UW-Whitewater/Community Optimist Club

Greetings Optimists,

Have you checked the SWIS District web site lately?

A “shout-out” to club member Jim McLernon!!! Jim organized a “Super Bowl Squares” event for “The Big Game” this past February 7 and was able to make a $100 donation to the club at our Tuesday, February 16 meeting. Thanks Jim!!

Easter Egg Hunt update. Easter will be Sunday, March 27, 2016. Information from the School District indicates that the Middle School is available for the Easter Egg hunt on Saturday, March 26. The building is already in use Saturday, March 19. Finally, who would be willing to chair/lead the event and who can help with the event?

Wow!!! What a great time this past Friday night at the 3rd Annual Trivia Night. 28 teams from the campus, community, and surrounding area. 22 children who participated in the children’s activities, supervised by many of the UWW Student Optimists, while Mom and Dad participated in the trivia competition. Wonderful silent auction and “bucket raffle” items.

There are many “Thanks Yous” to be shared but they need to start with Kim Adams, Jan Olson, and Lanora Heim. To Jeanine Fassl for leading much of the publicity. Thanks also to Ken & Kate Ksobiech for all their efforts managing the money received before and during the event. Thanks to Angie Alesci and Betsy Brandt for managing the Silent Auction. Thanks to Dr. Tom Drucker for writing the 80 trivia questions used for this year’s event. Thanks to the UW-W Student Optimist Club for providing so much labor.

We also had a good balance of Student Optimists, Community Optimists and other helpful volunteers at the event. The winning team was “Desire 2 Learn Y’all Some Trivia” with Corey Davis, Kelly Davis, Josh Kapfer, Jen Kapfer, Kerry Katovich, Nadine Kriska, Chris Calvert-Minor, Deilee Calvert-Minor, and Mark McGuire. Once again Kim Simes and her team are to be complimented for their many creative answers to some of the difficult questions. Some of their answers were even correct! Kim and I have been communicating with Tom Ganser who is working on an article for the Daily Jefferson Union paper with highlights of the night. Those of you who receive that paper, watch for an upcoming article about the night.

Overall, a great success with preliminary gross income of slightly over $10,000. In addition to the food pantry money raised, 388 food items were collected –a great gift to share with the pantry in the coming week.

Well done everyone, well done!

This week’s meeting will be Tuesday evening, February 23 at 5pm at Jessica’s Restaurant.

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• Tuesday, February 23, 5pm, Jessica’s Restaurant. Business meeting and Trivia Night review.
• 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 will be Bunny Schoen.
• Saturday, March 12 or 19 or 26 Easter Egg Hunt???????
• Tuesday, March 22? Evening meeting? This is the week of the University’s and Whitewater school district spring  break.
• Tuesday, March 29? Evening meeting instead of March 22?
• Tuesday, April 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, April 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, April 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, April 26, Regular club evening meeting, 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,

Our next general member meeting will be tomorrow, February 16, 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 speakers will be Amy Edmonds, who will provide a brief update on Warhawk athletics, followed by Kristina Navarro and Kirby Mills talking about new efforts with student-athlete engagement with focus on the Warhawk Leadership Academy.

Trivia Night is this week!!!!! We are still in need of volunteers for some of the 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. Help is still needed for:
  • Packaging of Silent Auction items on February 16, starting at 5pm at Kim & Angie’s house.
  • Food for the event volunteers
  • Food for the Child Care room
  • Helping serve food in the Child Care room
  • Staffing the Food Drive table
  • Trivia room hosts
  • Child Care providers
  • Selling Raffle Tickets
  • Clean up crew
• It appears we are at or slightly over team capacity!! Woohoo! Thanks to all of you who are participating and/or helped to recruit teams for this year’s event.
• 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.
• Watch the club’s Facebook page during Trivia Night for pictures and updates during the event.

Have you checked the SWIS District web site lately?

I didn’t receive much feedback last week on this topic so I’ll ask again. 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?

Dates for upcoming club meetings and events include:

• 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.
• Saturday, March 12 or 19 or 26 Easter Egg Hunt???????
• Tuesday, March 22? Evening meeting? This is the week of the University’s and Whitewater school district spring  break.
• Tuesday, March 29? Evening meeting instead of March 22?
• Tuesday, April 5, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, April 12, Executive Board meeting, 12 Noon.
• Tuesday, April 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 259A. Speaker needed.
• Tuesday, April 26, Regular club evening meeting, 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,

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,

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,

Our next general member meeting will be tomorrow, January 19, at 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00). Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office. There will NOT be a Youth of the Month presentation at this meeting.

We will be changing our January 26 meeting from an evening meeting at Jessica’s Restaurant to a 12 Noon meeting at UW-W. I’ll notify you when a location is confirmed. This meeting WILL have a Youth of the Month presentation. I’m looking for a speaker for this meeting. Any ideas? Any volunteers?

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.

Another 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 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 19, Regular club meeting, 12 Noon, University Center 068 (basement level of the UC). Our speaker will be Jim Mead from the UW-W University Housing Cable TV Office.
•         Tuesday, January 26, evening meeting, 12 Noon, UW-W. This is a “catered lunch day” ($7.00) with “Youth of the Month” from Whitewater High School.
•         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,

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.