Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
Maya Angelou wisely stated, “If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.”
Lord,
We continually compare ourselves to others, sometimes feeling threatened by the gifts, wisdom, or possessions of others. Every one of us are uniquely created in Your image. We are blessed with varying gifts, talents, and skills. Rather than trying to be just like everyone else, may we each celebrate our uniqueness, recognize how amazing we truly are, and discover the power we can create when we use those gifts together.
Amen.
Get to Know a Member – Tom Young
President Sarah Umbreit led this week’s “Get to Know a Member” segment, interviewing Tom Young. Tom shared that one of his favorite parts of the meeting is hearing members’ stories. He also talked about growing up with his first dog, a mutt named Whitey, and noted that he prefers caffeinated coffee over tea.
Tom Young joined CNO on November 2, 2021, and was sponsored by Debe Dockins.
Announcements
Euchre Tournament Social Was Fun
Connie Risch thanked Greg and Mindy Hoffbauer for hosting the successful Euchre tournament at ContempoRoast Coffee. She will announce the February, 2026, social event soon.
Will Cale Memorial Scholarship Mentors
Joan Cordonnier announced that Will Cale Memorial Scholarship applications have been distributed to high school counselors. She is looking for CNO members willing to serve as mentors. Interested members should contact Joan. She is hoping for eighteen mentors and the number of mentors determines the number of students that can participate.
Winterfest Volunteers Needed
Andy Higgins announced that volunteers are needed for the Winter Carnival at Primary Village North and Winterfest at Primary Village South on Saturday, January 31, 2026, from 9:00 AM to noon. They need volunteers to assist children with a snowman clothespin activity while sharing information related to youth well-being. You can work anywhere between one and three hours. Please sign up using the Member Calendar.
Oratorical Contest
Jessica Wagner, the Chair of the Oratorical Contest, announced the Oratorical Contest will be held at 6 PM on February 9 and February 12, 2026. at the Woodbourne Library in the evening. The theme is “The Moment I Realized I Belonged—My Definition of Community.” Please come and listen to the speakers. She still needs judges as well.
Chuck Dickerson Memorial Scholarship
Mike Thonnerieux announced that the Chuck Dickerson Memorial Scholarship deadline is 4 PM, March 13, 2026. 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. Students can learn details for the $1000 scholarship at the Dayton Foundation using this link. 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.
Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic
Don Stafford shared that planning is underway for the annual golf fundraiser on Monday, July 13, 2026. He asked for members to assist with sponsorship outreach and committee involvement. To help, please get in touch with Don Stafford, Steve Rau or Mike Bevis.
Visual Arts Contest 2026
Jane Fiehrer, co-chair of the Visual Arts Contest with Rachel Goetz, announced that the annual Visual Arts contest is now open. Paintings or drawings must be submitted online by February 16, 2026. Here is the link to the contest. Children in two age groups (7 & under and 8–11) can submit drawings or paintings for cash prizes. This year’s theme is “Be Bold – Be The Change.”
Happy Birthday Bob Duffy
Bob Duffy’s birthday is January 15, and its close timing gave the club an excuse to revive our long-neglected birthday song. It also made perfect sense, since it was our fearless singing leader’s birthday. Bob, who has long conducted our enthusiastic but musically challenged version of “Happy Birthday,” was once again handed the microphone. Since it had been a while since we last sang, we included everyone with a recent birthday.
Bob Duffy joined CNO on January 1, 1988, and was sponsored by Thomas Frazier.
Recycling 101 – Montgomery County Solid Waste District
Chris McAlpine introduced Lorelei Hagans-Floyd, Community & Education Program Specialist II with the Montgomery County Solid Waste District. Hagans-Floyd opened by saying she is “here to talk trash,” and her goal was to make sure everyone left with practical, usable information about how trash and recycling work in Montgomery County.
Slides
You can view the slide deck of the presentation here.
From reduce, reuse, recycle to “away is somewhere”
Hagans-Floyd noted that many of us have been practicing reuse and recycling for decades, long before those words were common. If you have ever patched a pair of jeans, saved leftovers, or wrapped something up for later use, you have been part of that mindset. The district’s work focuses on helping Montgomery County reduce waste and reduce reliance on landfills, an emphasis reinforced by Ohio House Bill 592, which directed communities to take landfill reduction seriously.
She returned several times to a simple point. We all want trash to go “away,” but away is somewhere. Managing that reality for roughly 535,000 residents requires constant movement of material so trash does not back up at the facility or in the community.
Where the trash goes
Hagans-Floyd explained that trash from across Montgomery County flows through the district’s transfer operation. After processing, it is hauled to the landfill in Cincinnati called “Mount Rumpke,” one of the largest in the region. She emphasized that landfill disposal is a large and expensive operation, and that it is easy to forget that “away” always has a cost. Regardless of which company picks up your trash, it heads to “Mount Rumpke.”
She also shared some history. Decades ago, trash was burned at the facility, but incineration ended as environmental standards changed. Today, trash is transferred and hauled rather than burned.
Recycling basics and why “recycle right” matters
Hagans-Floyd walked through how recycling works. Materials are collected, delivered to a materials recovery facility for sorting and baling, and then sold for manufacturing. Recycling only works when the materials going in are usable. When done correctly, recycling closes the loop by turning used materials back into new products.
Even with improved technology, she noted that recycling rates have not increased as much as expected. One major reason is contamination. Items that do not belong in the recycling bin, or recyclables that still contain food or residue, can prevent entire loads from being recovered. She also discussed “over-recycling,” when people place questionable items in the bin hoping they are recyclable. That well-intentioned behavior can actually reduce recovery rates.
Practical Guidance
Paper and cardboard are generally recyclable, as long as they are reasonably clean and free of food residue or sticky contamination. Glass should be limited to food and beverage containers and should be rinsed. Plastics should follow local guidance, since acceptable materials can change based on processing and markets.
A large portion of Hagans-Floyd’s presentation focused on the many services available through the Montgomery County Solid Waste District, many of them free to county residents.
Recycling drop off (daily, self-service)
For residents without curbside recycling, including those living in apartments, the district offers daily recycling drop off. These self-service locations accept mixed paper, co-mingled recycling, and corrugated cardboard at no charge for Montgomery County residents.
Household hazardous waste
Hagans-Floyd stressed that paint, varnish, and similar hazardous household materials should never be placed in regular trash. The district has experienced multiple facility fires over the years, often caused by hazardous materials being disposed of improperly. She reviewed the household hazardous waste schedule and reminded residents to bring a valid ID to confirm county residency.
Tire buyback program
The district accepts ten tires per resident at no charge. Hagans-Floyd also described the tire buyback program, where residents are paid per tire on a designated day. The goal is to keep tires out of the environment, where they can collect standing water and become mosquito breeding sites.
Large appliances and appliance amnesty days
Large household appliances are accepted by the district at a nominal rate, and the district will remove refrigerants from the items for you. Hagans-Floyd highlighted appliance amnesty days, held twice each year, when residents can bring qualifying appliances for free disposal on those specific days.
Yard waste and Christmas trees
The district also accepts source separated yard waste. As a seasonal example, Hagans-Floyd encouraged residents to bring Christmas trees to the facility to be ground into mulch, rather than sending them through the trash stream and ultimately to the landfill.
Keep Montgomery County Beautiful and cleanup support
Hagans-Floyd discussed local cleanup programs tied to the Keep America Beautiful network. Groups that organize cleanups in Montgomery County can receive supplies free of charge such as litter grabbers, gloves, and trash bags. The district can also deliver a cleanup supply trailer, with both smaller and larger trailer options depending on the project. Groups are simply asked to report how many bags of trash were collected and how much material was recycled so results can be tracked and reported.
Environmental Crimes Task Force
For illegal dumping, Hagans-Floyd described the county’s environmental crimes task force. When dumping occurs on private property, the county can assist with enforcement, including the use of cameras and prosecution when appropriate.
Q and A highlights
During the question-and-answer period, Hagans-Floyd addressed common, practical concerns. Amazon boxes with shipping labels can still be recycled. Modern recycling processes are able to remove labels during processing, which was not the case in the past.
She also clarified bottle cap handling. Typical water bottle caps should be left on, while larger caps on heavier containers may need to be removed. She encouraged residents to check county guidance when in doubt.
She also noted that batteries and electronics should be taken to appropriate drop off locations rather than placed in household trash and encouraged residents to consult the district’s website for up-to-date disposal guidance. Batteries Plus and Best Buy are known to accept batteries and possibly other items, she suggested that you call first.
Thank you
Thank you, Lorelei Hagans-Floyd, for explaining how Montgomery County’s waste and recycling system works and for sharing practical, resident-friendly ways to reduce waste and recycle correctly.
New Member Readings and Inductions
- Dave Hungler, Induction, Sponsored by Dave Kay. Dave shared that he has lived in the township for over 40 years and is looking forward to becoming more involved and giving back to the community. He expressed appreciation for the warm welcome and noted that he is ready to work and contribute.
Happy Bucks
No time for Happy Bucks this week.
Sergeants-at-Arms Fines – Bob Myers and Mike Creech
- Dave Hungler received his first fine. Welcome to the club, Dave!
- Sarah Umbreit was fined for losing the bell and gavel.
Welcome Guests
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Dave Hungler | Induction |
| Lorelei Hagans-Floyd | Speaker |
Club Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Susan Thomsen | January 14, 1997 | 29 |
| Mike Creech | January 17, 2022 | 4 |
| Ray Daley | January 17, 2022 | 4 |
| Cindy Gaboury | January 17, 2022 | 4 |
| Bob Myers | January 17, 2022 | 4 |
| Dick Lee | January 18, 2017 | 9 |
| Pam Miller | January 18, 2017 | 9 |
| Lynne Reilly | January 18, 2017 | 9 |
| Deb Ulrich | January 18, 2017 | 9 |
Birthdays
| Rob Jones | January 13 |
| Kelly Kempton | January 13 |
| Bob Duffy | January 15 |
| Lisa Maciejewski | January 17 |
| Barbara Santo | January 17 |
Thank You Notes Received this Week
CLICK HERE to see the Thank You Notes we received this week
Links to PowerPoint and Pictures
CLICK HERE to see the PowerPoint Slide Deck from this week’s meeting