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OPTIMST INTERNATIONAL
  • 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
A FULL HOUSE AS REORTED BY BOB AVERY - 48 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE
 
 
 
President Larry Pulaski presiding over the meeting rings the bell promptly at 7 this morning.  Larry asks Joe Marci to read the invocation this morning, God of our Ancestors thank you for George Washington. Thank you for sending us this man who would risk his life for the cause of liberty.   Joe then leads us to recite the pledge of allegiance.  Lots of good energy this morning in the room. 
 
 
Our greeter this morning is Frank Ross.  It’s a lively crowd today.
 
MEMBERS WE HAVEN'T SEEN FOR A WHILE= WELCOME BACK
KEN DUFFY
WYATT MCALLIE
CHRIS DUNPHY
 
 
Frank Rottier who is a
neighbor of Ken Duffy 
 
GUESTS
 
Randy Condit of Condit Exhibits is a guest of Dan Rodriguez. 
 
 
 
Another guest joining us this morning is Jim Morrell.  Jim is Frank Middleton’s Realtor and the two became friends after working with Frank and his wife on a home sale.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRESIDENT COMMENTS
Larry has some Presidents notes, this weekend Larry is involved with Dads of Castle Rock, on Facebook.  Larry suggests that we sign up for Dads of Denver, a group of 400 and Dads of Colorado, who may be ripe for volunteer opportunities to help with Golf Tournaments, and many other activities we help out with.
 
NEW DIRECTORIES
Craig Eley tells us the new Directory is out and please take one for the latest on members and contact information.  He announces that the best job at the Tree Lot is being Santa and has a sign-up sheet as well as a link in GUMS that will be listed.
 
JUNIOR GOLF
Joe Marci announces the Fall Tournament at Green Valley Ranch will take
place this weekend.  He is hoping that many of the Saturday volunteers can return Sunday to help.
 
BE INFORMED
Greg Young announces November 8 is election day, there are some pamphlets on the bar that has information from League of Women Voters re Ballot Issues.
 
HAMILTON MIDDLE SCHOOL THANKSGIVING BASKETS
 
Tom Mauro tells us that Thanksgiving Baskets this year will take place at Hamilton Middle School. If you are able, please consider making a cash donation for those less fortunate. (We will still be doing the Boys and Girls Clubs meals. No details yet.
 
OI FOUNDATION - DIME A DAY
Andy Towt takes the mic and after being away for a couple weeks, he will update on the Dime A Day program, please see Andy.  Effort by the OI to bring in funding to support Optimist International efforts for their Childhood Cancer program.
 
 
 
 
 
Dick Nickoloff announces last Friday at Samuels there was a Super Citizen assembly, the school had 30 kids recognized, thank you to Noel Hasselgren and Nick Picucci for their help with pictures and handing out shirts and framed certificates.
HOLM ELEMENTARY SUPER CITIZEN
On October 12, Mark Metevia, assisted by Ilene Milstein and Andy Towt, presented the Super Citizen Awards to 3ii7 Holm Elementary students. The program began with the principal, April Milow , explaining why this was a special event, then Mark discussed what the Optimist Club is and why it exists.
SUPER CITIZEN- MCMEEN ELEMENTARY
Don Thomson tells us that yesterday was Super Citizen at McMeen Elementary, and Don was so delighted to take part in the assembly.  Greg Young and Mike White helped with the awards.  Don reports it was a wonderful event and both Don and Greg Young announced to the group how this school conducts its assemblies.  Super Citizen started about 40 years ago and it is a wonderful event, some schools do it by month some do it by quarter.  Each framed certificate has signatures by the Principal, the Mayor and our club President.  In their school, each school has a card that lists the Creed of our club, including Giving each creature you meet a smile.  Each school also was presented with a plaque that lists the Optimist Creed.  Mark Metevia thanks Dan Rodriguez for providing the plaques that each school displays.
Eldon Strong tells us that the kids who are recognized as Super Citizens are done so to recognize being a good person and not dependent on grades they receive
Santa – the best job at the Tree Lot! No lifting, no being cold, no standing around! Take a 2-hour shift and sit in the Santa House, meeting kids, parents and pets. Monaco South staffs the Tree Lot Santa House every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m. starting November 26. We provide the beard, the wig, the suit, the boots and even tummy stuffing for those few who need it. Plus, the Santa House has its own electric fireplace for those blustery days. No experience is necessary. If you want to take a shift or two or three, send an email to Santa Wrangler Craig Eley at craigceley@gmail.com and he will send you the link to the online sign-up. Or just click https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080e4ea4a6283-monaco to get there.
SPEAKER
Our speaker this morning, introduced by his good friend, Steve Kady, was William Buckley who was the chief investigator for the Denver District Attorney’s office.
 
William Buckley investigated over 66 homicide cases for the city.  He worked as a prosecutor and investigator.  He decided at a young age to become a lawyer after his brother, who was a state corrections officer, was stabbed to death in the Arizona state prison.
 
William wants to tell us about a murder that took place October 27 of 1986.  Larry Johnson was making a bank deposit for Putting on the Ritz to bank at Southwest Plaza. Tom McGrath and Erick Davis were the 2 suspects of the murder.  William notes that a blind man could have followed the trail these two lefts.  The crime took place on Cross Drive which happened to be Denver property and were under Denver jurisdiction.  They shot at Larry Johnson 5 times, hitting him with 4 bullets.  The suspects left the scene and drove west on 470, stopping to dispose of the weapon they threw the pistol off the bridge, which happened to have a man and woman who were fishing and who noticed a shiny object splash into the water. The man who was a corrections office, mentioned this to his boss, who suggested he call Denver Police after he had read about the crime in the paper.  The dive team was able to find the weapon in about 15 minutes.  The suspects were driving a stolen Corvette during the crime, and their plan was to fly out of Denver with the money from the robbery.  As they entered the parking garage at Stapleton, the gate recorded the time and place as they entered.  The suspects were able to talk with ticket agents and one of the suspects spoke with a Continental Airlines worker who had gone to high school with him.
Eric Davis, one of the suspects, wanted to go to Miami, and actually showed other witnesses the large amount of cash they had stolen.  The other ticket agent knew Tom McGrath because he was married to his cousin.  McGrath called his girlfriend in Lakewood, who advised him to come back to Denver.  He was upset and said he had to get out of town and wanted to go to Arizona.  He took a flight from Co Springs that stopped in Denver, where he was arrested.  Eric calls a girlfriend in Denver, who tells him she wants to make some cookies for him, where is he staying, and he was speaking with was a Denver cop.  Witnesses were able to identify the suspects as the shooter and both of them implicated them in the murder.  Eric Davis claimed he had nothing to do with the murder, but evidence was able to convict both of them.    They both deserved to be there the rest of their lives, but it was a cold-blooded killing over money.  William shows us a picture of both as young men at the time of their crime. William is one of 6 volunteers who was covering homicide scenes and has memories of another double homicide in Aurora.  Another murderer Michael Tennyson, who had killed 2 people in their apartment as they slept.  This criminal was also convicted of killing 3 people in Minnesota prior to his crimes in Colorado. A fascinating story from Mr. Buckley, who is an excellent storyteller. Thanks to Steve for getting Bill as a speaker.
 
DRAWING
Do we have a drawing?  $20 in the pot, 5 of clubs is the lucky card, Chris Dunphy has the first lucky ticket and draws a card. Don Thomson takes a cup; Joe Marci takes a cup. Tom Kramis wins a cup, Don Thomson takes another cup. Vaughn Kendall takes a card. President Larry draws Robert Finkelmeier’s name out of the plastic container.  Dr. Bob does not pick the lucky card, and the pot grows.  Randy Condit leads us in the creed. Go forth and promote Optimism!
HUMOR FROM STEVE KADY
Birthdays & Anniversaries
Member Birthdays
Ed Leuty
October 1
 
Jeff Wilson
October 2
 
Greg Holt
October 6
 
Ron Gustas
October 7
 
John Bamford
October 13
 
Tom Glazier
October 17
 
Allen Malask
October 22
 
Allan McCall
October 25
 
Robert Wardlaw
October 30
 
 
 
 
FUTURE SPEAKERS
   
*MSOC members
 
Friday Oct      14 Camaraderie Day
 
Friday Oct      21 Stephanie Piko - Mayor of City of Centennial
 
Friday Oct.   28. Vaughn Kendall*, Travels in the 1st year of my retirement 
 
Friday Nov.   4. Mary Jo Heins, Medicare Insurance Help
 
Friday Nov.  11. Paul Rosenthal | Community Liaison Office of Mayor Michael B. Hancock
 
Friday Nov.  18 Camaraderie Day
 
Friday Nov.  25 Bill Ashbee. member of Boulder Luncheon Optimist, speaking on the Panama Canal 
 
Mark Metevia
Program Chair MSOC
303.880.5000
AMERICAN LEGION POST 1
5400 E. YALE AVE, DENVER (YALE/I-25)
                                                         
 
 
 
 
 
OI Foundation Reminder: If you use Amazon to order products, you can earn money for the Foundation by signing on to  http://smileamazon.com
 
 
See the Online Events Calendar @http://www.monacosouth.org/Events/Calendar
 
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.
Topic: OCMS Friday 7:00 AM Meeting
Time: 6:30 AM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Friday Morning
 
 LINK
Join  Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/8678115309?pwd=bHFtUkJ6WURsdlJ1Qlo2Zkxla1ZuQT09

Meeting ID: 867 811 5309
Passcode: 2021
 
 
Optimist Club of Monaco South 2020-2021 45th 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.