Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
Melanie Beattie is quoted as saying, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
Lord,
Help us to look at all aspects of our lives with gratitude, to appreciate the small, mundane moments as well as the grand ones, recognizing that the moments of struggle and heartache make the simple blessings of each and every day a little sweeter.
Amen.
Get to Know Jane Fiehrer
President Sarah Umbreit interviewed Jane Fiehrer for this week’s “Get to Know a Member.”
- What she looks forward to in the summer: boating at Caesars Creek and Lake Cumberland.
- What she would do with unlimited money: create the Fiehrer Foundation to help others.
- Something people might not know about her: she is a Black Belt in Taekwondo.
Jane Fiehrer joined CNO on February 27, 1998, sponsored by Mike Wall.
Happy Birthday, Gwen Dickerson
Fresh off learning that the TOP Optimist Club thinks it sings far better than we do, the club rose to the challenge and serenaded Gwen Dickerson, who had just turned 16 the day before. We like to think we proved the point in our own way. Congratulations, Gwen, and since a driver’s license is now in your future, the rest of us will be watching the roads.
Announcements
TOP Optimist Club Five-Year Anniversary
Sarah Umbreit shared that she attended the TOP Optimist Club’s celebration of its five-year anniversary, where the club looked back on its history and everything it has accomplished for the special needs community over the past five years.
Thanks for a Great Fishing Derby
Sarah Umbreit thanked Bob Lawson and Andy Dickerson for all of their effort in putting on this year’s Fishing Derby. Bob Lawson, in turn, thanked the many volunteers who made it run so smoothly, noting that one guest told him it was the best-run Fishing Derby he had ever attended.
CNO 2.0 at Heavier than Air Brewing
This month’s CNO 2.0 evening meeting will be held Thursday, June 18, at 5:30 PM at Heavier than Air Brewing Company. Our own Liz Fultz, Director of the Washington-Centerville Public Library, will walk through the reconfigured spaces, new features, and refreshed interior of the Centerville Library as the renovation project nears completion, and will provide an overview of other library services that might surprise you.
America’s 250th Celebration Picnic
Connie Risch invited members to celebrate America’s 250th in a big way at a Sesquicentennial picnic on Saturday, July 18, 2026, from 11 AM to 3 PM at the Optimist Shelter in Oak Grove Park. Members are encouraged to bring their families and any guests who might like to learn about CNO, along with a side dish, salad, or dessert to share. You can register now using the Member Calendar.
Golf Outing Volunteers Needed
Steve Rau reported that sign-ups for golfers are going well for the July 13, 2026 Golf Outing, but the committee still needs 15 more volunteers for the day of the event. Volunteers may choose the morning, the afternoon, or both. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
Youth Recognition Night
Mike Creech thanked everyone who signed up for Youth Recognition Night, held that evening from 7 PM to 8 PM, with about 100 people expected to attend.
Americana Volunteers
Andy Higgins noted that the club’s two Americana booths still need members to help with setup before the parade and tear-down afterward.
Youth Mental Health Booth
Andy Higgins previewed the Youth Mental Health community conversation returning to the Americana festival. This year’s prompt asks young people to finish the sentence, “I am ___ years old. Without adults, I would like to ___,” building on the Let Grow initiative’s idea that children are often overprotected in the real world and underprotected online. Participants add an idea to the board and enter a raffle, and the effort leads into a fall kickoff at Epiphany Lutheran’s south campus and a checkpoint in February.
Golf Outing Silent Auction
Debe Dockins asked members to support the Golf Outing silent auction by donating bottles of wine valued at $20 or more, along with gift cards.
Annual Club Picnic
Debe Dockins announced that the club’s annual picnic will be held on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, at the Margaret Barclay Shelter at Yankee Park, with Witt’s Frozen Custard and Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken. The picnic takes the place of that week’s regular Tuesday meeting at Yankee Trace. A few volunteers will be needed that morning.
Evan Fiehrer and The Groove Essentials
Jane Fiehrer introduced her favorite oldest son, guitarist Evan Fiehrer. Evan earned a Bachelor of Music in Guitar Performance from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati in 2013 and a Master of Music in Guitar Performance from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in 2015. He teaches guitar at McCutcheon Music in Centerville and at Star City Music in Miamisburg. Evan is a recipient of a 2025 Artist Opportunity Grant from Culture Works, the Dayton arts support organization, which he used to create A Little Light, an album of original music with his band The Groove Essentials.
Culture Works presents Artist Opportunity Grants to individual artists for professional development or special projects. Evan’s proposal was an album of original funk music that celebrated Dayton’s rich funk tradition, home to artists such as the Ohio Players, Slave, and Lakeside, while also looking toward where the music is headed next.
January through March: Writing the Album
Evan explained that he cannot tell anyone exactly how to write a song, but he walked the club through his own process. He begins by finding inspiration, immersing himself in 1970s funk until snippets of music start to come to him, which he records on his phone or computer. He organizes his music by the date each idea arrives, so a piece labeled “3-8-25” eventually grew into the song “Spectacular.” A song often starts with a bass line, then a guitar part, then a melody, with the lyrics usually coming last, though the order changes everytime.
April through May: Recording the Album
Because a professional studio would have cost far more than the grant covered, Evan recorded the album himself using his own equipment, centered on a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) and an audio interface that converts sound into digital files. He brought in a team of musicians he had worked with before: Hayden Floro on drums, Tory James on vocals, James Roberts on keyboard, and Jelani Stokes on bass, with Evan on guitar.
June and July: Mixing and Mastering
Evan hired Gary King of Dayton Sound Studios to mix and master the album. King is an expert in the style, having played trombone in the 1970s touring funk band Slave. Mixing brings out the optimal sound of each raw recording, and mastering then creates a uniform sound across the album so that every song feels like it came from the same band at the same time.
August and September: Rehearsal
Since the band recorded their parts separately and had not yet played together, the group held three or four rehearsals to prepare for a polished live performance. They practiced the songs from the album along with a few covers, including “Breezin’” by George Benson.
Design and Promotion
Beyond the music, Evan needed a consistent visual look. He designed an album cover, a stylized flame radiating outward to match the title A Little Light, and his mother’s company, Sign Connection, helped turn his do-it-yourself version into a professional design. He hung flyers everywhere he could, from grocery stores and coffee shops to college campuses, and ran a promotional campaign on Facebook and Instagram.
October 24, 2025: The Album Release Concert
The album was released with a live performance at The Tank, a venue in the basement of the Dayton Arcade. Evan’s social media campaign helped sell out the show, with 150 free presale tickets claimed by fans, and the Dayton Daily News ran a profile on the project by music writer Brandon Berry. A Little Light is now available on all major streaming platforms and as a download on Bandcamp. There is no physical release yet, since pressing CDs or vinyl remains expensive.
Since the Release
In February, The Groove Essentials competed in the Dayton Battle of the Bands at The Brightside. Their next show is this Saturday, June 13, at 7 PM at the Levitt Pavilion in downtown Dayton, where they will open for the Boston funk band Slapback. If you go, bring a chair or a blanket, since the Levitt does not provide seating.
Questions from the Club
Asked about his favorite funk influences, Evan named the Ohio Players and Stevie Wonder’s 1970s work, along with Rick James and the newer band Vulfpeck and its guitarist Cory Wong. He noted that success today depends less on radio play than on landing songs in streaming playlists on services like Spotify and Apple Music. On artificial intelligence, Evan was cautiously optimistic, describing it as a useful aid when it sparks new ideas but a poor substitute for genuine creativity. On getting paid, he uses a distribution company, which pays a fraction of a penny per stream, and joked that he has earned about $15 so far.
Slides
The slide deck contains additional photos and details beyond what is covered in this article. You can view the slide deck of the presentation here.
Thank you, Evan, for showing us how an album comes to life and for celebrating Dayton’s funk tradition in the process.
New Member Readings and Inductions
- Augustina DeLeon, First Reading, sponsored by Jean Pummill.
- Niel McKinley, Second Reading, sponsored by Ron Tinnerman.
Happy Bucks
- Cameron Langer announced that he became engaged as of last Friday.
- Scott Langer was happy to share in the good news of his son Cameron’s engagement.
- Bob Lawson was happy that the Fishing Derby is over.
- Don Kelley finally shot his age on the golf course, something he never thought he would do.
- Julie Walling Noeth is looking forward to a funk conference, photographing the Alter High School reunion this Saturday, and her own 50th reunion in August.
- Myron Rheaume was happy that his wife, Charla, was able to attend today’s meeting.
- Myron Rheaume also celebrated his grandson, who earned his bachelor’s degree Magna Cum Laude and then completed a two-year master’s program in just one year.
- Connie Risch was happy that her daughter found her passion through CNO’s 2024 Skilled Trade Scholarship and is now interning at a machine shop with one year left at Sinclair.
- Evelyn Griffin gave a happy buck in honor of the TOP Optimist Club’s five-year anniversary.
- Tony Danial shared that someone told him their children now play a counting game with the Avenue of Flags while driving, and he was happy the flags are helping young people learn to count.
- Debe Dockins gave a happy buck for today’s guest speaker, having hired Evan Fiehrer for the library’s Tasting with Friends and seen him play live several times.
Sergeants-at-Arms Fines: Jeff Busch and Mike Thonnerieux
- Mike Bevis paid for his 50/50 tickets with a $2 bill, leaving the sergeants to wonder whether those are even real anymore.
- Erin Dickerson was fined because her daughter Gwen had the bell. Since the club cannot fine juveniles, Erin paid instead.
- Dick Stevens and Bob Burkman were fined for their matching, brightly colored shoes.
- Bob Lawson was fined for letting a bad word slip at the Fishing Derby and was offered a choice of liquid or solid soap.
- Bob Duffy was fined for directing the singing of Happy Birthday so badly.
- Jerry Stahley was fined, having finally found his missing name badge in his truck.
- Andy Higgins won the Euchre tournament but was fined for not buying 50/50 tickets today.
- Sue Brubaker has won at Euchre twice and was also fined for not buying 50/50 tickets.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Augustina DeLeon | Guest |
| Evan Fiehrer | Speaker |
| Gemma Majewski | Vida McDowell |
| Gwen Dickerson | Erin Dickerson |
| Nadine Rieser | Cris Peterson |
| Tim Fiehrer | Jane Fiehrer |
Club Membership Anniversaries
No Anniversaries this week.
Birthdays
| Brooks Compton | June 9 |
| Erin Giffin | June 10 |
| Mike Wall | June 12 |
| Wes Feldmeyer | June 14 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
CLICK HERE to see the Thank You Notes received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting