On December 11, “Signing” Santa came to the Club meeting, presenting each of the elementary students from Michigan School for the Deaf with a personalized wrapped gift after the families all shared our Annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa. We did not have a regular meeting, so there is little other news from that gathering, but the photos above and below show some of the activity. (They cannot come close to capturing the glee and gratitude that filled the room.)
On December 18, we had our last Optimist Club gathering of the calendar year, with 12 enthusiastic members in attendance and several visiting Snowmen with us at the tables. (See photo below for Jim Reigle’s “wine-cork-white-Christmas” craftiness.)
Jeff Gauger celebrated an “awesome” weekend of 43 bed assemblies (totaling 300+ for the year) with Sleep in Heavenly Peace, and noted that the next Build Day will be at the Job Corps on January 19, so rest up after your holiday celebrations!
Steve Schlott passed cards around for signatures, to be given to our Liberty waitress, Patty, and sent to our valued member John Losinski.
Mic Goulet celebrated the 9 Salvation Army Bell-Ringers from our Club and reported on the cold but satisfying experience.
Upcoming speakers include Amber Miller from Boys & Girls Club and a couple of fellow Optimists from the Downtown Club who have some ideas for collaboration with our group.
Fines today were assessed against Mic for sending out mail to Steve’s wife, Rose, from Gaine’s Jewelers “and not even trying to disguise this quasi-porn with plain brown wrappers”, and against Steve (by Jeff Dennings) for failure to have Whaley’s Exec Mindy Williams in to speak today as promised.
Jack Medemar “won” the ticket draw but lost the card flip for today’s $404 in the “50/50 Progressive Pot”.
Liberty will be open on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026, so anyone showing up for a meeting will at least get breakfast.
Until next time, “Promise Yourself…”
Personal Message: Borrowed from a birthday note from my daughter, I pray that, especially during this season and going into next year, we all “Have eyes that see the best, a heart that forgives the worst, a mind that forgets the bad, and a soul that never loses faith.”
(-Nicky Gumbel)
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all my Optimist friends!!
