Editor: Sharon Dennany, telephone 919-274-1311 or email: skdennany@gmail.com

Scott Kaplan – President

7360 Ulmerton Rd. #21D, Largo, FL 33771

Zone 9 Lt. Governor – Jean Rutan

North Florida District Governor – Daniel Rich

Downtown Optimist ClubA periodic newsletter of the

St. Petersburg - Downtown Optimist ClubNorth Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447

January 1, 2011

Downtown Optimist ClubA periodic newsletter of the

St. Petersburg - Downtown Optimist ClubNorth Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447

January 1, 2011

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday and best wishes

for a Happy New Year. It’s hard to believe that it is 2011!

Remember the Y2K computer problem back in 2000? Eleven years

later and technology has just gone crazy…iPads, camera phones,

Skype, laptops, high definition television. It’s mind boggling!!

Origin of New Year

New Year is the world's most popularly celebrated festival. Perhaps,

everybody would like to know how these celebrations began, from

where it originated and what is so important about the festival. Let's

give you an insight to the origin of this grand event in a brief form.

Ancient New Year Calendar

Origin of New Year dates back to the era of emperors. They thought

of celebrating a special day which should dot a day for beginning and

end of the year. First New Year celebrations were noticed in

Mesopotamia around 2000 years. It was celebrated at the time of

Equinox in mid-March by the Egyptians, Persians and Phoenicians

while Greeks celebrated it on winter solstice.

As per the ancient Roman calendar New Year fell on March 1. This

calendar just had ten months and March was the first month of the

year. The calendar originated by the cycles of the moon, beginning in

spring and ending with autumn planting.

Inclusion of Two Calendar Months

It was Numa Pompilius, the second king of

Rome who divided the year into twelve lunar

months by adding the months of January and

February. The New Year was shifted to

January as it marked the beginning of the civil

years in Rome. But this was not fully accepted by the people of

Rome and they continued celebrating in the month of March only.

January 1- an Official Date of New Year Celebrations

The Roman emperor Julius Caesar officially declared January 1 to be

a New Year in 46 B.C. Romans worshiped God Janus who had two

faces, one looking forward and the other looking backward. The

month of January was named after this Roman God and it gave an

idea to the emperor to establish January as a gate to the New Year.

It is said Caesar celebrated January 1 - New Year by ordering the

revolutionary Jewish forces to route back.

People began New Year celebrations on January 1 after many years.

They ritualized the beginning of the year by acting and re-enacting

the world of the past before peace proliferated. People learned

January as the first month of the year and with this the tradition of

following Julian calendar.

Abolition of Roman New Year Date

In the medieval period, pagan festivals were given more importance

and March 25 was announced as the beginning of the New Year.

March 25 was called the Annunciation Day as on this day Mary got

the news that she should be impregnated.

Later, the King of England ensured that Jesus' birth December 25

should be commemorated as New Year.

Gregorian Calendar

About 500 years later, Pope Gregory XIII abolished the old Julian

calendar and introduced Gregorian calendar which comprised of a

leap year after every four years to maintain balance between

seasons and calendar. Finally, in 1582, Gregorian calendar was set

to celebrate New Year on the first day of January.

Source: http://www.newyearfestival.com/origin-of-new-year.html

ItItItIt’’’’s My s My s My s My Anniversary!Anniversary!Anniversary!Anniversary!

Belated December 13

Vikki Pena

January 26

Bob Costa

January 31

Sharon Dennany

ItItItIt’’’’s My s My s My s My Birthday!Birthday!Birthday!Birthday!

Belated December 7

Elaine Mullen

Belated December 13

Jean Rutan

January 10

Jane Ridings

January 24

Paul Brett

Zone 9 Christmas DinnerZone 9 Christmas DinnerZone 9 Christmas DinnerZone 9 Christmas Dinner was on December 21, 2010 at Gig’s

Italian Restaurant in Pasadena. A number of clubs were there to

enjoy the festivities and camaraderie. Downtown Club members who

attended were Jean Rutan, Gardner and Moonie Harshman, Jane

and Jim Ridings, Betty Ralston, Elaine Mullen, Scott Kaplan, Judy

and Lee Warnock and myself. Rick Rutan and Vi Hayworth was

feeling under the weather and were not able to attend. If I overlooked

anyone, I apologize.

All the clubs pitched in and donated gifts to Brookwood Florida, a

Therapeutic Group Home for Teen Girls. Diane Sunden was our

guest speaker from Brookwood. Founded in 1927, Brookwood is a

licensed therapeutic group home for adolescent girls ages 11 to 21,

who come to Brookwood from throughout the state of Florida.

Residents are victims of abuse, neglect, violence, family dysfunction,

or homelessness. Brookwood's treatment philosophy is a combination

of cognitive, behavioral and reality therapies. The program goal is to

assist troubled young women in developing skills, self-concepts and a

maturity level sufficient to successfully return home or move into

independent living.

Scott conducted a short meeting with the following announcements:

The Breakfast club stole the traveling gavel from us, which we had

stolen from the Sunset club at a bunco game.

We have two new members Sue Foster and CJ Morris. Welcome

to the club!

Lee Warnock won 50/50.

January 20th is the next Zone 9 meeting at Gigi’s.

The next Downtown meeting is January 4th at Tick Tock and the

following meeting on January 18th will be at the Ronald McDonald

House.

Thank you’s went out to Gardner and Moonie for organizing the

Holiday Dinner!

Trivia Trivia Trivia Trivia �In the late 1700's, many houses consisted of a large room with

only one chair. Commonly, a long wide board folded down from the

wall, and was used for dining. The 'head of the household' always sat

in the chair while everyone else ate sitting on the floor. Occasionally

a guest, who was usually a man, would be invited to sit in this chair

during a meal. To sit in the chair meant you were important and in

charge. They called the one sitting in the chair the 'chair man.' Today

in business, we use the expression or title 'Chairman' or 'Chairman of

the Board.'

�As incredible as it sounds, men and women took baths only twice

a year (May and October) Women kept their hair covered, while men

shaved their heads (because of lice and bugs) and wore wigs.

Wealthy men could afford good wigs made from wool. They couldn't

wash the wigs, so to clean them they would carve out a loaf of bread,

put the wig in the shell, and bake it for 30 minutes. The heat would

make the wig big and fluffy, hence the term 'big wig.' Today we often

use the term 'here comes the Big Wig' because someone appears to

be or is powerful and wealthy.

�Most people got married in June because they took their yearly

bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. However,

since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers

to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a

bouquet when getting married.

�The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt.

Hence the saying, "Dirt poor." The wealthy had slate floors that

would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh

(straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they

added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start

slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way.

Hence: a thresh hold.

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 of trouble.

CLUB OFFICERS

President Scott Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .535-6939

7360 Ulmerton Rd. #21D, Largo, FL 33771

1st Vice Pres. Vi Hayworth . . . . . . . . . . . . 527-2656

2nd Vice Pres. Viki Pena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421-3721

Sec/Treas. Lee Warnock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577-7159

Sgt-At-Arms/Gardner Harshman. . . . . . . . 592-0243

Chaplain Rick Rutan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522-6143

DIRECTORS

Jean Rutan (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143

Rick Rutan (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143

Judy Warnock (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458-8278

Sharon Dennany (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . ..919-274-1311

Gardner Harshman (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592-0243

Moonyeene Harshman (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . 592-0243

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Oratorical Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock

Essay Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Rutan

Programs/Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Rutan

Fellowship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vi Hayworth/Viki Pena

Poster Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jean Rutan

O.I. Foundation Rep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane Ridings

Respect for Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gardner Harshman

Youth Appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock

New Community Dev. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth

Raffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock

Easter Egg Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Viki Pena

Bell Ringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth

First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock