News
Optimist Club of Coronado
Weekly Optimist Meeting 05-16-2019
The Middle School Fav Students, Track, Robotics
The Room was full of young folks, parents, and finally Optimists.
John Bowen had orchestrated another of our special days to celebrate the youth of Coronado, and we also had on hand school activities leaders to take home our Big Checks. But first President Fargo hit the bell, Irish Flynn gave us prayer, and Karl Mueller led the pledge.
At the top left we see Coach George Green and four of his champion league track folk taking home a check for $500. The athletes are all bound for college track teams. Nick Dunn, Madden Hundley, Teresa Perez, and Sofia van Arsdale all hold school records and have been participating in invitational meets.
Coach Green said that the money we donate is used to help fund their travel. George thanked us for our help with the meets, and drew our applause for his long 25 years as his coaching career winds down with a fine team. In the picture over to the right Don Crawford hands a check for $795 to CMS Principal Karin Mellina and Coach Todd Thielman who thanked us for funding among other items a Lap Tracker that lets the kids log the miles and miles that they run. No more pencil notes on a bulletin board. Finally, Jack Miller, next year's president of the Robotics Club takes a check for $400 from Lee Cargill and President Carla. Jack told us that this year's robot stacked plates and climbed a wall because, well, why not? Yeh!
The Coronado Middle School Student Achievement Awards were next up. We had a glowing introduction by John Bowen to cap off this third week of the Awards. Counselor Mike Crooker, Assistant Principal Brooke Falar, and Principal Karin Mellina told us all about these wonderful young people. The students were all chosen by their peers which make the award very special.Sixth graders Salma Ali and Jack Harvey were introduced by Mike Crooker. She loves dance, tennis, and is pleased to have given the speech at her elementary school graduation. This your lady wants to be a general surgeon. Jack Harvey is in advanced band, has a black belt and is into robotics. Jack want to become a cyberwarrior in the Navy.
Brooke Falar presented 7th grader Susana Pate who is a lover of softball. Susana has earned academic prizes and was awarded a special rank in the Safety Patrol. She hopes to play Division One Softball in college. Her classmate Wyatt Riebe is a Boy Scout who wants to be an eagle. After he lives a great life as a Navy pilot he would like to discover a new land species.Karin Mollina said that she loves the time that 8th grader Olivia Karnas spends in her office. Oliva is very active in Junior Optimist International as the Treasurer. She is also the local President. Olivia has a optimistic goal of empowering others. And she has a wonderful smile. Classmate Ryan Kennedy has been to school all over the country and all over the world. He loves water polo and works hard at it above his grade level. He hopes to go to the Naval Academy and fly Navy aircraft.
We sent all these youngsters back to school with blessings and smiles for them and for Mike, Brooke, and Karin as well as Matt Smith and Kevin Perez who are advisors for the Junior Optimists. Just look at all those happy faces of the youngsters and their proud parents in the picture below.
Don't forget the Ad Sales Effort. Open that manila envelope and please get busy.
Bragging
Weekly Optimist Meeting 04-18-2019
Introductions
Much to do this morning and so we start with potpourri, to wit: bread baked sans leaven and brought annually to our meeting by BJ Adleson to mark the Passover. This morning somebody got all the cream cheese and jam before I arrived at the table.
Next, everybody gets to be "inked" on her 60th birthday, right? Our master gardener chose leaves for her ankle to answer a family challenge.
And our betters wuss out before the furrowed brow of Big Brother. The club is suspending our opportunity drawings because the IRS is watching. If Lyman Green were not in Sick Bay he would cry out Patrick Henry-like, "This shall not stand!" What happened to the spirit of Lexington and Concord?
Meanwhile the board of directors meet to give stuff away legally on Monday next at 6PM in the library boardroom. You are welcome to come and watch.
And--drum roll please-- we have a slate of officers to vote for pretty soon. Here be it.
For President Elect Rob Kracht; For VPs Paul Lull and Jim Jamison; for Directors (2019-20) Richard Loomis, Mike Croll, and Tom Catlin. We will have the slate read one more time and then a vote. If you have another candidate be ready next Thursday.
$$$$ Giving Away The Cash $$$$
No big checks this week, but a couple of letters of thanks from the Middle School for the sixth grade camp donations and from United Everybody A Reader.
Cheri Aegerter who gave our prayer also bragged with joy that her 20 year old daughter has graduated and flown from the nest.
Irish Flynn told us that our able helpers at the Middle School Track Meet Wednesday met the challenge of many heats of many runners. Don Crawford and Lee Cargill were up to the task.
The fine story in the paper about the HS Surf team taking home all the bacon must have Stan dancing up in the stars.
The Eggstravganza was a hit with all the little folk last Sunday. Thanks to our crew of helpers for Easter Bunny.
Spring Fling is right around the corner
There is still time to join us at the new old Mexican Village on Tuesday, April 30. Renee is taking reservations. Give her a call to join us.
Announcements
Thirty-three years ago Lance Massey found his table and he has kept his spot.
We hosted the zone Oratorical Contest Wednesday at the Winn Room. The speakers all did their clubs proud. At the left above is 2nd place finisher Faith Talamantez from the Bonita Club; next is Logan McKerring who was third representing our club. In the green dress was the winner Deanie Woodruff from the Point Loma Club, and our alternate is Ian Sturak also representing Point Loma.
The photo on the right shows all the family and friends who came to the show. Look at all the smiles. And thanks to the Optimists and Rotarians who put shoulders to the wheel to bring this off.
Below we have our speaker from the Writing Den. Christian Michael started the project when he found a treasuer chest of cards, stationary, and postage in his mother's things after she died. Christian found a wonderful way to use tihis material while honoring his mother by connecting homeless people with friends and family though writing. Read his story at writingden.org. You will love it.
CMS Advanced Performing Arts Program
We had a whole bunch of young guests from the Coronado Middle School Advance Performing Arts who were accompanied by parents and Teacher Linda Coleman. The kids are putting on "Bugsy Malone" in a single performance on Friday, February 17. If the preview they put on for us is an indication, you won't want to be left out.
The youngsters were charming, singing and dancing with all gusto of seasoned vets. Don't miss it.
The group will be taking the show to LA as part of a Musical Theater Competition next month. Good luck!
The Optimist Club’s Early Crew….
A beautiful, early morning start to a Thursday morning! Captured in front of the Coronado Community Center by one of the first Optimists to arrive at the meeting this morning.
New Optimist President is Installed
Photo (L-R) Optimist President Dick Madouse receives President’s Pin from Immediate Past President Irish Flynn
In 1970 at the La Avenida Restaurant, twenty-five charter members founded the club that has developed into one of the premier clubs within Optimist International. Leadership and participation at all levels within the club has been the hallmark of the Coronado Optimists. The beneficiaries have been the youth of Coronado -- students at all of the schools in our village, a variety of youth organizations and individual students who have asked and received assistance for specific individual projects.
Richard ‘Dick’ Madouse is the 42nd President of the club and will serve in that capacity from October 1, 2011 to September 30, 2012. His leadership team includes; Irish Flynn- Immediate Past President, Charlie Ahern– President Elect, Vice Presidents Mark Blumenthal and Jennifer Landry, Directors Lyndsey Arendsee, Clint Coneway, Dennis Dorman, Ted Khrone, Mike Napolitano, Bernie Roeder, Secretary Charles Helsper, and Treasurer Brennan Hovland.
One of the Optimists’ annual highlights is the selection of two individuals to receive very special awards: the Optimist of the Year and Life Member Awards. The two Optimists who received the awards this year are: Don Crawford, Optimist of the Year; and Jack Larison, Life Member. Their contributions to the club and commitment to the Optimist Creed are evident in all they do.
The Optimists salute the leaders and award-winners, thank them for their willingness to serve the club and the youth of Coronado. Each is indeed a ‘Friend of Youth’, the Optimist Motto.
Helping Wounded Warriors
Photo: Betty Michalewicz and Stan Searfus
It began when an injured Army soldier who lost an arm and a leg said, “I’d like to go surfing again.” From that moment, Betty Michalewicz, Director of the Rehabilitation Through Sports Program at the Naval Medical Center SD, decided to add surfing to the sports activities she led. It was in the surfing project that she met Stan Searfus, Coronado Optimist Club member, avid surfer, and coach of the CMS Surf Club. This resulted in the Thursday morning surfing rehabilitation activities led by these two remarkable individuals.
Betty reported that between 35-40 surfers take part in the Thursday morning rehab sessions that she calls, “Ocean Therapy”. The strenuous exercise can be exhausting and that promotes nightly sleep, also very important. She emphasized that this form of exercise is physically, emotionally and spiritually healing and that these attributes occur automatically during the exercise.
This program is so important that the Navy Hospital recognizes this by giving sports rehab activities the same priority as medical appointments for the injured warriors. We salute Betty and Stan and wounded warriors that have served and continue to serve our nation.
Welcome To Our Newest Members Roger Hayden and Elias Rivera!
Two new members were inducted into the Optimist Club. Roger Hayden (2nd from left) and Elias Rivera (far right).