CNO 2.0 at Nelly’s Taste of Bolivia
The venue for tonight’s CNO 2.0 meeting was Nelly’s Taste of Bolivia at 79 S. Main Street in Centerville. Thank you to owner Rafael Santillan and his team for the excellent food and the welcoming space.
Greg Fay, chair of CNO 2.0, welcomed everyone and outlined the many opportunities available through the Centerville Noon Optimist Club. He highlighted the club’s major fundraisers, the Avenue of Flags, the Christmas Tree Lot, and the Golf Outing, and explained how money raised goes directly toward programs that benefit children in the community. Recent examples include scholarships, support for Destination Imagination, and improvements at local parks and the library.
Greg also announced upcoming events in 2025:
- Labor Day and Patriot Day Flag Displays beginning August 27 and running for 18 days
- CNO 2.0 at Bock’s Family Brewing on September 18
- Tri-Star Soccer on September 19 at Centerville High School Soccer Stadium
- Centerville Fall Fest on October 4 at Stubbs Park
- Haunted Trail on October 14-15 at Countryside Park at the RecPlex
Greg encouraged guests to visit the CNO website calendar to get involved and reminded them that membership applications are available online. He emphasized that while CNO is a service organization, it’s also a place to build lasting friendships and professional connections.
Speed Networking
The evening included a speed networking activity with five, three-minute conversations. Attendees rotated through short rounds, focusing on listening carefully and explaining the types of problems they help solve. Greg emphasized that the goal was to move beyond job titles and instead connect on how members and guests can be resources for one another.
The Optimist Creed
The meeting closed with members and guests reciting the Optimist Creed, a tradition that reflects the club’s mission to bring out the best in kids and the community.
Announcements
These announcements were first shared at the previous lunch meeting and are repeated here to keep 2.0 members informed of volunteer opportunities. Members can always see the most up-to-date list of events on the Member Calendar.
Tri-Star Soccer
Co-chair Mike Creech announced that Tri-Star Soccer will take place on September 19, 2025, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at the field behind Magsig. Volunteers for registration and scoring can sign up through the Member Calendar. No soccer experience is needed, as high school students will be running the stations. They need at least 15 volunteers.
Community Read
Andy Higgins said the Youth Mental Health Initiative is co-sponsoring a Community Read of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. The kickoff, hosted by Centerville Safe, is September 9, 6:30 pm at Cline Elementary auditorium. This conflicts with the CNO Board meeting, so they are asking all club and YMHI members to attend if possible. Speakers will address The Educational Costs of Constant Connectivity.
Book clubs, including a CNO-hosted online morning group, will meet through the fall. The Community Read concludes with a Mental Health Summit at Epiphany Lutheran in February, 2026.