UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

Greetings, Optimists,

It definitely looks like a winter wonderland out there!  That means it’s a perfect time for our Mitten Tree Project  and “Gifts With A Meaning!”  Please join us for a fun-filled meeting for both of these projects this Tuesday, December 13 in UC 259A.  We encourage you to bring a guest to join in the fun.  Mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, socks and children’s underwear are still needed.  These items will be donated to the representatives from the Whitewater Unified School District on Tuesday.  You are encouraged to also bring a gift that represents you.  Brenda O’Beirne  will facilitate our guessing activity.  The gifts will then be donated to our toy wrapping project for the Whitewater Food Pantry.

Our next Board Meeting will be on Wednesday, December 14 at Second Salem in Whitewater from 5pm – 6pm.  

We will hold our last meeting of the semester on Tuesday, December 20–featuring “Youths of the Month” from the high school.  In addition, Ryan Callahan (from Continuing Education) will be our guest speaker.

We will not have a meeting on Tuesday, December 27.  Take time to enjoy the holidays, family and friends!​  Our meeting on Tuesday, January 3 will be held in UC 69.  We will not be having a catered meal for this meeting.

That brings us to Friday, January 6 with the opportunity to help with judging the Academic Decathlon on campus.  Therese has put out a request asking for folks to serve as judges.  Please see the email she sent last week–or reply to Kennedyt@uww.edu if you are able to volunteer.

That’s a wrap for now. 

Just Keep Smiling,

Kim and Angie 🙂

Good Evening, Optimists,

Wow–what a successful Breakfast with Santa event!   Angie and I do not know where to begin with our thanks!  Please accept our heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped to plan, arrange and order items, manage the sign up sheet, promote, decorate, cook, staff, play Santa–Mrs. Claus–Frosty–or an elf, pay for items, and clean up for the event, as well as other tasks in-between!  It was great to see so many folks (including children of members, UW-W Student Optimists, and Octagon Optimists) helping to ensure that the event was a success.  The parade helpers (Student Optimists, Intern Brandon and Frosty) are greatly appreciated, as well.

I know we lost a number of our workers by the time we got around to taking the group photo–but it’s still an impressive group.  We will post more photos on the Web site this coming week.  Our numbers included serving 760 guests for the breakfast.  My best guess is that we took nearly 2000 photos (including candids and 2-4 photos per family– depending on their situation).  We were also about 8-10 goodie bags short for our last few Santa seekers.  I will share some photos and other updates at our meeting on Tuesday.

Thank you to those who scooted over to Perkins Stadium to take tickets for the Warhawks’ football playoff game.  It was disappointing for the Warhawks to not come out on top again, but we are grateful for a successful season.  It was a fun run for our Hawks in 2016!

Please note these additional tidbits:

1)  Dues were due by December 1.  Some members still need to pay for the quarter or year.  Our Club’s budget is counting on folks to pay soon in order to balance our budget and to carry out the many activities for youth in our community.  Please connect with Kate or Ken for paying dues–and THANK YOU!  We will review our progress at our next Board meeting.

2)  Caroling at Fairhaven is scheduled for Friday, December 9.  Please email Kim if you are planning to be a part of spreading holiday cheer.  We will meet in the lobby of Fairhave at 4:15pm to begin warming up our voices!  We will be done caroling by 6:00pm.

3)  “Gifts with a meaning” and the mitten tree will take place at our noon meeting on December 13.  You are encouraged to bring hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, children’s underwear or socks for the mitten tree presentation.  You are also invited to bring a gift that represents you–your interests or hobbies (e.g. music, sports, playing games, books, gardening, animals, etc.).  Participating members will guess who brought which gift.  We then bag up the gifts and they will be contributed to the toy wrapping activity for the Whitewater Food Pantry on December 19.

4)  Our next Executive Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm at Second Salem.  Board members, please let us know if you can not attend this meeting.

5)  Our last meeting of the semester will be December 20​.  Our next meeting (in the New Year) will be Tuesday, January 3 at noon in UC 69.  There will not be a catered meal for this meeting.

That’s it for now.  Hope to see many of you this week!

Just Keep Smiling,

Kim and Angie 🙂

Hello Optimists,

We hope you had a nice Thanksgiving weekend.

Please note the following 10 important notes regarding our Club and activities.

1)  Thank you to our ticket takers yesterday.  Thanks to Dick Winz who was staffing the visitor gate (and didn’t make the photo).  While it was still cool and breezy, it was a step up from the previous week.  And, of course, it was a great win for the Warhawks!  

2)  Tuesday, Nov. 29 we will stuff goodie bags for Breakfast with Santa (BWS) at 12:00pm in UC 259A.  Also, our interns will be giving a brief presentation about their highlights from the semester.

3)  Please consult the BWS list that Lanora is coordinating.  Together, let’s make sure all of the slots are filled.  Email reminders will go out  this week from Lanora.  We are grateful that James Lanouette will be serving as Santa at BWS.

4)  The Student Optimists and Frosty will be in the parade on Friday to help promote BWS.  Many flyers and candy will be distributed.

5)  Decorating at Esker for BWS will take place this Friday.  Thank you to Kate, Duane, Jan, and Wes for getting things started at 11:30am.  Many hands make light work.  If you can show up for even an hour to help decorate on Friday, that would be helpful.

6)  BWS will run from 8:00am – 11:00am on Dec. 3.  Workers should note the necessary time times for various positions.  I have sent out several press releases to local newspapers.  The story about the event is on the Whitewater Banner, dated Nov. 25.

7  Frank will be following up with folks about ticket taking for the Warhawk’s next playoff game–which will be on Saturday at 12:00pm.    A few ticket takers will be needed by 10:00am.

8)  Dues are due by December 1.  Several members still need to pay for the quarter or year.  Our Club’s budget is counting on folks to pay dues on time in order for us to balance our budget and to carry out the many activities for youth in our community.  Please connect with Kate or Ken for paying dues–and THANK YOU!

9)  “Gifts with a meaning” and the mitten tree will take place at our noon meeting on December 13.  For new members, this meeting is a fun way for members to learn more about each other.  You are encouraged to bring a gift that represents you–your interests or hobbies (music, sports, playing games, books, gardening, animals, etc.).  Participating members guess who brought in which gift.  We then bag up the gifts and they are contributed to the toy wrapping activity for the Whitewater Food Pantry on December 19.

10)  Our next Executive Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 14 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm at Second Salem.  Board members, please let us know if you can not attend this meeting.

That’s it for now.  Hope to see many of you this week!

Just Keep Smiling,

Kim and Angie 🙂

Optimist Club ticket takers at UW-W football playoff game, November 26, 2016

Greetings Optimists,

Our Installation Banquet this past Monday was great fun! Thanks to Rick & Jeanine Fassl for hosting. Thanks to Kim Adams, Angie Alesci, Brandon Lindholm and Rachel Sullivan for assisting Rick and Jeanine with decorating. Thanks to everyone who donated food and beverages. I was very content ath the end of the evening, having consumed my yearly quota of Optimist Club gyros.

Welcome to our three newest club members who were inducted at Monday’s Installation Banquet, Stephanie & Cort Hartmann and Chloe Rettinger. We look forward to your efforts helping us in our quest to help and serve the youth of Whitewater.

Our next general member meeting will be Tuesday, October 4, 2016. This meeting will be “bring your own lunch.” Our speaker will be Warhawk Football Head Coach Kevin Bullis. Hope to see many of you there.

Current events needing helpers:

Warhawk Football Ticket Taking. There are still a few time slots (two?) needing workers. Check the Google spreadsheet, “2016 Football Ticket Taking,” for the last few remaining slots. Hopefully, you can use the link in the spreadsheet title in the previous sentence to edit the spreadsheet and add you name in the appropriate cells. If you have trouble entering your name, let me know and I’ll help.

*** Do you have a topic you would like to present to the club? Do you know someone who could speak to the club? Job related? Travel related? Sports related? Youth related? Let me know if you, or someone you know, would like to present. See the dates below where we need speakers. ***

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events:

• September 30, 5:00pm. 2016-17 Exec Board meeting.
• October 4, 12:00pm, speaker will be Kevin Bullis, Warhawk Football coach.
• October 8 & 22; football ticket taking
• October 11, Exec Board meeting.
• October 18, 12:00pm, speaker TBD.
• October 25, Halloween Social hosted by Kim Adams and Angie Alesci
• November 1, 12:00pm, speaker TBD
• November 5; Football ticket taking.
• November 7, Exec Board meeting. (New date to avoid conflict with the Presidential election on November 8)
• November 15, 12:00pm, UC 259, Youth Appreciation Luncheon.
• November 22, 5:00 pm. Speaker – Dr. Greg Cook, UW-W Associate Vice Chancellor.
• November 29, 12 Noon, UC 259A, stuff goody bags for Breakfast with Santa.
• December; Mitten tree, Toys for Kids
• December 3; Breakfast with Santa
• December 6, General member meeting, 12:00pm, speaker TBD
• December 13, Executive Board meeting
• December 19, Toys for Kids
• December 20, General member meeting, 12:00pm, speaker TBD

I want to close with a heartfelt “THANK YOU” to each and every one of you for your support of the club over the past two years while I’ve been president. I was nervous when I first assumed the role, but quickly learned, and appreciated, that everyone in the club is indeed an “Optimist” and was willing and able to help out in the various events that keep us going and support the youth of Whitewater. I look forward to working with the new exec board, and all of you, in the next Optimist Year. IT’S BEEN A HOOT!!

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

It’s a little toasty outside today! But the forecast 7 days from now is temps in the upper 60’s or low 70’s, yes fall is coming at us faster than we want.

Did anybody notice that there is a little more traffic in Whitewater since Sunday?

Our next general member meeting will be Tuesday, September 20, 2016. The meeting will feature “Youth of the Month,” catered lunch at $7 for each club member, and speakers will be Mark Elworthy (New School District Administrator) and Nathan Jaeger (Business Manager) regarding the upcoming Whitewater Unified School District referendum.

Current events needing helpers:

Warhawk Football Ticket Taking. There are still a few time slots (two?) needing workers. Check the Google spreadsheet, “2016 Football Ticket Taking,” for the last few remaining slots. Hopefully, you can use the link in the spreadsheet title in the previous sentence to edit the spreadsheet and add you name in the appropriate cells. If you have trouble entering your name, let me know and I’ll help.

*** Do you have a topic you would like to present to the club? Do you know someone who could speak to the club? Job related? Travel related? Sports related? Youth related? Let me know if you, or someone you know, would like to present. See the dates below where we need speakers. ***

Looking back one year, at this time last year we had 95 “likes” on our Facebook page. Today we have 123!

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events:

• September 10, & 24; football ticket taking
• September 13, Exec Board meeting.
• September 20, 12:00pm, speakers will be Mark Elworthy (New School District Administrator) and Nathan Jaeger (Business Manager) re: the upcoming school district referendum.
• September 26; Annual Banquet hosted by Jeanine and Rick Fassl.
• October 4, 12:00pm, speaker will be Kevin Bullis, Warhawk Football coach.
• October 8 & 22; football ticket taking
• October 11, Exec Board meeting.
• October 18, 12:00pm, speaker TBD.
• October 25, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• November 1, 12:00pm, speaker TBD
• November 5; Football ticket taking
• November 7, Exec Board meeting. (New date to avoid conflict with the Presidential election on November 8)
• November 15, 12:00pm, UC 259, Youth Appreciation Luncheon.
• November 22, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• November 29, 12 Noon, UC 259A, stuff goody bags for Breakfast with Santa.
• December; Mitten tree, Toys for Kids
• December 3; Breakfast with Santa
• December 6, General member meeting, 12:00pm
• December 13, Executive Board meeting
• December 17, General member meeting, 12:00pm

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

At our Tuesday evening meeting last week, August 23, we discussed:

• Receiving the plaque at the “Golf Fore! Whitewater Kids” on behalf of the club from the Whitewater Unified School District as 2016 “Friend of Whitewater Kids.” Pictures from the event are on the Whitewater Banner web site, about halfway down the page.
• We met our two new UW-W student interns for fall 2016, Rachel Sullivan and Brandon Lindholm.
• Reviewed the discussion from the Exec Board meeting on August 9 regarding plans for the 2016 Installation Banquet.
  • Rick and Jeanine Fassl have offered to host this year’s banquet at their home on Monday, September 26.
  • Rick suggested having gyros as part of the evening’s meal which received MANY positive responses and affirmative head-nods.
  • Social time will begin about 5:30.
  • Dinner will begin about 6:30.
  • The program will end about 8:00pm
  • Watch for more info in the upcoming weeks.
• Reviewed the Trivia Night planning meetings held this summer.

NFL “FUND CRAZR” RAFFLE TICKETS!!  Ticket sales were concluded on Thursday, August 25. In all we sold 192 tickets, returning only 8 unsold tickets. Eighteen club members sold between one and 32 tickets each!! The top sellers were Kim Simes (32 tickets), Dave Halbach (29), Jim McLernon (28), Hans Hahn (16) Duane Dickens (13), Lanora Heim (12), Jan Olson and Kate Ksobiech (10 each).  Thanks to everyone who bought and/or sold one or more tickets. As mentioned many times, the proceeds from this raffle will help our community.

Current events needing helpers:

Warhawk Football Ticket Taking. There are still a few time slots (two?) needing workers. Check the Google spreadsheet, “2016 Football Ticket Taking,” for the last few remaining slots. Hopefully, you can use the link in the spreadsheet title in the previous sentence to edit the spreadsheet and add you name in the appropriate cells. If you have trouble entering your name, let me know and I’ll help.

*** Do you have a topic you would like to present to the club? Do you know someone who could speak to the club? Job related? Travel related? Sports related? Youth related? Let me know if you, or someone you know, would like to present. See the dates below where we need speakers. ***

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events:

• September 3, 10, & 24; football ticket taking
• September 6, NO MEETING!
• September 13, Exec Board meeting.
• September 20, 12:00pm, speakers will be Mark Elworthy (New School District Administrator) and Nathan Jaeger (Business Manager) re: the upcoming school district referendum.
• September 26; Annual Banquet hosted by Jeanine and Rick Fassl.
• October 4, 12:00pm, speaker will be Kevin Bullis, Warhawk Football coach.
• October 8 & 22; football ticket taking
• October 11, Exec Board meeting.
• October 18, 12:00pm, speaker TBD.
• October 25, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• November 1, 12:00pm, speaker TBD
• November 5; Football ticket taking
• November 7, Exec Board meeting. (New date to avoid conflict with the Presidential election on November 8)
• November 15, 12:00pm, UC 259, Youth Appreciation Luncheon.
• November 22, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• November 29, 12 Noon, UC 259A, stuff goody bags for Breakfast with Santa.
• December; Mitten tree, Toys for Kids
• December 3; Breakfast with Santa

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

Greetings Optimists,

The Exec Board will be meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, August 9 at 12 Noon. Let me know if you have any agenda items you would like to add.

Our next general member meeting will be next week, Tuesday August 16 at 12 Noon, in UC 261. Our speaker with be Traci Wilson, updating us about W3 (Working for Whitewater’s Wellness).

Current events needing helpers:

NFL “FUND CRAZR” RAFFLE TICKETS!! We are now selling the final 13 of 200 total tickets for this year’s NFL Fund Crazr raffle.  Please return any money for sold tickets, ticket stubs, and any unsold tickets to me by August 18!  If you can’t sell all the tickets you presently have, I will be able to give them to other club members who have “sold out” their own set(s) of tickets. All sold ticket stubs and unsold tickets must be returned to the SWIS District before August 28. Selling 200 tickets will probably net the club $2,400. If you haven’t bought one for yourself yet, contact me to do so. There are about 10 club members who could simply buy one ticket each and we would be out of tickets.

Warhawk Football Ticket Taking. There are still some time slot needing workers. If you have trouble entering your name, let me know and I’ll help.

Do you have a topic you would like to present to the club? Do you know someone who could speak to the club. Job related? Travel related? Sports related? Youth related? Let me know if you, or someone you know, would like to present. See the dates below where we need speakers.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events:

• August 16, 12:00pm, speaker will be Tracy Wilson re: What W3 is doing.
• August 21, “Golf Fore! Whitewater Kids” to support various programs through Whitewater Unified School District.
• August 23, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• September 3, 10, & 24; football ticket taking
• September 6, NO MEETING!
• September 13, Exec Board meeting.
• September 20, 12:00pm, speakers will be Mark Elworthy (New School District Administrator) and Nathan Jaeger (Business Manager) re: the upcoming referendum.
• September 26; Annual Banquet
• October 4, 12:00pm, speaker will be Kevin Bullis, Warhawk Football coach.
• October 8 & 22; football ticket taking
• October 11, Exec Board meeting.
• October 18, 12:00pm, speaker TBD.
• October 25, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• October or November; Youth Appreciation Week
• November 1, 12:00pm, speaker TBD
• November 5; Football ticket taking
• November 8, Exec Board meeting.
• November 15, 12:00pm, speaker will be Dr. Greg Cook, re: LEAP initiative at UW-W.
• November 22, 5:00 pm. Speaker TBD.
• December; Mitten tree, Toys for Kids
• December 3; Breakfast with Santa

That’s all for tonight.

Share the Optimism,

Dave Halbach

UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

920-650-6089 or 262-472-5749

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