CNO 2.0 Venue and Details
The September CNO 2.0 meeting was held at Bock Family Brewing, located at 8150 Washington Village Dr, Centerville. Thank you to the team at Bock’s for providing the space and beverages.
Announcements
Board-Approved Grants – September 9, 2025
Greg Fay shared that the board approved $3,500 in donations at its monthly meeting:
- $500 to the CHS Octagon Club for supplies, dues and fees.
- $500 to the TOP Optimist Club for a New Optimists Welcome kickball event
- $2,500 to Therapeutic Riding Institute to provide needs-based scholarships for Centerville and Washington Township youth to participate in TRI’s programs.
Centerville Fall Fest Volunteers Needed
Greg Fay, on behalf of Mike Bevis, announced that CNO will have a booth again this year at Centerville’s Fall Fest at Stubbs Park. This well-attended event draws lots of kids and families and is a great chance to connect with the community and share what our club does.
We will be in the Kids Zone from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday, October 4, putting on removable tattoos for kids. Everything will be provided, including tattoos, spray bottles, and sponges.
Please sign up using the Member Calendar for either the first shift (11:45 am – 2:30 pm) or the second (2:30 pm – 5:00 pm).
Haunted Trail Volunteers Needed
Greg Fay, on behalf of Debe Dockins, announced that the Haunted Trail will be held on October 14 and 15. Many volunteers are needed to serve as trail guides, help with refreshments, play characters such as witches at the bonfire, or the Grim Reaper. Volunteers are also needed for setting up and tearing down props. Trail guides typically lead groups along the 0.75-mile trail two to three times in an evening, but even leading one group is a big help. Sign up online using the Member Calendar.
The Anxious Generation Community Read
Greg Fay introduced Andy Higgins, co-chair with Joan Cordonnier of the Youth Mental Health Initiative. Higgins presented The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, a book that examines rising levels of anxiety, depression, and other mental health struggles among young people.
A Crisis Taking Shape
Higgins admitted he was once skeptical about talk of a youth mental health crisis. After reviewing research, he saw how the data reveal a turning point around 2010. Rates of anxiety, depression, ADHD, and self-harm began climbing sharply, particularly among young females. Boys, while less likely to attempt self-harm, are more likely to die by suicide.
Importantly, this pattern is not limited to the United States. Similar increases are seen across the English-speaking world and much of the developed world, pointing to the widespread impact of the internet and smartphones.
View Graphs
View graphs with interesting information from the book’s website.
The Loss of Play and Time Together
Higgins noted that part of the crisis stems from a decline in free, unstructured play. As he put it, “young mammals need to play,” whether porpoises, foxes, or children, play is essential for development.
Graphs show a steady drop in time that teens spend with each other since the 1990s. With less experience leading, following, and negotiating face-to-face, today’s youth are more socially isolated. At the same time, traditional milestones such as driving, working, and other in-person activities have declined, replaced by online interaction.
By 2015, one in five teen girls was spending 40 hours per week on social media on top of school and extracurricular activities. Higgins stressed that society was not prepared for a generation raised more on screens than in real-life friendships and play.
Community Response
The fourth section of Haidt’s book focuses on community involvement, which Higgins sees as central to solutions. He repeated a guiding quote he heard at a previous discussion about the issues, “If your mission doesn’t involve collaboration, your vision is too small.”
The Youth Mental Health Initiative is partnering with Epiphany Lutheran Church, Centerville Safe, the City of Centerville, and other organizations to host a community read of The Anxious Generation. Book clubs will form this fall and winter, culminating in a Mental Health Summit at Epiphany Lutheran in February, 2026.
Community Ideas and Discussion
Following the presentation, members and guests engaged in one of the most lively discussions a CNO 2.0 meeting has seen. Several themes emerged:
- Youth leadership. Many emphasized that young people themselves must be part of the solution, since they are the ones living with these challenges. Groups like Hope Squad were suggested as natural partners.
- Church and school partnerships. Churches and schools are trusted places where youth gather, making them important allies for spreading awareness and building support networks.
- Competition as motivation. Drawing from the success of the CHS Spirit Chain fundraiser, some suggested creating friendly competitions between schools, churches, or youth groups to raise awareness and resources.
- Parent education. Others stressed that parents must play a central role, especially in setting boundaries around phone and social media use. Public campaigns, neighborhood signs, and outreach efforts could help families understand what’s at stake.
The overall consensus was that no single group can tackle the problem alone. Collaboration among parents, schools, churches, and community organizations will be essential to help today’s youth navigate a healthier balance between real life and online life.
Thank You
Thank you, Andy Higgins, for your presentation on The Anxious Generation and for leading efforts to involve our community in addressing youth mental health.
Closing Tradition
The evening concluded with thanks to Connie Risch for laminating copies of the Optimist Creed, which members and guests recited together.
About CNO 2.0
CNO 2.0 is a club within a club of the Centerville Noon Optimist Club. CNO (and CNO 2.0) is a world class service organization. Being a member of either club allows members all the same opportunities to participate in fundraising and club activities. CNO 2.0 was created in 2017 and is very much a part of the Centerville Noon Optimist Club started in 1968. CNO has given away over $2 million during its history. CNO is a group of like-minded members who are passionate about helping youth and having fun in the process.
Annual Fundraisers
- Avenue of Flags
- Christmas Tree Lot
- Golf Outing
Major Activities for the Youth in our Community
- Build-a-Bear at Dayton Children’s Hospital or for other child-related organizations
- Fishing Derby in June
- Kid’s Day in the Park in August
- Easter Egg Hunt
- Safety on Wheels Bike Rodeo
- Haunted Trail and Community Food Drive