Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
Lord,
Sometimes we feel it would benefit us to be like a pier, standing strong, being self-reliant, depending only on ourselves, but that would leave us alone, unconnected, and going nowhere. Help us instead to be like a bridge, connecting to others, aiding their journey, and traveling alongside them with optimism and love.
Amen.
Announcements
Dor-Wood Optimist Club Invitation to Hear Tom Nichols, the Voice of the Dayton Dragons
Paul Boeckman announced that the Dor-Wood Optimist Club has invited Centerville Noon Optimist members to their meeting on Thursday, March 27th, from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM at the Presidential Banquet Center. Their speaker will be Tom Nichols, the voice of the Dayton Dragons. Lunch is $12.25. If you’d like to join Paul, let him know by March 20th so he can RSVP.
Tri-Star Basketball
Scott Langer, the co-chair for Tri-Star Basketball, said that the next Tri-Star Basketball event will be on March 8, 2025, at Watts Middle School. Sign up to volunteer for the event using the Member Calendar. There are two shifts to choose from, 8-10:15 and 10-12:15. They need about 33 volunteers for this event. Kids aged 7-12 will compete in pass, shoot, and dribble contests. You don’t need any basketball skills. Volunteers are needed to help with setup, registration, running the contests, scoring the participants, and handing out trophies. The event is also an opportunity to get to know fellow CNO members. They expect about 100 kids to participate.
Will Cale Scholarship Mentors Are Needed
Joan Cordonnier is seeking mentors to support nine Will Cale Scholarship recipients this year. They are great kids who need a little extra help. If you have questions before you commit, reach out to Joan, who will explain the mentoring process. Without more volunteers, some students may have to be turned away. They are meeting on February 19, 2025, at 5:30 PM. You can attend even if you are unsure if you want to be a mentor. There are nine applicants, and 18 mentors are needed. You can help even if you didn’t go to the kickoff meeting.
Memorial Educational Assistance Awards
Gary Smiga announced the opening of the 2025 Memorial Educational Assistance Awards applications. These scholarships honor the memory of our dedicated members who have passed away, supporting local students in their pursuit of higher education. Thank you to Deb Saunders for updating the flyer and Diane Arehart for making website changes.
Zone and Regional Oratorical Competition
Debe Dockins announced the following two levels of the Oratorical Competition will be held at Woodbourne Library. The Zone will be on March 5, 2025, and the Regional will be on April 2, 2025. All are welcome to watch the students, but please arrive by 5:30 PM.
33rd Annual Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic
Mike Bevis announced that the 33rd Annual Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic will be held on July 14, 2025. The committee is looking for additional committee members. Monthly meetings have started, and it is not too late to join the committee.
Childhood Health and Wellness Committee
Carol Smerz announced that the Childhood Health and Wellness Committee is seeking additional members. They meet monthly in the evening. The committee supports families and children with chronic illnesses.
Chuck Dickerson Memorial Scholarship
Mike Thonnerieux announced that the Chuck Dickerson Memorial Scholarship deadline is 4 PM, March 7, 2025. Students can learn details and apply for the $1000 scholarship at the Dayton Foundation using this link. Students must be the child or grandchild of a current or past member of the Centerville Noon Optimists, a graduating high school senior, be accepted to a two- or four-year college or university, and demonstrate a commitment to community service. Mike also noted that students can apply for over 300 Dayton Foundation scholarship opportunities. Most of these scholarships are open exclusively to students who reside in the Greater Dayton region of Ohio.
Social Events
Euchre Tournament
Sue Jessee announced a Euchre tournament on Friday, February 28, 2025, at ContempoRoast. For details and to sign up, use the Member Calendar.
Bourbon, Wine and Beer Tasting
Sue Jessee announced that Patrick and Diane Arehart will host a Bourbon, Wine and Beer tasting at their home on Saturday, March 22, 2025. For details and to sign up, use the Member Calendar.
Margaret Barclay Memorial 2025 Optimist Oratorical Contest
The second round of the Oratorical Contest took place today, featuring four speakers who delivered 4 to 5-minute speeches on the topic, “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times.” Each shared personal stories of challenges they have faced and overcome.
Co-Chair Jessica Wagner said, “As for the importance of public speaking – 70% of those in leadership roles say it is an essential skill for success. I want to emphasize to all of today’s contestants there are no losers here.”
Speaker A, Girl Attending Watts School – Summary
She shared how optimism has guided her through life’s challenges. Inspired by her father, an Army veteran, she follows his motto: “Let’s EAT”—Execute, Assess, and Try harder, but try differently.
She described two personal challenges where optimism made a difference. First, in synchronized swimming, she struggled to stay afloat on her back. She improved her performance by focusing on a spot on the ceiling to calm her mind and control her breathing. Using this technique, she won her first gold medal at a recent competition in Cincinnati.
Second, she spoke about the difficulty of being separated from her father, who has been deployed for nearly two years. Although she misses him, she stays connected through letters and phone calls, which help her stay strong and focused on her goals.
She encouraged everyone to face challenges with optimism, determination, and the mindset to “EAT”—Execute, Assess, and Try harder.
Speaker B, Girl, Senior at CHS – Summary
She shared how optimism has guided her through life’s challenges, even when hope felt distant. For years, she struggled with living in the shadow of her late sister, feeling pressure to ease her parents’ grief by following the path her sister might have taken. She carried this weight quietly, mistaking optimism for obligation.
Her understanding of optimism changed when she took up the violin, a dream her mother once had for her sister. At first, she hated it, feeling it symbolized expectation rather than expression. But as she improved, the music became her own. It was a blend of past and present, complexity and freedom.
She found her voice more fully through public speaking, where speech and debate became a space to explore her identity. With each speech, she grew bolder, addressing issues close to her heart, including mental health, women’s rights, and immigration reform. A defining moment came when a judge told her that her speech inspired efforts to promote mental health education. That was when she realized her voice had power.
Through music, speaking, and advocacy, optimism became her steady guide—not by erasing hardship but by giving her the strength to keep going. She now embraces the fact that her story, though forever connected to her sister’s memory, is hers to write. With optimism lighting the way, she stands not in the shadows but in the light beyond them.
Speaker C, Girl Attending Magsig – Summary
She reflected on how optimism guided her through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in the spring of 2020 when everything shut down. As a first grader, she struggled with online learning, missed her friends, and felt the loss of her favorite activities, including Taekwondo, piano lessons, swimming, and Sunday school.
Her parents, a healthcare worker and a software engineer, reminded her and her sister that “tough times do not last, but tough people do.” They encouraged her to live with faith, not fear, and to find joy in small moments. Together, her family spent quality time playing board games—once keeping a Monopoly game going for nearly five days. She also learned to play chess, picked up card tricks from online videos, and enjoyed baking competitions with her sister.
When activities slowly resumed, she returned to Taekwondo, earning her black belt two years later. She also rejoined swimming classes and advanced in piano lessons, with her teacher visiting their home for sessions. Her parents continued to inspire her to learn something new each summer, leading her to master origami, balloon twisting, calligraphy, and solving a Rubik’s Cube.
She concluded with a message of hope: Hard times will come, but they won’t last forever. We emerge stronger and better by staying optimistic and looking for the brighter side. For her, the love and encouragement of her family made all the difference. Although the pandemic lasted for years, the lessons, skills, and memories from that time will last a lifetime.
Speaker D, Girl Attending Tower Heights – Summary
She spoke about how optimism has guided her through trying times, beginning with an important truth: optimism is about hope, confidence, and maintaining a positive mindset. She explained that a positive attitude helps people overcome challenges, develop new skills, and achieve their goals. Optimistic people, she noted, stay persistent, embrace change, and focus on solutions rather than problems.
She shared a personal experience from her first horse show in the summer of 2024. Despite her nerves and self-doubt, she chose to stay positive, repeating to herself, “I can do this.” At first, she felt anxious, but her confidence grew after earning second place in her first round. On her second ride, with her focus on the task rather than her worries, she performed even better—earning first place.
Through this experience, she discovered that optimism isn’t just about results; it’s about believing in yourself and performing to the best of your abilities. For her, optimism turned fear into confidence and self-doubt into pride. She concluded by reminding everyone that optimism has the power to guide, heal, and transform us through life’s hardest challenges.
The Winner is Speaker B
Speaker B won today and received a medallion and a cash prize from Roy Barclay. She will move on to the zone contest. The winners of the zone contests move on to the regional level, with those winners advancing to the district level and from there, the winners go to the national competition.
Thank You to the Judges and Committee
Thank you to the judges, Erin Laurito, Mark Metzger, and Byron Wade. Thank you to the timekeeper, Tom Novak. Thank you to the committee, Jessica Wagner (co-chair), Ron Thompson (co-chair) and Liz Fultz (past co-chair). Thank you to Diane Arehart, who helped publicize the contest.
We get great support from the principals at all three Centerville middle schools, and Jessica thanks them for promoting this contest to their students.
About the Oratorical Contest
From Jessica Wagner:
Since it was established in 1928, the Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program sponsored by Optimist International.
Our contest is named in honor of former Optimist member Margaret Barclay. Margaret chaired this committee for many years. She cared deeply about bringing out the best in kids and living the Optimist Creed. She was a most beloved member of our club, a past president and lived a life dedicated to helping others. Margaret’s accomplishments were vast, including 40 years in public education, the last 27 in the Centerville Schools. She retired in 2000 as Principal at Magsig Middle School. While Margaret passed away in 2010, it is a pleasure to see her memory being recognized in this way.
Mr. Roy Barclay, Margaret’s husband, supports the Oratorical contest by donating annually. Thank you, Roy, for your ongoing contributions and support of this contest.
Details about the contest for participants.
About Optimist Clubs
From Jessica Wagner:
The speakers today are sharing their perspectives on “How Optimism Has Guided Me Through Trying Times.” As an organization, we have defined the Purposes of Optimism to be:
- To develop Optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed
- To promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs
- To inspire respect for Law
- To promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people
- To aid and encourage the development of youth in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world
Club members have the responsibility to fulfill these Purposes of Optimism and be active and involved. Attendance at meetings, participation in committees, projects, and fellowship activities, and providing leadership all contribute to the success of our club. There are plenty of opportunities to be as involved as you wish, and everyone’s contribution makes the club more meaningful and ensures continued growth.
Centerville Noon Optimists believe, “As a friend of youth, our mission is to provide positive programs and activities to benefit youth in the local and surrounding communities to help them grow and prosper as future leaders.”
Optimist International Early History
From Jessica Wagner:
In 1911, local Optimist clubs began as a grassroots effort. As industrialization and urbanization brought many new problems to society, citizens began forming voluntary organizations to address the needs of their communities. In some areas, groups took the name “optimist club” to express their desire for a positive outlook in the face of all these problems. The first official Optimist Club was formed in Buffalo, New York.
The impetus for a nationwide Optimist movement began when the Optimist Club of Indianapolis was formed in May 1916. Envisioning a nationwide organization, the founders of the Indianapolis club moved ahead in the summer of 1916 to start Optimist Clubs in many other major cities.
These clubs quickly grew to more than 100 members each. As a result, a national conference of the American clubs took place in 1917 in Indianapolis.
In 1919, times were good. World War I had been fought and won, and spirits were high in America. It was an ideal time for the birth of Optimism. The association of clubs known today as Optimist International was formed on June 19, 1919, with representatives of 11 clubs. During this convention, William Henry Harrison, a descendant of the ninth president of the United States bearing the same name, was also elected the first International President of Optimist International.
Optimist Creed and Motto
From Jessica Wagner:
In 1923, the Optimist’s motto was Friend of the Delinquent Boy. In 1924, it progressed to Friend of the Boy, and in 1972, the motto Friend of Youth was adopted.
In 1922, the Optimist Creed, which is recited at the end of every meeting, was adopted as the official creed of the organization. Written by Christian Larson, the creed was originally published under the title “Promise Yourself” in 1912. The wife of Los Angeles Optimist James V. Westervelt saw the item in a newspaper and clipped it for her husband. After publishing it in his club’s bulletin, Westervelt and other Los Angeles Optimists encouraged other California clubs to use the creed. Optimists in California found the Optimist spirit well-expressed in the 10-line statement and pushed them to have it adopted organization-wide. Soon after, the creed’s popularity grew.
Also, in this year, the first official emblem of Optimist International was developed and adopted. The emblem consisted of a child with a smiling face, the words “International Optimist Club,” and a sun in its center with the words “Friendship, Sociability, Loyalty, Reciprocity” around it as a border.
President Paul’s Quote of the Week
“It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” -Rocky Balboa
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Ashley Holmes | Art Hung |
| Bob Bowman | Nancy Lehren |
| Jon Guinther | Tia Papp |
| Theresa Curry | Art Hung |
| Wes Feldmeyer | Jane Fiehrer |
New Member Readings and Inductions
| Name | Sponsor | 1st 2nd 3rd Reading or Induction |
| Wes Feldmeyer | Jane Fiehrer | 1st Reading |
| Theresa Curry | Art Hung | 1st Reading |
| Bob Bowman | Nancy Lehren | 2nd Reading |
| Cris Peterson | Mike Bevis | Induction |
Happy Bucks
No time for Happy Bucks this week.
Sergeants at Arms
No time for Sergeants this week.
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Laura Caschera | February 18, 1997 | 28 |
| Jack Anderson | February 18, 2016 | 9 |
| Doug Reno | February 19, 2019 | 6 |
| Tim Bemis | February 19, 2019 | 6 |
| Katie Calloway | February 19, 2019 | 6 |
| Ron Thompson | February 19, 2019 | 6 |
| Ashley Simeone | February 19, 2019 | 6 |
| Bob Collins | February 21, 2014 | 11 |
| Kate Trangenstein | February 21, 2020 | 5 |
| Erin Belangia-Sanchez | February 23, 2006 | 19 |
Birthdays
| Stan Fronzaglia | February 20 |
| Julie Walling Noeth | February 20 |
| Mike Bevis | February 21 |
| Kathy Rearick | February 21 |
| John Thompson | February 24 |
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 received this week.
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slides from this week’s meeting