- Social Committee, chaired by Sue Jessee, Debe Dockins and Sarah Umbreit, arranges social events like Euchre parties and other various group outings and gatherings.
- Optimist International Foundation, is the 52-year-old non-profit 501(c)(3) Foundation of OI. They are about “Helping Optimists Help Kids.” Their mission is: Seeking, receiving, and managing funds and real personal property for the benefit of Optimist International and its Member Clubs in its charitable, literary, and educational activities.
- Essay Contest, chaired by Kristen Marks, provides an opportunity each February for kids to improve their writing skills and earn scholarships. Kristen is looking for volunteers to score the essays.
- Child Health and Wellness, chaired by Nancy Lehren, is the committee that promotes the health and wellness of youth. The committee holds periodic Build-a-Bear events at Dayton Children’s Hospital, provides Build-a-Bears to Ronald McDonald House, Artemis Center, Care House and Erma’s House and participates with the Miami Valley USO at their Children’s Holiday Party.
- Oratorical Contest, chaired by Ron Thompson and Megan Dalton, is the oldest youth contest in Optimist International. The contest, held in February each year, provides an excellent opportunity for students to develop important public speaking skills. The contest is open to any area student under the age of 19 as of October 1st of the previous year. There are large scholarships for the winners at each level of contest. We don’t have that many participants, so encourage youth that you meet and tell them they have a really good chance of earning money for college.
- Social Media, chaired by Diane Arehart and Katie Calloway, coordinates the social media presence of CNO. If you run an event, contact them and they will help you get the word out with coordinated branding and messaging. Remember that the wrong thing to do is to create a new page each year. They will help establish or update your events each year on the Official CNO Facebook Page and connect it with other community pages as appropriate.
- Family Adventure Day, chaired by Andy Dickerson and Bob Lawson, is held every May at the RecPlex. There are games, demonstrations, and more scheduled at the top and bottom of every hour throughout the day. These will range from a RecPlex birthday party (cupcake included) to how to be a pro at the rock-climbing wall. CNO runs the fishing event at Family Adventure Day.
- President’s Club, the CNO representative is Paul Boeckman. The president’s club is a club of representatives of public service leaders in the Dayton area.
- Photography Contest, chaired by Ellie Parker and Roberta Taylor, where kids submit original photos each March that best illustrate/exemplify a line in the Optimist Creed. There are cash prizes.
- Big Back Yard Party, chaired by Andy Dickerson and Bob Lawson, is a day of outdoor adventure held each summer. The event is run by the Centerville Washington Park District. Activities include fishing, archery, field games, inflatables, and food trucks. This program is made possible by several ongoing community partnerships. CNO runs fishing-related activities.
- Tob Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic fundraiser, chaired by Sarah Umbreit, Wendy Hattan and Deb Ulrich, is one of the three major fundraisers for CNO and is held in July each year. The committee need lots of volunteers especially on the day of the event. Contact a chair if you would like to help this world class golf outing be a success each year.
- Haunted Trail, chaired by Denise O’Neill, Larry Lynde and Gail Aiken, is a free community event of a mile guided haunted walk. Guests are walked past 15 fright stations built and performed by area middle school and high school children. It is held for two nights each October in the park behind the RecPlex.
- Visual Arts Contest, chaired by Deb Saunders and Jane Fiehrer, where kids submit original paintings or drawings each spring and there are cash prizes for these two types of art.
- Tri-Star Soccer, chaired by Greg Wasmund and Chris McAlpine, is a free community event in September where kids go around several soccer skill stations competing for fabulous medals. Contact them if you would like to volunteer.
Announcements
- Bill Stone, the Governor of the Great Ohio District of OI, announced that the next district conference will be held on February 10th and 11th. The theme is Mardi Gras and there will be a party where you are encouraged to wear your favorite costume and beads. On Saturday there will be an Ohio Exposition of various district clubs showcasing their special events, contests and fundraisers they hold.
- Bill Stone, Governor of the Great Ohio District of OI, asked that everyone save the date and announced that the 75th Ohio District Annual Convention will be in Dayton and hosted by CNO from August 10th through August 12th, 2023. He is hoping lots of people from CNO will attend. You don’t have to stay in the hotel to attend the conference. On Saturday, August 12, 2022, Celebration Dinner will be held in the UD Arena Boesch Lounge.
- Donna Huss announced that the St Leonard Club is holding a food drive for South Community Mental Health. To help them she is asking CNO members to please bring 1 or 2 non-perishable goods to a Tuesday lunch on January 24th,, 31st or February 7th. Carol Smerz and Mike Bevis will accept the items and get them where they need to go.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Glen Brendel | Erin Laurito |
| Greg Hoffbauer | Debe Dockins |
| Mindy Hoffbauer | Debe Dockins |
| Niel McKinley | Ron Tinnerman |
| Stephanie Llacuna | Mike Bevis |
| Karen Charnesky | Suzanne Werts |
New Member Readings and Inductions
| Name | Sponsor | 1st 2nd 3rd Reading or Induction |
| Mindy Hoffbauer | Debe Dockins | 1st Reading |
| Greg Hoffbauer | Debe Dockins | 1st Reading |
| Stephanie Llacuna | Mike Bevis | 1st Reading |
| Glen Brendel | Erin Laurito | 2nd Reading |
| Kathy Rearick | Joanne Rau | Induction |
| Ron Rearick | Joanne Rau | Induction |
Happy Bucks
| Member | Reason |
| Vida McDowell | Ginny Boeckman agreed to co-captain Vida’s USTA tennis team. |
| Don Kelley | Bengals convicning win over the Bills last Sunday. WHO DEY!!! |
| Vince Reidy | $5 for all the well wishes and cards from members he received while recovering from recent health issues. |
| Ron Rearick | His and Kathy’s CNO applications were not declined! |
| JoAnne Rau | For CNO not denying her first inductees, Ron and Kathy Rearick. |
Sergeants at Arms
| Member | Infraction |
| Beth Duncan | Lost the bell and gavel…again. |
| Fred Polizzi | Has a fresh tan in Janauary. |
| Ron Tinnerman | Dissing Sergeant Boeckman for wearing a sweater with what Ron said has a throwback UD logo on it. |
| Ken Peacock | Having issues with using the magnet on his name tag |
| Mike Creech | Sergeant Boeckman fined him because he could. Mike has been fined every week since Sergeant Boeckman started his tenure as Sergeant. |
Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Greg Wasmund | January 25, 2007 | 16 |
| Chris McAlpine | January 27, 2009 | 14 |
| Todd Kelchner | January 30, 1992 | 31 |
Birthdays
| Todd Kelchner | January 24 |
| Dr. Dan Passidomo | January 26 |
| Gary Hansen | January 28 |
| Clint Freese | January 29 |
| Scott Langer | January 29 |
| Bob Myers | January 30 |
CNO Donations – 2013 through December 2022
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received
CLICK HERE to see the Thank You Notes the Club Received this week