President Bruce Bradshaw convened the January 6,2016 meeting of the Gettysburg Optimist Club, calling the meeting to order at 6:36pm. He welcomed everyone and opened with the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by another delicious dinner provided by Stacey Green and her staff.
1. Recognition – Two guests joined the meeting and our featured speaker, John Johnston, was introduced.
2. Guest Speaker – The speaker for the evening was John Johnston, former Princeton wrestling coach (1964-1993) and the NCAA wrestling champion at PSU in the late fifties. He spoke about drug testing in sports, covering the history of drug testing beginning in 1936. John discussed the regulations and laws regarding drug testing and his involvement in it. He finished by answering some questions from club members about this topic.
3. President’s Report – Bruce spoke about December club activities and plans for the coming year.
4. Secretary’s Report- The Club Roster will be sent to all members, and everyone is asked to review their information, forwarding any corrections, etc. to Fred Darling. An updated roster will then be sent to all members in the near future.
5. Treasurer’s Report- No report.
6. Magic Show- Doug reported that the Magic Show was performed on December 18,7:00pm,at Lincoln Elementary School. He said that the show was excellent and everyone had a great time.
7. Basketball – This Saturday, January 9,will be the first Youth Basketball Games at Gettysburg M.S.,9-1. There are about 110- 120 signed up. Joe encouraged everyone to come out and have a great time.
8. Oyster Feed- Plans are well underway for the feed, March 19,according to Wayne and Stacey. Stacey asked those who plan to sell tickets to contact her. Tickets are $35 per person. Bruce asked members to consider having the regular meeting on March 19 at the fire house, since the regular scheduled meeting (March 16)is so close to the Oyster Feed.
9. Golf Tourney- Frank Negro has been contacting businesses for possible sponsors, and plans are well underway- May 19.
10. Soccer Parking-The location of the club parking area is somewhat undecided due to litigation involving the soccer teams. But we are assured that there will be a parking area for the Optimist Club – May and August.
Member Remarks- Joe mentioned that people who do business with Thrivent can apply for $250 seed money for
community projects twice a year. They can go online and look up “action teams”. Joe said that both he and Daryl Aurand have gotten projects approved for Optimist needs.
Bruce called for everyone to recite the Optimist Creed and ended the meeting at 8:05pm.
Submitted by Fred Darling
James Gettys Reading is Fundamental 1/22/16
UncategorizedJames Gettys Elementary was wild with excitement on the last day before the big snowfall. Reading is Fundamental was held on 1/22/16 in partnership with the James Gettys PTO and the Gettysburg Optimist Club.
Check out this great video courtesy of the Gettysburg Area School District.
It was simply “One of the best days of the Year!”
Optimist Basketball for 1/23/2016 Cancelled due to Weather
UncategorizedDue to the weather forecast and impending snowstorm, Optimist Basketball for January 23, 2016, is cancelled. Our next session will be held on January 30, 2016, at which time we will have individual and team photos. Any questions, please contact Kris or Mindy at (717) 334-2254. We hope everyone and their families have a safe weekend, and that all snow lovers enjoy our first big snow of the year!
Jan 20, 2016 Meeting Minutes
UncategorizedPresident Bruce Bradshaw opened the meeting at 6:37pm with the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by a great dinner provided by Stacey Green and her staff.
Recognition: President Bruce announced that the club has been recognized by International Optimist as an Honors Club for 2014-15. A club must meet various criteria established by International in order to achieve this status. Congratulations to Kris Accardi and to the Club!
Speaker: The speaker for the evening was Mr. Jeremy Murphy, the new Chief Ranger for Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. Mr. Murphy described his duties as the senior law enforcement officer for Gettysburg and Eisenhower Parks, responsible for programs dealing with law enforcement, resource protection, emergency services,and safety. After his presentation he answered several questions from club members.
President’s Report: The meeting of the RIF Program will be Friday,1/22,at James Getty Elementary School. If any club member is interested in attending, please contact Bruce.
The Annual STARS Breakfast will be held at Gettysburg High School on I/27. Fred Darling will represent the club, presenting a donation from the club.
The Basketball Program is still scheduled for Saturday,1/23,depending upon weather conditions.
The March Club Meeting has been changed from 3/16 to 3/18,at the Gettysburg Firehouse. This will coordinate with the Oyster Feed.
Future Speakers have been scheduled:
February 3 – Kris Roeder from the Hoffman House
February 17- Joe Doughtery, Gettysburg Police Chief
March 2 Duane Kanagy from the Adams Electric Cooperative.
Treasurer’s Report: Tom Barako reported- Activity Fund $1598.36 General Fund – $10948.26
The Magic Show has netted a little over $4000. A big Thanks to the Community for their support.
Club tax information will be mailed soon.
Oyster Feed- Application for Games of Chance has been submitted.
Tom explained how the participation in 50-50 helps offset dinner expenses.
Basketball: Kris and Mindy, The program is going well, with a large turnout.
Oyster Feed: All plans are proceeding very well. Stacey, Wayne, and Daryl have tickets available. March 19
Golf Tournament: Plans are proceeding well. Most sponsors have been contacted, Bruce and Frank. May 19
Soccer Parking : Don Davis is waiting for a resolution to the parking issue. TBD May and TBD August
Member Remarks: Mark Cropp offered some information about the Face of America Bike Ride.
Riders will be coming from Valley Forge (100 participants) and the Pentagon (650 participants) and will meet in
Gettysburg at the Square. Many disabled veterans will be involved, so helper volunteers are needed.
April 23-24
President Bruce closed the meeting at 8:14 pm.
Submitted by Fred Darling
Optimist Basketball Program Weather Watch
UncategorizedLike many in the area, the Optimists are keeping a close eye on the weather for the upcoming weekend. If we do experience some winter weather that makes travel unsafe we will cancel this weekend’s Optimist Basketball. We will make the call as early as possible Friday evening or Saturday morning. You can find information about practice on our Website, Facebook page, or Twitter account. In the event of a cancellation we will also have an announcement on radio station 107.7 during their snow scan.
****Reminder: Picture day is scheduled for this weekend, but if practice is cancelled then Picture day will be held on Saturday, January 30th instead. ****
Gettysburg Optimist Club Meeting Wednesday January 20 2016
UncategorizedGot the January Blahs? Get rid of them by attending the meeting of the Gettysburg Optimist Club on Wednesday, January 20, 6:00 pm, at the Refectory. Enjoy great company, good food, and an interesting speaker.
The speaker for the evening will be Mr. Jeremy Murphy, the new Chief Ranger for Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site. The Chief Ranger serves as the senior law enforcement officer for Gettysburg and Eisenhower Parks, responsible for the planning, direction, and execution of programs dealing with law enforcement and resource protection, emergency services, and safety. Mr. Murphy will talk about his new duties and how he became a Ranger.
Please RSVP to Fred or the optimist address if you plan to attend.
Signed, Fred
January 16, 2016 – Basketball Program
UncategorizedThe Gettysburg Optimist Basketball program is scheduled to continue this Saturday, January 16, 2016. Children in grades first through sixth are invited to attend at the Gettysburg Area Middle School.
The age groups are scheduled as follows:
We look forward to seeing everyone on Saturday morning.
2016 Basketball Program Kicks Off
UncategorizedThe Optimist Club of Gettysburg kicked off their basketball program for 1st through 6th graders on January 09 at the Gettysburg Are Middle School. Check out a few pictures on our facebook page!
The program continues this Saturday. It’s not too late to join us! Fill out the form on the linked page and bring it along to participate. We look forward to seeing everyone again Saturday morning!
2016 Oyster and Shrimp Feed – Tickets now Available
UncategorizedEast coast supplies of shrimp and oysters will soon diminish as the time for Gettysburg’s most anticipated feast approaches.
The Annual Gettysburg Optimist Oyster and Shrimp Feed has been scheduled for Saturday, March 19, 2016 between noon and 3 pm. This year the popular event is at the Gettysburg Fire Hall located at 35 North Stratton Street, in Gettysburg.
The annual All U Can Eat Oyster & Shrimp Feed includes oysters (raw, steamed, stewed, and fried), steamed shrimp, ham, steak fries, beverages, and desserts for a donation of $35 per person!
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 youth in our region. The Optimist Oyster & Shrimp Feed 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. “The Oyster & Shrimp Feed is an opportunity for the community to gather and support the youth in our community. We have been hosting the Oyster & Shrimp Feed for over thirty-five years, allowing our organization to further the Optimist’s mission of Bringing out the best in Kids” said Wayne Hill, Oyster & Shrimp Feed Chair, of the Optimist Club of Gettysburg. Fundraisers such as this one are essential to putting all of our plans into action,” Wayne continued. “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, GHS Football, 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! Member preparation will begin Friday, March 18 at 6:00 pm. Member tickets are available from Stacey or Wayne.
For questions or to purchase tickets for the 2016 Oyster & Shrimp Feed, please contact the club. Tickets are limited. So order yours today!
January 6, 2016 Meeting Minutes
UncategorizedPresident Bruce Bradshaw convened the January 6,2016 meeting of the Gettysburg Optimist Club, calling the meeting to order at 6:36pm. He welcomed everyone and opened with the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance. This was followed by another delicious dinner provided by Stacey Green and her staff.
1. Recognition – Two guests joined the meeting and our featured speaker, John Johnston, was introduced.
2. Guest Speaker – The speaker for the evening was John Johnston, former Princeton wrestling coach (1964-1993) and the NCAA wrestling champion at PSU in the late fifties. He spoke about drug testing in sports, covering the history of drug testing beginning in 1936. John discussed the regulations and laws regarding drug testing and his involvement in it. He finished by answering some questions from club members about this topic.
3. President’s Report – Bruce spoke about December club activities and plans for the coming year.
4. Secretary’s Report- The Club Roster will be sent to all members, and everyone is asked to review their information, forwarding any corrections, etc. to Fred Darling. An updated roster will then be sent to all members in the near future.
5. Treasurer’s Report- No report.
6. Magic Show- Doug reported that the Magic Show was performed on December 18,7:00pm,at Lincoln Elementary School. He said that the show was excellent and everyone had a great time.
7. Basketball – This Saturday, January 9,will be the first Youth Basketball Games at Gettysburg M.S.,9-1. There are about 110- 120 signed up. Joe encouraged everyone to come out and have a great time.
8. Oyster Feed- Plans are well underway for the feed, March 19,according to Wayne and Stacey. Stacey asked those who plan to sell tickets to contact her. Tickets are $35 per person. Bruce asked members to consider having the regular meeting on March 19 at the fire house, since the regular scheduled meeting (March 16)is so close to the Oyster Feed.
9. Golf Tourney- Frank Negro has been contacting businesses for possible sponsors, and plans are well underway- May 19.
10. Soccer Parking-The location of the club parking area is somewhat undecided due to litigation involving the soccer teams. But we are assured that there will be a parking area for the Optimist Club – May and August.
Member Remarks- Joe mentioned that people who do business with Thrivent can apply for $250 seed money for
community projects twice a year. They can go online and look up “action teams”. Joe said that both he and Daryl Aurand have gotten projects approved for Optimist needs.
Bruce called for everyone to recite the Optimist Creed and ended the meeting at 8:05pm.
Submitted by Fred Darling
January 09, 2016 Optimist Basketball
UncategorizedThe popular youth program begins Saturday, January 09, 2016 at the Gettysburg Area Middle School.
Age groups are scheduled as follows:
We look forward to seeing everyone Saturday!