Opti BeaBull November 11, 2010

Twelve stalwarts showed up on this Veterans Day for our morning meal. Marv T led us in the pledge to the flag and Bruce gave the invocation. Sheriff Steve did double duty as secret greeter fining Barry in what some viewed as revenge. Susan turned over last week’s raffle winnings to Bruce for children’s bike helmets and then promptly won this week’s raffle. We celebrated Jack’s 49^th anniversary on the 10^th which turned out to be the same day in 1871 when Stanley found Livingston in Africa. The US Marines were also organized on this day in 1775 by the Continental Congress. Sesame Street began broadcasting this same day in 1969. On the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month in 1918 the guns on the western front fell silent and World War One was over. We celebrated Armistice Day and the war to end all wars was over. Today we call it Veterans Day and haven’t run out of veterans or wars yet.

We will meet again this Saturday at 8:30 AM in the Kmart Parking Lot to cleanup Murray Rd. Our last road party only took an hour. We discussed plans for our annual Christmas Party. The Board wanted directions as to whether we’d allow other members to run around grabbing the really good gifts we’d been lucky enough to unwrap. After a show of hands, we agreed again to allow this heartbreaking custom to continue and Bob Primrose to again arrange things. Mark your calendars for the 16^th of December as you begin searching your basement for appropriate gifts. That talking fish must be in a box somewhere? The question of a food barrel for the Sunshine Pantry also came up at our Board Meeting but our restaurant has already allowed a toy barrel to go in. We may have to find another location to collect food cans.

Wally wanted us to also remember the homeless children at Aloha High. Last week’s speaker, Jennifer Winquist left us a list of needs for these children. The Club has run out of Speaker Plaques so we (by we I mean Bob P) are exploring all possibilities including cups so we have something to give our speaker to remember us by. Marv T is proposing a golf tournament to fund our Dean Mitchell Scholarship program. Hillsboro had pretty good success with theirs last year and our funding from Intell through Commissioner Schouten has come to an end.

At the Board Meeting Monday we learned that Dusty will be dropping his membership for this year because he is traveling to South American so much and won’t be around. And Kyle Rogers hasn’t been around for a long time. In order to help members pay dues, the board discussed quarterly payments of $25 be allowed. Joe would like a $45 payment by mid December so we don’t have to drop any more members. The Club must pay OI and District and our Administrative account is low. Scott suggested we ask members to donate to the account. We will probably send a letter requesting help in bringing this account into a level of a balanced budget.

We discussed an evening meeting pot luck dinner for members and spouses and inviting friends and acquaintances we’d like to have join our club. Joan and Marv D will look for a place to hold this event.

Linda Sneddon from Beaverton Together was this morning’s speaker. It is a coalition of partners against substance abuse with the goal of reducing smoking and drinking among our school children. The partners include:

Beaverton School District
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation District
Department of Human Services
Westside Police Activities League
Beaverton Police Department
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Washington County Sheriff’s Office
Jesuit High School
Washington County Commission on Children & Families
LifeWorks NW
Beaverton Valley Times

They sponsor Prom Perfect programs and have in the past been involved in getting the PAL Club off the ground and those big children’s parades over to the Park and Rec. District involving thousands of kids. They have compiled interesting statistics showing much lower involvement  in drinking and smoking than most people believe. And it has been dropping over the years. They will be partnering with a Cristmas tree farm this year to raise funds. There is a U-Cut farm out near the Mountaindale  exit off Hwy 26 and a tree lot at Oaks Park which includes a mini train ride with a tree purchase.

BeaBull from 11-5

A quick reminder that our Board Meeting is scheduled for Monday at 6:30 PM in Beaverton's Resource Center where the PAL Club is located. And I'd like to thank Secretary Bob for compiling Thursday morning's meeting minutes so quickly which I'm sure you've all read under the caption "Newsletter"on our Internet web site at: http://beavertonoptimist.webs.com/index.htm.

I also wanted to remind everyone about our Murray Rd. cleanup scheduled Saturday Nov. 13th. We'll meet in the Kmart parking lot at 8:30 AM. Thanks again to Gene and Marv who made the arrangements.

There was a misunderstanding during our Thursday meeting where my instructions to Barry, our secret greeter, were taken out of context. In a concern for his health due to the prevalence of flu and colds, and the fact my daughter-in-law and my grandchildren are sick with these bugs, I mentioned to him that he needn't go around shaking everyone's hand. This was mischaracterized as sneaky! My only motive was to protect the health of our Essay Contest Chairman. (Glad I could clear this up.)

Jenn Wenquist

Barry did get a chance to explain to our speaker, Jenn Winquist, about the $2,500 first prize towards college. This year's topic is: "How my education is the key to a successful future." As an Aloha High School counselor, she can help us spread the word around about the scholarship.

Again, I don't want to beat up on dead horses but, a nice picture of Jenn with Wally's arm about her because he's known her since she was 12, appears on our web site located at: www.Beavertonoptimist.webs.com.
Speaking of pictures, our newest member Joan invited her friend, Marcia Paige, to visit us Thursday so I hope everyone shook her hand and made her feel welcome. Her picture can also be seen on our web site conveniently located under the caption, "Photo Gallery." That album is titled Aloha's Homeless Kids because that is what Jenn spoke about. You may also look at the other albums if you want. Marcia sat next to Susan who won this weeks raffle and was probably surprised at Susan's little victory dance over her win. At least Susan was more gracious than Joe who insisted upon being paid his winnings from the week before last which I accidentally forgot because of our celebration of Vern's 90th birthday what with the cake and all.
Vern thanked everyone and was pleased to report that the balloons were still flying. Dick had to sing happy birthday to himself and Marv made everyone sing to him and I think they were a little disappointed about the lack of balloons for them.

Dick seemed very pleased last night at the CPO 6 meeting where it was announced that Washington County was the only county in Oregon to be awarded $2,000,000 by the federal departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and will also get funds from Metro to study and come up with plans for the economic development of our Aloha-Reedville area. It will be a three year project with the Town Center on 185th and TV Hwy coordinating with Hillsboro on transportation and housing and BIKE paths and this is Commissioner Dicks area. This was just approved two days or so ago and the County staff is already swinging into action. They need lots of community input.

If you were to be uncertain about upcoming events, did I mention the helpful Calendar section on our Club's web site maintained by Wally located at www.Beavertonoptimist.webs.com.  You can even look up info on the club's Essay Contest on that very same web site.

Jenn brought a list of needs for the homeless students at Aloha High which I'll attach as a PDF file if my printer cooperates. To reach her to offer help with supplies or perhaps as a tutor her email is jennifer_winquist@beaverton.k12.or.us.