From the President…
I want to thank all of you for your support this past year. I was a tremendous experience serving as your President and I couldn’t have done it without you.
I have people ask me what the Optimist Club is all about and I tell them “we raise lots of money, we give it away to worthy groups and programs and we try to have fun doing it!” We truly are the Friend of Youth in the Greater Menomonee Falls area.
This year we donated almost $57,000 to groups that requested support for their programs. We also spent over $16,000 on Optimist programs that we sponsor, which totaled over $73,000 the past year.
Special thanks to all the event and committee chairmen; you truly are the backbone of this club. Volunteering is a pleasure when we have leaders like you.
I want to close by asking for your continued support and dedication to our club this upcoming year. Good luck to new President Ted Klumb, please support him any way you can.
Thanks again for the “Adventure of a Lifetime”.
Jerry Mislang
Executive Board…..
The Executive Board meets on the third Tuesday of the month and please remember that Board meetings are open to all club members.
The past two meetings we had four requests for funds and all were approved. We approved a request from Boy Scout Troop 109 for $500 to help offset the cost of a new trailer. The Menomonee Falls Dolphinettes asked for $1,500 for dry land fitness training equipment and that was also approved. Teen Court needed $250 because some of their funding has been cut and that also passed. We approved $1,000 for the Dash for Dylan.
All told, we donated $3,250 at the past two meetings. We needed to fill Lynette Shepherd’s on the Board and Tom Dewerth was nominated and elected for a one year term. We agreed to put a cap of roughly $500 on the cost of night meetings. We discussed having a corn roast booth at Falls Fest next year and I said I would talk to Jeff Steliga and report back at the next meeting. We also approved budget requests for Leaf Raking, Holiday Drop and Shop and Tri-star Soccer.
I want to thank departing Executive Board members Fred Rambert, Kirsten Sperl and Dawn Mariscal, Treasurer Marcia Hebbring and Past President Don Eisenhauer. It was a pleasure working with all of you and we accomplished a lot together.
Jerry Mislang
Upcoming Events….
SPEAKERS SCHEDULE
14 – Costco Reps / Tri Star Soccer
21 – SOM and the JOOI Club
28 – HS Sport plus Co-Curriculum Club (TBD)
Events
10/15 Information Meeting for DYW Contestants
10/18 Wednesday – Executive Board Meeting
11/7 Senior Leaf Raking
12/5/16 Holiday Drop-n-Shop
1/22/16 Chili Dinner
2/24/16 Oratorical Contest
3/19/16 Distinguished Young Women
Senior Leaf Raking…
There’s a chill in the air and the leaves are starting to fall. That can only mean “Leaf Raking for Seniors” is just around the corner! The event this year will be held on Saturday, November 7th and we’ll be meeting at the Community Center bright and early at 8am. Like last year, we’ve got several Menomonee Falls youth groups ready for the challenge, including the Falls Angels, Jr. Indians, Jr. Optimists, Cub Scout Pack 109, National Honor Society and Student Council. We expect to have about 200 volunteers in total out there raking leaves for our seniors.
We need 4-5 captains and a few to volunteers to get everyone checked in that morning. Sign up at the next few meetings or email Matt Goihl at mattgoihl@sattell.com. Grab your rakes and leaf blowers and we’ll see you there!
Matt Goihl
Optimist Magazine…
Going Green?? Would you like to start receiving the electronic version of the magazine by e-mail rather than the hard-copy version of the magazine? Copy and paste this link: http://www.optimist.org/OnlineForms/MagazineSignup.cfm to change the status of your magazine subscription. Our club number is 09103.
Tri-Star Soccer……
We had a great turnout for our first Tri-star soccer competition. 78 kids participated in four divisions for both boys and girls, U6 through U12. Thanks to volunteers Del Kreuser, Greg Mattson, Ann Freudenthal, Tom Ciskoski, Wendysue Fluegge, Collin Fluegge, Bill Hathaway, Carrie Wolter, Todd Paulus and his daughter for scoring and registration. Special thanks to co-chairs Joe Ludan, Suzy Thomas and Ben Luczak for their support along with Scott Stein for promoting the heck out of this event. Can’t wait for next year, it should be bigger and better!
Jerry Mislang
Near Record Profit Recorded For 19th Annual Packer Raffle……..
Melanie Lubelski was the Grand Prize Winner of the Nineteenth Annual Luxury Packer Raffle. Lubelski prize included eight tickets to see the Packer at her choice of one of the eight games played at Lambeau Field, a round trip luxury limo ride with food and refreshments en route, a “Tailgate Party” at Bart Starr Plaza, Packer apparel, and $1,000 cash. Lubelski was presented a Packer jersey by raffle committee members Dan Schwind (L) and Ed Schlumpf. Photo by Don Gorzek
With just one minor expense to be finalized, it appears that this year’s Packer Raffle was another rousing success with a near record profit of $21,375.18 being netted. That is $346.97 more than the projected take of $20,817.92 estimated back in July, and compares with $20,594.13 earned last year. Only the $21,375.18 made in 2013 ranked ahead of this year’s bottom line.
A record turnout of 288 people attended the Tailgate Party at Village Bowl on Sept. 14 when the Grand Prize was awarded to Melanie Lubelske of Menomonee Falls. Optimist member Ken Rutsch won the $1,000 second prize, Tim Trapp of Jackson copped the $600 third prize and Optimist Cathy Hazzard captured $400 third place money. $250 winners included the Gross/ Jessen Group; Pat Dwyer; Hebbring Group; Tom Matuszak; the Fleming,Otz, Pusa, Pedro Group; Tammy Merkel; and the Barranco Clan, all of the Falls; Also winning $250 were R. Paulus of Grafton, Bob Church/John M. of Greenfield, Karen Schwenkner of Elm Grove, Susan Milbrath and Paul Oliver (no city listed). Chris Johnson of the Falls won a free entry into next year’s contest.
Joe Ludan sold the winning ticket and earned $50 for doing so. Jack Pitrof, Tom Ciskoski and Carl Trapp II each sold 17 tickets and split the $50 prize ($17 apiece.)
Special thanks go to many people including…..
Pete Riopel and the Village Bowl staff for the facilities, meal and door prize donation.
Donors of In-House Raffle prizes: Malkins Flooring, Joe Ludan and Broadway Limo and Coach Services, the Milwaukee Admirals and Don Galle and Kindy Optical. Also thanks to member Ted Klumb who donated Packer tickets to be auctioned off on behalf of First Weber Realtors.
Donating door prizes were Larry Hebbring and Bob Lanier Enterprises, Paul Dross, Barb Schmit, Bob Steliga and Tom Dueppen.
Matt Hakes’ VFI firm covered the cost of the winners’ tailgate party to be held at Lambeau Field. Dan Schwind and Town Bank donated $100 to reward the winning ticket sellers. Barry Landowski’s Minute Man Press printed the flyers at no cost to the club. Rog Rogers’ State Farm Insurance and Terry Marcou/Schmidt-Bartelt Funeral Home paid for the printing of the tickets.
Volunteering as auditors, ticket-takers, raffle sellers and door prize coordinators were Jan Barbera, Mary Schlumpf, Tom Ciskoski, Tom Dueppen, Ann Freudenthal, Herb Gross, Rick Kohl, Joe Ludan, Greg Mattson, Jerry Mislang, Diane Matuszak, Dan Schwind, Carl Trapp and John Seymour. (Who am I forgetting?)
Team captains again this year were Tim Newman, Jerry Mislang, Donna Bosch, Dan Schwind, Terry Fitzsimmons, Larry Hebbring, Chad DeLuka, Meg Latus, Del Kreuser, Herb Gross, Don Galle, Carl Trapp Sr., Diane Matuszak, Steve Fleming, Mary Schlumpf, Joe LuDan, Tom Ciskoski and myself.
Finally, without the tireless efforts of co-chair Dan Schwind who coordinated advance ticket sales, this huge undertaking would never have been the success that it was.
As always, suggestions for improving next year’s event can be made to any of the captains listed above.
Ed Schlumpf, Packer Raffle Chair
Installation Banquet…
The installation of new officers of The Optimist Club of Menomonee Falls for 2015-16 took place on September 30, 2015. Ted Klumb took the oath as new President for the year. Over eighty people attended the installation dinner that was held at The Main Mill Restaurant located in downtown Menomonee Falls. Special music for the event was provided by Optimist Club member Wendysue Fluegge.
Photos by Don Gorzek
2015-16 Club Officers
Ted Klumb President
Don Gorzek 1st Vice President
Lynette Shepherd 2nd Vice President
Jerry Mislang Past President
Carl Trapp Lieutenant Governor
Howard Crofoot Governor
Executive Board
Jan Barbera Lenny Kimmel
Jeanine Dederich Rose Schwartz
Tom Dewerth Linda Zylka
The fi
rst Menomonee Falls Optimist Club meeting for the 2015-16 year was held at the new MFFD Fire Station Number One. New Club President, Ted Klumb, called the meeting to order before turning the meeting over to Jim Mollet, Assistant Fire Chief, for a tour of the Station. About forty Club members attended on October 7, 2015. The new Station replaces the original Station One, that was located on Appleton Avenue need Main Street. The new site is at the corner of Main Street and Menomonee Avenue. Photo by Don Gorzek
Distinguished Young Woman of Menomonee Falls, Ritika Punathil, gave a presentation on the DYW Be Your Best Self program for Interfaith volunteers on October 12, 2015.