OPTI-BEA-BULL 8-25-11

Meeting opened with the flag salute and invocation after the ringing of the bell. Did you notice no today in history (later)

Secret greeter: This week was Vern Williams turn to be the secret greeter. Vern could not find anyone in the crowd that did not shake his hand, no fines. Sorry Vern!

This day in history: Oh yes I did find something that happened August 25^th 2011, this writer won the RAFFLE  this morning. ($ 1300.00). After as many years of not winning the interest grows on my investments. I like the power of the pen!!!Alan is out of town for his rewrite.

Golf: Marv Thompson pitched the up-coming golf tourney October 1^st, it’s time to sell those hole sponsors for the Dean Mitchell program. Contact Marv for the letters to sell the hole sponsors.

Get well soon Lillian after your hand surgery, see you soon we hope!

Membership:  Joe Coss has mailed out next years membership renewal  invoices, all are due by September 23^rd 2011 prior to our next year start on October 1^st.

Farmers Market: September 10^th is the next Optimist market, This time it all proceeds will go to the Candle Lighters. Marv Doty will have a sign-up list soon.

Speaker: This morning we again had our Chaplain Wally Johnston reviewing 9/11 ground zero pictures. Remember the 9/11  10^th anniversary is coming up. Thanks again Wally

Speakers for September:

                9-8-11                   Dave Bishop, retired Beaverton Police Chief

                9-15-11                 Martha DeBry, City manager of North Plains

                9-22-11                 Jim Hough, city manager of Banks

                9-29-11                 Allison George, Washington County Visitors Assoc.

See you all next week, until then!                            

Beaverton Optimist Bulletin 8-18-2011

The meeting opened as usual with the flag salute, this day in history (1920 Tennessee ?) and the invocation by chaplain Wally Johnston.

Raffle: Today’s raffle was won by our sheriff Steve Crowthers, I believe Steve receives $13.00. He is the sheriff so he get’s what ever he wants of the pot. (Mistaken statement of fact…the editor!)

This day in history: August 18^th 1920 Woman suffrage amendment ratified. The 19^th Amendment to the constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote, is ratified by Tennessee giving it the two-thirds majority necessary for state ratification to make it the law of the land. The amendment was the culmination of more than 70 years of struggle by women suffragists. For the rest of the story come to our next meeting you all! (Yea but there was also a coup against Gorbachev in 91 and in 1227 Gengas Khan died. You left that off… oh, and I received another quill for my quiver plaque. (the editor)

Optimist Foundation: This morning our guest was PNW Optimist International Foundation Representative Eddie Murphy. Eddie has been traveling to all the clubs in the Pacific Northwest District with his wife promoting the Foundation and explaining the good it does for our youth programs. All of the programs though Optimist International are funded by the Foundation which is a 501-(c) 3. Thanks Eddie for a great overview of the foundation.

Speakers: This morning  we were blessed with two speakers of our own ranks, I say blessed because you needed to be there.

First up was Wally Johnston our chaplain, with a gift for everyone ( hard tack) cookies from the civil war. They were that hard, but Wally explained you had to soak it in your coffee, water, or sea water (sailors) to eat it. Hard Tack is made with flour, water and sometimes salt.

Next up was our Jack Franklin’s travels from Dazzos Arizona through Phoenix to visit their son and family in Surprise and then on to New Mexico and the Carlsbad caves. We will continue Jack and Carol’s travels the next time we have more time. Thanks again Jack.

Who will be the speaker next week ?? I failed to find out, but wait--- Alan will have it in the Bea Bull rewrite. Sorry Alan I had to do it.

Until then!  

 >>>>>> Breaking news…this just in!!!  (per Bruce B.) <<<<<<

Here are the guest speakers and tentative guest speaker for September:

September 08, 2011  Dave Bishop, Retired Beaverton Police Chief.                  Possible Topic:  Life after serving as the longest sitting police chief in the State Of Oregon and his current foundation duties.

September 15, 2011  Martha DeBry, City Manager of North Plains                  Possible Topic:  Update from North Plains and her former experience as an Optimist Club member.

September 22, 2011  Jim Hough, City Manager of Banks                               Possible Topic:  City of Banks as a recreational hub of Washington County, local economic development goals, etc.

September 29, 2011  Allison George Washington County Visitors Assoc.           Appearance pending.  Will confirm at later date.  If Allison is not available, I will be the guest speaker for the 29^th.

OPTI-BEA-BULL 8-11-11

Our meeting opened with Marv D leading the flag salute and Chaplain Wally offering the Invocation and this day in history’s question… 1973 (Dancing ??)

Secret Greeter:  Marv Thompson shared his philosophy as a hotel doorman or politician and greeted all with an embrace and handshake misinterpreting the role of a secret greeter. Apparently our President failed to brief him as to the motivation needed while being an undercover greeter. Marv shook hands with everyone. Marv said the secret greeter needs to be friendly to everyone. The pot collected no money today Marv! Fortunately Sheriff Steve stepped up with a ruthless pin and badge check.

Raffle: The morning raffle was won by Scott Thompson for $5.50. Scott, don’t let Alan keep your $.50. Last week’s winner, Jack Franklin, donated his winnings to the Dean Mitchell account. Marv Thompson remarked that Jack is the only member this year to give his winnings to that account. Coincidentally Bob P cleaned out his attic again this week so our President was able to award Jack with the special “Spark Plug” plaque. Jack will have to change the special emboss tape to a corrected recipient name.

Birthday: We celebrated one birthday this morning, Wally Johnston. Wally arranged to have the Beatles sing Happy Birthday to him. It was really quite nice Wally. We all paid for this great event, happy Birthday Wally. Lillian passed a sympathy card around for all to sign for Wally who lost their family dog, Gracie, last week, sorry Wally!

Golf Tournament:  Marv Thompson reported the letters and team sign- up sheets are ready and we need more sales of the Hole advertiser signs. Remember all sales from these signs go directly into the Dean Mitchell account for our Public Safety Scholarships.

Club wood equipment:  Jack Franklin completed an inspection of our equipment being stored at the Jenkins Estate. It is in a very bad condition and should be junked out. Our Wood splitter also needs repair and if it can be fixed we should sell it. The trailers and conveyer are o.k. for the time being, if we can keep them covered from the weather.

Speaker: Jack Franklin continued his talk on his U.S. trip this past spring. Jack had photos of his trailer, truck and family. On April 8^th they started off from Portland to Dazzos Arizona stopping at Lapine, Lake View, Reno, Parump, Las Vegas and Kingman. There were the obligatory mechanical problems when power was lost from the super charger and Jack couldn’t reattach its cape? As time ran out Jack promised to continue his talk the next time we have an opening. Thanks Jack!

This Day 1973: The birth of Hip Hop Dancing at a party in the Bronx New York City. Not my kind of music and dancing so I will stop there. If you want more come to the meetings! In 1934 on Pelican Island the first civilian notables were admitted to Alcatraz: Al Capone and Machine Gun Kelly to name a few.

Next  Week’s Speaker, Wally  Johnston will continue his talk on the civil war and this time he will have treats for everyone so lets fill the arena or the tables to hear the rest of the story.  Come in your uniforms if available but please—no flags. 

Until Then!

OPTI-BEA-BULL 8-4-11

The meeting was called to order with our bell (oh how sweet the sound) the flag salute and the invocation and this day in history (tell you later speaker Wally said).

This Day:  Then President Al fearing our Club would go into withdrawal if we failed to recap today’s history, briefly mentioned some highlights. In 1873 General Custer badly misjudged his Indian adversaries at the Little Big Horn. In 1944 after the Allies had already stormed the beaches of Normandy, Ann Frank and her family were betrayed to the Nazis and were arrested. She and her sister died at Bergen-Belsen of typhus. In 1964 after an intense search by some 200 FBI agents, the bodies of three civil rights workers were located buried in an earthen dam at Philadelphia, Mississippi. (This is the same town that President Regan began his run for the presidency, perhaps a coincidence?) On that same day in 1964 we were told North Vietnamese PT Boats attacked our ships in the Gulf of Tonquin which was the start of the Vietnam War. My head was spinning with all these dates. We used to have just one date to concentrate on which was easy.  Hopefully, Alan’s computer will break again and we will concentrate on one era. Will the real morning day in history please stand up… 1861 to 1865, thank you.

Secret Greater:  Wally caught Marv Thompson ignoring him while Wally set up his equipment and then Marv told us an amusing story about planning to circle back to shake his hand and greet him warmly but accidentally forgot. It was a heartwarming story but he still had to pay-up.

Raffle: Today’s raffle $16.00 was won by Jack Franklin (You get $8.00 Jack) for the second week in a row, this after Jack may have never bought a ticket (how can that be??) Jack did donate last week’s win to the Dean Mitchell account.

Board Meeting: Our August Optimist board will meet on Monday August 8^th at the community center on Allen Avenue starting at 6:30 P.M. All Board members who can not attend, please call Alan to be excused.

Speaker: Wally Johnston, our club’s Chaplain, author and history buff whose family fought on both sides of the Civil War, presented his film and slides on the Civil War of 1861 to 1865. Wally talked about what the first territories of our states went through prior to the war both economically and socially. All states wanted to protect the status quo prior to the election of Lincoln. After the war started it was found that families were divided and brothers fought against each other. The farmer whose property was the site of the beginning of the clash of armies at Bull Run moved his family to a quiet out of the way spot to Appomattox Court House which is where the war ended in his parlor. For more information see Wally or his next program coming up. (see our web site for information) Thanks Wally for a great program on the Civil War years.

Last week’s B-Bull was not printed for those who missed it. There are those weeks that this guy runs out of time and town. We did have a wonderful program discussing the 16 jazz venues available to us in Portland. We also learned that Merridith, our Program Chairman for July will be performing in the Hollywood District in a jazz performance this month. Hopefully she will share with us the date so we can go see her.

Until then!