Prez Valerie rang the bell at 12:15 PM.
Invocation by Dave Murphy     Pledge of Allegiance by Steve Henderson        Attendance= 71  
GUESTS
Included our three new members: Greg Schneider, Kelly Buckston and Brenda Lee.  Luke’s guest was Tom Martz, a familiar face in the Optimist Club movement.
MYSTERY PERSON 
Was Garry Spotts and he mentioned that today is 03-03-03 which totals 9, and the 9^th person to shake his hand was Jim, but he said he didn’t want Jim to get a free meal (?), so he picked the first person to shake his hand and that was Kelly Buxton.  Congratulations Kelly!  Too bad, Jim! Maybe next time!
TAIL TWISTER
Steve Henderson had a joke for us wives (which was very good!) and said the W.O.W. is ‘exercise’, and he used it a sentence (kinda).  He also had a ‘visual aid’ (I guess a follow up from the duck last week).  It was an “Easter Monkey” – cute face, but what a sound!  It sounded like one of those howler monkeys you see on the Travel Channel shows.
FELLOWSHIP
Marilyn Bohanon reported that Willis Robb has a birthday on March 8th

ANNOUNCEMENTS
*Flower Bulb Fundraiser is in progress.  We have order sheets available and by tomorrow we will have a link from the front page of our website.  Our deadline for getting orders in is Monday, March 24^th so we have 3 full weeks to offer these quality bulbs to friends and associates.  And, if you know of someone special who is buying a new home, there is no nicer – very special gift – than these bulbs!  Thank about it … After the order is placed, we’ll have the bulbs in two weeks.
*Board Meeting on Thursday, March 20^th at 7:00 pm   Tree Lot Committee Mtg. at 6:00 pm same day!
*Connie Howe announced Wednesday Food Bank Day: from 6 to 8:00 pm. Volunteers include Karen & Tony Aulisa, Dawn Thurnau, Jack Cruise, and Steve Hudson. And, Prez Valerie promised “no mayonnaise” would be involved (?).
*Remember, next Monday we will host a N.O.W. meeting during lunch.  New Optimists are Wanted in our Club, so please bring prospective members to lunch that day.
*Essay Contest:  The winning essay will be posted on DOC website and the winner & parents will attend DOC meeting in the near future.

PROGRAM     
Oratorical contest Winners Brian Hudspeth introduced the winners:
Rachel Mann with her mother, Freda .  Jasmine and Rishay Cuppy with their mother Cassandra . Taylor Harper and her mom. Brady Still and his teacher, Pamela Marque *Brady was the First Place Winner for boys

* Kelsey Heckinroth was the First Place Winner for girls.  She was ill today and unable to attend our meeting. Brady and Rachel gave us their speeches, and did a great job!  True winners! Brian gave special thanks to Dawn Thurnau and Susan Long for their help at the contest Thursday night.  Over 40 people attended! The Zone Contest will be March 22^nd (a Saturday) at 2:00 pm at the Ashland Clubhouse.
*We closed with the Creed at 12:45 pm

Monday, March 10^, 2003

Valerie rang the bell at 12:20 PM and gave the invocation and led the Pledge.
Total in Attendance was 73

GUESTS --  Jeff Demand, guest of Dave Murphy,  Alan Berchman guest of Tim Elliott, Julie Cupp and Jim Creed, guests of Red Leighton, Doug Tarwater, guest of Valerie Goodin and Sid Sullivan recently retired & moved from Chicago to Columbia, guest of Ira Hubbel.

MYSTERY PERSON –   Karen Aulisa said she tried to come up with a ‘mystical number’ but decided that since Jim Becket makes such an effort each week to shake everybody’s hand he deserves a free lunch!
TAIL TWISTER  -- Steve Henderson enlightened us with some ‘thought provoking’ jokes and shared the W.O.W.
FELLOWSHIP  - Marilyn Bohanon could not make it this week, so Christine McGraw announced the birthdays: Ronald Miller and Cindy Neff on March 10^th; Jerry Browning on March 11^th and Dan Kemper, Jess Weaver and John Rymarcsuk on March 13^th.

ANNOUNCEMENTS --
*Our flower bulb fundraiser is in progress.  We have order sheets available and a page is also up on our web site. Deadline for getting orders in is Monday, March 24, so we have 2 full weeks remaining to offer these quality bulbs to friends and associates. And, if you know of someone who is buying or building a new home, there is no nicer – very SPECIAL gift – than these bulbs!  Think about it…
**Next Week’s program: Dr. Maria Katsarus – Hands on Health 
GREETER –   Greg Schneider asked his wife this morning about a good joke to tell, but he forgot the punch line.  The joke he did tell was a good one!  He said he first heard about D.O.C. through the Soap Box Derby.  His kids have been racing each year since the early 90’s.  He was impressed by our focus on helping youth of Columbia and is enjoying his membership.  He thanked us for his membership opportunity.
PROGRAM –  N.O.W. 
Valerie presented Joe Reardon with a Citation of Honor for his service as D.O.C. Treasurer last year.
Valerie also presented Garry Spotts with a Citation of Honor for Outstanding Service for his work as President of D.O.C. last year. These awards were presented on behalf of Optimist International.
President Valerie then gave a Power Point presentation (with the help of her lovely assistant, Bo Bossaller) outlining what our Club does and including highlights of personal testimonials from present members, Jake Jolly, Joe Reardon, Karen Aulisa, Christine McGraw, & Rick McKernan.
It was pointed out that for every active Optimist, 31 kids are affected.  The members of our Downtown Optimist Club are 170 ‘ordinary’ people who do ‘extra ordinary things’ to help the youth of our area.

Monday, March 17, 2003

Valerie rang the bell at 12:15 PM.                                                                       March 17, 2003
Invocation:        Brian Hudspeth                   Pledge: Steve Hudson           Attendance = 64

On a note of Optimism [from the Irish!]

May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your window pane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

GUESTS:   Jim Harmon’s guest was his wife Jeanne Harmon, Red Leighton’s guests were John Nelson, Patrick Steuber, Dawn Blackborn, and Emelia Williamson, Dawn Thurnau’s guest was Ada Gallup, and Sid Sullivan, guest of Roy Robinson. submitted his application.  Welcome Sid!
MYSTERY PERSON:  Jim Beckett (always a mystery) commented it was hard to shake hands and count at the same time, but he persisted and the 17^th person to shake his hand today was Chuck Pease! Congratulations Chuck, a free lunch is yours!
TAIL TWISTER:  Steve Henderson collected fines from members not wearing their badge and other various & sundry slip-ups.  He also commented that he has been pig shopping (?) and that they are hard to find. He showed us that the D.O.C. piggy bank had a dexterior hole that would not stay closed (??) and we are in need of another piggy bank. He showed us the one pig that he did find, and it reminded us of the infamous duck from a previous meeting.  He ended with the W.O.W. was ‘war’ and a quote from a great leader.
FELLOWSHIP: Marilyn Bohanon announced that Jim Ballenger’s birthday was March 21^st.  Jim came to the podium and deposited three quarters (for the number ‘75’) then asked us to count with him as he added a penny for each following year to equal his age of 87!  He held one extra penny in his hand and asked us to bless him with another year!  That earned him applause from D.O.C. audience and a big hug from Valerie!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Dave Murphy, looking very dapper in a Derby hat, jacket and boutonnière of the o’green wanted to thank Jim Ballenger, Max Miller, and Jim Becket for their help in the National Wild Turkey Scholarship selections.
* Please note the change in time for the Zone Oratorical Contest on Saturday, March 22. It will be 9:30 AM at the Ashland Clubhouse. The Regional Competition on April 12th and will start at 2 PM.
*Our flower bulb fundraiser has ONE MORE WEEK.  Order sheets on the back table and the entire order sheet are online, just by clicking the calla lilies photo on the front page of our web site.
*Board will meet Thursday at 7:00 PM in the Clubhouse. If you are a Board member and cannot attend Thursday’s meeting, please let me know.
**PedNet Coalition, in cooperation with the Intersection, collects 100 old used bikes and swaps them for 100 reconditioned bikes that we give away to children and adults in need.    They need old bikes, however sad or broken.  If you have an old bike that you can donate, call Ian Thomas at 445-2928.    If you know of children in need of a bike, they can call Dana Battison at 819-0089 to register for a free, reconditioned bike, to be picked up on May 17 at the Intersection.
**Next Week’s program: March 24^th will be Banana Oil Pan Band w/member Gary Greenlee and March 30^th will be our initiation or new members.
**Jim Schwartz reminded us that Day with Wildlife is Sunday April 6^th at the American Legion Post 202, and volunteers to help with this event would be much appreciated. A sign up sheet was circulated and will be on the web soon, under “Service.”
GREETER:   Matt Wilp mentioned that he had been in D.O.C. for about two years now.  He was looking to join an organization to get involved in community services and thinks that he has found it with D.O.C.  He works at Adecco.
PROGRAM:  Jim Harmon introduced or Dr. Maria Katsaros – Hands on Health who described her services then asked for a volunteer to help her demonstrate how these services can help. Bob Merriman gamely walked to the front and was a very good dummy, er volunteer!
Valerie presented Dr. Katsaros with a plaque of the Optimist Creed.
We closed with the creed at 1:00 PM.

March 24, 2003

Jake Jolley rang the bell at 12:15 PM.                                                                                       
Invocation:   Jake Jolley              Pledge: Jim Greenspon                     Total in Attendance: 52

GUESTS:  
Red Leighton’s guest was Julie Cupp who submitted an application! Jack Cruise’s guest was his wife, Jackie, and Dottie Stoerker-Peters brought her granddaughter, Rachel.

MYSTERY PERSON: 
Lora Honey said after picking a number Steve Henderson was the one who shook her hand, right on that number! She wanted to know if that was “legal”.  After much debate (and laughter) it was decided that Steve was “legal”, at least for today.  Congratulations Steve, a free lunch is yours!

TAIL TWISTER:  Steve Henderson tried to collect a fine from Jim Schwartz for not wearing his name badge.  Jim said his name badge was missing!  Red Leighton said “You probably left it in the car”.  Bryan Hudspeth took a look at Red, and said, “I found your name badge – Red’s wearing it!”  Red turned even redder! But, alas!  Steve couldn’t get a quarter out of either one of them!  The W.O.W. (word(s) for the week) are ‘back problems’.  His sentence was “Some people are plagued by back problems: back rent, back pay, back payments … “
FELLOWSHIP: Byran Hudspeth announced birthdays for Brent Dometrorch March 28^th and Rick McKernan March 29^th (or is he going to be 29?!?)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* Bryan Hudspeth announced that one girl and one boy from the D.O.C. group in Oratorical Contest on Saturday, March 22 went on to the Regional Competition! The Regional Competition will be on April 12th at 2 PM.
*Our flower bulb fundraiser concludes today. We will mail the order in tomorrow, Tuesday March 25^th and have our bulbs & perennials in about two weeks for members to deliver to their customers. 
*Board met Thursday at 7:00 PM in the Clubhouse. Funding was approved for the following:
The Hickman Choir participation in “A Salute to America” in Washington D.C.
A contribution for the Show Me State Games
A contribution for A Day With Wildlife, April 6^th
The Seniors All Night Party  
The Kids Symfunny
Jeff Jr. High School Spring Leadership Conference
*Jake Jolley then presented the slate of Officers and Board Members for the coming year.  This is the first reading of the slate.
For President   
Jake Jolley
For 1^st Vice President           
Pat Brown
For 2^nd Vice President            
Rick McKernan
Board Members
Tim Elliott [2003-06]
Lora Honey [2003-06]
**Next Week’s program: March 31^th will be our initiation of new members.  All new members and their sponsors need to attend this meeting, together, to make the initiation meaningful.
GREETER:   Bob Merriman a.k.a Hands on health dummy, mentioned that he “loved to take part” in this organization, where he has “met a lot of nice people”.  He then tried one-upmanship on Steve Henderson.  Bob provided his own laugh track to his jokes with some type of stuffed creature/animal that laughed when he pushed his little stomach after he told his joke … you had to be there!
PROGRAM:  Gary Greenlee said as a thank you for our contributions to CMA, he would like to treat us all with a trip to the Caribbean, with music that is!  Gary introduced the Banana Oil Pan Band who played about six sets of beautiful steel drum (known as Pan) music. 
*We closed with the creed at 1:00 PM.

March 31, 2003

Valerie rang the bell at 12:15 PM.              Invocation:  Rick Guilford    Pledge: Pete Bakutes

Total in Attendance: 76

On a Note of Optimism:  To quote Prez. Valerie, also known as our ‘drippy’ President, due to the ‘drips’ sometimes seen from her eyes … “A baby is God’s way of saying the world should go on.  Although the U.S. declared war on March 18^th, it was also the same day my grandson was born.  So, there is a lot of hope in the world!”

GUESTS   Red Leighton could not attend today, but he sent his guests: Rhiannon Trask with First National Bank, Christine White with Lutheran Families and Children, and Julie Cupp with Tiger Towers, who has turned in her application!  Cynthia Baker brought Anna and Dottie Stroerker-Peters brought her husband, Elroy Peters. Jim Harmon brought (his boss) Randy Boehm, Chief of Police, Columbia Police Dept. Luke Chase then stood and introduced Charlie Langreder as “a long time member who hasn’t been here in a while.” Charlie, come see us again!

MYSTERY PERSON:  was Gary Greenlee, who told us about his military history with “Uncle Sam’s Canoe Club”, also known as US Navy and some interesting facts:  The flap on the back of the Navy’s jacket is for when the men used to grease their hair, then tie it back.  The flap would keep the grease from getting on the jacket.  The bell bottom pants have 13 buttons, one for each of the original U.S. colonies. And so, the 13^th person to shake his hand was Rick McKernan, who gets a free lunch next week.

TAIL TWISTER:  Steve Henderson asked us what tomorrow was?  Some said Tuesday, some said April 1^st or April Fool’s Day!  In honor of April Fool’s Day, Steve then surprised us by putting on a Jester’s (or Fool’s) hat to celebrate (?) a day early!  He wore it when he told us the W.O.W. is ‘remember’ and used it in a sentence, which I can’t remember because he was wearing that “fool hat”!

FELLOWSHIP:  Marilyn Bohanon announced birthdays for Jim Pinkstaff on March 31^st; Mark Christian on April 2^nd; and Kerry Bramon on April 3^rd.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
* Oratorical Contest: The Regional Competition will be on April 12th at 2 PM.
* Our Flower Bulb Fund Raiser earned us $500!  The orders should be in by April 8^th.
* A Day With Wildlife – please sign up to help NEXT Sunday, April 6^th.
* Randy Boehm with a message concerning our privilege of voting.
* Connie Howe reminded us that the time for the next Central MO Food Bank
Volunteers will be between 6 and 8 pm on Wednesday, April 2^nd 2003.  The following
are signed up to participate: Rick McKernan, Garry Spotts, Ruth Anne Spotts, and
Paul Hindshaw.

GREETER:   was Al Buchanan who said he is originally from Wisconsin where they “walk on water 6 months out of the year”.  He mentioned that Spence recruited him saying he doesn’t have to do anything. Al has been in Missouri and with the Conservation Dept for the past 25 years.

PROGRAM:  The initiation of new members Kelly Buxton, Greg Schneider and Sid Sullivan. It was conducted by Brenda Gibbs-Brown, Membership Chair.  An informative overhead presentation on DOC was given by President Valerie and her lovely assistant, Jay Creasy.

Next Week’s Program on Monday, April 7^th will be Michael Bollinger of the Lyceum Theatre in Arrow Rock, MO.
We closed with the new members leading us in the Creed at 1:10 pm.