Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
From Centering Prayers by Peter Traben Haas
God of Life:
I pray to feel wholeness today in the circle of my friends and family. Where there are tensions, bring peace. Where there is sickness, bring your healing. Where there is confusion, bring your clarity. Standing in your love, bring me your joy.
Amen.
Veterans Day
Veterans at lunch today were asked to come to the front of the room and be recognized for their service to our country. Thanks to all the CNO members that are veterans, including those not in attendance on Tuesday.
CNO Veterans Standing up Today
Left to right in the picture above.
- Jerry Stahley, Air Force in Oscoda, Michigan from 1963 until 1967, where he met his wife Mary on the beach on Lake Michigan
- Mike Bevis, US Navy, 1970 to 1973
- Don Kelley, Air Force, 1967 – 1971
- Charlie Goodwin, surgeon in the Air Force at Edwards Air Force Base for two years from 1973 to 1975
- Bob Burkman, US Marine Corp, 1960 – 1972
- Stan Fronzaglia, US Army, 1966 to 2005
- John Kalaman, US Air Force, August 1967 to October 1975
- David Duncombe, World War II
Announcements
- Christy Gariety announced that all 30 of the kids CNO was assigned for Adopt-a-Family have been picked by CNO members, thank you. Please remember to deliver your wrapped gifts on Thursday December 1st, 3p – 6p at Cline Elementary school.
- Craig Dring announced that the TOP Optimist Club is selling 150 Poinsettias for $15 that will be delivered at lunch on 12/6/2022. They expect to raise $1000. They have chosen to purchase a pool wheelchair for the RecPlex which is about $1000.
- Greg Griffin announced that on 11/25/2022, the Tree lot opens to the public – see your team captain for your schedule. On 12/17/2022, 8 AM – 11:30 AM, we need help for the tree lot teardown and to pack the trailers.
Social Events
Annual Holiday Party, Tuesday, December 13, 2022, 6p-9p, at Moraine Country Club, $44 person. You can register and pay here. There will not be a lunch that day at Yankee Trace.
Robert J. O’Toole EMT/Firefighter of the Year Award
The EMT/Firefighter Award honors the memory of Ruth and John’s son Robert J. O’Toole. Robert lost his life on January 12, 1998, while responding to an accident. The Award aims to honor those in our community who unselfishly give of themselves in service to others.
CNO gives this award in October since it is always Fire Safety Month. Optimist International has long had a Respect for Law Award. CNO added the Firefigher/EMT of the Year Award after the 1998 tragedy.
This is the 25th time CNO has presented this award.
Award Recipient Matt Lolli
This year’s recipient is Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Lolli. CNO presented Matt Lolli a plaque and his name will be added to a plaque at the Washington Township Fire Department headquarters.
Joining Matt Lolli at lunch today were Ruth O’Toole; Fire Chief Scott Kujawa; Beth Lolli (wife); Gene Lolli (father); Elizabeth Lolli (mother); Barb Castilano; Charlie Castilano; Washington Township Administrator Jesse Lightle; Washington Township Fiscal Officer Gary Smiga; John and Paula Kalaman.
Tri-Fold Brochure of the 2022 Robert O’Toole EMT/Firefighter of the Year Award
About Matt Lolli from Fire Chief Scott Kujawa
Gary Anderson introduced Fire Chief Scott Kujawa, who presented the award to Matt Lolli.
The following is from Fire Chief Scott Kujawa:
Good afternoon. My name is Scott Kujawa, and I am the Fire Chief for the Washington Township Fire Department. It is my honor to be before you today to present this award.
On January 12, 1998, Firefighter Robert O’Toole, and Officer John Kalaman paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving our community. These two men will never be forgotten by the Washington Township Fire Department, Centerville Police Department, or our community. I want to thank the Noon Optimist Club of Centerville and the O’Toole family for their continued support and remembrance of Firefighter O’Toole through the Robert J. O’Toole EMT/Firefighter of the Year Award.
Now, to recognize this year’s recipient:
Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Lolli has been a member of the Washington Township Fire Department since November 2020. He joined our department with several years of experience with the Monroe Fire Department. While with the Monroe Fire Department, Matt was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
Matt has been an outstanding addition to our department. He is an exceptionally competent firefighter and paramedic, and continually strives for improvement. He is a true professional and respectful to everyone he interacts with. Some people are just natural leaders and gain the respect of everyone around them regardless of their position, title, or honors they may maintain, Matt is one of those people. He does not seek credit for the things that he accomplishes, he just does them to better his crew, shift, our department, and community.
In my opinion, Matt’s professional passions lie within teaching and training others, and the technical rescue side of our profession.
He is a member of Ohio Task Force 1 and the Ohio Region 3 Rescue Strike Team. R3RST, for the most part, deploys regionally, while the OTF1 deploys throughout the country.
Prior to coming to our department, Matt was a part of the Butler County Technical Rescue Team and spent years developing his technical rescue skillset. As a result, he has brought forward recommendations to improve upon our technical rescue program and provided training to our members. Last year, Matt provided water rescue training to our Station 45 personnel. For some, this was their first certification in the water rescue discipline.
Matt’s work ethic and job performance are exemplary, and he defines what it means to unselfishly give of himself in service to others. Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Lolli is truly deserving of the Robert J. O’Toole EMT/Firefighter of the Year Award. I’d like to congratulate and invite Matt to the front.
Matt Lolli Spoke
Thank you, Ruth O’Toole. Thank you to CNO for hosting this event and award.
Thanks to Scott and everyone at the fire department.
Thanks to my wife for her support for him having to leave home often and quickly.
Gary Anderson Remembers Robert J. O’Toole
The following is from Gary Anderson:
- Bobby was a special little boy who I and others couldn’t help but love. I had the good fortune of being Bobby’s principal K-4; and again 9-12
- Bobby was born March 2, 1972, in Teaneck, New Jersey to parents John and Ruth
- 2 brothers and 2 sisters –
- Started Kindergarten at Village South on August 30, 1977
- K-4 at VS; 5th grade at Stingley August 31, 1982
- Tower Heights Middle School
- CHS West Unit Freshman in August 1986; graduated June 2, 1990
- Bob was identified with a learning disability after being referred by his first-grade teacher
- Like so many students identified with a learning disability, Bobby had above average intelligence on School Ability Tests given in 2nd and 5th grades
- His first-grade teacher once commented “Bob is very shy around strangers, is anxious to read, and reads a lot at home. Because of his short attention span he does not complete most assignments.”
- His 4th grade teacher once wrote on his report card “Robert needs to pay more attention in class and keep up with his daily assignments. I feel he is much more capable than his work indicates. Bob does not do daily assignments and does not know his multiplication tables. Needs to use class time wisely.”
- In November 1986 Bob took the Ohio Interest Survey Profile which showed his best liked career interest was humanitarian/caretaking; favorite subject was Social Studies.
- Bobby O’Toole gave his life in the line of duty doing what he loved and wanted to do on January 12, 1998.
Move Over Laws
On January 12, 1998, Robert J. O’Toole was dispatched to a minor one car incident. On the median of I-675 he was struck and killed by an approaching motorist even though the flashing lights of at least 4 emergency vehicles were flashing.
Inspired by this tragedy, Ohio in 1999 and now many other states have passed a “Move Over Law” for flashing lights of police and emergency responders. In 2013 it was expanded to include any stationary vehicle with flashing lights.
Nationwide, we need more education about the existence of these laws and why they are important. Here are some statistics about avoidable tragedies:
- 1 Tow Truck driver every 6 days
- 23 Highway Workers / month
- 1 Law Enforcement Officer / month
- 5 Fire Fighters / year
Rescheduled
Today’s award presentation for Matt Lolli was rescheduled form last month as Beth Lolli had just given birth to their first child. President Beth Duncan presented the happy parents with a onesie with an Optimist Logo captioned “Future Optimist.”
New Member Readings and Inductions
| Name | Sponsor | 1st 2nd 3rd Reading or Induction |
| Carol Mays | Steve Mays | 1st Reading |
Welcome Guests!
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Barb Castilano | Honoree Guest |
| Beth Lolli | Honoree Guest |
| Bob | TOP Optimist Club |
| Charlie Castilano | Honoree Guest |
| Dr. Luke Barhorst | Art Hung |
| Elizabeth Lolli | Honoree Guest |
| Eugene Lolli | Honoree Guest |
| John | TOP Optimist Club |
| Karen Collins | Bob Collins |
| Katie | TOP Optimist Club |
| Matt Lolli | Honoree |
| Meghan | Honoree Guest |
| Melissa Moorman | Mike Bevis |
| Ruth O’Toole | Gary Anderson |
Happy Bucks
| Member | Reason |
| Ellie Parker | Has a piece in an art contest at the Woodbourne Library. Vote for the guy in the white hat. |
| Christy Gariety | Went to the 100th birthday party for her mother-in-law. |
| Scott Langer | Returned his refunded $1 since he was already at the birthday table when technically he was not supposed to be sitting there. |
| Myron Rheaume | There is a Christmas Tree shortage and prices are up everywhere so this should help the tree lot sell out fast and at a good profit. |
| Myron Rheaume | Grandaughter Keirra directed a scene with Jason Alexander for a Marvel Studio movie starring Chris Pratt. She got the scene in one take. |
| Bob Collins | WWII veteran Ralph Young’s WWII in the Pacific presentation at the library last week was great. He is 97 years old and was a member of CNO for a while until it was too hard for him to hear lunch speakers. |
| Bob Collins | Myron Rheaume has finally joined Silver Sneakers. |
| Gail Aiken | Just got back from a great trip to Las Vegas. |
| Eric Parsley | As a new member he said thanks to Tom Novak for the great experience he had with delivering flags. |
| Tom Novak | The Avenue of Flags is wrapped up for the year. Thanks to all the volunteers that helped this year. The net profit for 2022 is $121,000.00. |
| Gary Anderson | Grandkids had a great bowling night. Younger grandchild kept saying to the teenager, “You could get a 300,” which of course stopped the 300 from happening. |
Sergeants at Arms
| Member | Infraction |
| Scott Langer | Refunded $1 for being on time to today’s meeting. |
| Larry England | Gave incorrect instructions to sergeant Paul Boeckman about where the name badges are stored. |
| Don Massie | Insulting President Duncan when he said he smelled something burning after she said she was thinging about something when she didn’t hear him say, “Hi.” |
| Paul Stull | Someone backed into him because he was using his car as a target for collision practice by another driver. |
| Joan Cordonnier | Found a dirty golf ball in the parking lot. |
| Myron Rheaume | Turned in Vince Reidy for self promotion. |
Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Mark Poling | November 21, 2021 | 1 |
| Marilyn Becht | November 20, 2016 | 6 |
| Beth Duncan | November 20, 2016 | 6 |
| John Kalaman | November 20, 2016 | 6 |
| Paula Kalaman | November 20, 2016 | 6 |
| Christine Balsan | November 21, 2013 | 9 |
| Kristina Rainer | November 21, 2012 | 10 |
| Julie Cochran | November 19, 2009 | 13 |
| Tim Clemmer | November 16, 2001 | 21 |
| Art Hung | November 16, 2001 | 21 |
| Jon Fox | November 20, 2000 | 22 |
| Larry England | November 17, 1994 | 28 |
| Nancy Lehren | November 17, 1994 | 28 |
Birthdays
| Russell Hulbert | November 19 |
| Jenna Robbins | November 19 |
CNO Donations – 2013 through September 2022
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received
CLICK HERE to see this week’s Thank You Notes