November 2022 Optimizer
The Optimizer | November 2022 | Menomonee Falls Optimist Club
— In this issue —
Weekly Meeting Schedule
President’s Message
Upcoming Activities and Events
Calendar
Volunteers Needed
Leaf Raking
Holiday Drop N Shop
Gobble Wobble Meat Raffle
Optimists After 5
Christmas Parade
Food Pantry to March in Falls Christmas Parade
Optimist Club Christmas Party
Past Events
Football Crazr Winners
Optimist Meetings
Matt Carran, Village of Menomonee Falls
Students of the Month
Executive Board
Meeting Minutes
This Month in Club History
How to Publish Optimist News
— Weekly Meeting Schedule —
Meetings are held at 7:15 a.m. at the Community Center unless otherwise noted.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 2
To honor a veteran during the month of November, we’re privileged and honored to have Greater Menomonee Falls Foundation Patriotism Award Winner Wally Kangas join us to kick off Veteran’s Month.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 9
A man who seems to be everywhere at once, Village President Dave Glasgow will be our guest speaker. When you talk about optimistic people, Dave doesn’t take second to anyone!
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16
The STUDENTS OF THE MONTH from MFHS, NMS and St Mary’s never fail to make the third meeting of the month extra special.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23
With the Optimist Christmas Parade just four days away, Parade Chairman Larry Hebbring will give us an update on any last minute details. And what better way jumpstart the spirit of the season with an annual visit from the Falls Patio Players. I’m sure they’ll bring smiles to our faces once again this year.
WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 30
This will be our first chance to meet new Interim Menomonee Falls School District Superintendent Dr Jim Heiden. We’re sure he’ll bring us up to date as to goals, challenges and successes facing our students, teachers and administrators.
** Do you have ideas for future guest speakers?
Contact the Speakers Committee –
Jerry Mislang, Jeanine Dederich, Beth Saunders, Larry Barbera. **
~ Jerry Mislang
— President’s Message —
Hey y’all! Happy Fall!
It’s been a fast and furious first month of our Optimist year, with a new board and so many exciting things coming up!
This month we will celebrate the second line of our creed: To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. Each week, Mike Russell, your 2nd VP will share some notes on just exactly how we can do this and bring us together on some notes how we can share.
The idea of health, happiness and prosperity is common in the Chinese New Year. While we are a few months away from this celebration, and many of the traditions and rituals are foreign to us, one of the major themes of the festivals is time in a holding pattern and using the festival time to focus on others, especially family. I think the best thing I’ve ever done is share my sense of optimism, and the club with my family – let’s all see how we can use our month to do just that, and maybe bring in a few new members!
The meetings we have planned are so exciting and coming off a large group of people that showed up to listen to Menomonee Falls Director of Development, I have a good feeling about a really active month for everyone!
There are some great opportunities for old and new members to get involved in the Wobble Gobble Meat Raffle and the Christmas Parade, if you haven’t been able to participate, or are looking for great ways to volunteer, I would recommend reaching out to see where people are needed. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy our own health and happiness than giving back to the community. And if those don’t sound like your cup of tea, think about working with the leaf raking team if you have a trailer that can help haul the leaves!
I look forward to seeing you all at our weekly meetings, committee meetings, planning meetings etc.! I have really enjoyed getting to know some of you through the first month through those and phone calls and emails. I can’t wait to add to that list in November!
~ President Shannon
— Upcoming Activities and Events —
Calendar
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 5th to SUNDAY NOVEMBER 20th
Leaf Raking for Seniors
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 8th
OA5 planning meeting
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 10th
Holiday Drop N Shop volunteer meeting
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 12th
Gobble Wobble Meat Raffle
SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27th
Menomonee Falls Christmas Parade
SATURDAY DECEMBER 3rd
Holiday Drop N Shop
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 7th
Optimist Club Christmas Party
Volunteer Opportunities
• Leaf Raking for Seniors weekends November 5 – 20
We need a group of Optimist members available to help with trucks or trailers to haul leaves to our drop-off point at Johnson’s Nursery if or when necessary. You don’t have to rake!
Contact Jason Husslein 414-852-9634 or John Yusko 414-339-2637
• Christmas Parade Sunday November 27
Help with line-up, marshalling and creating the Optimist float.
Contact Steve Fleming 262-385-6499
• Holiday Drop N Shop Saturday December 3
Please plan to attend volunteer meeting on Nov. 10!
Contact Dawn Mariscal 262-442-4952
Leaf-Raking Season Is Here!
In a few weeks, our annual leaf-raking project will be complete. Starting during the week of November 1st, our youth group rakers will receive their assignments and begin contacting residents to schedule the yard clean-up. Raking is expected to be done by November 20th.
What are the benefits?
This event generally results in a donation of $1,500 – $2,000 to the youth groups who volunteer to rake the yards of senior homeowners. Funds come from donations from the homeowners and a matching donation from the Optimist Club. Seniors avoid backbreaking yard clean-up while the volunteers have fun and get rewarded!
How does it work?
We will follow the same approach as the last couple years. Here are the basics:
- Instead of a single date, leaf raking will happen over a two-week period starting November 5th and ending November 20th.
- Volunteer groups will receive their assignments prior to November 5th, but will have the option to complete the work when convenient for the group and the homeowner.
- The volunteer group leader will contact the homeowner no later than 24-48 hours prior to the scheduled date.
- The volunteer group leader will call us once the work is complete.
- Donations will be returned to the CE & Rec office by the group leader, or mailed directly from the homeowner.
How can you help?
We believe we have enough volunteers with trucks or trailers to haul leaves to our drop-off point at Johnson’s Nursery when necessary.
Special thanks to Ed Schlumpf and Kelly Lorenz for volunteering their vehicles. And…Del Kreuser and John Yusko both were able to obtain help from non-Optimist (at least for now) friends.
But, if you have access to a pick-up truck or trailer and can be available during the leaf-raking period, please let us know so we can add you to the list—we’d rather have too many volunteers than not enough. You will be able to coordinate available dates with the leaf-raking teams when they need help.
Special thanks…
to Rob Dummert and his team at Johnson’s Nursery who stepped up to help us avoid the cost of dumping leaves at Waste Management. Please consider Johnson’s Nursery for your yard care needs!
Questions?
Contact Jason Husslein (414-852-9634) or John Yusko (414-339-2637).
~ John Yusko
Holiday Drop ‘N Shop Volunteer Meeting
Well Hello My Wonderful Optimist Friends!
It’s time to get together for a meeting. Please join me on Thursday, November 10th for a Volunteer Meeting at the American Legion Post 382 (N88W16652 Main St, Menomonee Falls) @ 6:30 pm to discuss the 2022 event being held on Saturday, December 3rd.
If you know of any new club members who may want to join us for another successful year, please pass this information on to them.
If you are unable to attend this information meeting but are still interested in helping out, please let me know so you can be included in further email follow up.
Thank you in advance and see you all on Thursday, November 10th!
Contact: Dawn Mariscal, cell/text (262)442-4952, email dmariscal@wi.rr.com
~ Dawn Mariscal
Gobble Wobble Meat Raffle
It’s November and our Gobble Wobble Meat Raffle is just around the corner. A small fund raiser for our club, but an important and fun one.
The American Legion is our host for this event on Saturday, November 12th from 1:00 until 4.—a WIN-WIN for our veterans and our kids.
Please join us for the meat raffles, wine giveaways, a 50/50 raffle and our Beer/Wine Advent Calendar raffles. If you’ve never been to a meat raffle, come check it out!
If you can’t make it and want to be a part of it, please consider purchasing the Beer/Wine Advent Calendar tickets at 2 for $5 at the American Legion, Players Pub, or from Dawn Mariscal, Shannon Dederich, Greg Mattson, or myself. These make great gifts: 24 different cans of beer or 24 different bottles of wine.
If you wish to participate in the 10 meat raffles, at $3 each, or a total of $30, and can’t make the date, contact Shannon Dederich, Dawn Mariscal, or myself and we’ll hook you up.
Let’s bring in the holidays with a bang! All proceeds will benefit our fantastic community of kids. Thanks in advance.
~ Marcia Hebbring
Optimists After 5
The biggest meat raffle of the year is November 12, 1-4 pm at the American Legion Post. It’s called the Wobble Gobble! There are turkeys and hams and wine, oh my! If you would like to volunteer, please reach out to Marcia Hebbring – she’ll get you set up. The money raised from this event will support the resource room at Ben Franklin, by buying winter gear for the kids and other items that are in high need.
To plan for this and look at our calendar for the 2023 year, the group will meet Tuesday, November 8 at 6 pm – please watch the weekly email for location.
~ Shannon Dederich
Christmas Parade
The Christmas Parade is scheduled for November 27th the Sunday after Thanksgiving starting at 4:30. Volunteers will be needed for 3:00 line-up along with Marshalling during the Parade Route. An Optimist float is in the planning also and your help would be needed. Contact Larry Hebbring to volunteer.
Food Pantry to March in Falls Christmas Parade!
The Menomonee Falls Food Pantry will be participating in the 2022 Falls Christmas Parade. Marchers will be accepting donations of both food and money.
Today’s challenging economy has resulted in more people in need; less government assistance means that we have fewer resources to help. Our community’s generous donations help us fulfill our mission of providing nutritious food to those who suffer from food insecurity.
If you are attending the parade, please consider bringing a donation. And encourage your friends and relatives to do the same!
We hope to see you there!
~ John Yusko
Optimist Club Christmas Party
Are You Ready For The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year?
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Ebeneezer and Tiny Tim…and the Optimist Club Christmas Party!
Please plan to join us at this year’s party on Wednesday, December 7th at North Hills Country Club. Cocktails at 6:00, dinner at 7:00pm. Price is $40/person which includes a sit-down dinner of either Chicken Piccata or Grilled Salmon, and entertainment.
You can sign-up/pay at the meetings, you can pay online, or you can mail a check to Carol Schulteis W140 N10870 Country Aire Dr., Germantown 53022. Please email me your food choice if you pay online at carolschulteis@twc.com.
We hope to see you there!
~ Carol Schulteis
— Past Events —
Football Crazr Sweepstakes Winners
Week 2 we had a 3rd place winner of $80.00 to Brian Meinzer (sold by Dan Schwind) and in Week 4, a 1st place winner for $500.00 to Laurie Smith (sold by Jim Lowe). But the best just arrived—a check for $2496.00 from the SWIS District football sweepstakes!
Thank you to all that sold or brought tickets!
~ Larry Hebbring
— Optimist Meetings —
October Students of the Month
Matt Carran, Village of Menomonee Falls
— Membership and Executive Board Info —
October 18, 2022 Board Minutes
ATTENDANCE
Board members: Shannon Dederich, Dan Schwind, John Yusko, Michael Russell, Kim Wenzel, Dustin Koehler, Barb Schmit, Fred Blanke
Absent: Tom Ciskoski, Scott Dreier
Purpose: Regular monthly meeting
- The meeting was called to order at approximately 7:00 am. by President Shannon Dederich
- The October meeting agenda was approved; motion by Dan, second by Jon; motion carried.
- The September meeting minutes was approved; motion by Kim, second by Dan; motion carried.
*Kim Wenzel asked about a correction that was submitted to the September Minutes, John stated the correction had already been made and the minutes presented at this meeting reflected that change. - Donation Requests
a. Raise and Relish winter farmers’ market—Amy Hackbarth
Ann Hackbarth of Rise and Relish which is the Non-Profit group that is working with the Menomonee Falls Village Market during the Winter Farmer’s Market came to the Club to seek Sponsorship of the Youth Activity Area during the (7) seven Winter Farmer’s Markets. The Youth Area Sponsorship would be $250 per Market, this will be there second year and they expect more turn out this year as they will be able to advertise more this year. Last year the averaged between 100 to 300 people in attendance and the Youth Area saw about 25 kids per market. After some discussion a motion was made by Dan Schwind and seconded by John Yusko that we would sponsor one (1) Youth Area Event this year with a provision that we be able to puck the date and have a table available to us for a possible Membership Drive Event. The motion was approved.
b. Immigrant/Migrant family school fees—Kristy Seston
Kristy Seston, an English Learning Instructor in the Menomonee Falls Schools, came to the Club seeking a donation of $2,000 ($1,000 for the 4 Elementary Schools and another $1,000 for the Middle and High School) to support immigrant, migrant families with funds for field trips, year books, school fees and supplies for the English Learning Students only to eliminate hardships. Currently the program has 100 Students: 60 in Elementary School and 4o in Secondary Schools. During discussion it was decided that we need to find out more information about what exactly the fund would be allocated for and what process they have in place to determine need and how much of the funds are distributed to ho w many students. This donation request was tabled until our November Board Meeting so that this information could be gathered. - Budget Requests
a. 2022 Christmas Parade—Larry Hebbring
Larry presented an update on this year’s Christmas Parade as well as his budget for the parade. Larry is asking for $500 to $700 to provide funding to be used to create signage for a float that will be established to Promote our Club and our Programs. This float will be used in the Christmas and future parades. The signage would in the style of a skirt that would run around the bottom of the float and would have a panel that would have a generic Optimist Christmas Greeting this panel would be able to be replaced with other panels for other Parades o Events. The float is being created with the help of Stacy and Joe Estrada who will be providing the design and a truck and driver to pull the float. The American Legi0on via Danny Sheppard will the trailer for the float as well as Christmas lights and the music sound system. Some of the funding will also be used to provide candy that would be distributed during the Parade as well. After some discussion, a motion was made by Dan Schwind and seconded by John Yusko to allow Larry to spend up to $700 on the float and supplies for the Christmas Parade. The motion was approved.
b. Wobble Gobble–Marcia Hebbring
Shannon briefly discussed the budget for the Wobble Gobble event for 11/12/22 @ the American Legion Hall. They are requesting $500 to primarily cover the upfront costs for the Meat raffle. A motion was made by John Yusko and seconded by Fred Blanke to approve the Wobble Gobble Budget of $500. The motion was approved.
c. Christmas Party–Carol Schulteis
Carol presented her Budget for this Year’s Christmas Party. A Motion was made by Kim and Seconded by Barb to accept the Christmas Party Budget. The budget was approved. - Foundation Update—Don Eisenhauer
a. The Village has nudged the Foundation to release some of the funds donated for the Village Park improvements
i. The Foundation has around $330,000 on hand
ii. The Foundation Board voted to release $300,000 to the Village on October 1 subject to Optimist Club Board approval
iii. Scott moved to approve the payment; Mike seconded. Payment was approved
b. The Foundation also has $12,800 on hand that represent proceeds from a charity golf outing benefitting a couple local cops
i. The Foundation Board authorized disbursing two checks of $6,400 each subject to Optimist Club Board approval
ii. Kim moved to approve the payments; Jenn seconded. Payment was approved - Treasurer’s Report—Kim Wenzel
Motion by Dan to accept the Treasurer’s Report, second by Fred; motion carried. - Old Business
a. Foundation Update—Don Eisenhauer
Don was not present. However, John and Fred stated that there were no updates at this time as the Foundation Board had not met yet.
b. Credit card machine—
Plan for winter: Dan has arranged to have the Credit Card machine deactivated for the season; it will be reactivated at the begin of Popcorn season next year.
c. Distinguished Young Women—
Shannon is working with the Club member to take over this program more updates to come.
d. Superbowl Pool - New Business
a. Essay Contest theme “Who is an everyday hero that brings out the Optimism in you?”
b. Oratorical Contest theme “Discovering the Optimism within me”
c. Executive Board meeting information
Shannon explained that she has stared an Executive Board meeting which consists of Shann D, Mike R, John Y and Kim W to set goals and be better prepared to address items during the Board meeting. Dan Schwind mentioned that as Past President he should also be included in this meeting andwill be added to the email list. Next Executive Board meeting will be: Tuesday November 2, 2022 at 5:30pm.
e. Club email
Shannon brought up that we would like to establish gMail accounts for the Club executives that would be passed along with the change of positions in the Club to avoid items not received new incoming officers. - Anything else for the good of the club
- The next meeting is scheduled for November 15, 2022 at MF CE&Rec at 7am
- Motion to adjourn by Kim, second by Dan. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 8:25 a.m.
~ Mike Russell
— This Month in Club History —
November 19, 1996 –
The board votes to have the club become part of the Parade Committee which will run the three Menomonee Falls parades.
~ Submitted by Jerry Mislang from the 40 Year History Program, courtesy of Ed Schlumpf
— How to Publish Optimist News –-
There are multiple venues for publishing Optimist news and events the community and to the Optimist members. It is important to get the word out so everyone is aware of the events we sponsor to benefit the youth of the community. Committee chairs are responsible for writing the articles and sending them via email to the people listed below:
NEWSLETTER Jerry Mislang or Barb Schmit no later than the 27th of each month – jerry.mislang@prodigy.net or schmitbarb@gmail.com
NEWSPAPERS Shannon Dederich three or more weeks prior to your event, as quickly as possible after an event shannon.dederich@gmail.com
FACEBOOK Cathy Sharkey or Dawn Mariscal – csharkey224@yahoo.com, dmariscal@wi.rr.com
WEBSITE Beth Saunders – bethjsaunders@gmail.com
