Erin Dickerson’s Prayer
God,
We fail to recognize how truly privileged we are. This past week, I came across a video posted by an 8th grade teacher. One of her students approached her and asked if she could ask a weird question. As we can imagine, she was bracing herself for what she was about to be asked by this 13- or 14-year-old girl. What she asked was, how do you wash your hair? When the teacher finished, the student told her she should share it on TikTok. She was surprised by this and asked why. The student explained that it was just her dad at home, and she wanted to teach her little sister how to wash her hair. What we often take to be common knowledge is actually a privilege. Lord, help us to see and appreciate how privileged we are. We are privileged to have air conditioning to escape this heat. We are privileged to have access to food and to enjoy our lunch today. We are privileged to be in this room surrounded by our CNO family. May we always do our best to use our many privileges to better the lives others.
Amen.
Volunteer Signups Available Online with the Virtual Clipboard
Did you know that you can now signup to volunteer or to participate in social events using a simple online registration form right from your phone or PC? The Member Calendar has a complete list of upcoming volunteer opportunities and social events.
Announcements
- Gary Hansen announced that he is looking for chairs, committee members and volunteers for the following events:
- Big 6 Gaming Table at Party in the Park (July 15); contact Mitch Bodenmiller or Debe Dockins if you are interested
- CHS Handouts Booth at Party in the Park (July 15)
- Americana Parade Float (July 4)
- Debe announced that CNO had a Big 6 wheel and membership tent at Party in the Park on 6/10/2022 and talked to a lot of people about CNO.
- Mike Bevis, chair of the Golf Committee, reminded us that the 30th year of the Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic will be held on 7/18/2022. The committee is making progress for sponsorships but could use your help with obtaining additional sponsorships and items for the silent auction baskets.
- Tom Novak spoke about the decision to extend the Avenue of Flags display through July 4th and they are looking for more volunteers as subscriptions are pouring in.
- Joan Cordonnier spoke about the Americana Festival, fast approaching on July 4th. She is looking for volunteers for preparations on July 2nd & 3rd, as well as the festival/5k on the 4th.
- Nancy Lehren, chairman of the Childhood Health and Wellness committee, announced that we have been invited back for in-person events at Dayton Children’s. There will be some changes from past events, including food options and mask requirements, and she is also interested in obtaining books to give away at the next event, July 9th, 10-12.
- Optimist 2.0 is this Thursday at Mi Lindo Jalisco, with speakers Craig and Dana Dring from Barcodes Unlimited
- Next Monday’s Board meeting will be on Zoom, due to a loss of venue. If you would like to attend, contact Gary Hansen for the Zoom link.
Community Events
- 7/18/2022, All Day, the 30th year of the Tom Frazier Tee Off for Youth Golf Classic will be held on 7/18/2022. To volunteer use the member calendar here.
Social Events
7/10/2022, 3 PM, Carillon Park guided private tour followed by dinner at the Carillon Brewing Company. Admission (including the tour) is $11 ($9 for those 60+, free if you are a member). Dinner and drinks are on your own. Payment is at the park. Everyone should arrive by 2:45pm for the tour. To attend use the member calendar here.
Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program, Heather Cumming
Mike Fanelli introduced Heather Cumming, the Executive Director and Founder of Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program. Their website is ssaap.org. They are a food, nutrition and water sustainability organization.
Mike became familiar with Heather and her organization when donating a well in his mother’s name.
Heather shared maps to show where their work is done and shared many pictures from her time in Zambia and Sierra Leone.
Heather is a graduate of Centerville High School.
Vision
Leave an imprint on African civilization whereby the Africans touched by this project will know they were respected, considered and loved by the global whole.
Mission
Alleviate starvation in remote areas of Zambia and Sierra Leone by securing a sustainable water source; to promote sustainable agriculture and nutrition; and to promote empowerment through income-generating activities.
How to Help (from their website)
You can use their website to learn how to donate and/or volunteer.
All of us have a plethora of talents, and an abundance within our own hearts.
Please consider, on the American front, participating on our Board of Directors, working at a SSAAP fundraiser, donating, or assisting us with spreading information about the project through word of mouth to your friends.
On the African front, visiting our headquarters in Zambia, assisting in our thriving programs in Sierra Leone, or offering insights to our emerging programs in Sudan will boost participation from the Africans. Your ideas and physical presence in Africa would mean the world to us.
SSAAP.org’s Story on Their Website
Imagine living in a remote Zambian village. It is your whole world. You’ve never ventured beyond the edge of trees surrounding your village. Suddenly, a diminutive wisp of a girl/woman, blonde and green-eyed with a child in tow, emerges out of the trees and walks toward you. She asks you in your own language, CiTonga, where do you get your water? You summon the courage to reach out and touch her fair skin, her hair, and her daughter’s hair. A human connection has been made.
This scenario happens repeatedly in remote areas of Zambia and Sierra Leone. It is also beginning to happen in remote areas of the Sudan.
This adventurous woman is Heather Cumming, the Project Director and Founder of Simwatachela Sustainable Agricultural and Arts Program, or “SSAAP”.
In April 2008, the community headmen of 3 adjacent villages in Simwatachela granted her project 140 hectares of virgin land, specifically for the purpose of starting a sustainable agricultural program with potable water to feed both the people and their cattle. Her Zambian headquarters is located in the Southern Province of Africa.
In May 2020, the land for the project was revised from the previous 140 hectares location, in a remote location that was deemed not appropriate for a large-scale community-based project, and relocated to a more user-friendly location near to the Mapatizya Road (main road through Simwatachela) whereby a borehole was drilled on SSAAP’s new land in 2020 as the starting piece of a large-scale agricultural project, known as the ‘Plantation Project’ in Simwatachela Chiefdom, Zambia.
Life expectancy in Zambia is 37 years. Food security is fragile, dependent upon rainfall and traditional hand-planted cultivation. The HIV/AIDS epidemic ravaged the country: 1 in every 4 people is HIV positive. Malnutrition is present in communities country-wide.
In 2007, Sierra Leone, the other African country where SSAAP works, was rated the most unlivable country in the world. The 11 year Civil War (1990-2001), followed by the Ebola Epidemic (2014-2015) devastated the country’s economy. Every 4th child dies here before reaching the age of 5. Life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 33 years.
Thank You
Thank you, Heather Cumming, for educating us about the good your organization is doing in Zambia and Sierra Leone.
There are public and member calendars on the site. https://centervillenoonoptimist.com/cal/
There is a QR code you can use at the bottom to share the calendars with other members and the community.
New Events Calendar is Active on CNO Website
Things you can do with the calendars
- View upcoming lunch and CNO 2.0 speakers.
- Sign up to volunteer for community events like the Easter Egg Hunt and Bike Rodeo. After you sign up the software will offer to add the event to your calendar.
- Sign up for social events such as Euchre tournaments and soon the annual dinners for officer installation and holiday party.
- The community can use it to learn about events like the Bike Rodeo, Fishing Derby and Tri-star Soccer. If they sign up we can send reminders of the events.
New Member Readings and Inductions
No readings nor inductions this week.
Welcome Guests!
| Guest | Guest Of |
| Bambi Saxe | Ron Thompson |
| Charlie Weaver | Jim Mogan |
| Deb Graham | MIke Bevis |
| Heather Cumming | Speaker |
| Janet Reitz | Dick Lee |
| Radiance Cumming | Mike Fanelli |
| Helen Franko | Nancy Lehren |
| Andy Franko | Nancy Lehren |
| Kristi Franko | Nancy Lehren |
| Nola Franko | Nancy Lehren |
| Alex Franko | Nancy Lehren |
Happy Bucks
No time for Happy Bucks this week.
Sergeants at Arms
| Member | Infraction |
| Jerry Stahley | Picked up flags, then realized they weren’t supposed to be picked up, and put them back out again |
| Gary Smiga | The Thank You Note from Lauren was addressed to him, so he pays for taking all the credit |
| Mike Bevis | Claimed 3 guests, but only 1 was legitimate since he didn’t sit with one and the other was hosted by Nancy Lehren last week |
| Chris McAlpine | Claimed he is a smart guy |
| Gary Hansen | Called Bob Burkman “Bob Burkhardt” last week |
| Paul Boeckman | Picture was in the Dayton Daily News without his Optimist pin |
Membership Anniversaries
| Member | Joined | Years |
| Sam Pfabe | June 17, 2015 | 7 |
| Denise Green | June 19, 2013 | 9 |
| Kathy Linder | June 19, 2019 | 3 |
| Michelle Tagliamonte | June 19, 2019 | 3 |
Birthdays
| Deanna Nesbit | June 16 |
| Charla Rheaume | June 16 |
| Ron Kuker | June 19 |
| Kathy McAlpine | June 20 |
CNO Donations – 2013 through May 2022
Click here to see a summary of donations the club has made since 2013
Thank You Notes Received
Click Here to see read the Thank You Notes we received this week