Bob Burkman’s Prayer
Dear Lord,
We pray that you will bless our veterans for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety and our country’s heritage.
We ask you to give to them the favor of your blessing, a gift we, on our own, could never offer. We ask that you give our veterans peace in their own hearts, beyond the peace they pledged to protect.
And Lord, for all of our service men and women, both past and present, this old Marine offers a sincere “Semper Fi.”
Amen
The Return of the Bell Bandits – A Sequel to the Bell and Gavel Saga
Gather ’round once more, fellow Optimists, for the saga of President Paul as his bell and gavel struggles continue.
After last week’s triumph with his trusty backpack, Paul seemed confident he’d finally outsmarted us. Today, he arrived with the backpack in tow, ready to thwart any mischievous plans. The room was set up as usual, with the bell and gavel neatly placed on the podium by our diligent sergeants.
As the meeting commenced, Paul rang the bell to bring us to order. In the excitement, he placed the bell and gavel back on the podium—completely forgetting about his backpack strategy. Old habits die hard, after all.
Enter Scott Langer, ever the opportunist. Noticing the unattended symbols of authority, Scott saw his chance. With a sly grin and a swift motion, he spirited the bell and gavel away without a trace.
Barely two minutes later, Paul returned to the podium only to find empty space. A look of realization dawned on his face as he remembered the backpack he’d forgotten to use. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he exclaimed, prompting laughter from all corners of the room.
And so, the streak continues. Out of seven meetings, Paul has lost the bell and gavel six times. It’s a record that seems destined to grow, much to our amusement and his good-natured frustration.
“Well,” Paul chuckled, “One thing for sure is Patrick Arehart is happy about this.” He is right, I am.
Here’s to the continuation of our cherished tradition. Who knows what next week will bring? One thing’s certain: the bell and gavel saga is far from over.
Announcements
TOP Optimist Club is Selling Poinsettias
Craig Dring announced that the TOP Optimist Club is selling Poinsettias. They have red blooms in 6.5” pots, with a green decorative pot cover. All proceeds benefit the community programs and projects conducted by our TOP Optimist Club. The TOP Optimist Club is sponsored by the Centerville Noon Optimist Club. Order using the Member Calendar. They will be delivered to Yankee Trace at lunch on 12/3/2024. Last year they gave some of the money to the Therapeutic Riding Institute, for example.
Adopt-a-Family 2024
Christy Gariety announced that all of the Adopt-a-Family children have been adopted. You can still donate money and it will be used to buy food for the families.
Christmas Tree Lot Opens on November 29, 2024
Greg Griffin announced that the tree lot opens on November 29, 2024. The tree lot teams have been set and you should have received information about your scheduled shifts by now. Please show up for shifts, especially the early ones, as they will be busier than normal since Thanksgiving is about a week later than normal. Tree delivery day is November 23, 2024, so come out and join the fun and get rewarded with donuts, coffee and about 15-20 chilis and soups to choose from.
Soups Needed for Tree Lot Delivery Day
Beth Duncan is seeking volunteers to bring hot soups or chili in crockpots for Tree Lot Delivery Day on November 23, 2024. Please have your dishes heated and ready to drop off between 8 AM and 9 AM. Your delicious contributions will reward our hardworking team and warm them up.
2024 You’re Invited: CNO Holiday Dinner on December 10, 2024!
Mark your calendars for an evening of festive fun! Beth Duncan is thrilled to announce that our annual CNO Holiday Party will take place on December 10, 2024, at the Sycamore Creek Country Club. This year’s celebration promises excitement with a special Optimist version of Family Feud—you won’t want to miss it!
Secure your spot by signing up online through the Member Calendar. Please note there will be no lunch meeting on that day. We look forward to sharing the holiday spirit with all of you!
Donation Request Approved by the Board of Directors
Paul Boeckman announced that a donation of $5000 for the newer CHS eSports club was approved on November 11, 2024.
The eSports Club is a computer gaming club that has 102 students of which some participate in competitions. It is overseen by English teacher Christy Willett, Michael Henderson-CHS Technology Coordinator, and Dustin Sands who teaches computer classes and is also a gamer. John Carroll has given the club a dedicated space at the high school. The money is needed for equipment. This outlet has helped the students connect socially with other like-minded students. CHS came in second out of 284 schools last year at the State competition.
Conifer Family Feud Skit
To explain how volunteering for the CNO Christmas Tree Lot fundraiser works, a skit called the Conifer Family Feud was performed. It was both informative and funny!
There are slides at the bottom of this article with the Family Feud Questions.
Characters
- Announcer: Dawson Richard – (Played by Larry Lynde)
- Host: Harvey Steeve – (Played by Karl Frydryk)
- Fraser Crane Fir – (Played by Mike Creech)
- Naughty Whitey Pine – (Played by Bob Myers)
Additional Credits
- Producers: Karl Frydryk and Greg Griffin
- Writer/Director: Karl Frydryk
- PowerPoint Production: Greg Griffin
Conifer Family Feud Script
You can use this link to read the script of the Conifer Family Feud skit.
Christmas Tree Lot Volunteer Guide
The following is the information we learned from the Family Feud Skit.
Location and Parking
- The tree lot is located behind the Centerville License Bureau at 104 W Spring Valley Pike, Centerville, OH 45458.
- Volunteers should avoid parking in the License Bureau’s lot when it is open, as they need their remaining parking. To maintain a good relationship (since they don’t charge the club for space), park behind the city building or in the lot in front of The Famous restaurant.
Tree Delivery and Setup
- Trees arrive on Saturday, November 23. Volunteers should arrive by 8:00 a.m. for coffee, donuts, and later, soups and chili.
- The lot officially opens to customers on Friday, November 29 at 9:00 a.m.
Lot Hours
Open Monday-Friday, 1-8 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday (including opening day), 9-8 p.m.
Tree Inventory and Types
- Trees include Fraser Fir, Balsam Fir, Douglas Fir, White Pine and Scotch Pine. The famous Concolor Fir will not be available this year.
- Trees are sourced from suppliers in Michigan and North Carolina.
- Prices increased 5-10% in 2024 due to rising costs, with current prices ranging from $33 (for a 3-5′ Scotch) to $270 (for a 10′ Fraser).
Additional Products
Items sold include wreaths, door sprays, tree stands, roping, boughs, and bottles of tree preservative. Wreaths and other decorative items are popular non-tree options.
Tree Freshness
Trees are harvested a few weeks before Thanksgiving, so there’s no need for customers to wait until closer to Christmas for freshness.
Delivery Service
Delivery within a 7-mile radius costs $20. Voss Auto generously provides the delivery truck, but volunteers driving it must fill out a form and submit a copy of their driver’s license inside the sales trailer.
Volunteer Discounts
Volunteers working at least three shifts (including setup and delivery day) are eligible for a 50% discount on one item, up to $75 in savings.
Volunteer Scheduling
By now, each team captain should have contacted team members with their assigned schedule. Volunteers are encouraged to confirm their shifts and be present to help distribute the workload among club members.
Attire Recommendations
Volunteers should wear gloves, warm shoes or boots, and dress in layers for cold weather.
Community Impact
The tree lot helps raise over $50,000 for youth programs and brings substantial visibility to the club within the community.
Thank You Volunteers
Karl closed by telling us, “You, the members, are the reason the tree lot is successful. Thanks for participating.”
The money raised will help CNO provide the youth of your community with scholarships, contests, programs and other youth related donations!
Thank you, Karl and your crew, for performing this skit – it was awesome and informative!
President Paul’s Quote of the Week
“There can be no greater gift than that of giving of one’s time and energy to help others without expecting anything in return.” -Nelson Mandela
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Jim Curtis | Mike Bevis |
| Ran Gray | Ellie Parker |
New Member Readings and Inductions
| Name | Sponsor | 1st 2nd 3rd Reading or Induction |
| Susan Vass | Julie Walling Noeth | Induction |
Happy Bucks
| Member | Reason |
| Sue Jessee | The social committee really need soups and chilis for the tree lot on November 23 for tree delivery day. Let her know if you can provide a dish. Only four have signed up so far. |
| Donna Huss | Donna said she has never seen a club be so generous for those in need for the St Leonard project. It makes her happy to be part of this club. People are offering so much food and needed items like pots and pans for the family they are trying to help. |
| Gail Aiken | She had a great trip with 12 others to Vegas recently. She won enough to pay for her trip. |
| Julie Walling Noeth | The new member she sponsored, Susan Vass, is off to a great start and is helping with the Avenue of Flags. |
| Art Hung | He is happy to be a member of CNO for 23 years! |
| Don Kelley | He is happy that Donna Huss will take care of the deposits from the tree lot once again. |
| Nancy Lehren | She is happy to be a member of CNO for 30 years! |
Sergeants at Arms
| Member | Infraction |
| Larry Lynde | Forced a recount of the 50/50 funds. |
| Everyone who missed Sergeant Charlie Goodwin’s presentation last week about his trip to Antarctica | You should have been here to watch it. It was great. Read the CNOtes for 11/5/2024 to see the photos he showed and learn about his trip. |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Tim Clemmer | November 16, 2001 | 23 |
| Art Hung | November 16, 2001 | 23 |
| Larry England | November 17, 1994 | 30 |
| Nancy Lehren | November 17, 1994 | 30 |
| Carol Mays | November 18, 2022 | 2 |
Birthdays
| Kelly George | November 12 |
| David Seyer | November 13 |
| Tim Mach | November 14 |
CNO Donations – Since 2013
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received
No Thank You Notes Were Received This Week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slides from this week’s meeting