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
VETERANS DAY - NOVEMBER 11
On the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, World War I came to an end after four brutal years of fighting. One year later, America dedicated November 11th as Armistice Day to celebrate the peace and the veterans who fought to make the world a safer place. In 1954, at the urging of many veterans' organizations, the name was changed to Veterans Day and November 11 was declared as a federal holiday to honor American veterans of all wars.
Tom Kramis is standing in for President Larry Pulaski in his many-colored Christmas jacket this morning and rings the bell promptly at 7. Bob Krech from the Gateway Optimist Club reads the invocation. In honor of Veterans Day, the prayer tells us to remember those that have served our country so admirably. Freedom isn’t free and thank you to those men and women who have answered the call to protect our nation and the world. Bob then leads us in the pledge of allegiance
Tom Kramis tells us he has a lot of clipboards at the lectern and gets right to telling us about them. The Tree Lot clipboard, for those who would like to work as greeters. Also, the clubs Holiday Party is coming up, so sign up to enjoy an evening with members and their wives, girlfriends or whomever.
Shown above:
Two Franks (a Ross and a Middleton (greeters of the day)
Two members we haven't seen for a while: Terry Shroyer and Jeff Wilson
GUESTS
Steve Kady introduces Robert Franklin, who works with Steve, as his guest this morning. Robert and his son Nasir, who was on his way to school and an avid basketball player, have joined us for breakfast, and he tells us about himself. Randy Bruns with the Boy Scouts, is also here, and has submitted an application to join the club.
THANKS TO VETERANS
Greg Young takes the mic and asks for Veterans to stand, starting with the Air Force he plays "The Wild Blue Yonder", Then comes the Navy song, "Anchors Away." Your editor is sitting with Navy veteran Curt Boell. Many Army veterans stand as Greg plays "The Caissons Go Rolling Along". Last, a lone Marine veteran, Gary Strowbridge, stands for the "The Marine's Hymn. Thank you, Greg, for remembering those who served their country
HOLIDAY PARTY Frank Middleton tells us about the Holiday Party, December 3. Frank will start another list for the Holiday Party, to help with the Holiday Party if you can – decorations, etc.
Frank gives us an update on fellow Optimist Paul Bernard, who at one time helped run the speakers calendar. Paul is back in the Midwest helping her daughter Kelly as she prepares for a lung transplant. Paul is helping Marie prepare her house for sale, and then move to North Carolina where the transplant will take place at Duke University. Paul’s wife Marie, has remained in Denver.
THANKSGIVING BASKETS
Jim Easton talks to us about Thanksgiving baskets that will be delivered next Saturday November 19. Pickup will begin at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot just north of the Safeway at Yale and Monaco Jim, will need help with delivering baskets, they have started an efficient process for getting your car loaded with the boxes full of food for the families on your list.
Michael Chavez tells us that this coming 11/17 Thursday at Boys and Girls Club and Girls Inc. The food has been ordered and the fun is started. Look on the club’s website for address and details. (www.monacosouth.org). This will be the first time we have had in person dinner in a couple years.
Don Thomson tells us about the recent super Citizen assembly at McMeen Elementary. Don called Jim Svenson to help out with this assembly and both report it was a great time.
Andy Towt has his maiden voyage at Ellis Elementary, we are going to be doing the 5th grade presentation for Super Citizen. Who can help with this? Andy also rings the bell for Dime a Day program and asks for members who can contribute. Andy will also be a day manager for Friday afternoons and is looking for another person to help with the duties on Friday afternoons.
Pat Bush reminds us that, in additon to the Dime-a-Day, which requires a donation of $36.50 there is a Presidents Club which requires a o donation of $250. Since its inception MSOC (as a club) has contributed nearly $30,000 to the OI Foundation. (This does not include individual donations).
The main reason Pat is up here is for dues, and we still have a few members that payment has not been. Please pay your dues. Greg Young has a credit card processing attachment that he can help with, so see Greg if you want to pay with a credit card.
Bob Krech and Tom Mehl are here from Gateway Optimist club, and they are hoping to lay wreaths on 5000 gravesites at Fairmount Cemetery. They hope to lay wreaths on all the headstones for the veterans who are interred there. They started with wreaths for 200 sites and the program has grown since then. Each wreath costs only $15 and can be ordered online at http://www.WreathsAcrossAmerica.org/co0141p, They can also use some help in laying the wreaths. Please contact Tom Mehl for more information. (303-906-5569)
The show is family fun for everyone. The show is appropriate for all ages. There will be Story Time, *Face Painting, more than 16 operating layouts including a Lego layout, Usborne Books and Discovery Toys.
SPEAKER
Mark Metevia introduces our speaker this morning. Paul Rosenthal, is a community liaison for mayor Michael Hancock’s office. Paul tells us that he is one of the liaisons for the mayor. The mayor’s office is engaging the community and what they can do for us. Paul reminds us that in 1918, on the 11th day of the 11th month, an armistice was signed atLe Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea and air in World War I between the Allies and their last remaining opponent, Germany. And that is why we are observing Veterans Day today. he also tells us that yesterday was the birthday for the Marines. Paul’s father served in the Army, and having traveled around the world with them, he thanks all veterans for their service.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is a very busy person. Yesterday the mayor started off with a breakfast at the McNichols Center, they are planning the meeting for the summit for the mayors from around the world. Later in the day, he did a press conference re security for RTD and Union Station. Paul reports that downtown is coming back like the rest of the country and world are coming back after COVID. The convention center is the heartbeat of the downtown area, and the mayor is invested in trying to attract conventions to come back to Denver, spend their money and then go home. Paul also serves on the Board for RTD. Tom Mauro asks re safety in the Denver area and what effect homelessness and crime, drugs and the like and have on the experience. Denver, like many cities around the country is experiencing many of the issues. These issues are everywhere and affect large cities as well as small cities. Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, had an opening for 60-70 apartments to house some of the homeless population. How can we best house these people? This is a difficult national issue.
There are many factors in place, and it is a complicated issue. Steve Kady asks about the attitude of the Police Department and how it operates. Does the recent change in Chief help? There was a recent graduation of the academy, and the city is hoping to bring in 188 new officers. How does the Police do work without taking the appropriate action? Vaughn Kendall reports that he rode his bike recently in downtown and notes the improvements in the area from when he moved here 30 years ago. Vaughn asks where the public goes to the bathroom in the colder temperatures, since he couldn't find any public restrooms. Phil Perington asks if Denver is still a sanctuary city and is Colorado a sanctuary state. Russ Paul asks about the Star Program which uses mental health professionals to de-escalate situations for those in crisis
TREE LOT STUFF
The Tree Lot Committee (TLC) is busy making plans for a successful year. Trees are tentatively scheduled to arrive on Sunday, November 20 and we will need all hands-on deck at 10:00 a.m. In addition, if you have a truck or trailer you can help move setup materials from the storage trailer to the lot, immediately after the meeting on Friday morning, November18. Help is also needed on Monday, November 21, as another load of trees will be delivered. Any changes or additions in needs will be sent by e-mail to all members of the club. All members should have received e-mail instructions from Greg Young on how to sign up for shifts. Remember, this is the major source of funding for all of our projects, so please be generous with your support!
DRAWING
Do we have a drawing? $70 in the pot, 7 of clubs is the lucky card, Tom Mauro has the first lucky ticket and takes a cup. Greg Holt takes a cup; Mario Sani takes a cup. Roy (Bud) Olsen takes a cup, George Buzick takes a card and is very close (it's a black seven, but not a club.) Pat Bush takes a cup. Phil Perington draws a cup. Terry Schroyer takes the last cup. Tom Kramis draws Michael Chavez name out of the plastic container. Bob Krech leads us in the creed. Go forth and promote 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
OCMS President Tom Kramis is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting
PLEASE NOTE: All 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 2022-2023 47th Year — Chartered in 1976
2022-2023 Officers
President Larry Pulaski 303-956-1202
Vice President Matt Nelson 720-774-0758
Vice President Steve Kady 303-931-1470
Secretary Jake Baker 412-680-0765
Treasurer Pat Bush 303-750-9409
2022- 2023 Board of Directors
Joe Marci 303-847-7844 Tom Glazier 303-522-5214
George Buzick 303-803-2268 Casey Funk 720-656-2255
Vaughn Kendall 303-910-6590 Ken Jeung 720-849-6241
Kent Gloor 303-880- 5444 Tom Kramis 303-917-5299
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
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.
Tom Kramis is standing in for President Larry Pulaski in his many-colored Christmas jacket this morning and rings the bell promptly at 7. Bob Krech from the Gateway Optimist Club reads the invocation. In honor of Veterans Day, the prayer tells us to remember those that have served our country so admirably. Freedom isn’t free and thank you to those men and women who have answered the call to protect our nation and the world. Bob then leads us in the pledge of allegiance
GUESTS
Frank Middleton tells us about the Holiday Party, December 3. Frank will start another list for the Holiday Party, to help with the Holiday Party if you can – decorations, etc. 
Frank gives us an update on fellow Optimist Paul Bernard, who at one time helped run the speakers calendar. Paul is back in the Midwest helping her daughter Kelly as she prepares for a lung transplant. Paul is helping Marie prepare her house for sale, and then move to North Carolina where the transplant will take place at Duke University. Paul’s wife Marie, has remained in Denver.
THANKSGIVING BASKETS
Pat Bush reminds us that, in additon to the Dime-a-Day, which requires a donation of $36.50 there is a Presidents Club which requires a o donation of $250. Since its inception MSOC (as a club) has contributed nearly $30,000 to the OI Foundation. (This does not include individual donations).
b Krech and Tom Mehl are here from Gateway Optimist club, and they are hoping to lay wreaths on 5000 gravesites at Fairmount Cemetery. They hope to lay wreaths on all the headstones for the veterans who are interred there. They started with wreaths for 200 sites and the program has grown since then. Each wreath costs only $15 and can be ordered online at 
TREE LOT STUFF 
Do we have a drawing? $70 in the pot, 7 of clubs is the lucky card, Tom Mauro has the first lucky ticket and takes a cup. Greg Holt takes a cup; Mario Sani takes a cup. Roy (Bud) Olsen takes a cup, George Buzick takes a card and is very close (it's a black seven, but not a club.) Pat Bush takes a cup. Phil Perington draws a cup. Terry Schroyer takes the last cup. Tom Kramis draws Michael Chavez name out of the plastic container. Bob Krech leads us in the creed. Go forth and promote Optimism.