Gettysburg Optimist Club Meeting May 4, 2016‏

The Gettysburg Optimist Club met on May 4,2016 at the Refectory. Vice-President Darlene Brown opened the meeting at 7:05pm with an invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by an outstanding dinner provided by Stacey Green and staff.

After dinner Vice-President Darlene introduced the speaker for the evening: Mr. Matt Sheads, Gettysburg Youth Baseball Leader. Matt spoke about the activities of the Baseball League, mentioning that there are more teams than ever. He pointed out one team has the Optimist Club printed on their uniforms, as well as 4×6 signs indicating Optimist Club support for the organization. Matt finished his talk by thanking the club for its financial support ($750) and answered questions from club members.

Treasurer’s Report: Tom Barako reported – General Fund $2958 Activity Account $10988.64
Tom asked anyone with outstanding dues to please pay as soon as possible.

Golf Tournament: Wayne Hill reported that there are several volunteer slots open. He will send an email asking for members to sign up to help. Frank Negro is finishing the programs for the tourney and checked about some sponsors such as Adams County Bank, Allianz, and Adams Electric. Tom said that he has cases of chips for the tourney. Daryl mentioned that there are still openings for foursomes for anyone interested. Ms. Nancy Scott donated a set of golf clubs to be raffled at the tournament. Thank you!

Member comments: Walt Jones mentioned that the 13th Annual Eisenhower Senior Self Improvement Breakfast will be held on Thursday, May 5, 7:30am, at the Adams County Tech Prep Building. The Optimist Club helps support this program, and all members are welcome to attend.

New Member: Pleased to announce that Brian Skidmore was welcomed as a new member of the Gettysburg Optimist Club. Brian hails from Biglerville. Welcome!!

Recognition: Congratulations to Mark Cropp and Marci Cropp for their involvement in completing the Face of America Bike Ride on April 27. This is part of World Team Sports.

Vice President Darlene Brown closed the meeting at 8:15 pm. with a reading of the Optimist Creed.

Submitted by Fred Darling.

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Upcoming Dates

The Gettysburg Optimist Club will meet Wednesday, May 4, at 6:00pm in the Refectory. If you need a mid-week pickup, stop by for interesting conversation and great food. See you there!

Mr. Matt Sheads, Gettysburg Youth Basketball Leader, will be joining us on May 4. He will be discussing season goals and extending a thank you to the club for our donation of $750. There will also be discussion about the Golf Tourney,(May 19), soccer parking, and the Club’s participation in the Special Olympics being held in York on May 13.

REMINDER: THERE WILL BE NO MEETING ON MAY 18.

The June 1 meeting will be the first meeting of the year to be held at the pavilion at Lake Heritage.

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Reading is Fundamental at James Gettys Elementary

RIF DayThis morning April 29, 2016, Bruce Bradshaw and his wife Sue attended the start of the James Getty RIF day at the invitation of the Gettysburg PTO RIF sponsor Mike Flaherty. He and two PTO volunteers manned the front corridor lobby with tables filled with books identified for each grade level.  He was also able to meet with Mrs. Donna Harrison, the James Getty Principal and present her with the Optimist check for $1400. The RIF program provides each student three books each year with books given out from kindergarten to the fifth grade. If a student stays in the Gettysburg system he/she will have received 18 books from the Optimist supported RIF program.

 

For 15 minutes, each class was given time to choose books. Here’s the schedule:


   Book Choice(in lobby)          Olympic Relays (in gym)


  8:40am    Aurand
  8:50        Roy
  9:00        Spokus                       Sease
  9:15        Sease                          Spokus
  9:30        Fague                          Jones
  9:45        Jones                           Fague
10:00        Wampler                      Becker
10:15        Becker                         Wampler
10:30        Barrett                         Lamer
10:45        Lamer                          Barrett
11:00        Schiefer                        Moles
11:15        Moles                           Schiefer
11:30        Shellenhamer                Strausbaugh
11:45        Strausbaugh                 Shellenhamer
12:00pm   Leppo
12:30        Secrest                        Myers
12:45        Myers                         Secrest
  1:00        Daniels                        Kletz
  1:15        Kletz                           Daniels
  1:30        1/2 fifth grade

 

Bruce comments “It was a very interesting and fulfilling morning.”

 

For more images of today’s event, please visit our facebook album.
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2016 Annual Optimist Golf Tournament

The Master’s is completed and with warmer weather approaching, it is time to start thinking about golf, and enjoying the chance to meet your neighbors and friends while supporting the youth of Gettysburg.  The Annual Gettysburg Optimist Golf Tournament is set for Thursday, 19 May, 2016 with tee off scheduled for 1:00 pm at the Links at Gettysburg.

The annual Optimist Golf Tournament features contests including a Scramble format, Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin, Green of Gold, and Putting contests with awards to the top three finishing foursomes.  Last years’ winner from the ACNB have declared their intention to defend their title predicting another victory.

The Optimist Club of Gettysburg invites the local community to join us for the afternoon. Although we come from all walks of life, Optimist Club Members share in the goal to make a difference in the lives of others, especially the youth in our region.  The Annual Golf Tournament is one of several fund raising projects the local club conducts in order to support more than 19 youth related programs throughout the Gettysburg area.

With this fundraiser, we hope to be able to bring more projects to the children of the community who need it most.  This is your opportunity to join the “Friends of Youth” in supporting programs including; Optimist Youth Basketball, Youth Appreciation, Respect for Law, Reading is Fundamental, S.T.A.R.S., GHS Outdoor Education, Gettysburg Community Theater (GCT), Holiday Family Outreach, GHS Musical Ensemble, Dollars for Scholars, Food Kitchen Meals and More, The Gettysburg Arts Council and more.  We need the support of the Gettysburg community to continue a fifty-six year tradition of providing these programs to our local youth!  Please fill out your team and mail in your entry form to insure your place to support our youth. Questions please contact Bruce Bradshaw at 359-7620 or for more information including registration paperwork, please visit here.

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East York Optimist Olympics for Sight and Hearing Impaired Children

East York runs the Optimist Olympics for Sight and Hearing Impaired Children every year in May at Penn State York. They want it to be a cooperative activity with other clubs in the zone, so they ask for volunteers from each club to help that day.  This year, it will be held on Friday, May 13.  But since Penn State York is renovating their facilities this year, they are having it at the York Ice Arena, 941 Vander Ave., York PA 17403.

The chair for this event is Treva Grove.  Please contact her if you are interested in volunteering.  Her cell phone is 717-487-5138. This year they expect around 260 students from the local IUs to attend this fun event.
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Optimist Club of Gettysburg Sponsors Gettysburg Little League Team

Opening night for the Gettysburg Youth baseball league. Our darlings are 4 to 6 years old and anxious to “Play Ball” and get their after game snack.

bball1 bball2 bball3

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Upcoming April 20 Meeting

The Gettysburg Optimist Club will meet Wednesday, April 20, 6:00pm, at the Refectory. Please join us for some socializing followed by a terrific dinner. See you then!

Our featured speaker for the evening will be a veteran FOA rider. Bill is the Vietnam veteran who is on all of the World Team Sports, Face of America marketing and is the rider who rode the pink hand cycle across America and on numerous rides over the past six years. He will be in Gettysburg along with his significant other to assist Custer’s Cavalry in preparing for this year’s ride.

Please let me know if you plan to attend.  Thanks! Fred

Also: I am in the process of updating the Optimist Club Roster. If you have had any changes in your information since
January, please let me know. Thank you.

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April 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes

The Gettysburg Optimist Club met on Wednesday, April 6, 6:00pm,at the Refectory. President Bruce Bradshaw called the meeting to order at 6:40 pm asking for an Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by an excellent dinner provided by Stacey Green and her staff.

President Bruce introduced the speakers for the evening: Ms. Jessica Laganosky and Mrs. Dawn Smith from the Adams
County Library. They presented a program discussing the new electronic checkout system now being used at the library. The system enables you to view and check out books, audio books, and magazines from your home. All you need is a specific app. on your IPAD or IPHONE and you never need to enter the library again. They also discussed the various programs offered to children during the summer months.

President’s Report – Bruce congratulated everyone for a very successful Oyster and Shrimp Feed. Everyone’s efforts contributed to a great day !

The Gettysburg Little League will have their opening game on April 15. We would like to have a club member attend. Our club name is on one of the teams.

The Optimist State Convention is held in August at the Gettysburg Convention Center. Perhaps we may want to have some representation of our club there.

The 4H Club will be at our May 4 meeting to give a presentation.

Bruce suggested that since the Golf Tournament  is May 19 we might want to have our meeting there, instead of May 18. This was approved.

It is time to nominate officers for next year. Anyone interested, please contact Bruce.

Treasurer’s Report – General Fund  $3355.85    Activity Fund $10451.85
Oyster Feed – Income to date is $3461.38. We budgeted  $3500 and have another $110 coming
from Daryl, so we met budget!!

Golf Tournament – May 19 Frank reported that there are forms for more foursomes (4 or 5). Bruce covered sponsors who participated in the past, and is contacting others.  Forecast:  Around six to seven thousand dollars this year. Last year was $8000.

Soccer Parking – A signup sheet was circulated asking for help at the May soccer meet.

June 1 will be the first meeting  at the Pavilion.

President Bruce ended  the meeting at 8:20 with the Optimist Creed.

Submitted by Fred Darling

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Next Meeting – April 6, 2016

The Gettysburg Optimist Club will meet on April 6, 2016 at the Refectory. Please join us for social time beginning at 6:00pm followed by dinner.

The featured speaker for this meeting will be Ms. Jessica Laganosky from the Adams County Library. She is a Public
Services Librarian and will present a program discussing the new electronic checkout system now being used at the library that enables you to view and check out books, audio books and magazines from your home. All you need is a specific app. on your IPAD or IPHONE and you never have to enter the library again. This service is free to all library card members, and she will help you set up your IPAD/IPHONE if you need help at our meeting. She will also discuss what the library offers children during the summer months.

PLEASE LET FRED KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND      THANKS!

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Another Successful Oyster and Shrimp Feed

DSCN0529It all came together several decades ago, a feed just for oyster lovers and a project to raise funds in support of the Optimist Club of Gettysburg’s Youth Programs.  Truly an odd pairing to say the least, but it clicked in the hearts, minds and pallets of members, community leaders and citizens of Gettysburg who every year since continue to gather together not only for their appreciation for the slippery shell-fish but, more importantly, come together in their desire to make a difference in the lives of area youth.

Even though it may look easy, it is not.  Bringing it off so successfully just didn’t happen, it happened because of the hard work, dedication and commitment of many talented individuals, each focused on achieving a quality experience for all those generous people who showed up in support of the Clubs goals and objectives.

Terrific performing teams come together behind inspiring leadership. The Club followed Wayne Hill and Stacey Green, who for yet another year, pulled out all the stops to organize and lead the Optimist Team through the process of ticket sales, food purchases, cooking and cleaning.  For Wayne, Project Chair since its inception,(“shucking” has become part of his DNA) he has once again retained the crown as “Oyster King” and Stacy, of Biggerstaff’s Catering, mastered the difficult challenge of teaching the members some reasonable culinary skills.

As members we collectively offer our sincerest appreciation for the attendees, contributors, volunteers  and supporters of the Optimist Club of Gettysburg. Your continued and overwhelming support provides us the ability to reach out to the youth of our community through more than 19 Youth related programs each year.  We thank you for your kind efforts and invite you to become a member and join with us in making a difference.

For more images, visit our facebook page.

 

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