South Seminole Optimist Newsletter
Dec/Jan, 2016/17 District:60…Promise Yourself…Promise Yourself…Promise Yourself…Promise Yourself…Zone: 5
In This Issue
President Adam
Ronals McDonald
House
Rhythms at the
Roost
Save the Mudwalk
JOI News
Face Painting
OI President Jim
Kondrasuk
Holiday Party
Upcoming
12/5-Rachel’s Sleigh
Ride. Meet at Lyman
4:30
12/8-Night meeting
at Denny’s in
Altamonte, 6:30 pm
12/10-Milwee
Beautification. 9:00
am at Milwee.
12/10-Holiday Party
at Steve and Eileen’s,
140 Springwood Tr,
Altamonte, 5-11 pm.
12/15-Board
meeting. Sem. Co.
Library. 6:30 pm
12/22-Night meeting
at Denny’s in
Altamonte, 6:30 pm
12/22-Christmas
Carol Concert at
Wekiva Springs Park,
7:00 pm
12/27-Give Kids the
World visit, 5:30-9pm
A Message from Prez Adam My fellow optimists, It's inconceivable that just a
couple of months ago I started this
monkey business of being your
president. We started the year off
with a bang. From starting a new
JOI club at Winter Springs High
School, a successful Safe Trick-or-
Treat event at Cranes Roost,
pouring the beer at the Rhythms at
the Roost concert series, helping support the Mud Walk
5k, and so much more. Though my favorite project of
the year has to be Optimist Cheer. This is really the
one project that inspired me as a young member to
continue with this great club. Our JOI kids get to
actually see the impact our organization has on our
local community. I have to say this was probably the
most successful Optimist Cheer we've ever had. We were
able to get nearly everything donated. A big THANK YOU
to all of those who helped to bring this project
together.
One of my objectives this year is to bring technology
to the forefront of our club. We started by setting up
a reminder service of sorts. It's actually called
“Remind”. I will be sending out text/email messages
through this platform whenever we have something going
on to remind you. If you are interested in being a
part of this, send me an email at
[email protected]. Also, we are now
utilizing a projector at our meetings. This has given
us the ability to highlight videos and pictures from
our projects in a way that we couldn't have before.
Please be sure to send me your pictures so I can get
them added on. I can't wait for what the rest of this
Optimist year will bring. We couldn't do all of this
without you. And finally, I want to wish you
and your family a happy and safe holiday
season. Now where did I leave those bananas...
Links OI web page:
www.optimist.org
North FL District site:
http://www.nfdoi.co
m/nfdoi.com/NFDOI
_Welcome.html
See what’s going on
at our local website www.southseminole
optimistclub.com.
2016-17 Officers:
Adam Helwig-Prez
(407-617-3987)
Steve Kranzberg-Vice
Prez (314-267-1197)
Susan Harvey-Vice
Prez (321-303-3571)
Ken Ritter-Treasurer
(407-466-0703)
Marcia Fitzgerald-
Secretary (407-325-
9394)
Board of Directors:
Mike Duffy ‘18
Karen Duffy ‘18
Marty Ritter ‘18
Kurt Dowd ‘18
Mike Spalding ‘18
Dottie Compton ‘18
2016-2017 International
Notables
President: Jim
Kondrasuk
Southeast Region
Vice President: Daniel
Rich
North Florida District #60
Governor: Sonny
Kincheloe
Another Great Visit to Ronald McDonald House
Our visit to Ronald McDonald House this year was based around a
fall theme. We had 3 adults and 7 JOI kids, all 4 JOI clubs were
represented. Our menu consisted of quesadillas: cheese, beef, and
chicken. We also served rice, black beans, refried beans, and apple
crisp. Our novelty desserts included boo banana ghosts, vampire teeth
apples, mandarin orange pumpkins, and Frankenstein, monster grape
cups (it was a week before Halloween). The tasks were divided up and
everyone was working diligently to get the meal ready for our guests.
Eric from Lake Brantley along with Jared from Lyman, both novice
cooks, took on the task of making the apple crisp. They used an apple
peeler corer slicer to prepare the apples for the crisp which had both
the volunteers and guests enthralled.
Macheal from Lyman along with adult
member Suzanne Lyons were working
on the ground beef and chicken.
Cheyenne from Milwee and Alyssa from
Winter Springs High School made all
our novelty desserts. They did a fabulous job and it showed. Jade
learned how to make rice on the stove and Carson and Jade where
cutting up tomatoes and peppers for the quesadillas. Jenifer and I
were keeping everyone on task and assisting where needed.
Once the feast was ready several members were taking quesadilla
orders making sure the side items were available, filling drink
requests, and delivering completed orders. Several of us were making
quesadillas as we had 5 machines on hand (we came prepared). Our
little Macheal from Lyman was out in the dining room talking and
making our quests feel very welcome. She also took the majority of
the pictures. All our JOI kids were complimented on their ability to
interact and communicate with the guests staying at the house. I
would love to do this program more than the 2 times a year. Our club
members both adult and JOI get so much out of it along with the
service it provides to the guests at Ronald McDonald House. Thank
you to everyone that participated. You all deserve a huge pat on the
back. Another South Seminole Optimist Club success story.
Great Job by ALL!!!
Article submitted by Susan Harvey
Governor Elect: Bill
Large
Lt. Governor Zone 5:
Joe Knorr
NFL District JOI
Governor: Haley
Lockmiller
MISSION STATEMENT: Optimist International’s mission
is to foster an optimistic way of
life, through a network of
optimists, dedicated to the full
development of their potential in
order to provide ever-expanding
service to youth, the community
and the world.
Nov. 18 “Rhythms at the Roost”-a Fun Time Sisaundra Lewis has a voice that is a cross between Tina
Turner and Aretha Franklin and she can really
belt out the tunes. Sissaundra is a local talent
that made it big on the hit show “Voice” and came
back to her home town to perform at the
most recent installment of “Rhythms
at the Roost”. We certainly enjoyed her
performance and that of the opening act
Sam Jaffe. The Sam Jaffe band played a mixed
bag of hits as well as some of their own songs. The crowd
wasn’t as big as
expected, but it
didn’t stop us
from having a
good time selling a
variety of alcoholic
beverages. Being well versed in
“craft” beer, Ken Ritter got rid of a lot of our craft beer left over from the last
“Rhythms at the Roost” event. It may not have been our biggest money making
event we’ve had at Crane’s Roost, but the weather was perfect, the music
sensational and the camaraderie was extraordinary. Looking forward to our next
event at Cranes Roost: Food Truck Wars in February.
We Helped Save the Mudwalk?!?! Each year the Environmental Studies Center in Association with Seminole
County Public Schools has held a fundraising event called the “Save the
Mudwalk 5K”. For the past three years, we have helped to sponsor this event
financially and with volunteers. Normally this is held at the Environmental
Center but it was changed this year to Winter Springs High School because of the
construction going on across from the Center which is the normal parking area for
this event. Susan and Marcia handed out Optimist Club fliers at our sponsor table
while Marty, Jennifer and myself along with half a dozen JOI kids did our best to
keep runners hydrated at a water station. Afterwards, a pancake breakfast was
served to all and awards given out. The event coordinator, Tammy Potosky,
announced our club’s name several times during her presentation and it was nice
to be appreciated. Next year the 5K will move back to the Environmental Center
and we would like to be a part of this each year as a sponsor. Hey our name was
even on the back of the shirts the runners were given. Very cool indeed!
Meetings:
Meetings are held
every 2nd and 4th
Thursdays of the
month at Dennys on
436 in Altamonte
Springs.
Meetings start at
6:30 pm
To be so strong that nothing
can disturb your peace of
mind.
To talk health, happiness
and prosperity to every
person you meet.
To make all your friends
feel that there is something
in them.
To look at the sunny side of
everything and make your
optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to
work only for the best, and
to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic
about the success of others
as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of
the past and press on to the
greater achievements of the
future.
To wear a cheerful
countenance at all times
and give every living
creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the
improvement of yourself
that you have no time to
criticize others.
To be too large for worry,
too noble for anger, too
strong for fear, and too
happy to permit the
presence of trouble.
JOI News
Maya Gluck from the Milwee JOI club has
been working on a project for over a year now.
Her project is associated with Give Kids the
World Village. Give Kids the World Village is a
79-acre, nonprofit resort in Central Florida that
provides weeklong, cost-free vacations to
children with life-threatening illnesses and their
families.
The Village and its community partners provide
children and their families accommodations in
fully-furnished villas, transportation, tickets to theme parks, meals, daily
entertainment and much more.
Each year 27,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with a life-
threatening illness. Half of all children eligible for a wish through a partnering
wish-granting organization choose to visit Central Florida and its collection of
theme parks and other attractions.
Their goal, quite simply, is to provide everything
these deserving families need to make their trip the
vacation of a lifetime. Since 1986, more than
146,000 children and families have had their dreams
fulfilled in a whimsical Village unlike any other
place on earth.
Maya has had the Milwee JOI members working on
making bracelets for the kids that are at the Village
and has arranged for a trip to present these bracelets. Following is an email I
received from Maya’s mother, Melanie, concerning the planned visit on Dec. 27:
We have the opportunity to volunteer at Give Kids the World on Tuesday, December 27th from 5:30 pm – 9:00ish. There are limited spots so we need commitments from you as soon as possible. Prior to volunteering you must fill out an application online. Please complete the volunteer application on the website: www.givekidstheworld.org/volunteer as soon as possible. Scroll to where it says APPLY TODAY. All JOI members must also turn in a parental agreement. It can be sent to Give Kids The World Fax: 888-577-9406 email: [email protected] or given to Maya at the meetings. During our volunteer time, we will hand out the bracelets that the Milwee Club has been working on and also work in the dining room serving trays and cleaning tables. For any questions, please call Maya Gluck 407-961-9291. We are very proud of Maya for heading up this very worthwhile endeavor and look forward to seeing it come to fruition.
Great Quotes ”Christmas is the spirit of
giving without a thought
of getting. It is happiness
because we see joy in
people. It is forgetting
self and finding time for
others. It is discarding
the meaningless and
stressing the true values”
Thomas S. Monson
“Then the Grinch thought
of something he hadn't
before!
What if Christmas, he
thought, doesn't come
from a store.
What if Christmas
perhaps...means a little
bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the
Grinch Stole Christmas!
“The main reason Santa
is so jolly is because he
knows where all the bad
girls live.”
― George Carlin
Face Painting, Pumpkin Painting and Bounce Houses-Oh My!
Every now and then an opportunity pops up for us that will not only give our
JOI kids an opportunity to perform community service, but also earns us some
money. The One Stop Heating and Cooling Company offered us one of these
opportunities. Each year they have a company-wide picnic and they asked us to
provide some kids that could face paint and monitor the bounce houses. No
problem. They also needed a couple of people to oversee the pumpkin painting.
No problem. They also had free cotton candy, popcorn, and drinks. No problem.
A very relaxing, fun-filled day and we graciously accepted a $200 check from
former Oviedo/Winter Springs Optimist Club President Susan Mesina who sought
us out for this event because “I knew you guys would come through”. It’s nice to
have a good “rep” around town.
New Member Opportunity I
As Optimists, we work together to serve more youth and communities,
and grow personally through our service. Optimists work each day to make the world a better place - one child and one community at a time. We must remember how beneficial the Optimist International organization and the Optimist philosophy is to our Clubs, our communities, and to the youth we serve. To thank each Optimist Club for their service, Optimist International is offering the "Season of Giving" to our Optimist Clubs. It is our hope that by waiving the New Member Fee for all new Members added between December 1, 2016 and January 31, 2017, it will be easier for Optimists and Optimist Clubs to give the gift of Optimism to others who share our passion for helping children. In turn, it is our hope that this will strengthen our Clubs and will result in Optimists serving even more children.
This is the "Year of the Honor Club" - Together We Can! Together We Will.” Jim Kondrasuk 2016-17 Optimist International President
The Holiday Extravaganza
It’s official. Steve and Eileen didn’t learn their lesson last December.
They have invited all of us back again for another holiday extravaganza at
their home at 140 Springwood Trail in Altamonte Springs. Festivities will
start at 5:00 pm and continue until 11:00 pm at which point you will be
escorted to the door. A little elf told me there will be clowns, musicians,
jugglers and magicians. Okay, that little elf has a way of exaggerating but
it is confirmed that there will be a magician to entertain all of us after the
four-course meal.
It's a great time to get together and exchange white elephant presents
(bring one $15 wrapped gift marked for male, female, or either). Steve
and Eileen would especially like to see those members that we don’t see
too often. So please consider coming and sharing the spirit of the season
and enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow Optimists. The courtesy of an
RSVP is expected by Dec. 8. So give Steve (314-267-1197) or Eileen (407-
770-7370) a call to reserve a seat. And, by the way, don’t forget to be
ready to sing that song that was sent in your invitation. If you don’t “sing
your way in” you may have to eat on the front lawn.
Steve: Knock, knock.
Eileen: Who’s there?
Steve: Murray.
Eileen: Murray who?
Steve: Murray Christmas, one and all!
…and from the editor: “Murray Christmas to all and to all a good night”.
Contact Mike Spalding
407-921-2063