Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
An excerpt from “Security Blanket,” a story in the book P.S. God, Can You Fly? By R. Wayne Willis:
In a Peanuts cartoon, Charlie Brown explains to Peppermint Patty what security is: “Security is sleeping in the back seat of the car. When you’re a little kid, and you’ve been somewhere with your mom and dad, and it’s night, and you’re riding home in the car, you can sleep in the back seat. You don’t have to worry about anything. Your mom and dad are in the front seat, and they do all the worrying. They take care of everything.”
Lord, while it is impossible for us to always be in the front seat to alleviate the worrying of others and to take care of everyone and everything, help us to find ways in which we are able to provide a bit of a security blanket to others when we can.
Amen.
Announcements
Greg Griffin, Easter Egg Hunt committee, announced that the Easter Egg drive through was held last Saturday and it went great. Volunteer turnout was huge and community participation was fantastic. Next year the event should be a more traditional Easter Egg hunt.
Mike Bevis, golf committee, announced that it is just over 90 days until the golf event. Donors are returning as usual.
Tom Novak, Avenue of Flags, announced that about 70 Optimist volunteers will be making calls to those who have not renewed their flag subscriptions yet. Let him know if you would like to help make calls or deliver/pickup flags this year.
Committee Meetings
- 4/14/2021, 6 PM, Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf 2021, Zoom hosted by Mike Bevis. Meetings in 2021 will be on Wednesdays on 1/13, 2/17, 3/24, 4/14, 5/12, 6/16, 7/7. Additional volunteers are always welcome. The golf outing will be held on 7/12/2021.
- 4/20/2021, 6 PM, Monthly Board of Directors Meeting, Zoom hosted by President Debe Dockins
Community Events
Beth Duncan, chair of Centerville/Washington Township’s Virtual Got Talent contest, said you can send potential contestants to https://centervillenoonoptimist.com/cwt/ for an application and details about the competition. Applications to participate are due by 4/22/2021. Videos must be submitted by 4/29/2021. The contest will be for kids ages 4-19 that live or go to school in Centerville or Washington Township and will be participating in the event via videos they create of their talent.
Social Events
4/30/2021 at 6:30 PM, “Jammin’ in our Jammies” on Zoom, a Name that Tune contest will be held. It will be 5 rounds of 6 challenges.
Carlye Rausch, from Dayton Crayons to Classrooms
Mike Bevis introduced Carlye Rausch, the Program Manager for Dayton Crayons to Classrooms. She joined the team in June of 2018 and became the Program Manager in June 2020.
Introducing Carlye Rausch
- Graduated Eastern Kentucky University
- Public Relations major
- Always welcomes volunteers at their location on Woodman Drive
- 6 years with Girl Scouts of Kentucky Wilderness Road
- 3 years with Crayons to Classrooms – program management
- Spoke at Greene Optimist Club in February
- Attended CHS
- Lives in Centerville
- Loves Avenue of Flags!
From the DC2C Website
What we do
Dayton Crayons to Classrooms (DC2C) is a free store for teachers from under-funded preK-12 schools that serve students living in poverty.
In partnership with local businesses, individual donors, and community volunteers, DC2C lifts at-risk student’s level and love of learning by collecting and distributing donated supplies and surplus products for use in the classroom.
Teachers from eligible schools are invited to shop for what they need in our retail-style free store in a Goodwill Easter Seals Miami Valley building in Dayton, Ohio.
Our Purpose
To enhance the readiness to learn of all students in the Greater Dayton, Ohio region by providing them with school supplies that are essential to academic success—at no cost to the students’ teachers, schools, or families.
Crayons to Classrooms serves Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren (Franklin City Schools and Springboro City Schools) counties.
Our Vision
Ensure every student in need has the tools for success every day, in every way.
Our Mission
Secure and distribute school supplies at no cost to teachers of students in need.
Carlye Rausch’s Presentation
You can view her slide deck here.
Carlye said there is a huge need for school supplies in every school district. She told us to imagine you are a disadvantaged student. You can be faced with trying to paint a picture without paint or struggle in music class because you cannot afford the required musical instrument.
A typical teacher spends about $1000 of their own money each year to buy school supplies for their students.
They serve teachers at schools where 60% or more of the students participate in the free/reduced lunch program. During the 2020-2021 school year they served 111 schools in the Dayton area. That means over 3000 teachers and 40,000 students can benefit from their program. Counties served: Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Warren (Franklin City Schools).
Shopping
- Eligible teachers schedule online to shop in our store.
- Teachers can shop with us once per semester, twice in a single school year (once in the fall/once in the spring).
- On average each teacher takes about $800 worth of supplies during a single shop – ALL FOR FREE!
Donations
- All the supplies within the store are donated or purchased with donated funds.
- They are one of 42 affiliates of the Kids in Need Foundation – many big supply donations come from this partnership (Joann’s, MEAD, Thirty One, etc.)
- They are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and all cash contributions to Crayons to Classrooms are tax deductible.
Volunteer Opportunities
- Check in/out and shopping assistants
- Off-site Projects which include volunteers crafting red felt hearts into Pocket Hugs. This is a way to volunteer from home. Teachers give these Pocket Hugs when a kid could use an actual hug and right now that is not safe to do.
Classroom Solutions
- This is their biggest need for volunteers. They are consistently behind on products because so many teachers take these supplies.
- Products include various die cut shapes like thought balloons, hands, or feet that teachers use to decorate their rooms and to convey messages.
- The costs associated with these products hinder how many products are made. On top of paper, lamination and printing, die cut machines require maintenance and replacement dies.
- Replacement Die’s cost between $30-$310.
- Rollers and Trays are $65 each and need to be replaced at least twice a year and they would like to do this quarterly.
- New die cut machines cost between $395-$575.
Volunteer for a Teacher Program
- Volunteer 5 hours and you can gift a shop to a teacher! You can work with a friend to combine your hours if you like.
- Teachers from eligible schools can earn 1 extra shopping visit in a school year.
- Teachers from ineligible schools can earn 2 total shopping visits per year per teacher.
- The number of volunteer hours earned or donated is unlimited.
Items Most in Need
- Pencils
- Folders
- Crayons
- Notebooks
- Paper
- Glue/Glue Sticks
- Markers
- Art Supplies
- Scissors
- Backpacks
Annual Report Card for Fall 2019 Semester
- 1509 teachers shopped with them
- Distributed almost $2 Million
- Distributed almost $300,000 to schools outside of shopping
Teachers and Students are Amazed and Thankful
First time shopping new teachers are often close to tears. Carlye has seen teachers so appreciative that they have broken down and cried for 5-10 minutes.
Crayons to Classrooms has done a lot of work related to Memorial Day 2019 tornado relief. She has seen kids excited about getting Paw Patrol backpacks.
Example Testimonial from a Teacher
“Crayons to Classrooms has given me the freedom as a classroom teacher to have all the supplies needed to make my room fully functional. Prior to the gift of Crayons to Classrooms I was limited in my spending because the bulk of the expenses was used to purchase the day to day supplies. Because of Crayons to Classrooms I now have the freedom to spend my own money on other essential classroom tools to help my students function at their best.”
Thank You
Thank you, Carlye Rausch, for joining us to educate CNO about Crayons to Classrooms.
New Member Readings and Inductions
None this week.
Welcome Guests!
| Guest Name | Guest of |
| Carlye Rausch | Guest speaker from Dayton Crayons to Classrooms |
Happy Bucks
| Member | Reason |
| Carol Smerz | $5, she was excited about dropping off excess Easter Egg bags to Cline Elementary that will use the bags as rewards for students. |
| Brian Nolan | $5 for seeing Myron at the Easter Egg Drive through event. |
Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Month | Day | Joined | # Years |
| Dan Samiec | April | 6 | 4/6/2010 | 11 |
| Molly Petsch | April | 6 | 4/6/2004 | 17 |
| Ron Tinnerman | April | 11 | 4/11/2005 | 16 |
Birthdays
| Member | Birthday |
| Andy Harmon | April 6 |
| Bob Clements | April 7 |
| Kelly Davis | April 9 |
| Erin Belangia-Sanchez | April 9 |
| Cheryl Probst | April 9 |
| Pam Truitt | April 11 |
| Steve Kohls | April 12 |
CNO Donations – 2013 through January 2021
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 our Club received this week.
Sergeants at Arms
No Sergeants this week.
Zoom Meeting This Week
We had another meeting using Zoom. We will continue our weekly meetings via computer, cell phone or tablet for at least the next several weeks. Please join us and keep inviting guests.
Who can Attend Zoom Meetings?
Any member of any type of Centerville Noon Optimist can attend Zoom meetings. CNO 2.0, St Leonard’s and CNO full members or CNO monthly members can ALL attend.
Guests are also welcome. Please invite guests and introduce them if you like. Just share the Zoom link with them for that week.
COVID-19 UPDATE
In keeping with social distancing requirements – our CNO Meetings have transitioned temporarily to a online format using ZOOM.
Club Member Joe Madden was inspired to rewrite The Optimist Creed – so we give you now – The Corona Creed -with apologies to Christian D. Larson, Author of The Optimist Creed.
Links to Recorded Meeting and PowerPoint
A Video Recording of this Week’s Meeting is here