The Optimist Club of Gettysburg wishes everyone a safe and happy thanksgiving!
Archive for month: November, 2013
Guests: We had a wonderful presentation from Ivy Schneider with the Adams County Children’s Advocacy Center. She thanked our club for our donation to the 8th Annual Snowflake Gala. The Adams County CAC is one of 13 such centers in the entire state. It is a nationally accredited site which helps heal victims of child abuse. This free and voluntary programs offers a comprehensive set of services including: forensic interviews, medical exams, mental health therapy, and family support all under one roof! The Adams County CAC is one of the premier models for the state. It contributed recommendations to the governor’s task force against child abuse. Over the last year, the Adams County CAC has done so much to serve our community. They have conducted 130 forensic interviews, taught tech savvy programs highlighting risks and prevention of tech crimes, provided education on how to recognize signs of child abuse in their Darkness to Light program, and offered support to non-offending family members. Every third day a new child abuse case is opened in Adams County. The goal of the CAC is to help protect the children of our community and help heal those who have been victimized. You can go to kidsagaincac.org for more information.
Dues: The club members who were present discussed various scenarios for meeting our budgetary goals for the coming year. It was put to a vote and the club decided to maintain our current membership dues. In order to offset costs, members who attend dinner meetings will contribute $5 for their meal. The plan is to reassess this approach in 6 months and the board can make further recommendations at that time.
Bell Ringing for the Salvation Army: With the change in weather we get ready to bundle up and ring the bell for the Salvation Army. Calls have already gone out to members who have volunteered. If you would still like to help please contact [email protected] for more information.
Optimist Christmas Party: The Annual Optimist Christmas Party will again be held at the Seminary Refectory on Wednesday, December 11th at 6pm. Dinner will be served at 6:30pm. Feel free to bring a spirit of your choice. If you have not done so, please RSVP [email protected] if you and any of your family members will be attending. Having children in attendance makes this night particularly enjoyable as a special guests always makes his way to the Refectory. If you are bringing a young guest, don’t forget a small, wrapped gift (under $10). Please label it with the child’s name. As in years past, the Gettysburg H.S. Orchestra will be providing live music.
Optimist Magic Show: Donations are coming in and we look forward to reaching our fundraising goal. The event will be held on Friday, December 13th at 7pm at Lincoln Elementary.
Optimist Basketball: Final touches are being put on the program for girls and boys in grades 1-6. Basketball sessions will begin in January in the Gettysburg Middle School gym. Basketball sign-ups are scheduled for Saturday December 7th and 14th from 9-11am at the Gettysburg Middle School cafeteria.
Optimist Oyster and Shrimp Feed: Wayne had the tickets printed and they were given to members for distribution. The cost will remain very reasonable at $35 per person for All-You-Can-Eat steamed, raw, stewed, and fried oysters along with steamed shrimp. This event will be held on Saturday, March 8th from noon until 3pm. It will be back at the Gettysburg Fire Department. Space will be limited, so if you know someone who wants to attend make sure they get their tickets early! Prepping for this event will begin at 6pm on Friday, March 7th.
Board of Director Meeting: Wednesday, December 4th at 7pm at Tom’s house.
Happy Holidays!! Next regular business meeting: Wednesday, January 15th at 6:30pm at Mamma Ventura’s.
There is an Optimist Meeting tonight at 6:30pm at Mamma Ventura’s. We will have a presentation from the Child Advocacy Center and we will discuss our upcoming events, which include the Magic Show and Optimist Basketball. Come join in!
The next Optimist meeting will be on Wednesday, November 20th at 6:30pm at Mamma Ventura’s. We will hear a presentation from the Child Advocacy Center. This will be our last full business meeting of 2013. Don’t miss out!
The Optimist Club of Gettysburg, “Friend’s of Youth”, announces the addition of Frank Negro as a new member of the club. Negro took the oath of membership on November 6, 2013 during the regular membership meeting held at Mamma Ventura’s Restaurant. Optimist Member and Sponsor Bruce Bradshaw gave the oath and welcomed Negro, a man who has committed his life to supporting youth. He was employed as a full time teacher for 36 years and has coached cross country and track & field for over 30 years. He presently is a substitute teacher for three area high schools and serves as a PIAA Track and Field official for middle schools, high schools and colleges. His dedication to supporting the youth of the community has been a mainstay in his life.
“We are looking forward to the contributions that Frank can make in our club, and we’re proud to have him as a member,” stated Club President Kristopher Accardi.
From Left to Right; Club President Kristopher Accardi, New Member Frank Negro and Sponsor Bruce Bradshaw.
Hello Fellow Optimist!
I don’t mean to fly past the Thanksgiving holiday, however the Optimist Family Holiday Party will be here before we know it! Stacey is well into the planning stage, so please RSVP your attendance to: [email protected] and be sure to include the total number of guests attending in your family.
As in past year’s the event will be held at the Lutheran Seminary Refectory on Wednesday, December 11, 2013. The evening will begin at 6pm with Cocktails and Hors d’ oeuvres followed by dinner beginning at 6:30pm. The cost is $10 for Optimist members and each of their guests. Children under 12 are free.
Please remember, if you are bringing a child, to bring a small, wrapped gift (under $10) with the child’s name so that Santa can give them the present! Don’t wait, contact Stacy NOW to secure your attendance at this very popular Optimist Family Event.
Wishing you all a safe and happy holiday season!
Although the Club did not give out a “really big check” tonight, we did add a wonderful new member, Frank Negro. Bruce introduced Frank to the Optimist Club over the summer and subsequently became his sponsor. Bruce and Frank became friends searching high and low for golf balls together. Frank is originally from NY. He traveled south to go to Mount St. Mary’s. Over the years he has served numerous youth as an educator, track and field coach, and track official. Frank looks forward to getting involved in the Club, particularly the Golf Tournament.
Secretary Report: A special thank-you was sent to the Adams County Fish and Game Association for their very generous donation to the Magic Show.
Treasurer Report: Next meeting we will discuss dues for the coming year.
Sign Up: The Optimist Club will be ringing the bell again for the Salvation Army this begins November 29th. Please contact Kris ([email protected]) if you would like to be added to the list of ringers.
We are looking to have members chair or be a part of at least one committee to ensure that events run smoothly. In particular, there are slots open for the Basketball, Golf Tournament, Long Range Planning, Member Recruitment, Oyster Feed, Public Relations, and Parade committees. Please contact Kris if you can help, otherwise we get to see the sign-up sheet again next meeting!
Halloween Parade Wrap: Fun was had by all who participated in this lively evening. The parade crowd was entertained by several members from our Club and the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization along with 4 scoot coupes, a big chicken and a dog! Joe won the award for preserving his candy to the very end of the parade route! The Club decided not to participate in this year’s December Holiday Parade due to other holiday commitments, but we look forward to being back in next year’s Halloween Parade.
Silent Auction hosted by the Boyscouts: As a result of our recent donation to the Boy Scouts of America, the Club has been given eight tickets for members to use to attend a Silent Auction program on Monday, November 25th at 6pm at the Gettysburg Hotel. Please contact Craig ([email protected]) if you would like to go.
Christmas Party: The Annual Optimist Christmas Party will again be held at the Seminary Refectory. It is scheduled for Wednesday, December 11th at 6pm. Dinner will be served at 6:30pm. Feel free to bring a bottle of wine to this event. If you have not done so, please RSVP to Stacy ([email protected]) if you and any of your family members will be attending. Having children in attendance makes this night particularly enjoyable as a special guests always makes his way to the Refectory. If you are bringing a young guest, don’t forget a small, wrapped gift (under $10) with their name on it. As in years past, the Gettysburg H.S. will be providing live music.
All-star Magic Show: Doug reports that this popular event is all set. Donations are rolling in. It is scheduled for Friday, December 13th at 7pm at Lincoln Elementary School.
Basketball: Plans are being finalized for this 8 week Saturday program. As we are limited to using one gym this year the schedule will be a little different than years past. Details to follow. Sign-ups are planned for December 7th and 14th from 9-11am at the Middle School Cafeteria.
Oyster and Shrimp Feed: This event will be moved back to the Gettysburg Fire hall on Saturday, March 8th. Wayne will have tickets ready for distribution in December. The All-You-Can-Eat buffet will be offered for the low price of $35. Tickets sell quickly, so get yours early!
Golf Tournament: With Bruce at the “helm” the Club is looking to have a very successful fundraising event. The committee had their first meeting following the regular business meeting. The date is set for Thursday, May 22nd at 1pm. Details to follow on how you can help.
Communications: Marci gave a great presentation updating the Club on the latest changes to our communication capabilities. You may have noticed that posts now come full-length in your email and on Facebook. While this is more convenient, it does take away the ability to trend the “views” of the post. Since the Club initiated its online media we have been received more than 6200 views. Pictures and individual articles seem to draw the most attention. Do you tweet? Now the Optimist Club does! All of our Website/Facebook posts are directly linked to this account to reach out to more people.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, November 20th at 6:30pm at Mama Ventura’s.
Back by popular demand! The Optimist Club of Gettysburg is in the process of preparing and scheduling the 2014 Gettysburg Optimist Youth Basketball Program. Final scheduling and paperwork will be available by November 25. Enrollment information will be sent home with students of the Gettysburg Area Schools District and additional communications will follow on the Optimist website, facebook and twitter pages.
We are also looking for talented individuals who are interested in assisting our members “Bring Out The Best In Kids”, by helping coach this years season. Please contact us at [email protected] or call (717) 220-3416 if you are interested in helping the youth of Gettysburg.
Optimist meeting tonight at 6:30pm at Mama Ventura’s (13 Chambersburg St.). We will be installing a new member, Frank Negro so lets show our support!
The next Optimist meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 6th at 6:30pm at Mama Ventura’s. We will be installing a new member and discussing committee assignments. The Golf Committee has plans to meet following the regular business meeting.
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