The Optimizer | July 2021 | Menomonee Falls Optimist Club

 

— In this issue —

Weekly Meeting Schedule

President’s Message

Event/Committee Openings

Upcoming Activities and Events

Calendar

Volunteer Opportunities at Village Beer Garden

Football Crazr Raffle

Packer Raffle

Past Events

Veronica Goveas at DYW of America

Optimist Meetings

Scholarship Winners

Village Park Update

Dr. Ruth Etzel

New Member

Humor

Getting to Know You: Dan Schwind

Executive Board

June Board Minutes

Thank You Notes

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 JULY 7
It’s great when we can get kids in during the summer, so a visit from the Falls Patio Players AT EASE Young Performer Camp will be sure to brighten our Wednesday morning.

WEDNESDAY JULY 14
As part of the annual OI Respect for Law initiative, we welcome new Menomonee Falls Police Chief Mark Waters and two of his Captains. Should be a very informative meeting.

WEDNESDAY JULY 21
It’s summertime, so how about a SITE VISIT at Menomonee Falls High School? We’ll have our meeting in the cafeteria, then Principal / Club Member Bob Vitale will show us the new Military Wall of Honor among other improvements at MFHS.

WEDNESDAY JULY 28
We’re proud to welcome Veronica Goveas, the first Optimist Club of Menomonee Falls DYW participant to make it to Nationals in 33 years, to our meeting where she will share more about her experiences at the national program.

~Jerry Mislang

— President’s Message —

July will bring in many opportunities to raise money for the “kids”. The popcorn wagon is now in the middle of the park and doing well. There will be concerts and other activities. Also going on in the park too. I would like to thank Jeanine Dederich for organizing and scheduling the volunteers.

I would like to remind our members that the beer garden is open every Wednesday night from 5:00-9:00pm. Additionally the Farmers market is also going on every Wednesday from 2:00-6:00pm.

The Board of Directors will be discussing the “Optimist“ Village park and our involvement. I will keep the membership informed.

Please add Wednesday August 25th to your calendar as our club picnic will be held that day at Dan & Lynette Shepherds’ land. More information to follow.

I plan on inducting a number of new members in July so I will keep you posted.

Please read the newsletter for the speakers this month and other activities going on.

Hope you have a safe and fun summer!

~ Yours in optimism, Rick

 

— Event/Committee Openings —

Folks, due to several ongoing health issues, I’m reluctantly cutting back on some Optimist responsibilities and looking for new Post Prom and TriStar Soccer Chairmen (I’ll run the TriStar Soccer this September though).

I’m also looking for someone to take over the Club History and Thanks You articles in this monthly newsletter after the September issue.

I’ve informed Rick, Dan, Shannon, John and the other committee chairmen that I’ll have all my committee documentation done by September 30, including my Speakers Committee duties. I’ll be happy to work with any volunteers in the turnover process until you feel comfortable.

These activities have been extremely rewarding over the years and I’m sure they will be for you too.

~ Later, Jerry 262-352-2571

 

— Upcoming Activities and Events —

NOW – 1ST WEEK IN AUGUST
Football Crazr Raffle. See article below.

EVERY EVENING DURING THE SUMMER
Optimist Popcorn Wagon at Village Park

FRIDAY JULY 2ND
Falls Patio Players entertainment in Village Park at 7:00pm.

SATURDAY JULY 10TH
Ronald McDonald fundraiser at Village Park. Optimists serving beer 2:30 – 8:00p.m.

WEDNESDAY JULY 14TH
Optimists serving beer at beer garden in Village Park 5 – 9 p.m.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 25TH
Club Picnic

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH
Packer Raffle tailgate party

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25TH
OA5 Bags Tournament. More details in next month’s newsletter.

 

Volunteer Opportunities – Village Park Beer Garden

Our Optimist Club members have a number of opportunities this summer to work in the new Beer Garden at Village Park. Many are excited to participate, so those who volunteer will be on a “first come, first serve” basis. Each shift will need 7-8 members. There will be trained servers onsite who will guide you.

Dates and times are as follows:

Friday, August 6 4:45-9:15 pm

Wednesday, August 18 4:45-9:15pm

Sunday, August 22 9:40am-1:00pm & 1:00 – 4:15pm

Please contact Jeanine Dederich to volunteer. A confirmation will be sent to you. Thank you for your help!

Optimist members will be serving on Saturday July 10th 2:30 – 8:30 p.m. and Wednesday July 14th 5 – 9 p.m. Come on out and enjoy the park!

~ Jeanine Dederich

 

Football Crazr Raffle

We have 200 tickets for the Football Crazr Raffle that need to get sold. Like in the past, the raffle tickets are $20.00 a piece and that ticket lasts 17 weeks. Each week you have 4 teams. If your 4 teams have the highest score for the week you have a chance to win up to $500.00 each week. Prize money amounts and place information is on the ticket. You can check each week online to see how you did, but a check will be mailed to you within a week if you have won.

We are asking anyone able to help sell or buy to contact Larry Hebbring at a meeting or arranged destination. Our Club will get approximately $10.00 for each ticket sold. A portion goes to the winners and the rest goes to the SWIS District to help fund their annual fund raisers. We have already had many of the club members volunteer to take ten tickets and sell them, but more need to go out. The ticket stubs along with $20.00 need to be in by the 1st week in August. Each week at the Meeting Larry will be collecting money and stubs. Easy Sell.

~ Larry Hebbring

 

Packer Raffle – Attention All New Members (and old ones, too)

This year will mark the 25th year of annual Packer Raffle, the club’s biggest fundraiser which nets $23,000 – $24,000 for the kids of our community each year. With the relaxing of Covid restrictions, the format will revert to its previous form in every respect. That means a return to the usual prize

 structure and the resumption of the Tailgate Party at Village Bowl, set for Monday, Sept. 13 this year starting at 5:15 p.m.

All club members will be put on one of 17 teams to be drafted on Tuesday, July 13. Tickets will be given to captains to distribute to team members. Notification of same will come via e-mail later this month. Check carefully because some people will be on different teams than last year. Phone your leader to get a ticket for yourself and hopefully some to sell. However, no one is required to either buy or sell any tickets!

For our numerous new members and those veterans who may have forgotten the particulars….

• First prize is a trip for eight people to Lambeau Field to see the Packers play in your choice of nine regular season games. Also included are a luxury limo ride to and from the game, a tailgate party at Lambeau, Packer wearing apparel, food and beverage enroute to Green Bay and $1,000 cash to be used however the winners want. We will provide the limo ride from anywhere in Wisconsin.

• Tickets cost $100 each but remember it’s for eight people. So, four couples could pay $25 each, or eight buddies could chip in $12.50 apiece. However (per state auditor’s directive) only one person’s name can go on the ticket stub.

• Second Prize is $1,000, third prize is $600, fourth prize is $400. Thirteen more awards of $250 will be given and one person will win a free entry for 2022.

• Sales are limited to no more than 350 tickets. Therefore with 18 prizes, contestants have a better than 1 in 20chance of more than doubling their money,

 • Each ticket allows one person to come to the drawing and tailgate party held at Village Bowl on Monday, Sept. 13 starting at 5:15 p.m. Over $2,000 in door prizes will be given out to those in attendance that night. Others who have contributed to the purchase of a ticket can attend for $10. Free food, beer and soda make it a fun event.

• When you get your ticket(s) from your captain, please try and sell them. They’re really an easy sell. At least, consider buying one yourself or with a friend. Those you don’t sell should be returned to your captain not passed on to someone else.

• Stubs and money should be returned to your captain or can be turned in to Dan Schwind at Town Bank in the Falls. Deadline for returning stubs, money or unsold tickets is Wednesday, Sept. 1.

• Please write your name on the back of each ticket you buy/sell as it will help us track down the winners.

• Flyers will be distributed at morning meetings or will be available online later this month.

Let us get on board and continue to raise big money for the kids of our community!

~ Ed Schlumpf

 

— Past Events —

Veronica Goveas at DYW National Event

Veronica’s Distinguished Young Women journey, which began on February 22, 2020, came to an exciting close last Saturday when she was named as a one of the top 8 finalists at the national program “held” in Mobile, AL. The fifty state participants competed in the virtual program which culminated in the live-streamed broadcast hosted by 2020 DYW of America, Elif Ozyurekoglu. Destiny Kluck from Georgia was named the DYW for America for 2021.

In addition to a $5000 scholarship Veronica was awarded as a finalist, she won preliminary award in Scholastics and Interview. Each preliminary award winner receives $1000. Veronica earned $7000 at nationals and a total of $11,000 for all three levels of DWY.

Veronica is the first Menomonee Falls participant to go to nationals in 33 years. She was an outstanding representative for this community and our state. Veronica will be attending the University of WI-Madison in the fall and plans to become a physician-researcher. She will be at the July 28 club meeting to share more about her experiences at the national program.

~ Cathy Sharkey

 

 

 

— Optimist Meetings —

 

Scholarship Winners

 

Village Park Update

 

Tyler Swagerman gave us an update on the Village Park – Phase 2 at our June 16th meeting.

photo by Jon Cline

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ruth Etzel

 

Welcome New Member!

 

Humor

— Getting to Know Dan Schwind —

Born and raised in Menomonee Falls, I’ve been married to my wife Kathy for 5 years. We have 1 son, Kevin, who just recently graduated from UW-Whitewater and 4 cats, Miley, Hannah, Lexi, and Bella. Kathy and I just purchased our home in Menomonee Falls a little over a 1-1/2 years ago.

In July I will begin my 31st year in the banking industry with the largest amount of time (21 yrs.) spent with M&I Bank (now BMO) in Menomonee Falls, and now with Town Bank for 9 years. I spent my early career (13+ years) in food service management, mainly with Burger King.

I was lucky when I was a kid to have both a Sentinel paper route and Journal route in my neighborhood. For those of us that remember when there were 2 papers.

I have been very involved in many activities over the years. I currently sit on the board for Menomonee Falls Chamber, Menomonee Falls Optimist Club, Greater Menomonee Falls Foundation, and Falls Area Food Pantry. I also serve on the committee for Wheeling and Healing for Froedtert Hospital of Menomonee Falls, golf committee for the Menomonee Falls Chamber, Menomonee Falls Chamber Ambassadors.

As mentioned earlier, Kathy and I have been married for 5 years. Kathy is an Administrative Assistant in the Interventional Radiology Clinic at the main campus of Froedtert Hospital.

Our son, Kevin, who recently graduated from UW-Whitewater received a degree in Computer Science and minor in IT. He is currently on the job hunt.

My mom, Diane, moved in with us when we purchased our home and enjoys being with us. Kathy’s parents live close by in Waukesha.

I have been a member of the Optimist Club for 21 years and my sponsor was the late Dave Petroff. I am a past President of the club back in 2004 and soon to be President in October.

In my spare time I love to golf, exercise, rent a Harley and go for long rides with Kathy. Kathy and I walk 3-1/2 miles most nights.

 

 

— Executive Board —

June 15, 2021 Board Minutes

Unapproved: to be approved at the next board meeting.

PRESENT
Rick, Fred, Jerry, Greg, Carol, John, Jen, Kim, Don, Todd, Dan, Shannon

REVIEW OF AGENDA
Moved to approve by John, seconded by Dan, approved

REVIEW OF MINUTES
Moved to approve by Todd, seconded by Jenn, approved

REVIEW OF TREASURER’S REPORT
Moved to approve by Todd, seconded by Jenn, approved

DONATION REQUESTS

Kids from Wisconsin: requested $2000 (request dies with no motion)
Tri-County YMCA Annual Giving Campaign (request dies with no motion)

BUDGET APPROVALS

Tri-Star Baseball, Don Eisenhauer
moved to approve by Greg, seconded by Dan, approved

NEW MEMBERS

Bonnie Kenny
Bernadette van Willigen
Harlan Mueller
Sarah Frances
Carl Holzem
moved to approve by Fred, seconded by Dan, approved

OPEN BUSINESS

Zoom account
motion to cancel by Jerry, seconded by Dan, approved

New board members
Jenn stepping down for 2021-22 term, election to occur July 14

NEW BUSINESS

Event/Activity info – need to follow up from committee leaders to get the events filled in. Committee to regroup on contacting committee chairs
Motioned by Jerry to not have anyone speak at the School Board on behalf of the Club, seconded by Todd, approved.

NEXT MEETING DATE
July 20, 7:00 am, Menomonee Falls CEREC building

ADJOURNMENT
Moved to adjourn by Kim, seconded by Carol, approved

~ Shannon Dederich

 

— Thank You Notes (excerpts) —

Kaylee Helchen, Scholarship Winner
“I am so grateful to receive your scholarship…thank you for all your organization does for our community.”

Barb Riehle, Food Pantry Assistant Director
“Thank you for your donation of $84…to purchase food for families in our community who need help.”

~ Jerry Mislang

 

 

— This Month in Club History —

July 11, 2012 (9 years ago) –

Joe LuDan of Broadway Limo brings OI President Jack Creswell and his wife to our 7:15 am meeting to swear in three new members. Their enrollment brings our current roster to 197 making us the third largest Optimist Club in the world (out of 300+ clubs)!

~ 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, Dawn Mariscal or Lynette Shepherd – csharkey224@yahoo.com, dmariscal@wi.rr.com, llshep4ma@gmail.com

WEBSITE  Beth Saunders –  bethjsaunders@gmail.com