The next Optimist Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 1st. We will be hosting guests from the Dollars for Scholars program. This meeting will be held on the Seminary campus in Valentine Hall (the building across the street and 2 doors down from the Refectory).
Let’s have a good turn out as we gear up for upcoming Golf tournament!
** There will be a Board of Directors meeting following the regular meeting.
At their regular meeting on February 6, 2013, The Optimist Club of Gettysburg presented a contribution to the Gettysburg Little League.
This years donation will be used to sponsor a team of youngsters in the age 9-10 (player pitch) category. The Optimist Team is being coached by Mike Tushek and will play through the regular season which ends in early June. Members and supporters are encouraged to check the games schedule and to show your support and encouragement to all Little League members.
The Gettysburg Little League is one of more than 19 youth related programs supported by the Optimist Club of Gettysburg each year. We wish all Little League participants a great season of play and thank all the Little League Volunteers and coaches for their generous support and efforts to “Brigning out the best in kids.”
At the regular monthly meeting of the Optimist Club of Gettysburg, members were treated to a performance by the young people of the Gettysburg Community Theatre. Director Chad Carr and his group of talented performers gave a great performance during our meeting April 17 . Their song selection included an eclectic mix of classic oldies and patriotic songs. Some of the Optimist members happened to remember when some of these songs hit the Billboard charts! 
The Gettysburg Community Theatre is one of more than 19 youth related programs throughout the Gettysburg area supported by the Optimist Club of Gettysburg. The Optimist Club is proud to continue to donate to this wonderful organization where the local youth feel “welcomed” and like they have “found a second home”. You can see more of these talented kids during their productions which include, “Dora the Explorer” this weekend, “Grease” May 17-19, and “Children of Gettysburg” during the month of June.
Check out some photos and video of the performance here.
-Our guests, Chad Carr and a group of his students from the Gettysburg Community Theatre gave a great performance during our meeting. Their song selection included an eclectic mix of classic oldies and patriotic songs. Some of the Optimist members happened to remember when some of these songs hit the Billboard charts! The Optimist Club is proud to continue to donate to this wonderful organization where the local youth feel “welcomed” and like they have “found a second home”. You can see more of these talented kids during their productions which include, “Dora the Explorer” this weekend, “Grease” May 17-19, and “Children of Gettysburg” during the month of June.
–Golf Tournament News: The date is fast approaching for this big event! An advertisement will be placed in the newspaper, encouraging sponsorship and golfers for the Thursday, May 23rd affair. Paul, the Assistant Pro from the Links attended the meeting and provided our group with some great suggestions to help us make this a successful fundraiser. Please continue to seek out sponsors and golfers and think about how you may be able to assist on the day of the event. There will be a sign-up sheet for people who will be volunteering at the Tournament at our next meeting.
***There will be a Golf Tournament Committee meeting at Bruce’s house (directions to follow) on Wednesday, April 24th at 6:30pm. You may contact Daryl ([email protected]) with any questions regarding this event.
–Car Parking sign-ups have begun. There are still 13 slots for the May 25-26th date and 8 slots available for the August 24-25th date. There are both morning (6:45a-12) and afternoon (12-5:30pm) positions available. Please contact Don Davis ([email protected]) if you can help or you may be getting a phone call!
-Other news: James Gettys will have their final Reading is Fundamental program this Friday, April 19th from 9a-3p. Please contact Marci ([email protected]) if you would like to attend.
If anyone is interested in making dinner for our outdoor meetings this summer, please contact Kris ([email protected] or 267-391-7834).
Consider coming out to cheer on the Veterans who are making the 112 mile journey between Washington D.C. and Gettysburg during the Wounded Warriors bike ride. The bikers are expected to come through Gettysburg at approximately 2pm on Sunday April 28th. Please contact Mark ([email protected]) if you would like more information.
Do we have any chefs interested in fielding an Optimist team for the Chili Cook-off sponsored by the Adams County Arts Council on Saturday July 13th? If you are not great in the kitchen, would you like to volunteer for the event?
Upcoming meetings: Wednesday, May 1st we will have a presentation by members of the Dollars for Scholars program. This meeting will be held on the Seminary campus in Valentine Hall (the building across the street and 2 doors down from the Refectory). There will be a board of directors meeting following the regular meeting.
Wednesday, May 15th will be our first outdoor meeting of the year. It will be located at the Lake Heritage Pavilion and we will have a presentation from the Boy scouts.
The next Optimist meeting will be held at 6:30pm on Wednesday, April 17th at the Refectory. Come enjoy a great evening out!
The Adams County Arts Council hosted this evening’s Optimist meeting. The Arts Council offers numerous programs including more than 200 classes, summer camps, and after school or senior citizen programs. Their goals include encouraging arts education, supporting local artists, and promoting economic development through the arts. More than $25,000 scholarships have been made available for low-income children. The council is currently showcasing a “recyclables” art show which allows students to turn trash into treasure. Also, keep in mind that the building is open to visitors each First Friday from 5-7:30pm. The Optimists gave a donation to the Arts Council to help support all their wonderful community programs.
TREASURERS REPORT: We are more than half way through our fiscal year and Tom says we are looking good! Thus far our fundraisers have exceeded expectations. Hopefully we will continue that trend.
OTHER NOTES: We received a thank-you note from the Stars Program for our recent donation.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Golf tournament planning is in full swing. Keep seeking out sponsors and think about how you would help on the day of the event, Thursday 5/23/13.
Don has the sign-up sheets all set for the Soccer Tournament parking. Start thinking about when you might be able to lend a hand the weekend of 5/25-5/26 and 8/24-8/25.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, April 17 at the Refectory with a presentation from the Children’s Music Theatre.
Reminder Optimist members, the location for tonight’s meeting is 125 S Washington St. ( Adams County Art Council Building ).
Apologies for the confusion about the next meeting location. April Fools?! The correct location for the next Optimist meeting on Wednesday, April 3rd at 6:30pm is the Adams County Arts Council Building. You can find the Arts Council Building at 125 South Washington Street, Gettysburg PA.
GUESTS: Carolyn and Ruth came to talk to us about the Gettysburg Area High School STARS Program which stands for Success Through Academic Recognition. This is a quarterly program which awards students in the categories of Shining Star, Rising Star, and North Star. Our Optimist donation goes towards a quarterly breakfast ceremony where students and parents gather to celebrate achievements in academia, leadership and character. See our Facebook page for recent pictures of this event.
OPTIMIST MOMENT: Tom talked to the group about a conversation he shared with a local physician while at a STARS program several years ago. Tom related how proud he was to hear how this program was making a significant impact on local youth by improving their confidence and outlook on life.
OTHER NEWS: Mark received a pin from Optimist international for helping to bring 2 new members to our group.
Optimist international is currently promoting an introductory offer for new members 30 years of age or younger. If a new member under 30 joins the organization somewhere between February and September the dues for the first year will only be $30.
RECENT ACTIVITIES
OYSTER AND SHRIMP FEED: There was another strong showing of Optimist members at this event on Saturday March 9th. The 1863 Inn of Gettysburg was a hit as the new location for the feed. We look forward to working with the Inn again in the future. The addition of shrimp seemed to be a big draw. Some comments from our guests included: “This was the best oyster feed I’ve ever been to” and “That was the best stew I have ever had”. This year we served an additional 70 people compared to last year’s number, with nearly 250 tickets sold. It is estimated that more than $3500 was raised which will go towards local youth programs. Stacy asked that we avoid discussing making this a bi-annual event until she recovers from this year’s excitement!
BASKETBALL: Another Optimist Basketball season is in the books. Our last session on March 9th boasted a large turn out to end the weekly camp. We had a very enthusiastic group of children and parents who are already looking forward to next season!
COMMUNITY OUTREACH: Our website and Facebook pages continue to be a great way to promote the club to community members. More than 831 people have been reached by our Facebook page. Several potential new members have requested applications through our website.
UPCOMING EVENTS
GOLF TOURNAMENT: The key word is Sponsors for the May 23rd fundraiser. Optimist members are challenged to seek out sponsorships to make the most of this fundraising event. Please contact Daryl if you have any questions regarding the tournament or soliciting sponsors.
PIG ROAST: The Optimist of East York are sponsoring this all-you-can-eat evening for $40 on Tuesday March 26th. Please contact Joe if you would like to attend.
NEXT MEETING: Wednesday April 3rd at 6:30pm at the Adams County Arts Council Building
*Please consider if you would like to assist the Arts Council in their 2nd Annual Chili Cook-off on July 13th noon until 6pm.
Tonight’s Optimist meeting will be held at 6:30pm in room 206 in Valentine Hall. This building is located on the Seminary campus 2 doors down from the Chapel and directly across from the large parking lot that connects with the Refectory.
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