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.
It was a cold Friday morning, but members were greeted with the warm handshakes of greeters Mike White and his buddy, Don Thomson. President Casey Funk asked Karl Geil to read the invocation, which he did in his best barrister voice
GUESTS
Frank Middleton introduced a contingent from Cub Pack 686, which consisted of 3 boys, a father (Pack Leader) and Melissa, the mother of the group. The boys were selling popcorn (and did a great job. Following is a note that Melissa sent to Frank:
I just wanted to say thank you again for letting us attend the Optimist Club meeting this morning. The boys all enjoyed themselves and we were so thankful to your members for their generosity in the form of both donations and popcorn purchases
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Casey thanked all the members who have worked so hard at tree lot this week, He also mentioned that Frank Ross is undergoing surgery to repair a collapse lung, but worked the tree lot for three days to make up for the fact that he would be out of commission for a while.
TREE LOT NEWS
Greg Holt furnished the following report on the tree sales:
On Thursday we completed the first week of sales at the 2023 Christmas Tree Lot.
We have 3 weeks to go, beginning with what figures to be our busiest stretch, if last year is a good indication of what to expect.
We sold 18 trees Thursday, bringing our Week 1 total to 292. That’s plus-four compared to last year through seven days.
In 2022, we sold 36 on the second Friday, followed by 125 and 129 that Saturday and Sunday, and 43 on Monday, Day 11.
So, as they say, Buckle Up!
Please check the Tree Lot Staffing Calendar on the MSOC website to see where we need more bodies these next four days and sign up where you can. http://www.msocxmas.org
THE CLEANING LADY
Those who worked the tree lot owe some thanks to Charlie Neumann, AKA "the cleaning lady". Charlie spent most of Wednesday afternoon.
cleaning the refrigerator, mopping the floor and generally making the trailer habitable. Charlie is a member of DTC Optimists, but likes everything neat and tidy.
DENVER ART MUSEUM FLOWERS
Note from Loretta Blessinger of Tamarac Optimist Club: Pat Bush was nice enough to point out to me that I had not been including Monaco South Optimists & DAM volunteers in my reports. I usually send the Tamarac Optimists the updates-so will do some catch up with you. Monaco South picks up flowers & brings them to Loretta. I gather Tamarac Optimists, who make small bouquets, which are delivered to various nursing homes.
THE BRAIN BOWL IS COMING! THE BRAIN BOWL IS COMING!
The Optimist Brain Bowl is an academic competition for 6th, 7th and 8th graders fashioned after the College Bowl, or Jeopardy with teams. This year there are two regional tournaments, and the top nine teams at each regional compete in a championship tournament. There are many, many volunteer opportunities at each tournament. We need Readers (think Alex Trebek), Score Keepers, Time Keepers, Runners to get the questions to the competition rooms and the score sheets to Command Central after each round, and more. Volunteers show up by 7 am. We provide coffee and donuts in the morning. Most volunteers are done at lunchtime, but we do feed you lunch. We then need some volunteers to stay until about 3 pm for the playoff portion of the tournament. Readers need to attend a Reader training session in advance of the tournament; other volunteers receive training on game day.
This year’s tournaments are again all on Saturdays: 1/20/2024 at Heritage High School in Littleton, January 27, 2024 at Standley Lake High School in Westminster, and the Championship Tournament on February 10, 2024 at Hamilton Middle School here in Denver.
Reader Trainings are Saturday, January 6, from 9 am to noon and Tuesday, January 9 from 6:30 pm to 9 at Heritage High School in Room 2841, and on Saturday, January 13 at the Law Firm of Osgood and Osgood, LLC, 2586 Trailridge Dr., Lafayette, CO 80026.
All this information and more can be found at www.optimistbrainbowl.org. You can also sign up to volunteer and for a Reader training session there by clicking the “Optimists and Volunteers” link and then the “Brain Bowl Volunteer Registration” link. If you have trouble with that, call Karl Geil at 303-549-8710, and he’ll either help you do it or do it for you. Put the dates on your calendar and prepare to be amazed by what these middle school kids know and amused by what they don’t know.
TURKEY TALK
Jim Easton thanked those who help deliver the record number of 90 turkeys last Saturday.
A particular thanks to Tom Mauro's family and to Alan Pierce and Tracey Sorensen for helping set up this annual event.
Not to be outdone, Michael Chavez announced that we still needed a few people to deliver Christmas turkeys on Saturday, December 23. We will meet at the Legion Hall around 8:30 a.m.
One link will lead you to information about our ClubRunner App for your phone: Monaco South calendar, directory and more at your fingertips.
If you need help with the app or Logon information, please contact Greg Young: 303-886-1110 or gndyoung@comcast.net Other links will take you to the Tree Lot Sign Up page or allow you to pay for the holiday party or to pay your dues. Take advantage of you Monaco South website today!
SPEAKER
Joe Hayashi
Joe, a third generation Japanese American, talked about: "The Japanese Mystique".
He hails from Grand Junction, speaks Spanish and Japanese and was raised by his grandparents who were immigrants from Hiroshima. He has visited Japan numerous
times and has traveled to over thirty-seven countries.
Joe says the Japanese have a great respect for their elders and they consider it an honor, not a burden, to take care of their aging parents.
Japan is a collectivist culture. Japanese are focused on groups. Japanese people want and tend to work with one company for all life. Loyalty is valued, and roles are more serious. In the United States, people are more individualistic. Harmony, order, and self-development are three of the most important values that underlie Japanese social interaction.
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.
GUESTS
Casey thanked all the members who have worked so hard at tree lot this week, He also mentioned that Frank Ross is undergoing surgery to repair a collapse lung, but worked the tree lot for three days to make up for the fact that he would be out of commission for a while.
Greg Holt furnished the following report on the tree sales:
Those who worked the tree lot owe some thanks to Charlie Neumann, AKA "the cleaning lady". Charlie spent most of Wednesday afternoon.
Jim Easton thanked those who help deliver the record number of 90 turkeys last Saturday.
Joe, a third generation Japanese American, talked about: "The Japanese Mystique".