Congratulations to Grain Valley Optimist....

It was noted that the Optimist on the 25th of September would be celebrating the 15th Anniversary of the Grain Valley Club. This is quite an accomplishment and we should be very proud of this.
On the 28th of September, at 6:00 we will have our annual award, changing of officers get together at the Historical Society. All those please let Sheila and Dale Arnold know you are coming and bring a favorite dish to share. This is the time our past officers past the baton to the new officers coming in.
This is where we will be on October 1st.

Past officers:
President Dale Arnold
1st Vice President: Ann Ronchetto
2nd Vice President: Chris Davis
Secretary: Jan Reding
Treasurer: Sheila Arnold

Board of Directors:
John Davis (completes 2 yrs)
Bob Morse: (completes 2 yrs)
Jim Brown ( completes 2 yrs)
Mary Harper( completes 1 yr)
Shawn Brady (completes 1 yr)
Bryon McDonald (completes 1 yr)

New officers:
New President: Ann Ronchetto
1st Vice-president: Chris Davis
2nd Vice president: Mary Harper
Secretary: Jan Reding
Treasurer: Jerry Vaughan
New Board:
Shawn Brady ( 1yr left)
Bryon McDonald (1 yr left)
Carl Condra ( 1 yr, took Mary Harpers place)
John Davis (new 2 year term)
Jim Brown (New 2 yr term)
Jeanette Capranica (new 2 yr term)

JOOS in attendance at regular Optimist meeting..

Jim Brown introduced another 3 new members to the Jr Optimist group. As said before, we are now at 12 and I have asked him to get me a group picture with names so I can share with the rest of the club. Welcome aboard and these three came to the meeting and were helping with the dictionary labeling...

Here they were explaining that they will be working on taking orders for the 4 Mile T-shirts that will be sold in time for students to wear to the game. Anyone wanting some for a souvenir get with Jim Brown.

Dictionaries labeled for distribution....

At our meeting on September 20th, we took time to label the dictionaries that will be distributed to the schools. Carol Barnes and Ann Ronchetto did a nice job on getting the dictionaries and those in attendance did some work. Thanks to all. Carol Barnes will be looking at dates to determine what are the best dates for delivering them and if you want to help out, please get back with her, She will probably send out an e-mail when she has the dates.
Good work ladies.

Jr Optimist have doubled in size....

The Jr Optimist Club membership has doubled. To the left are the original 6 members that Jim Brown and the others originally got going. Since then at the meeting on 9-13-08, Jim announced that they were now at 12 members and have their charter membership as well. Cody Brown came to the regular meeting to show off the Charter certificate and mentioned what the Jr Optimist were doing. I would like to get a new picture of all of the members along with names for the future.

The Jr's meet on Wednesday's and doing some planning now for the near future.
The challenge is to get all members to work on the projects.
Have some members attend the Optimist Club on Saturday mornings. (Will have to determine how they can do this maybe on a rotating bases?)
The Saturday's after a home football game, the Jr's will be picking up trash and payment for the service will be done and they will soon have an account with some funds to help them with future projects.
The group will start to gather ideas for a theme to the Halloween event at the end of October.
JOOI t-shirts, the group needs to choose colors.
Hoping to get enough information for the 4-mile war T-shirt sale. Need to get started right away.

I took a couple of pictures of the group picking up trash at the high school, this is now a new fund raising event in which payment will be given for the service.


While I was there, the football team was working out.
The new field, I took a picture before it started to rain.

Induction and visit from Jr Optimist President...

Today in our meeting, 9-13-08, President Dale Arnold inducted our newest member, Danni Arnold. As she looked and listen and repeated the necessary words, she was officially inducted into the Optimist Club. Congratulations Danni and we welcome the new ideas and suggestions you have had and look forward to many more.

Today Cody Brown, President of the Jr Optimist Club came in and shared that they now have their Charter and that they have increased in number. Also indicated what the Jr Optimist will be doing to raise some funds.

Cody and his family waiting his turn to speak.

Valley Fair Daze randome pictures.......

Bob Morse and John Davis ride behind float
Carl Condra
Chief Arron Ambrose, driver John Davidson
Grain Valley King and Queen
Carl chatting before parade
King and Queen in parade

Dale Arnold pulling float
Shaun Brady driving school bus


City Administrator

B I N G O.. called at Community Center during Fair

BINGO............ You're a winner...

These are the words you heard at BINGO at the community center on Friday and Saturday night. The weather helped us this year as it was a little wet and people came in to get out of the rain. We had a great turn out and was a good fundraiser this year. Thanks to all of you who came out and helped again this year. It was really appreciated. Both days we had people playing BINGO all the way to 11:00. On Saturday it was busy from 6:00 to 11:00 the whole entire time.

Optimist's Bring Home the Gold.....

This year, the float theme was in line with the Olympics and Kristy and Ed Caley did a great job with the float this year, so great that it got 1st place. Congratulations to Kristy & Ed and all those who helped with the float this year. Also thanks to the kids who rode on the float and represented the Optimist Club, you looked fantastic. The first section of pictures were taken at the school before the parade started and then the last ones were as they were going down the street.