Each year the Optimist Club of Gettysburg selects and recognizes a deserving law enforcement professional from the Gettysburg area for the Optimist Respect for Law Award.  “We believe it is important for children to grow up with a strong belief in abiding by the law, respecting law enforcement and doing what they can to maintain peace”, said project chair, Doug Miller.  Through the club’s 2012 Respect for Law program, the club selected Jill Clark,  Community Re-entry Program, Director of Institutional Services, Adams County Department of Probation Services.  Jill was selected for her commitment and selfless dedication to her profession and the community.

Ms. Clark is involved with creating and maintaining a program called The Adams County Community Re-entry Program.  Her goal and mission is to allow and assist individuals to reenter into the community as upstanding citizens.

The Community Re-Entry Program, as supported by the Mission of the Adams County Court, is committed to providing opportunities for all those who participate to be stronger, healthier, more productive individuals than they were before they were incarcerated. The objective is to provide a structured environment that promotes accountability for growth and self-development and seeks to instill a desire within all participants to succeed and to focus on a healthier future as they return to the community.

The Community Re-Entry Program provides opportunities for participants to engage in the community prior to their release from incarceration through employment, treatment and rehabilitative programming, public service and visitation in a structured environment. These opportunities, when embraced by those who share a desire to improve their future, are essential components for a successful transition from incarceration to the community.

Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with 93,000 adult and youth members in 3,200 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the word.  The Optimist Respect or Law Program is one of the organization’s most popular programs, with more than 1,500 clubs participating annually.  Carrying the motto “Bringing out the Best in Kids,” Optimists clubs around the world conduct hundreds of positive service projects that reach more than six million young people each year.

The Optimist Club of Gettysburg was chartered in 1958 as an affiliate of Optimist International and has been in continuous service to the Gettysburg community and its youth since its initiation.  To learn more about The Gettysburg Optimist Club, visit http://gettysburgoptimist.org/news/ or http://www.facebook.com/OptimistClubofGettysburg.

 

The Optimist Club of Gettysburg is moving back indoors for their last regular membership meeting of the 2011-2012 administrative year.  After a busy summer when membership meetings were held outside at the Lake Heritage Pavilion, and the homes of members Wayne Hill and Mark Cropp, the Gettysburg “Friends of Youth”  will complete the clubs business for the current year at their home for the coming fall and winter months.  The meeting is scheduled to be held at the Lutheran Theological Seminary Refectory on Wednesday, September 19 , beginning at 6:30 pm.  The meal will be catered by Stacey Green and Bigerstaff’s Catering.

Featured at next weeks meeting will be Walt Jones,  Adams County Business and Education Council and Doug Miller, making the presentation of the Gettysburg Optimist “Respect for Law Award” for 2012.  As always, members are encouraged to attend and are welcome to invite prospective members as guests.  For an advanced copy of the evenings agenda, click on  Optimist 091912 Meeting Agenda.

Mark your calendar now to join us in an evening of Optimism.  See you there!

J. Mark

President

Meeting Minutes from September 5, 2012

Club members celebrated their annual steak feed at President Mark’s home Wednesday September 5.   A big “Thank You!” to Mark for hosting our group.

Nominations for officers and Board of Directors for the upcoming 2012-2013 administrative year were announced as:

President – Craig Sweet

Vice President – Kris Accardi

Secretary – Mindy Accardi

Treasurer – Tom Barako

Board of Directors:

Daryl Aurand

Mark Grazulewicz

Marci Cropp

Joe MacDowell

Mark Cropp will serve on the Board as Past President

There being no nominations from the floor the above officers and Board members were declared elected by President Mark Cropp.

Don Davis reported on the success of the Soccer parking.  Thanks to Don for organizing this important fund raiser!

Mark Cropp reported that a new web page was added to our website that acknowledges and accepts sponsorships, http://gettysburgoptimist.org/sponsorships/.  Two sponsors already appear in recognition of their on-going contributions to the club. These are Biggerstaff’s Catering and Junction Creative Solutions.

The installation banquet will be held on Wednesday, October 3^rd at the Dobbin House Restaurant in Gettysburg.  Please mark your calendar for this important event date!!  Cost will be $10.00 per person
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The 2012-2013 budget was presented by Tom Barako and after discussion, a modified budget was passed.

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday September 19^th at the Lutheran Seminary refectory building, beginning at 6:30 pm.  Hope to see you there!

 

Great weather, good food and great Optimist fellowship were plentiful at the 2012 Optimist Fourth Quarter Zone Meeting on Wednesday, August 15.  More than 40 members from the First Capitol, East York, Lancaster and Gettysburg Optimist Clubs arrived at the Lake Heritage Pavilion in Gettysburg for what has become an annual tradition for the central Pennsylvania Optimist Clubs.  Attendees were treated to pork barbecue, roasted potatoes, coleslaw, baked beans and assorted desserts provided by the Gettysburg Optimist Club. Elmo Vestal filled in for the ailing Lt. Govern, Tom McGlynn and conducted the evenings business agenda.  Each Optimist Club in attendance gave a brief presentation on at least one project they are currently sponsoring in their respective communities.  Marion Duarte reported on the upcoming District Meeting and State Convention and Elmo reviewed the standings of each club in the Zone as well as the requirements for Honor Club and an update on the Optimist Olympics Project.  A review of the A & A Report indicated those clubs in attendance rank in the top 15 out of 57 clubs. The meeting ended with a 50/50 drawing, continued fellowship and the traditional recitation of the Optimist Creed.

Every July members of the Optimist Club of Gettysburg gather at Wayne and Sue Hill’s home for one of the most popular Optimist meetings of the year. The Gettysburg Optimist Club Family Night is an opportunity for club members and their families to gather and enjoy some really good food, warm family fellowship and the traditional Optimist Family Trivia Contest.  Prior to the conclusion of the evenings festivities, attendees are divided into groups to compete against one another for the right to select a deserving recipient for a charitable contribution from the Club.

This year the winning team of Bill Pyron, Katie Barako, Mark and Beverly Grazulewicz and Don and Ginny Davis demonstrated their remarkable knowledge of the subject matter and earned the opportunity to select a deserving charitable organization for a $1000.00 contribution from the Optimist Club of Gettysburg.  The winning contestants selected the Dayton R. Biesecker Special Needs Fund and the Blake E. Biesecker Special Needs Fund for this years contribution.

Dayton and Blake are the seven year old, twin sons of Tom and Nikki Biesecker of Biglerville, who last year were both diagnosed with a rare, life-threatening disease known as  Muscular Dystrophy with the Duchenne type.  It is the most aggressive type of MD and affects 1 in 3,600 boys.  The disease targets the muscular-skeletal system and over time will require expensive ongoing treatment, therapy and specially designed mobility equipment.  The Special Needs Funds were created to provide the family with much needed assistance in meeting the costs of two, specially designed wheel chairs.

At the Clubs regular membership meeting held on August 1, the members voted unanimously to deposit $500.00 in each of the accounts maintained by Adams County National Bank.

While the Optimist Club generally does not contribute to individuals, but rather to organizations, the membership decided that given the family nature of our event, the Special Needs Funds cause was more than appropriate.   The Gettysburg Optimist Club raises more than $40,000 each year in support of 19 youth related programs throughout the Gettysburg and the Adams County area and is pleased that we could include Blake and Dayton’s Special Needs Funds to our list of recipients this year.