North Carolina West District November 2016 Monthly Newsletter 2016-2017 Governor John Laurents Assistant Governor Gene Swift Regional VP Lawrence Kelley Secretary-Treasurer Gardner Bridges Governor Elect 2017-2018 Daniel Mallard Achievement & Awards Carol Small Boys & Girls Homes Ron Jones Bulletin Editor Polly Furr Candidate Qualifications Odell Witherspoon Childhood Cancer JC Boone District Essay Howard Bridges District Oratorical David Lee Finance Jayson Orlandini Government & Patriotism Michael Maxson Junior Golf Terry Wiggins Sgt-At-Arms John Johnson Chaplain Wayne Higgins Leadership & Development Ron Lackey Stewart Mallard Marketing Materials Peggy Wuest Membership Brittany Mullmann New Club Building Brandyn Shetler Gene Swift O I Foundation William Teague South Mountain Mary Jones Lt. Governors Wayne Higgins, Zone 1 Jim Jordan, Zone 2 Gene Swift, Zones 3 & 4 Bob Cinq-Mars, Zone 6 Mike Maxson, Zone 7 Hank Hartz, Zone 8 Wilma Means, Zone 9 Ron Jones, Zone 10 James Leach, Zone 11 Immediate Past Governor Dianne Mallard Past Governor Gerenda Davis

What’s Coming Up?

The First Quarter District Convention will be held November 11-12, 2016 at The Hawthorne Inn & Conference Center, 420 High St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101. +1-877-777-3099. The Saturday meeting will be from 9:00 – 3:00, registration at 8:00. It’s rapidly approaching... expect a new agenda and some exciting new events.

My fellow Optimists, As we begin our new year, it is important to remember why we do what we do. We need to approach our year with enthusiasm, dedication and a commitment to bring out the best in our members and our Clubs. In doing so, we will bring out the best in our youth, our communities and ourselves. We need to Promise ourselves, every day, to do something to make our Clubs stronger and attract like-minded individuals who can share our Optimist Pride and do more of what we know how to do. You only need to look around you to see that there is much to be done. At our first District meeting, on November 12th, we are going to focus on what it takes to be a successful Club. We will hear from our new Tennessee and Virginia Clubs, Rye Cove and Bristol VA/TN. In the afternoon, we will have a respect for law presentation for five officers of the Kernersville Police Department. The officers and their families will be our guests for lunch. If you have never attended a District meeting, this is your opportunity to meet fellow Optimists and learn about exciting opportunities for your Club. The meeting will end promptly at 3 PM at which time we will have a drawing for Hotel and registration, for the District Meeting in Hickory, on February 3rd and 4th...

NC West District Governor John Laurents.

You must be present to win...

Very Optimistically, John Laurents, Sr. Governor, North Carolina West District

Promise yourself to Live a Life of Significance!

The Optimist Cottage

Bus trip to Boys & Girls Homes of Lake Waccamaw.

Fifty one members and friends from the NC West Optimists District traveled to tour the Boys & Girls Homes on October 29. Also attending was the NC East District led by 2016-2017 Governor Jim Hart. The two NC Districts had a contest on which one could get the most attendees to Lake Waccamaw on that day. Even though the NC East Distict was having their (continued next page)

November 2016 Bulletin #2

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1st quarter district meeting there, the final tally was NC West 51 and NC East 40. Not only did we get a chance to tour The Boys & Girls Homes, but we were treated to a lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs and a magic show from the “Rockstar Magic of Chris & Neal.” The routine brought a new assortment of stage performances and feats that enthralled and amazed with swords, balls, and bunnies. (The bunnies weren’t harmed.) Some of the kids were there and everyone seemed to enjoy the show. A few years ago we all donated money for new furniture for the Optimist Cottage. It looks freshly painted and clean. See the attached photos of the cottage living room and campus chapel. Unfortunately the recent heavy rains destroyed the pecan crop for this year. The pecans have been an important source of income for The Boys & Girls Homes. The trip was a chance to have a good time, talk with and meet other involved Optimists, and see the results of our combined efforts to help some of the youth of North Carolina.

This is the beginning of an exciting new Optimist year. Here’s a chance to have an enjoyable time with others helping our charitable plans become a reality. We’re asking for full participation with at least one person attending from every club in our district! We hope to make our meetings more entertaining by including some JOI club members, sharing and exchanging ideas, and showcasing some of our most successful people and projects. Clubs who want to showcase their Club’s activities and projects need to contact Governor John to be included in the programs.

The General Session will contain:

The 1st meeting Winston-Salem Agenda: Friday November 11

Presentation of color by the local ROTC A Respect for Law program presented to five officers of the Kernersville Police Department Pledge of Allegiance Song: God Bless America Whitepaper Video ideas from successful clubs October Club of the month: Rye Cove Optimists Club presentation Business session with budget November Club of the month: Bristol Optimists Club presentation Out of session reports by Boys & Girls Homes and South Mountain Child and Family Committee reports

3:00 to 5:30 — Registration 3:00 to 11:00 — Hospitality room 5:30 to 6:50 — Dinner, buffet style for all attendees 7:00 to 8:00 — Lt. Governors Meeting 8:00 to 9:00 — Executive committee meeting 9:00 to 11:00 — Hospitality gathering

Saturday November 12 8:00 to 9:00 — Registration 9:00 to 10:30 — General session 10:30 to 10:45 — Break 10:45 to 12:15 — General session 12:30 to 1:30 — Lunch 1:30 to 3:00 — General session 2

John C. Johnson (center) with Hall of Fame Co-Chairs Kathy Howard and Richard Highland.

John Johnson — New Inductee in the TN-NC District Hall of Fame At Myrtle Beach, SC in August John C. Johnson of Blountville, TN was inducted into the Tennessee-North Carolina West District Hall of Fame. He has been a member of Optimist International for 23 years. Being named to the District Hall of Fame is a huge honor for the recipient. It is a reward for good and effective leadership from those who have served with honor and distinction. It is hard to imagine a more energetic and enthusiatic advocate for Optimism than John Johnson. He became acquainted with civic organizations while still in high school. In 1993 he joined the Indian Springs Optimist Club in Blountville, TN and then in 2000 he became a member of the Bristol TN-VA Optimist Club where he served as their Zone Representative at Zone, District, Re-

gional and International Convention meetings. He has served in almost every capacity and office at the club and district level. Currently he is serving as Sgt-at-Arms for the North Carolina West District Optimists. John Johnson is the benefactor of the Girls District Oratorical Contest College Scholarship. In his spare time John enjoys reading, raising a garden, bush-hogging for some special friends and neighbors, and attending activities provided by the Senior Citizens Center in Kingsport, TN. His most cherished activities are those spent with his children. John and his wife, Angela, reside in the Indian Springs Community in Blountville TN. They have been married for 32 years and have two married daughters, Mimia of Oakland, CA and Amanda Joy of New haven, CT.

Optimist Trivia 1. Optimist International was officially formed in what year?

___1974 ___1927 ___1933 ___1919

2. Optimist Oratorical Contests began in what year?

___1954 ___1928 ___1936 ___1952

3. Who was the founder of

___ Dwight Eisenhower ___ J Edgar Hoover ___ Dr. Carl Bowen

4. Approximately how many members in Optimist International?

___ 28,000 ___ 163,000 ___ 85,000 ___ 100,000

Optimist International’s Respect for Law Program?

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5. Who is the President of Optimist International?

___ Richard Nixon ___ Jim Kondrusuk ___ Ronald Reagan

6. Who wrote the Optimist Creed?

___ Charles Shultz ___ R Waldo Emerson ___ Christian D Larson

7. When was the Creed first written?

___1919 ___1938 ___1912 ___1934

8. Who was the founder of Optimist International’s Youth Appreciation week?

___ Winston Churchill ___ T Earl Yarborough ___ W T Grant

9. Optimist International headquarters is located in what city?

___ Kansas City ___ St. Louis ___ Los Angeles

Our Featured Club of the Month:

always ends on a serious note in which he encouraged the members to be good deputies of the community in which they all serve. The Bristol club stays active with Optimist International projects such as Oratorical, Respect for Law and Tri-Star Basketball. They also sponsor a Day at the Theatre for local youth during the Christmas season. The club purchases the entire theatre for a matinee for the youth which includes admission and snacks. The community theatre preforms the Christmas play of the season for them. This summer the club collaborated with the Jr. League of Bristol on a joint project. The project is a water splash pad for the community. It was recently partially completed enough to have a “soft” opening to let the youth enjoy it for a partial summer. The project is scheduled for full completion in 2017 with a grand opening celebration of which the Bristol club will have a major role. It is believed to be the first time two Bristol service organizations have joined forces for the benefit of the community. The Bristol club has 33 active members whose time with the club range from 50 years to four weeks. The club meets each Thursday of the month at 12:00 pm at the Food City, in Bristol, VA.

The Bristol Optimist Club

from Bristol,Tennessee and Virginia

Bristol, Tennessee is the twin city of Bristol, Virginia, which lies directly We welcome them into across the state line between Tennessee and Virginia. The boundary between the two cities is also the state line, which runs along State Street in their common downtown district. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol (TN)–Bristol (VA) Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly known as the “Tri-Cities” region. Bristol is mostly known for country music and the Bristol Motor Speedway. OPTIMIST CLUB OF BRISTOL, TN-VA was chartered on 05/17/1966 by the KINGSPORT-DOWNTOWN, TN, which is no longer operational. On October 13, 2016 the club celebrated its 50th anniversary. They were blessed to have two charter members as well as two of the three men from the Kingsport club that sponsored the club. The charter Bristol members are Ernie Sprouse and Graham Barr, who is the senior member at 83 years of age. The Kingsport members are Bill Stewart and Clay Boyd. Mr. Boyd purchased the club banner for the new club and it is still the one in use to this day. There were over 60 guests who were entertained by David Browning who does an impersonation of the famed Don Knotts character of Barney Fife of the Andy Griffith show. He entertained with an “update” of Mayberry news using the audience as the characters from the show. David is a Bristol native and has been a close friend of the club for a number of years. His trade name is the Mayberry Deputy. After the update he

We welcome them into our district.

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Jackson Park Ministries

On October 28, 2016 an event led by Ron Wilson of the now defunct Queen City Optimist Club and several members of the Charlotte Club was held at Jackson Park Ministries in Charlotte, NC. Jackson Park Ministries is a transformational housing program with a unique approach that offers housing, food, clothing, training, mentoring and other tangible help to low-income families while encouraging personal responsibility. An effort has been made by a group of Optimist Club members to directly impact the life of the children involved in these homes to enrich their lives. The latest event was a Bricks 4 Kidz (legos) fun-filled educational after school program for about 30 kids. You may research this at http://www.bricks4kidz.com/northcharlotte and http://www.jacksonpark.org/.

2016 Optimists Golf Tournament On October 10, 2016, the 24th Annual Optimist Golf Classic was held at the lovely Olde Sycamore Golf Plantation in Mint Hill, NC. Participating were the Charlotte, Mallard Creek, Providence and Weddington Optimists clubs. Among the 69 golfers was a surprise well-known sports celebrity — who just walked up and unexpectedly volunteered to play. He has agreed to play with us every year. The clubs sold pin flags, hole sponsorships and solicited donated food, drinks and various items for the silent auction. We want to thank Just Fresh, and American Burger who provided lunch and dinner that were served to the golfers, volunteer workers and other guests. Drinks, snacks and some of the other items were provided by Snyder Lance, Adams Distributing, Diamond Springs, and Coca-Cola. Among the exciting items auctioned were a flat screen TV and the Bonefish Excursion dinner for 10. A total of $14, 325 was raised to be split among the participating clubs. All proceeds from this tournament will benefit Optimist projects. If you would like to join us in this or other events, contact Governor John Laurents at [email protected]. Did you know...

Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to the charitable organization of your choice.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Support the Optimist International Foundation by doing your Amazon shopping on smile.amazon.com and selecting the foundation as the charity.

All illustrations by Polly Furr

Promise Yourself,

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To be so strong that nothing can disturb your piece of mind. To talk health, happiness, and prosperity to every living creature you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

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Our Newest Club:

Next Level Optimist Club

Serving Monroe, NC and Union County Newly formed Next Level Optimist Club with 36 members, held the Fall Community Festival, their launch event in Wingate, NC, on Saturday October 29th, 2016. “We wanted to do an event that would give back to the community as well as let everyone know we are here to service the community while bringing out the best in kids. We partnered with the local Fire department, hospital, and various vendors in the community to make this happen. We were very pleased with the event turnout.”

Keeping Score Members as of October 1, 2016 Clubs as of October 1, 2016 Members as of November 1, 2016 Clubs as of November 1, 2016

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The 2016-2017 Directory will be dedicated to L. Clement Hahn, Jr.

Optimist member of Asheville Club since 1966, Clement served in nearly every office and committee both at the club level and the district, including Governor in 2008–2009. Lester Clement Hahn, Jr., 73, of Arden, NC, passed away peacefully on October 15th,

at The John F. Keever Jr. Solace Center in Asheville. He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Juanita Hawkins Hahn. Clement is also survived by his three children, Kenneth Hahn and his wife, Vicki, of Fletcher, NC, DeAnna Granda and her husband, Barry, of Lexington, SC, and Kimberly Hahn of Tampa, FL. Clement’s children gave him the gift of seven loving grandchildren, Kirsten H. Lookadoo, Brittany, Patricia, and Elizabeth Hahn, Trevor, Dylan, and Megan Granda. Clement led a life of social and community involvement. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree from Lenoir-Rhyne College where he was a member of the Theta Xi Fraternity (Kappa Omicron Chapter 2, and Order of the Golden Star), he worked as a CPA and retired from The J.P.S. Accounting Firm. Clement’s community outreach led him to many memberships within his community. He was a member of The Asheville Optimist Club, Treasurer of The Boys and Girls Homes of NC. Inc., Past Governor and Sec. Treasurer of the NC West District Optimist International, The NC Association of Certified Public Accountants, and The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Clement was a faithful and devout member of The Lutheran Church of the Nativity. He served his church as a council member, past president, and treasurer.

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First  Quarter  District  Meeting                  November  11-­12,  2016   The  Hawthorne  Inn,  420  High  Street  Winston-­Salem   North  Carolina  West  District,  Optimist  International  

  R  E  G  I  S  T  R  A  T  I  O  N  

30  ROOMS  HAVE  BEEN  RESERVED  FOR  FRIDAY  &  15  FOR  SATURDAY  NIGHTS   Room  Rate:  $99  +  tax      MUST  reserve  by  October  12th    to  guarantee  room  and  rate.   Call:  336-­777-­3000  and  mention  Optimist  District  Meeting  or  register  on  line  at   www.hawthorneinn.com  enter  arrival  and  departure  date  and  group  code  26Q80E   Hot  Breakfast  included  with  your  room  in  the  Bayberry  Bistro    

Friday November 11th Dinner 5:30 – 6:45 PM (Friday night meal paid by District): Quantity ______ Saturday, November 12th General Session and Luncheon 9 AM to 3 PM

1 Optimist Name _____________________________2 Optimist Name_______________________________ 3 Optimist Name _____________________________4 Optimist Name_______________________________ Club Name _____________________________________________Club Number ____________Zone______ Non-Optimist Spouse/Guest Name (no registration fee)____________________________________________ Meeting Registration Quantity Cost Registration Fee ______ X 15.00 = __________Lunch______ $22.00 = __________Total___________ RESERVATIONS REQUIRED IN ADVANCE FOR MEALS Return registration form and check made payable to NC West District by October 12th

To: Gardner Bridges, NC West District #44, Secretary-Treasurer:

446  Dix  Creek  Road  Leicester,  NC  28748     Promise  Yourself  to  Live  a  Life  of  Significance   8