Familiar face at Optimist meeting, please read...

Linda Lemen came to today's meeting. We are sure glad to see you back and around.


Today's meeting was interesting as President Ann covered some items and then opened the meeting with some topics and also indicated that they needed a nomination team put together. Jan Reding is on the team and needed members and Carol Barnes, Kathy Doty and Jennifer Bailey volunteered to help Jan. Thank you ladies. The next thing discussed was the back filling of the tasks that the Davis's do for the club. Christy will continue to work on the Easter Egg Hunt but Jennifer Bailey and Kathy Doty volunteered to help Christy and I believe will take this as a project for next year. The Talk to Santa is still being discussed. The Vice president position Christy holds will need to be filled and there is no one as of yet. This person will also be the President come October. The Board of Directors spot John holds, he will continue to due until he is gone, so he will be on the board for March, April and May and then Dave Eames will take the remainder of the year and also the 2009-2010 and finish the term for John. Thanks Dave. The club Blog: Jennifer Bailey indicated she would like to give it a try and will just need to have people send her the pictures. I will work with her and see if we can hand this off before May. We will still need the Witch for the Haunted Hayride, we will see who takes this on. Big shoes to fill as per John, he says he has the perfect witch, he just knows he does. Ha ha.

As per request, Christy read John's Bio that will be read at the Pillar banquet for the club. I will post it with some pictures I take at the Pillar.

Winter Social at Zio's 2-15-09...

Winter Social at Zio's

2-15-09




Again Sarah Vaughan did a fabulous job with our Winter Social for the club. About 27 of us met at Zio's for a night of Italian food and good conversational company. During the evening, we share interesting stories, Ann shared her trip with us and we all missed Jan Reding who had a previous engagement. Sarah sets up our Winter Social and this year was just as good as our last one. Great job Sarah.. Look at some of the pictures below where I managed to get pictures of almost everyone and even the waitress in one. Enjoy.

Carol Barnes telling her story

John with Barbara and Carl who were listening to his stories, good because I let them go in one ear and out the other.

Danni who is always smiling

Left to right: Ann, Carol and Sheila...

Picture of the group from one end

Another group picture

And then another with Erma, Kim, Debbie with Nick and mom Kathy.

Chris and Dale sharing a moment of laughter

Waitress serving food

more attendees, Dave and wife on right side, Mary S. was on other side of Dave but hidden.

Davis' are moving... announced at 2-14 meeting

As many of you know, my job will end here on April 14th and after listening to all that will be happening and reviewing the options given to me, we (John & Chris) have decided to go back to California. Even with the economy in the state that it is in, we need to get back to our family as we have been away from them for 9 years. I have to say that a time like the one presented to me would not come again to us and we need to take advantage of it. We will be working to get things ready to move and right now our plans are to leave by mid-May. We will keep you updated, we are sorry to go but we must do what we can to help our families too. We will cherish our work here with the club and will definitely miss our friends and of course the area.

In the meantime, there are some things that I mentioned in the meeting that we need to transition to others, please read below and let me know who would like to work with me to pass on all of my files, notes and other information on projects we have been chairing.
1) Easter Egg Hunt is approaching fast and I can finish this one but would really like to have someone who would be willing to take over work with me this year. Please let me know who that will be .
2) Frog Jump for the Fair, we have all of the past information and shirts left from last year. I need to pass these on to someone. Jim, maybe your Jr Optimist may want to take over as you helped John with this last year. Let us know.
3) Talk To Santa project: This is one where I know will take a dedicated person as it is one of our hardest events due to the time and weather. Please let me know who will be chairing this as we need to really get together and let you know what we have done in the past. Also the club will be transitioning to the new photo program.
4) Brochures, I can make brochures that will take care of Ann Ronchetto out to the end of September and then in the future someone can take this over. The brochure has proven to be a good communication item.
5) Book markers, I will turn back to Ann and let her determine how they will be stored for future use.
6) Grain Valley will need a new Witch. This is if they have the Haunted Hayride in the future. I will even throw in my hat if need be.
7) I am the 1st Vice-president and John is Board member for a 2 year term, we will need replacements for this for Ann. Please give it some thought and determine who can fill these spots.
FINALLY: the BLOG: currently I do it and if anyone would like to continue it, I can have this moved to them and back up the ones from the past on a disk as it is good information. Or someone can start it new on their computer. This is something that can be done anywhere you have the Internet. I currently do three of these.

Please let me or Ann Ronchetto know who will be doing what. John and I will be moving all of the items for the Santa House, Halloween, Easter and Frog Jump to the school within the month to come.

Don't forget Zio's Sunday February 15th at 6:00 pm

For those going to Zio's for the Winter Social gathering, don't forget it will be at 6:00 on Sunday 2-15. You will order off menu and pay for your dinner that way rather than turning in money to Sarah. Currently there are about almost 30 people going and if you want to bring more family members or friends, please get with Sarah Vaughan.
Thanks and see you there.

Meeting 2-14 updates and more....

Happy Valentines everyone....

Today's meeting was filled with many things and just wanted to touch on some. Ann was traveling so the meeting was ran by 2nd Vice-President Mary Harper. In the minutes Jan will send out, there will be more information that in this blog.

Zone meeting update, Jerry Vaughan, Carol Barnes and Ann Ronchetto attended and it seems that our club is doing much much better than some of the other ones. There will be a mini-conference scheduled for March 14th. Grain Valley will host a Zone meeting on April 18th, more information will given out on this.

Pairing with Optimist: we served 33 kids and will be taking care of a few that could not make it at the last minute but still we would like to take care of. Carol and Kristy C. working on this.

Christy Davis brought a trivia sheet with 20 questions for the group to do as part of a Valentine's celebration. Little gifts given out to those who scored the highest down. Jerry Vaughan and Cheryl were ones who got 20 out of 20. If anyone wants those questions I have them and can send to you by email.

Jennifer Bailey brought a guest with her today to meeting, Sylvia Thomas works at the Chamber and was really interested to see what we do. Thank you Jennifer for bringing a friend.

Jr Optimist shirts are now in... 1-24-09

At the meeting of 1-24, Kathy Doty shared the Jr. Optimist Club shirts. As Jim was out taking care of personal business she just happen to have the shirts and brought one in for us to look at. They are black with a eternal flame like the Olympics and a beautiful saying on the back.
The back of the shirt says" Some people want it to happen, others wish it would happen, WE make it happen..." That is a fantastic saying and I for one would like to say that our Jr's will be great leaders some day.

High School Principal Beth Mulvey speaks at meeting

Beth Mulvey and Cheryl Klotz

On January 24th, at our Saturday meeting, Principal Mulvey came to visit the Optimist meeting. Beth had a slide show in which she shared many pictures and explained as she went on about the Grain Valley High School. We thank Beth for her presentation and found it very interesting what is happening today with our students and with the new additions to the school. Bryan McDonald and Dr. Chris Small were on hand to help out if needed but Beth did an exceptional job.

Thank you Beth for coming and sharing with us.