President Dan Rodriguez gaveled the meeting to order at 7:00 a.m. this beautiful Colorado morning. He asked Frank Middleton to do the invocation who, in remembrance of September 11, 2001, reminded us "to Be too strong for fear". Amen. Frank also introduced (for the second time) Jim Swenson, a former Optimist who is considering joining our club.
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BIG BOY REPORT FROM GREG HURD
Sunday afternoon Sept. 5th we were in Strasburg for the visitation of the Big Boy heading home to Cheyenne near the end of its 10 state excursion. There were about 800 people there along with channel 9 TV. With 4014 was 4015 an SD60 diesel used for dynamic braking and a tow if something went wrong but as expected, it didn't. There is a new crease near the left rear of the fuel oil tender which actually is the tender for the Challenger steamer #3985. From Strasburg to near DIA I-70 was loaded with cars and people in the fields and highway shoulders watching Big Boy head in to Denver. The 2 yellow auxiliary tenders are used for water since no water towers exist along the main lines that are still usable. It was good to witness that so many people still like a train!
The "Tow Train"
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AS OF 9/12/ ONLY 13 PEOPLE CURRENTLY SIGNED UP - REGISTER TODAY!
Annual Installation Celebration Luncheon
Members and Spouse or date or family members are welcome to come, have a fabulous meal and celebrate the accomplishments of the 2020-2021 Optimist year. Installation of Officers will occur...bring your blue jacket, past presidents!
Chris Dunphy asked the members to support Colorado Horsepower, an equine therapy group which is having a fund raiser on Saturday, September 18 in Parker. See their website for details: https://www.facebook.com/COHorsePower/
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FUTURE RAFFLE
Raffle King Phil Perington announces a new scheme for future raffles, with a slight change to the payout, giving more opportunities for winners. Goal is still to make $5000 for the club. Tickets will sell for $20 (rather than $25). Payout will be a grand prize of $2000 (rather than $3000) and 10 prizes of $100 and another 20 prizes of $50. This means we will have to sell 450 tickets to make $5000. Phil also congratulated Tom Glazier on selling 57 tickets for the past raffle.
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BUDGETS FOR THE NEW YEAR: GET ‘EM IN!!
Our new Optimist year is fast approaching, and in preparation for a great year your team for next year is preparing budgets. If you are doing a project, please let Pat Bush, Tom Kramis or Greg Young know your budget request. These need to be in by September 20th as the budget will be finalized by the end of September. If possible, budgets should be kept to a minimum as we expect another short tree lot season due to supplier shortages.
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SUPER CITIZEN
Robert Wardlaw thanked Mark Metevia for volunteering to be representative for Holm Elementary and said we still needed a rep for Ellis and some photographers. Please contact Robert if you can help. (303) 525-2532
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SPEAKER
Tom Mauro, a proud native of Pueblo Colorado was our speaker for the day. Tom explained that Pueblo literally means "town". Tom's specific topic was the "Great Flood of 1921", which occurred on June 21 of that year, and was destined to change the future of both Pueblo and the state of Colorado.
"El Pueblo" was established as a trading outpost in 1842 and is situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek.
Some of the "shakers and movers of early Pueblo were;
William Jackson Palmer, who was owner of Denver and Rio Grande Railroad and developed south Pueblo; Bat Masterson, who was an "enforcer" for the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe and Charles Goodnight a prominent rancher and cattleman. Also a primary contributor to the Pueblo economy was John Osgood, the owner of Colorado Coal and Iron, which employed a large number of Pueblo citizens and owned the largest steel mill west of the Mississippi River. At one time, Pueblo was a prominent rail center and in competition with Cheyenne Wyoming and Denver for railroad traffic.
After a huge storm and flood in 1894 Pueblo built 18 foot high levees to prevent future flooding, but they were no match for the conditions of 1921. Many citizens disregarded the flood warning, trusting to the levees to protect them. Estimates of casualties ranged from 250 to 3000 and are still being debated today. Over 50 locomotives and 1400 rail cars were destroyed, the largest monetary loss of the flood. D&RG did not return to normal operations for two years after the flood.
Martial Law was declared by the Governor and National Guard troops took over law enforcement.
The people of Pueblo realized that they would need the support of the Colorado Legislature to form a "conservancy district" which would be capable of almost absolute power over the development of flood prevention methods. In exchange for the support of a conservancy district they needed, the Pueblo representatives to the legislature agreed to vote for the construction of the Moffat tunnel. Without the tunnel, the only way west by railroad was through Pueblo. Essentially, the construction of the Moffat Tunnel put the final nail in the coffin of Pueblo as a major rail center and destroyed a large portion of the economy. For more information of the "Great Pueblo Flood of 1921, check the excellent PBS presentation on YouTube at:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5uwVgsU0GM
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Our own Tom Mauro with his vintage 1965 Buick Electra 225. (Originally belonged to Tom's father.)
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From Mark Metevia
From Steve Kady
Dear God: Are there mailmen in Heaven? If there are, will I have to apologize?
DRAWING
With only three cards to draw from and $50 riding on drawing the King of Clubs, Dick Nickloff's investment paid off, as his number was the first drawn, and he takes home the money.
Commencing May 14 meetings will be held at the American Legion Hall 5400 E Yale Ave. While there be no two way communication, you may observe (and listen to) the meeting on Zoom.
OCMS President Dan Rodriguez is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
PLEASE NOTE: All Friday meetings will be simulcast on Zoom in “listen and watch only” mode. We will use the same Zoom link from previous weeks. So, members that are not ready to go out in public can still observe the meeting. However, all members are encouraged to attend the live meeting when possible.
Optimist Club of Monaco South 2020-2021 45th Year — Chartered in 1976
2020 - 2021 Officers 2020 - 2021 Board of Directors
President Dan Rodriguez 303-521-512 Perry Allen 303-521-3453
Vice President Tom Kramis 303-917-5299 Stephen Avery 720-775-7700
Vice President Chris Dunphy 720-297-3111 George Buzick 303-803-2268
Secretary Bill Morgan 303-868-4384 Allen Malask 303-726-3700
Asst. Secretary Phil Perington 303-832-4578 David Peck 925-890-2531
Treasurer Pat Bush 720-747-5482 Larry Pulaski 303-956-1202 Asst. Treasurer Greg Young 303-759-3921 Mark Smith 303-691-9766
Bob Meyer 303-919-4532
Past Presidents
Bob Rhue 1976-77
Jerry Whitlow 1977-78
Bill Kosena 1978-79
Duane Wehrer 1979-80
Curt Jefferies 1980-81
Frank Middleton 1981-82
John Young 1982-83
Pat Bush 1983-84
Bob Hugo 1984-85
Tom Mauro 1985-86
Curt Lorenzen 1986-87
Oscar Sorensen 1987-88
Lupe Salinas 1988-89
Bob Avery 1989-90
Bill Litchfield 1990-91
Bill Walters 1991-92
Kent Gloor 1992-93
Gary Strowbridge 1993-94
Mark Metevia 1994-95
Bob Safe 1995-96
Tom Overton 1996-97
Peter Dimond 1997-98
Ralph Symalla 1998-99
Cy Regan 1999-00
Stan Cohen 2000-01
Don St. John 2001-02
Jack Rife 2002-03
Karl Geil 2003-04
Bryce Slaby 2004-05
Donlie Smith 2005-06
Paul Bernard 2006-07
Greg Young 2007-08
Phil Perington 2008-09
Ron Cisco 2009-10
Ed Collins 2010-11
Randy Marcove 2011-12
Paul Simon 2012-13
Jon Wachter 2013-14
John Oss 2014-15
Michael Chavez 2015-16
Craig Eley 2016-17
Jim Easton 2017-18
Everett Gardner 2018-19
Bob Meyer 2019-20
T H E O P T I M I S T C R E E D — Promise Yourself . . . To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for
anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.