UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

Greetings Optimists,

With yesterday being Super Bowl Sunday, and temps in the low 40’s, it was the start of 2016 grilling season at my house. Anyone else grill out this past weekend?

No general member meeting this week. Instead, the Exec Board will meet on Tuesday, February 9 at 12 Noon, in the University Center, room 268. If you have any topics for the Exec Board to consider tomorrow, please contact me so I can include the item/topic on the agenda.

Have you checked the SWIS District web site lately?

A reminder, Bev Bonge-Ganser wants to share the following info from the Whitewater Middle School JOOI Club. “The middle school Junior Optimist Club will be hosting a blood drive Friday, Feb. 12 from 1-6 at the middle school (401 S. Elizabeth St.).  You can find our drive on the Red Cross website http://www.redcross.org/blood and enter code 0324027 or our zip code 53190. Our students are always helpful and friendly and chatty so you will have a wonderful donation experience if you join us. We also decorate like crazy, so it will be festive as well.  Hope to see you on the 12th.”

Easter will be Sunday, March 27, 2016. What are people’s thoughts regarding a date for the Easter Egg Hunt? The University and Whitewater School District will be on spring break March 21-25. Should we host the hunt on March 12? March 19? March 26? Also, who would be available on which dates to help with the event?

Trivia Night is coming up soon. We are still in need of volunteers for many tasks that night, as well as tasks that need to be completed in advance. Here are other updates and requests:

• Online volunteer signup, use this link.
• We still have tables available for teams. The Trivia Team Registration form is available from our web site. Click this link. Team entries are due February 12.
• Do you have gift cards or ideas for silent auction items that could be donated to Trivia Night? If so, please contact club member Kate Ksobiech.
• Contact Kim Adams if you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for this event. There are 5 different sponsorship levels. A form with more details is available upon request.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 1, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 8, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, March 15, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 22? Evening meeting? This is the week of the University’s and Whitewater school district spring
• Tuesday, March 29? Evening meeting instead of March 22?

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

We formally inducted our four new members at last Tuesday’s meeting; They are Jenny Musilek, Liz Hrodey, Josh Tepps, and Michele Filip. Welcome!!

Our next general member meeting will be tomorrow, Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, “Bring your own lunch,” 12 Noon, University Center 259A. We’ll have two speakers. One will be Bunny Schoen about Delta Kappa Gamma, an international group of educators, and their work with youth. Our second speaker(s) will be talking about Freeze Fest/Polar Plunge. Thanks Susan Hiscox and Josh Tepps for helping arrange this week’s speakers.

A reminder, Bev Bonge-Ganser wants to share the following info from the Whitewater Middle School JOOI Club. “The middle school Junior Optimist Club will be hosting a blood drive Friday, Feb. 12 from 1-6 at the middle school (401 S. Elizabeth St.).  You can find our drive on the Red Cross website http://www.redcross.org/blood and enter code 0324027 or our zip code 53190. Our students are always helpful and friendly and chatty so you will have a wonderful donation experience if you join us. We also decorate like crazy, so it will be festive as well.  Hope to see you on the 12th.”

We still need volunteers to sign up for the various tasks for Trivia Night 2016. Use this link to volunteer.

Trivia Night is coming up soon. Here are other updates and requests:

• The Trivia Team Registration form is available from our web site. Click this link. Team entries are due February 12.
• Do you have gift cards that could be donated to Trivia Night? If so, please contact club member Kate Ksobiech.
• Do you have items or ideas for silent auction items? If so, please contact Kate Ksobiech.
• Contact Kim Adams if you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for this event. There are 5 different sponsorship levels. A form with more details is available upon request.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 1, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 8, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, March 15, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

Our next general member meeting will be tomorrow, January 26, at 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00). There WILL be a Youth of the Month presentation at this meeting. Our speaker will be Linda Long.

A reminder again that Linda Kinson and I will be the contacts for the Fund Crazr Basketball Sweepstakes raffle organized for the SWIS District by Fred Dorn. If we can sell the 50 tickets I’ve requested we should receive $600 back for support of the club’s events and programs. You can find more info on the www.fundcrazr.com website.

Blood drive Jan. 27-28. UW-Whitewater ROTC and the Student Optimist Club are hosting a blood drive from noon to 5 p.m. Jan. 27-28 in the University Center Old Main Ballroom. For an appointment, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org.

A reminder, Bev Bonge-Ganser wants to share the following info from the Whitewater Middle School JOOI Club. “The middle school Junior Optimist Club will be hosting a blood drive Friday, Feb. 12 from 1-6 at the middle school (401 S. Elizabeth St.).  You can find our drive on the Red Cross website http://www.redcross.org/blood and enter code 0324027 or our zip code 53190. Our students are always helpful and friendly and chatty so you will have a wonderful donation experience if you join us. We also decorate like crazy, so it will be festive as well.  Hope to see you on the 12th.”

Trivia Night is coming up soon. Here are updates and requests:

• You can now signup to help out in various ways for the 2016 Trivia Night. Lanora Heim has created an online sign up form. Click this link to see the various tasks and dates that help is needed. Like the Gyro Stand and Breakfast with Santa, the more helpers, the lighter the load for each.
• Do you have gift cards that could be donated to Trivia Night? If so, please contact club member Kate Ksobiech.
• Do you have items or ideas for silent auction items? If so, please contact Kate Ksobiech.
• The Trivia Team Registration form is available from our web site. Click this link. Team entries are due February 12.
• Contact Kim Adams if you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for this event. There are 5 different sponsorship levels. A form with more details is available upon request.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker is Bunny Schoen.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, March 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, March 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

Greetings Optimists,

NO GENERAL MEMBER MEETING THIS WEEK. The Club Exec Board will meet at 12 Noon, on campus in the University Center, room 069 in the lower level of the UC.

Linda Kinson and I will be the contacts for the Fund Crazr Basketball Sweepstakes raffle be organized for the SWIS District by Fred Dorn. If we can sell the 50 tickets I’ve requested we should receive $600 back for support of the club’s events and programs. You can find more info on the www.fundcrazr.com website.

Bev Bonge-Ganser has the following info to share from the Whitewater Middle School JOOI Club. “The middle school Junior Optimist Club will be hosting a blood drive Friday, Feb. 12 from 1-6 at the middle school (401 S. Elizabeth St.).  You can find our drive on the red cross website http://www.redcross.org/blood and enter code 0324027 or our zip code 53190. Our students are always helpful and friendly and chatty so you will have a wonderful donation experience if you join us. We also decorate like crazy, so it will be festive as well.  Hope to see you on the 12th.”

Trivia Night is coming up soon. Here are the latest updates and requests:

• You can now signup to help out in various ways for the 2016 Trivia Night. Lanora Heim has created an online sign up form. Click this link to see the various tasks and dates that help is needed. Like the Gyro Stand and Breakfast with Santa, the more helpers, the lighter the load for each.
• Do you have gift cards that could be donated to Trivia Night? If so, please contact club member Kate Ksobiech.
• Do you have items or ideas for silent auction items? If so, please contact Kate Ksobiech.
• The Trivia Team Registration form is available from our web site. Click this link.
• Contact Kim Adams if you or someone you know is interested in being a sponsor for this event. There are 5 different sponsorship levels. A form with more details is available upon request.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, January 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, January 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
• Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. No speaker yet.
• Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker is Bunny Schoen.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

We DO have a general member meeting tomorrow, January 5^th. See the time and location information below.

I’m kind of missing those springtime temperatures of early December…

Hope all of you had time to spend with family and friends over the past two weeks!

I haven’t yet heard if anyone is willing to coordinate a possible “Basketball FundCrazr” for the SWIS District that would also benefit our club, like the “NFL FundCrazr” that we sold 50 tickets for last summer.

Here is part of the email we received:

“This is how it would work.  A ticket would have four (4) teams covered over with a scratch off film.  If your ticket has a team or teams that do not qualify for the tournament, your ticket would be given the next highest seed to replace them, which can be found on the www.fundcrazr.com website. Those four teams would then be your teams for the entire weeks of madness.  If a team loses, you get to keep the score from that team, and you would continue on with the remaining teams on your ticket.  We would add up the final score for each ticket at the end of the final four week, and that would then determine the winners.

The ticket would have a crazrsaver discount code like the football tickets and the cost is the same at $20.00 per ticket. The prize money would be broken down as such:

Highest Score:    $600.00     Second Highest:   $400.00   Third Highest:   $300.00

Fourth Highest:   $200.00     Fifth Highest:        $175.00    Sixth Highest:   $150.00

Lowest Score:     $100.00    Second Lowest:     $75.00

In case of a tie, the prizes are combined and split.  All results are final.”

So, Fred Dorn is asking each club in the SWIS District if they would be willing to participate, like we do for the football raffle. Would one of you be willing to serve as the contact for our club, like Connie M has done for the football raffle? Please let me know by January 10 if you would be willing to coordinate this fund raiser

A reminder again that the annual club dues notification was sent out to our membership list (which is not the exact same as this email list). Hopefully active members can submit dues soon so Ken, Kate and I can update the club roster at the OI web site.

So… Is anyone willing to coordinate this fund raiser? I need to respond by January 10 if we want to participate. Thanks!

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, January 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. No speaker yet but it’s also a VERY lightly attended meeting.
• Tuesday, January 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, January 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
• Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. No speaker yet.
• Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker is Bunny Schoen.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

• Tuesday, January 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. No speaker yet but it’s also a VERY lightly attended meeting.
• Tuesday, January 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, January 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
• Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.
• Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.

Greetings Optimists,

The annual Toys for Kids project will be wrapping and sorting gifts tonight, Monday, December 14th at 5:30pm at the downtown Armory located on North Street. Please join us to get the toys ready for distribution by the Whitewater Food Pantry.

Our Tuesday, December 15 regular club meeting, will be at 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School, presentation of the “Mitten Tree” donations to Lanora, Mary, and Shirley from the Whitewater School District, and a video presentation by Connor O’Malley, a UW-W student, showing the LINCS hallway project from spring 2015 that the UW-W Student Optimist Club supported.

At last week’s December Exec Board meeting, the minutes of the November board meeting were approved. They are available on the club web site for your reading at this link.

Another new member application has been received!!! Joshua Tepps, a new staff member at UW-Whitewater and former UW-W Student Optimist Club member, has submitted his application to join our club. His sponsor is Kim Adams. Josh’s application will be reviewed at the January board meeting.

This week’s other notes:

• A reminder again that the annual club dues notification was sent out to our membership list (which is not the exact same as this email list). Hopefully active members can submit dues soon so Ken, Kate and I can update the club roster at the OI web site.
• No club meetings the week of December 20-26 or December 27-January 2.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Monday, December, 14, 5:30pm. Toys for Kids wrapping and sorting, Whitewater Downtown Armory, 146 W North St.
• Tuesday, December 15. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00
• Tuesday, January 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting.
• Tuesday, January 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, January 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
• Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.
• Tuesday, February 2, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Our speakers will be Kirby Mills and Kristina Navarro talking about the Warhawk Leadership Academy.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.
• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

A huge THANK YOU to the nearly 50 people, club members, UW-W Student Club members, High School Octagon member, etc., who helped with this past Saturday’s “Breakfast with Santa.” Carol and Jim Miller counted 611 people served, 326 children and 285 adults. I would encourage all of you who helped to look back for any special moments from Friday or Saturday, write them down and share them with us. I would like to share your stories about the day on our web site and Facebook page.

A huge THANK YOU to a club member, who wishes to remain anonymous, who donated $500 to Breakfast with Santa in honor of Don Zahn. The donor specified that the money was to be used to pay for ALL of the children who attended Breakfast with Santa.

While Santa may have been the main attraction this past Saturday, Frosty the Snowman was VERY popular also. Thanks Jim McLernon!

Nearly 700 photos from Breakfast with Santa were uploaded to the Club’s Flickr page. To see the photos, follow these instructions:

• Access the photos at: https://www.flickr.com
• Upon entering the website search “optimist bws” in upper right hand corner
• Click People in upper left hand corner
• Click “optimist bws”
• Click Albums
• Select BWS 2015

Our next Exec Board meeting is tomorrow, December 8, 12 Noon, in UC 260.

There is NO GENERAL MEMBER MEETING THIS WEEK.

The annual Toys for Kids project will be wrapping and sorting next Monday, December 14th at 5:30pm at the downtown Armory located on North Street. Please join us for the wrapping and sorting of the toys to get them ready for the distribution by the Whitewater Food Pantry. Helpers are also needed during the early afternoon for toy/gift pickups. If you can help at that time, contact Duane Dickens.

Our Tuesday, December 15 regular club meeting, will be at 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School and presentation of the “Mitten Tree” donations to Lanora, Mary, and Shirley from the Whitewater School District.

This week’s other notes:

• A reminder again that the annual club dues notification was sent out to our membership list (which is not the exact same as this email list). Hopefully active members can submit dues soon so Ken, Kate and I can update the club roster at the OI web site.
• Who can help find additional speakers for our January and February meetings? A couple of ideas/speakers have been forwarded to me but more are needed. All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated. I/we just need to confirm who, when, and where for the next couple of months.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Monday, December, 14. Toys for Kids wrapping and sorting, Whitewater Downtown Armory, 146 W North St.
• Tuesday, December 15. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School and presentation of the “Mitten Tree” donations to Lanora, Mary, and Shirley from the Whitewater School District.
• No club meeting the week of December 20-26.
• Tuesday, January 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting.
• Tuesday, January 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, January 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, location to be determined. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
• Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant.
• Tuesday, February 1, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, location to be determined.
• Tuesday, February 9, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, February 16, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, location to be determined. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School. Our speaker will be Bunny Schoen.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749