Downtown Optimist Club NewsletterDowntown Optimist Club NewsletterDowntown Optimist Club NewsletterDowntown Optimist Club NewsletterA periodic Newsletter of the St. Petersburg - Downtown Optimist Club

North Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447 February 16, 2010

Editor: E. Gardner Harshman, telephone 592-0243 or email: gharshman@tampabay.rr.com

Downtown Club takes the gold ...Downtown Club takes the gold ...Downtown Club takes the gold ...Downtown Club takes the gold ... What an appropriate opening. While the ‘for real’Olympics are taking place in Vancouver, Optimist Clubs in the North FloridaDistrict were being recognized for their achievementslast year. These presentations took place at the Saturdayevening banquet at the 2nd Quarter Conference inJacksonville just two short weeks ago. Downtown Clubwalked away with much recognition for their efforts lastyear. First, as we knew previously, Downtown madeHONOR CLUB — just one step short of Distinguished.Thanks to all members for their diligence and dedicationin bringing this about. Your Secretary-Treasurer Lee

Warnock was recognized for the prompt and accurate completionof his duties. The club received four new patches for the Clubbanner --- Sponsorship of a J.O.O.I. Club, Membership gain of fivemembers, a Distinguished Benefactor patch for a major cumulativecontribution to the Optimist International Foundation. The biggestand tallest of all was the Travel Trophy recognizing the Club thathad the most members traveling the farthest for the conference(number of members times mileage driven). Please note the quilt hanging to the left. Itwas crafted by the wife of Governor Perry Albritton and displayed at each of theconferences during his year. It was awarded to the number one club in the District

from last year and that club is Downtown of St. Petersburg. Kudos to Scott Kaplan, Zone chair of the EasterEgg hunt, for the job he did on the CPA (Community Project Awards) book for last year. His entry in the CPAcontest was one of the finest seen. The project itself is topnotch and the presentation Scott put together wasoutstanding. It won first place in the District competition and should have been forwarded to International forfurther judging. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and we’ll never know how Scott would have fared in thatsetting. That loss does not diminish our appreciation for his efforts and all he does for the Club.WAY TO GO GUYS AND GALS!!! Downtown Rocks!!!

Today’sToday’sToday’sToday’s meeting at Tick Tock ... meeting at Tick Tock ... meeting at Tick Tock ... meeting at Tick Tock ... Here again, if we could take medals for attendance, wewould win the gold! We had twenty and a “little bit” in attendance — many of themguests. Beginning with Rick and Jean Rutan, they introduced Rick’s brother WarrenRutan and his wife Marian (who visited with us last year also, their granddaughterAmber and great granddaughter 6 mos. old Adriana. (Adrianna was the little bit”, andGardner made her cry. Shame on him.) Scott Kaplan brought as his guest Sue Fosteranother school teacher and very old friend of his. (If I heard correctly, Scott was astudent of Sue many years ago.) We also had as our guest, J.O.O.I. President DianaStancic and her dad shown in the picture on the right. Dians presented Advisor pinsto Lee and Gardner We had our guest speaker, of course. Sgt. Tracey Schofield of the Pinellas Park Police. Many of you met himlast year. Tracey told us of his travels and adventures traversing the state of Florida last December to raise funds

for Pinellas Park Boys & Girls Club and for project Hope. Some statistics from his walk were covered in ourJanuary 5 issue. Tracey, along with all members of the Department, are now engaged in a new project setting upa POLICE AND KIDS FOUNDATION with a focus on kids. It is anticipated that the Foundation will fund

immediate needs of kids that the police encounter during their regular duties, kids whoneed things such as food, diapers, clothes, etc. As I understand the project, it willempower the police to give aid and support to kids where needed on an immediate basiswithout seeking approval and funds from bureaucratic sources. Vi Hayworth inducted Sharon Dennany as our newest member. Sharon was previouslya member and a former President of the Club. She had to leave for a while and is now

back as Vi’s newest recruit. Welcome to Sharon.

YardYardYardYard sale . . . sale . . . sale . . . sale . . . Of particular import is the matter of changing the date of the sale. Originally scheduledfor Saturday, March 13th, the sale has been shifted to the following Saturday, March 20th. This change wasbrought about due to a conflict with use of the parking lot by Club 28. A HUGE motorcycle runis scheduled for the 13th and Gov. Ric was concerned that it would be noisy and chaotic if we hadthe sale and the run at the same time. Thank you, Ric, for letting us know about the conflict.We’ll gladly change the date in appreciation for use of the lot for our sale.Everyone! Don’t forget to amass the many items we’ll need for the day of the sale.

Upcoming Activities ...

March 2 — Regular meeting at Tick TockVP Scott Kaplan, presiding

March 16 — Regular meeting at Tick TockGuest speaker Chief Robert Bassett, St. Pete Fire

March 20 — Yard Sale March 28 — Palm SundayApril 3 — East Egg Hunt

Birthdays ...

March 9 Gardner HarshmanMarch 16 Jim RidingsMarch 17 Chuck HayworthMarch 19 Bob CostaMarch 27 Vi Hayworth

Club Anniversaries ...

March 1 Jennifer Malanado6 Scott Kaplan17 Judy Warnock

50/50 drawing now exceeds $500.00 (I think)

Winner of the drawing today wasRick’s brother Warren Rutan. Hedrew the Queen of Hearts insteadof the joker! Got a consolationprize, but No money.

Downtown Optimist Club

of St. Petersburg 3558 100

th Terrace

Pinellas Park, FL 33782-4100

The Optimist Creed

Promise Yourself -To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person 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 to 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 oftrouble.

CLUB OFFICERS

President Gardner Harshman . . 592-0243

Vice Pres. Scott Kaplan . . . . . . . 535-6939Vice Pres. Vi Hayworth . . . . . . . 527-2656

Sec/Treas. Lee Warnock . . . . . . 577-7159Sgt-At-Arms Jim Sirrianna . . . . 392-2718Chaplin Rick Rutan . . . . . . . . . 522-6143

Directors

Jim Sirrianna (1) . . . . . . . . . . . 392-2718Viki Pena (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421-3721Chuck Hayworth (1) . . . . . . . . . 527-2656Jean Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143Rick Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143Judy Warnock (2) . . . . . . . . . . . 458-8278

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Oratorical Contest . . . . . . . . Lee WarnockEssay Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean RutanPrograms/Speakers . . . . . . . . Rick RutanFellowship . . . . . . Vi Hayworth/Viki Pena

Poster Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean RutanO.I. Foundation Rep . . . . . . . Jane RidingsRespect for Law . . . . . . Gardner HarshmanYouth Appreciation . . . . . . . . Lee WarnockNew Community Dev. . . . . . . Vi HayworthGet Away Raffle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Easter Egg Hunt . . . . . . . . . . Scott KaplanBell Ringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi HayworthFirst Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock