UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

Greetings Optimist!!

As many of you probably know, UW-Whitewater was saddened this weekend with the unexpected passing of Mary Beth Mackin, Dean of Students and proud Warhawk supporter since 1988. Many of us in the club remember that she was also a past member, and past president, of the club. The campus posted this announcement this afternoon regarding an upcoming memorial for Mary Beth. Her humor, as well as her concern and compassion for students and UW-W, will be missed.

This week’s notes:

• Thanks to Therese Kennedy for organizing this year’s “Youth Appreciation Week” events!!
• Thanks to everyone who staffed the ice cream handouts and Youth Bowling event last week!!
• Thanks to Lanora Heim for creating the online signup form for December 4^th & 5^th for the many tasks related to Breakfast with Santa . If you haven’t already signed up, please do so at this website.
• I’ve attached the updated Breakfast with Santa task list that I sent out last week. Thanks to many of you for volunteering for tasks that need to be completed now (or very soon) in order to keep the event on track and on time. This list is different from what Lanora created due to the earlier timeline for some tasks. Please review again to see where you can help.
• Please mark your calendar for Monday evening, December 14 for the “Toys for Kids” night to help with sorting and wrapping.
• A reminder 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.
• We have received another new member application!! The board will be reviewing and voting on the application at tomorrow’s meeting.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. UC 259A. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School, with catered lunch. Speaker will be Shawn Werner, Young Auditorium Staff member.
• Wednesday, November 18 or Tuesday, November 24 evening meeting?
• Tuesday, December 1. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Stuffing of “Goody Bags” for Breakfast with Santa.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• 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.
• Wednesday, December 16 or Tuesday, December 22 evening meeting?
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

A so-so weekend for local football fans and the weather.

As I write this I miss daylights savings time since it’s now 4:50pm and the sun has already set for the day.

This week’s notes:

• Tomorrow’s meeting is the big “Youth Appreciation Week” meeting. We’ll meet in UC 259 beginning at 12 Noon. Lunch will be catered, $7.00 per club member. We’re expecting just over 100 total people to attend!
• Thanks to Kim Adams and Angie Alesci for hosting our October evening meeting at their home last Tuesday evening. It was a fun evening and a great opportunity for our club to get to know a little more about some of the UW-W Student Optimist Club members.
• Thanks to Therese Kennedy for organizing this year’s “Youth Appreciation Week” events!!
• Who would like to help organize Breakfast with Santa for December 5^th? A lot of work was done last year writing down the various actions and timelines needed to complete this event so that will help get things started. And Santa has already agreed to be at the Breakfast!!!! (Thanks Mike Ciardo!)
• Who can take charge of the “mitten tree” for this year? If we want to do this project this year we need a coordinator. Please let me know if you would be interested in coordinating this project.
• Please mark your calendar for Monday, December 14 for the “Toys for Kids” night to help with sorting and wrapping.
• A reminder that the annual club dues notification was sent out last week from Ken & Kate 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.
• The UW-W Student Optimist Club won the “Spirit Cup” in the Student Organization division this past Saturday as part of the UW-W Homecoming and finished 3^rd in their division for the Championship Cup. They were first in their division for the bowling portion of the “Triple B” competition, 1^st in the “Window Painting,” and 1^st in the “Service Video.” Congratulations Student Optimists!!!

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, UC 259 A&B. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) and Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings. The youth leaders will be our speakers.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week. Bowling at Hawk Bowl from 4:00-6:00 pm.
• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. UC 259A. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School. Speaker will be Shawn Werner, Young Auditorium Staff member.
• Wednesday, November 18 or Tuesday, November 24 evening meeting?
• Tuesday, December 1. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Stuffing of “Goody Bags” for Breakfast with Santa.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• 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.
• Wednesday, December 16 or Tuesday, December 22 evening meeting?
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Hope everyone got to play outside this past weekend since the weather was so nice, especially Sunday.

This week’s notes:

• This month’s evening meeting will be a social event tomorrow night, October 27, at Kim Adams’ and Angie Alesci’s home from 5:00-8:00 PM. Hope to see many of you there!
• Heard an interesting, and enthusiastic, presentation last Tuesday from Mareta Hale, Art Teacher at Washington Elementary School, regarding the plan she is developing for a very large mural on the outside of Washington Elementary School. This project may become a focus for the UW-W Student Optimist Club for this year.
• One final plea for your RSVP if you plan to attend the November 3^rd meeting at 12Noon. We are expecting 87 students from the Whitewater school district and 13 from our club. If you didn’t RSVP to Therese Kennedy a couple of weeks ago, I need to hear from your tomorrow so I can contact UW-W Catering and change the expected number for lunch if necessary.
• Who would like to help organize Breakfast with Santa for December 5^th? A lot of work was done last year writing down the various actions and timelines needed to complete this event so that will help get things started.
• I received an email from the Whitewater Middle School Principal’s Office asking if the 2015 Miss Whitewater Queens and Court could join the Optimists at Breakfast with Santa, helping with breakfast and letters to Santa station. Any thoughts, pro or con?
• Thinking of December also reminds me of the “mitten tree.” If we want to do this project this year we need a coordinator. Please let me know if you would be interested in coordinating this project.
• Any further thoughts about when to hold November and December evening meetings? In November and December these dates fall right in front of holidays. What are your thoughts about having the evening meeting for November either the 18^th or 24^th and in December the meeting could be either December 16^th or 22^nd? Or could/should we change the 3^rd Tuesday of the Month meetings from 12 Noon meetings to 5pm evening meetings? Should we “vote” online?
• Who can help find speakers for our January and February meetings? All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated. Members have shared ideas with me, we just need to confirm who, when, and where for the next couple of months.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, October 27 evening meeting/social event at the home of Kim Adams and Angie Alesci. See the attached invitation.
• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, UC 259 A&B. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) and Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings. The youth leaders will be our speakers.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week.
• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. UC 259A. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School. Speaker will be Shawn Werner, Young Auditorium Staff member.
• Wednesday, November 18 or Tuesday, November 24 evening meeting?
• Tuesday, December 1. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Stuffing of “Goody Bags” for Breakfast with Santa.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• 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.
• Wednesday, December 16 or Tuesday, December 22 evening meeting?
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Another good weekend if you’re a Warhawks, Badgers, and/or Packers football fan!!

This week’s notes:

• Please review Therese Kennedy’s emails from earlier today asking for volunteers to staff the various locations at the schools and Hawk Bowl for Youth Appreciation Week. Please respond directly to Therese if you can help.
• Who can help find speakers for our January and February meetings? All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated. Members have shared ideas with me, we just need to confirm who, when, and where for the next couple of months.
• Speaking of December, who would like to help organize Breakfast with Santa for December 5^th? A lot of work was done last year writing down the various actions and timelines needed to complete this event so that will help get things started. I have already reserved Esker Dining Hall for that morning with the campus reservations office and notified campus Dining Services staff.
• I received and email from the Whitewater Middle School Principal’s Office (no, I’m not in trouble), asking if the 2015 Miss Whitewater Queens and Court could join the Optimists at Breakfast with Santa, helping with breakfast and letters to Santa station. Any thoughts, pro or con?
• Thinking of December also reminds me of the “mitten tree.” If we want to do this project this year we need a coordinator. Please let me know if you would be interested in coordinating this project.
• Thanks to Duane Dickens (and Al Hutchinson by default) for volunteering to lead the “Toys for Kids” program this year.
• Thanks to Duane Dickens, Jim McLernon, and Bob Sweet for putting the gyro stand into storage this past Saturday!!
• The last Wednesday of the month has become our traditional evening meeting date. However, in November and December these dates fall right in front of holidays. What are your thoughts about having the evening meeting for November either the 18^th or 24^th and in December the meeting could be either December 16^th or 22^nd? Should we “vote” with an online Doodle poll, like we used for the Gyro Stand scheduling last summer?

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, October 20 regular club meeting, 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch” day ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Speakers will be Mareta Hale, Art Teacher at Washington Elementary School, and Tom Grosinske, Principal at Washington Elementary School. They will be speaking about a Washington Elementary School mural project.
• Tuesday, October 27 evening meeting/social event at the home of Kim Adams and Angie Alesci. See the attached invitation.
• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, UC 259 A&B. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) and Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings. The youth leaders will be our speakers.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week.
• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School. UC 259A. Speaker will be Shawn Werner, Young Auditorium Staff member.
• Wednesday, November 18 or Tuesday, November 24 evening meeting?
• Tuesday, December 1. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Stuffing of “Goody Bags” for Breakfast with Santa.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• 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.
• Wednesday, December 16 or Tuesday, December 22 evening meeting?
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Warhawk football ticket takers, remember, this week’s game is a Friday night game. And we all need to help them start a new winning streak!!

This week’s notes:

• A budget item for discussion at the October 13 (tomorrow) meeting. How many “NFL Football Crazr” raffle tickets could/should our club commit to for 2015-16? We sold 50 of them quickly this past summer and received back $12/ticket for a total of $600. One thing great about this fund raiser is there are no costs. Sell the tickets, turn in the money by the specified time, receive a portion of each ticket’s price back for the budget. So…. Can we commit to 100 tickets for 2015-16?  150 tickets?  200 tickets?
• Who can help find speakers for our December and January meetings? All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated. Members have shared ideas with me, we just need to confirm who, when, and where for the next couple of months.
• Speaking of December, who would like to help organize Breakfast with Santa for December 5^th ? A lot of work was done last year writing down the various actions and timelines needed to complete this event so that will help get things started. I have already reserved Esker Dining Hall for that morning with the campus reservations office and notified campus Dining Services staff.
• Thinking of December also reminds me of the “mitten tree” and “Toys for Kids.” Again, who would like to help lead these projects?

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, October 13, regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Speakers will be Tonia Harvel, UC Information Services/Warhawk Alley Coordinator, and Chris Clapper from the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce speaking on behalf of the Walworth County Leadership (WCL) group about a new YOUTH Leadership Development program for Walworth County high school students.
• Tuesday, October 20 regular club meeting, 12 Noon, UC 259A. This is a “catered lunch day ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater Middle School. Speakers will be Mareta Hale, Art Teacher at Washington Elementary School, and Tom Grosinske, Principal at Washington Elementary School. They will be speaking about
• Tuesday, October 27 evening meeting/social event at the home of Kim Adams and Angie Alesci. See the attached invitation.
• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, UC 259 A&B. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) and Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings. The youth leaders will be our speakers.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week.
• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School. UC 259A. Speaker will be Shawn Werner, Young Auditorium Staff member.
• Tuesday, December 1. Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC). This is a “bring your own lunch” meeting. Stuffing of “Goody Bags” for Breakfast with Santa.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Tuesday, December 8. Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• 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.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Lots of short notes for this week.

• Thanks again to Connie Murray, Jeanine Fassl and Teshona Bennett for organizing last Tuesday’s Installation Banquet at 841 Brew House!!
• Please welcome our newest Optimist Club member, Jenny Musilek! Jenny is the Promotions Coordinator in the UC. We’ll find an upcoming meeting to formally induct Jenny.
• Warhawk Football ticket takers were busy this past Saturday when a record crowd of 15,287 showed up at Perkins Stadium.
• No club meeting tomorrow, October 6!!! (This is due to the UW-W Faculty Emeriti lunch being held at 841 Brew House)
• Instead, the Exec Board will have its first meeting of the year. One of the agenda items will be discussing the budget for 2015-16. I’ll keep you posted.
• October is the start of the new Optimist year. Watch your email later this month for the annual dues notification.
• Who can help find speakers for our October and November meetings? All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated. Members have shared ideas with me, we just need to confirm who, when, and where for the next couple of months.
• Allison Langenkamp has posted more pictures on the web site from the Installation Banquet and I’ve added them to the Facebook page. Check them out when you have time. Use the links at the bottom of the email to quickly go to those sites.
• Maggie Winz was a Football Crazr winner for NFL week number 2. Congratulations Maggie!!
• I’ve begun adding some of our upcoming events to the SWIS District web site calendar. This morning I added Breakfast with Santa and Trivia Night.
• Speaking of Breakfast with Santa, who would like to help organize this event for December 5^th ? (Yes, it’s only two months away)? A lot of work was done last year writing down the various actions and timelines needed to complete this event so that will help get things started.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, October 6, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, October 13, regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 069 (basement level of the UC)
• Tuesday, October 20, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater Middle School, UC 259A.
• Tuesday, October 27 evening meeting/social event at the home of Kim Adams and Angie Alesci.
• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings. UC 259 A&B.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week.
• Tuesday, November 10, Exec Board meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 260.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School. UC 259A
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!! Esker Dining Hall, UW-W.
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!! 7:00 pm, University Center Hamilton Room.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, September 29, will be the annual Installation Banquet!! Social hour begins at 5pm at 841 Brew House.

At last week’s meeting, we had one business topic, voting on the “Slate of Officers” for 2016-17. Those in attendance voted unanimously in favor of the slate of officer put forward from the board and emailed to all of you last week. Combined with the votes emailed back to Jeanine before the meeting, we have an Executive Board for 2015-16!!!!!

I’m working with the incoming Exec Board members to confirm our monthly board meeting. At this time it looks like the 2^nd Tuesday of each month, starting at 12 Noon, will continue to be our meeting time. Please remember that any club member can submit an agenda item.

I’ll keep you posted this week whether or not we have an general member meeting or board meeting next week, October 6. There might be a possible conflict with a campus Faculty Emeriti event that might draw away quite a number of our regular Tuesday members.

Who can help find speakers for our October and November meetings? All speaker ideas are welcome and appreciated.

Be sure to check the “Photos” page here on the web site for new photos posted today. You’ll also be able to find them on our Facebook page.

Our Facebook page reached 100 “Likes” last week!! The pictures that were added last week have been quite popular also.

Any Football Raffle Crazr winners last week?

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, September, 29, Installation banquet at 841 Brew House. Social hour begins at 5pm. Dinner begins at 6pm.
• Tuesday, October 6, noon meeting.
• Tuesday, October 20, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater Middle School.
• Tuesday, October 27 evening meeting/social event at the home of Kim Adams and Angie Alesci.
• Tuesday, November 3, noon meeting, Youth Appreciation Luncheon with student leaders from all 5 Whitewater School District buildings.
• Week of November 2-6, Youth Appreciation Week.
• Tuesday, November 17, noon meeting. Youth of the Month from Whitewater High School.
• Saturday, December 5, Breakfast with Santa!!
• Friday, February 19, 2016, Trivia Night!!

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimist!!

Well, another busy week! You might have heard of a little group of meetings being held on campus, mostly in the University Center, Thursday and Friday called the UW System Board of Regents. Or maybe you heard of the small event Friday afternoon called the Chancellor’s Inauguration?

Heard an interesting presentation at the September 8 meeting from Dr. Katie Heyning and Dr. Robin Fox about Whitewater Leads. The Whitewater Leads web site is presently “under construction” but should be very helpful and insightful once the content is added.

Kim Adams, Lauren Hageman (current Optimist Club intern), and I interviewed two UW-W students late yesterday afternoon for the Fall Optimist Intern position. After reviewing each candidate, strengths and interests, and the needs of the club for the fall, we are pleased to announce that both candidates were offered, and accepted, intern positions for this fall. The interns are Allison Langenkamp and Callie Watry. Both will be working 150 hours for the club this semester. With Youth Appreciation Week, Trivia Night, Breakfast with Santa, and social media updates, we felt there are plenty of tasks for them to complete on behalf of the club. We hope to have all three of the interns at the September 22 meeting to talk about their experiences and expected learning outcomes from the internships.

In other Optimist business:

• Our Facebook page has 95 “Likes” now. Inching closer to 100!

Speakers for upcoming meetings are:

• Tuesday, September 22, UC 261, 12 Noon-1pm. Youth of the Month presentation and catered lunch. Summer and Fall 2015 UW-W Interns.
• Tuesday, October 6, 12 Noon-1pm. Any ideas? This will be the first meeting of the new Optimist Year!
• Tuesday, October 20, 12 Noon-1pm. Youth of the Month. Any ideas?

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, September 15, Executive Board meeting. Noon-1pm.
• Tuesday, September 22, UC 261, 12 Noon-1pm. Catered lunch and Youth of the Month.
• Tuesday, September, 29, evening banquet, date/time/location to be determined.
• Tuesday, October 6, noon meeting.
• Tuesday, October 20, noon meeting.

That’s all for the moment.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749