Mission Statement. By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.
Vision Statement. Optimist International will be recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential.
SUNSET - LAKEWOOD CO - 01-31-2024
Our greeters this morning are Frank Middleton and Dick Nickoloff. It’s a cloudy start to the day and things are changing but we need the moisture, so bring it on.
Karl Geil is standing in for Casey Funk who is traveling the world. Karl asks Al Gapuzan to read the invocation this morning, Heavenly Father please help us to realize our contentment is based on achieving the happiness we can find. Happiness is not achieved simply by surrounding ourselves with material objects. Regardless of how much or how little have, happiness comes from a feeling of well-being. Al then leads us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
NORTH BRAIN BOWL- Reported by Karl Geil
Two down; one to go! The North Optimist Brain Bowl tournament was held on January 27 at Standley Lake High School. 49 teams from 16 different schools competed, approximately 245 students. The winners were Stargate 6A, Summit 7A, and Prospect Ridge 8B. I do not have a full volunteer report, because I was unable to get a hold of the sign in sheets, but the MSOC members I know were there were Pat Bush, George Buzick, Kent Gloor, Bob Avery, Craig Eley, Tom Kramis, Vaughn Kendall, Larry Pulaski, Frank Middleton, Phil Perington, Bill Morgan, Bob Meyer, Casey Funk and Karl Geil, once again more than 13% of the total volunteers. Next up is the Championship Tournament on February 10 at Hamilton Middle School. As always, if you signed up, show up! I look forward to seeing you there.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Mark Metevia thanks Andy Towt and Don Roth, who helped him with the Super Citizen Assembly last week at Holm.
Ed Collins tells us about a new Harvard cholesterol study that shows you can reduce your levels by eating Oreos. Editor note: Ed hopes to complete his own testing this weekend.
OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
Andy Towt tells us the Bob Hamlin, District Foundation Reop sent a Thank you Note, regarding MSOC donations to Optimist Foundation. Andy reminds us that Dime A Day program is still going on and encourages members to contribute.
Tom Kramis,The Man in Black, tells us that, according to Punxsutawney Phil, he did not see his shadow this morning, and Spring is coming soon, and we have another warm day in the forecast. Tom says he already put in an order for more trees for our next year Tree Lot supplies. Nice job Tom!
Frank Middleton says that the King Soopers card resulted in over $500 for the club last quarter and he encourages us to reach out to our neighbors and friends to generate more revenue for Monaco South Optimist Club.
ESSAY CONTEST
Phil Perington tells us that, once in was announced that there are cash prizes for the Essay Contest at TJ, the essays are coming in fast and furious. Contest deadline is February 28, and Phil will be looking for some judges. D
Dick Nickoloff is helping his granddaughter who is selling Girl Scout cookies. Dick has an order form if you are interested in ordering cookies. Only $5 a box.
SWEETHEARTS TO BREAKFAST
Jon Wachter references the Harvard study. Jon reminds us that Sweethearts to Breakfast is coming up at Café de France. We will be ordering off the menu. This will replace the regular scheduled meeting on February 16, so don't come to the Legion Hall that Friday! GREETERS Al Gapuzan tells us the sign-up sheet for greeters will be passed around and for new members this is a great way to meet members that you don’t know.
SPEAKER
Our speaker this morning is Jimmy Underhill who was in the same troop as Bob Avery’s son and current Monaco South Optimist member Steve Avery. Jimmy has always had a love for cars and started out on the VW Racing Team. Eventually that love evolved to starting EV Conversions. This conversion involves taking gas powered vehicles and converting them to electric. This includes the 1996 Landcruiser that he has converted to electric and is parked in the lot this morning. Jimmy shows us a picture of the vehicle out in Moab.
The concept of an EV Conversion is making something unique and keeping something classic on the road. You can increase performance and make them faster. Ultra Low Emission Zones is becoming a thing in Europe and he can envision something like this happening in the US. Jimmy has converted Sportscars, Comfy Cruiser, 4x4 Off Road vehicles, muscle cars, and Kit Cars. You do need to consider what this conversion will do to the car. Another consideration is the drive train and how that will perform.
For the Landcruiser conversion Jimmy used a Nissan Leaf that had been involved in a crash and was considered totaled. He did some calculations and found that he could take the engine from that wreck and make it perform like he wanted. Disassembling the damaged vehicle resulted in it being completely gutted. He also showed pictures of removing the old engine from the Landcruiser. On one slide he showed the old engine which was about 900 lbs and the new engine was about 140 lbs. He then showed us pictures of the modifications he had to make to fit the new engine to the new frame. VCU, is the vehicle control unit which talks to all the controls and the communication needed to make the Landcruiser operate efficiently. He shows pictures of the new electric system and how it controls how the parts interact with each other. Building the battery box picture is very impressive, Jimmy built it out of steel. Battery management system, which knows how to balance the system and keep it safe. The whole box together weighs about 300 lbs. He put some solar panels on the top when it is not running it can charge. He trailered the Landcrusier to Moab to test it out, and it went great. He participated in Cruise Moab, which is a big Off-Roading event and his LC was the first EV vehicle to participate in the 25 years this event has taken place. He showed us a video of how well the LC performed. It was impressive!
The Landcruiser had a 70 miles range in city/35 miles off road. Features excellent off-road performance, and really fun to drive. He hopes to increase the horsepower by getting a bigger inverter, and getting a 2nd Batter, also a more efficient Drivetrain and he wants to drive it more. EVSwapconversions.com. His current project is converting a 1969 Landcruiser., which will be an incredible unit once it is completed. He also shows us a retro of a ’98 Nissan Frontier. A 1959 Mercedes Benz 190 SL is also a project he hopes to convert to electric vehicle. Some of the battery considerations for batteries include cost, and what version of battery do you use. Jimmy is able to plug his vehicle in at public charging stations, and at home.
DRAWING
Do we have a drawing? 30$ in the pot. Our speaker, Jimmy, holds the first lucky ticket and takes a cup, Russ Paul takes a chance at the drawing, no luck. Alan Malask has a ticket, Gary Strowbridge takes a cup. Greg Holt has a lucky ticket, Jake Baker has a ticket, Tom Mauro also takes a cup. Mario Sani draws a card.
If you are wearing your name badge, Robert Finkelmeier takes a card, but no luck. We recite the creed and go out to spread the word of Optimism.
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
PLEASE NOTE: Some Friday meetings will be simulcast on Zoom in “listen and watch only” mode. All members are encouraged to attend the live meeting when possible.
Optimist Club of Monaco South 2023-2024 47th Year — Chartered in 1976
2022-2023 Officers
Officers:
Casey Funk, President
Matt Nelson, Vice President
Tom Glazier, Vice President
Jake Baker, Secretary
Pat Bush, Treasurer
Larry Pulaski, Immediate Past President
Directors:
Second Year: Vaughan Kendall, George Buzick, Tom Hoch, Ken Jeung,
First Year: Carl Brown, Al Gapuzan, Greg Holt, Mario Sani
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
Dan Rodriguez 2020-2021
Tom Kramis 2021-2022
Larry Pulaski 2022-2023
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.
Our greeters this morning are Frank Middleton and Dick Nickoloff. It’s a cloudy start to the day and things are changing but we need the moisture, so bring it on.
Karl Geil is standing in for Casey Funk who is traveling the world. Karl asks Al Gapuzan to read the invocation this morning, Heavenly Father please help us to realize our contentment is based on achieving the happiness we can find. Happiness is not achieved simply by surrounding ourselves with material objects. Regardless of how much or how little have, happiness comes from a feeling of well-being. Al then leads us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Two down; one to go! The North Optimist Brain Bowl tournament was held on January 27 at Standley Lake High School. 49 teams from 16 different schools competed, approximately 245 students. The winners were Stargate 6A, Summit 7A, and Prospect Ridge 8B. I do not have a full volunteer report, because I was unable to get a hold of the sign in sheets, but the MSOC members I know were there were Pat Bush, George Buzick, Kent Gloor, Bob Avery, Craig Eley, Tom Kramis, Vaughn Kendall, Larry Pulaski, Frank Middleton, Phil Perington, Bill Morgan, Bob Meyer, Casey Funk and Karl Geil, once again more than 13% of the total volunteers. Next up is the Championship Tournament on February 10 at Hamilton Middle School. As always, if you signed up, show up! I look forward to seeing you there.
Mark Metevia thanks Andy Towt and Don Roth, who helped him with the Super Citizen Assembly last week at Holm. 
Andy 
Towt tells us the Bob Hamlin, District Foundation Reop sent a Thank you Note, regarding MSOC donations to Optimist Foundation. Andy reminds us that Dime A Day program is still going on and encourages members to contribute.
Jon Wachter references the Harvard study. Jon reminds us that Sweethearts to Breakfast is coming up at Café de France. We will be ordering off the menu. This will replace the regular scheduled meeting on F
Al Gapuzan tells us the sign-up sheet for greeters will be passed around and for new members this is a great way to meet members that you don’t know.
s a picture of the vehicle out in Moab. 
For the Landcruiser conversion Jimmy used a Nissan Leaf that had been involved in a crash and was considered totaled. He did some calculations and found that he could take the engine from that wreck and make it perform like he wanted. Disassembling the damaged vehicle resulted in it being completely gutted. He also showed pictures of removing the old engine from the Landcruiser. On one slide he showed the old engine which was about 900 lbs and the new engine was about 140 lbs. He then showed us pictures of the modifications he had to make to fit the new engine to the new frame. VCU, is the vehicle control unit which talks to all the controls and the 
communication needed to make the Landcruiser operate efficiently. He shows pictures of the new electric system and how it controls how the parts interact with each other. Building the battery box picture is very impressive, Jimmy built it out of steel. Battery management system, which knows how to balance the system and keep it safe. The whole box together weighs about 300 lbs. He put some solar panels on the top when it is not running it can charge. He trailered the Landcrusier to Moab to test it out, and it went great. He participated in Cruise Moab, which is a big Off-Roading event and his LC was the first EV vehicle to participate in the 25 years this event has taken place. He showed us a video of how well the LC performed. It was impressive!
The Landcruiser had a 70 miles range in city/35 miles off road. Features excellent off-road performance, and really fun to drive. He hopes to increase the horsepower by getting a bigger inverter, and getting a 2nd Batter, also a more efficient Drivetrain and he wants to drive it more. EVSwapconversions.com. His current project is converting a 1969 Landcruiser., which will be an incredible unit once it is completed. He also shows us a retro of a ’98 Nissan Frontier. A 1959 Mercedes Benz 190 SL is also a project he hopes to convert to electric vehicle. Some of the battery considerations for batteries include cost, and what version of battery do you use. Jimmy is able to plug his vehicle in at public charging stations, and at home.
Do we have a drawing? 30$ in the pot. Our speaker, Jimmy, holds the first lucky ticket and takes a cup, Russ Paul takes a chance at the drawing, no luck. Alan Malask has a ticket, Gary Strowbridge takes a cup. Greg Holt has a lucky ticket, Jake Baker has a ticket, Tom Mauro also takes a cup. Mario Sani draws a card.