A Club in District 41

Imperial Beach Optimist Club

Monthly Archives: January 2018

Coronado Club – January 25, 2018

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January 25, 2018
This morning started with a great roiling gold and orange sunrise for those who approached from the North. President Don struck six bells and Bobbi Howland prayed to the Lord with the much loved Psalm 100…Shout out to the Lord!!…Amen!!!
Pat Kelly started the pledge. President Don told us that Optimism is the sunshine of the soul. And then he told us about an Coronado Optimist named Glenn Curtiss who made the first successful seaplane flight from Spanish Bight on January 26, 1911. Does anybody know about the unsuccessful seaplane flights? There had to be more than a couple. The realtor who sold us our house on little bitty Alder Street told us we were sitting on a Museum of Naval Aviation. I thought she meant that just because John Bowen was once a teenager in the house. Maybe I should dig around in the backyard to see what went into filling up Spanish Bight.
Bill Carinder is getting all our OCC liaisons to brief the club on the teams or activities we sponsor. Today Irish Flynn told us about the CHS Track and Field and Cross Country Teams. Coach George Green is excited about the potential for records to be set by this year’s squad. Unfortunately all the meets are away from Coronado. As before we Optimists will help out with the meets, but this year we will be a traveling gaggle of Yellow Shirts. Let Irish know if you want to be included. The first meet is 19 April.
Our buddy Jim Perino has moved to the Coronado Royale (old name of the place across the street from the entrance to the hospital) in room 232. He would love visitors.
Christian Esquevin told us about some of the great things your library has for you. There is a beautiful Digital Media Lab where you can print posters, change your slides or photos into files on your DVDs or thumb drives, make flyers for your next event. He says that Software like Photoshop and Publisher are available to you.
The library website offers digitized and searchable newspapers from 1887 to 2013, and more coming. There is a Coronado photo atlas where you can see what houses used to cover your lot, or what any address in town might have looked like before you got here.
There are resources from notable folks from our past. Our own Dave Nash who kept a secret diary of his years as a prisoner of the Japanese in the Philippines, in Japan, and in Manchuria. You can see copies of Dave’s journal as well as stories of his life and times.
Our Library is a wonderful resource. Use it! Don gave Christian a check for the Teen Library as we have done every year. The kids have some Optimist Friends of the Library.
And Happy Birthday Sue Cargill.
Upcoming Events to Note
Tomorrow the Coronado Roundtable meets in the Winn Room at the Library. Mike Murphy, President and CEO of Sharp Health care at 10 AM.
On 28 February our Oratorical Contest. Plan on attending at Village Elementary.
On 4 February the Souperbowl of Sharing. Call Erin Downey (619) 675-1323 for a pick up of non-perishable goods.
Feb. 8, 15,and 23 Pasta for Pennies at the Middle School.
Winning Teams
Those smiling faces belong to our Girls’ and Boys’ Golf Teams at CHS. The kids are flanked by Don Crawford and Golf Coach Stuart Gordon. The team told us about the designer clothes we send their way (warm them in the late afternoon and keep them extra dry in our frequent showers). Coach Gordon and the golfers thanked us and told of their successes against bigger rivals.
On the left we have the CHS Rugby Coach Santos Trujillo with star player Teddy Hendrikson and proud Dan Hendrickson. Santos talked about the motivational jerseys Teddy took away. We provided $250 to support the team. Note that among the things we help to buy for these tough youngsters are tractor tires and sleds to push around.
Saturday it is Rugby on the home pitch starting at 10 AM. There is more detail in your Eagle Journal.

Optimist Essay Contest 2017-2018

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Topic:  “Can Society Function without Respect?”

Eligible: Students under the age of 18 as of October 1, 2017

Need: Birth Certificate/Passport, application, 700-800 word typed essay

Important Date: Club winning Essay, Application, Birth Certificate and District Contest Entry Form to District Chair, Francine Poirier, by Wednesday, February 28, 2018.  Make a copy for your files.

francine.poirier@att.net    619-461-1946    6560 Casselberry Way, S.D. 92119

Scholarship: $2,500 from O.I.

Download Essay Club Planning Guide at  www.optimist.org/scholarships

 

Any questions contact Francine Poirier

Optimist International President Visits District 41

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President Nick Prillaman Jr., his beautiful wife Dottie, and O.I. Representative Jim Oliver were in town on a tour of the West Coast Regional Optimist Districts.

President Nick attended the Rose Parade in Pasadena on New Year’s Day and got into town that evening. Governor Lynn and her husband Jim took them to dinner at C-Level on Harbor Island, where the dignitaries got to see the Downtown San Diego skyline for the very first time! They were thrilled!

The following day, we toured the USS Midway. It was always a dream of President Nick’s to be on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier- check that one off the bucket list! After the tour, the group lunched at The Fish Market Restaurant.

That evening, the CALSO District came out in force for the dinner held in President Nick’s honor at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Restaurant. There were about 31 in attendance. The President gave a speech about the status of the Optimist Organization and what it means to live the Optimist Creed daily. He was ecstatic about the turnout and meeting all of the members of this vibrant district!

Coronado Club – January 4, 2018

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We’re Back!
Our first meeting of the new year. Guests and money to give away. A fascinating story featuring Petula Clark, Nancy Sinatra, and the all time ace of German Aviation. Let us get started!
Bang! The balloon has fallen and the New Year is ahead of us.
ALERT ALERT ALERT Go to the basketball game that the CHS team plays against Scripps Ranch tomorrow at 7PM. Wear Yellow and Sing Out with gusto.
Guests–Rosy-cheeked Angela Ahern from the frigid East with proud Dad. Becky Lull with Paul and our treasurered Treasurer Caroline. Young Gina with very pleased dad Georgie Bassola, Jon Jacobson with Bill Carinder.
Charles Helsper and Jim Cartwright made change and small talk at the desk. Crawdad struck da bell, Megan Pontes gave a mighty prayer (reproduced below).
CMS Principal Karin Mellina brought students Bella Loisella and Hannah Cohen to help carry off a really big check. The kids talked about the upcoming week in the woods known as sixth grade camp. We Optimists send a half dozen youngsters to this highlight, and in time for the snow this year.
Don Crawford announced that the new and improved club directory is sitting on the back table waiting to be picked up. If you want the electric version you can send Don a request to his email address. Of course you have to have access to Don’s address, so you should pick up a hard copy to get that bit of data. Or you could read all the way to the end of this newsletter where Don’s address will be hidden in the last paragraph.
There is a reason why the editor is out of sorts. He/She received a message that by now 75% of our loyal readers have deleted this newsletter because They/them don’t like the layout on his/her smartest of phones. I guess we will all just have to suck it up and hope for the best.
Don Crawford told us that he and the Mrs. celebrated 37 years of wedded bliss on New Years Eve. Yay!
There was some sort of announcement from Mr. Mayor (I think) that a 6 mph speed limits has been enacted for the city, and discharging of firearms is authorized only in the case of felons in flight or noisy aviators.
The Mayor’s younger sister bought a house and got engaged. Good start to the year.
Mark Blumenthal’s New Mexico U won a bowl game after 57 years of futility. Go You AGGIES!!!
Richard Owens celebrated 6 years as a Optimist. Gooch was the sponsor. Lyman won the drawing that will make him a semi-rich man.
This week Diana Drummey entertained the supreme ruler of Optimism, Dick Pearlman, and promises to get him back next year to meet each of you.
Carol Head introduced her husband Brigadier R G Head, USAF to tell us all about the air war in WWI. Carol told us that as a young Captain RG appeared via video on the Really Big Show of Ed Sullivan with Petula Clark (Downtown) and Nancy Sinatra (These Boots Are Made for Walkin’). Now that I’ve got Tom Bernitt’s attention, I’ll finish the story of RG landing his A1 Skyraider wheels up and tailhook down–standard USAF procedure I guess. Carol fell in love with the brave airman and the rest is history.
RG got into building models of old German planes that you can see in museums and the Coronado Library. He also stumbled into the fascinating story of Oswald Boecke, Germany’s first ace–before the Red Baron. Before he was killed in a air to air collision in October 1916, Boecke had shot down 26 British and French airplanes. He had been awarded the nation’s highest military award, had a funeral attended by his enemies and friends, was praised in newspapers all over the US. Quite some story. If you missed your chance to buy General Head’s book on Boecke, you can find it on Amazon where everybody gives it 5 stars.
Next week we will have either Tom Bernitt , the curmudgeon of the Cays, showing up to speak to us cudgel in hand, or some recovering flu sufferer advising us on the right remedy, or perhaps none of the above.
And now Megan’s Prayer:
Our gracious God and Father, as we begin this new year, help us to leave a lasting legacy for our families and our community. We want to invest our lives in a way that will make a difference.
Father, we ask you to not allow us to cling to what is comfortable. Help us to forget the mistakes of the past. Keep us from shrinking back from the challenges and opportunities you have placed before us. We want to let go of all that will hold us back, as we press on to the greater achievements of the future.
Father, would you lead us? Would you make use of us to make an impact in our community, for your glory and the good of many, many people? We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen

Courtney Sue – A Special Life

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It is with great sadness that I share news of the death of Courtney Arciaga, daughter of Sue and RC.  Courtney had a form of progeria, called the aging disease, and had been fragile her entire life.  However, Courtney had a great spirit and loved helping with Optimist fund raising events. That tiny body fought very hard and lived her life to the fullest.  I always thought God selected the perfect parents for her because Sue and RC encouraged her and fought for her with patience and love. The family has gathered together now to mourn and remember their wonderful “princess.”

 

Donations can be made in Courtney’s name to the Sunshine Foundation. I’m sure you could give checks to the family later or you could send donations directly to: Sunshine Foundation, 1041 Mill Creek Drive, Feastereville, PA 19053. Optimists, some of you will remember that a couple of years ago Courtney  did a presentation about this group at our meeting.  It is similar to Make a Wish and Courtney enjoyed several trips courtesy of the foundation.  You can find their website at Sunshine Foundation.

 

Just remember the beautiful person that Courtney was her entire life…

 

Yours, Virginia

The Imperial Beach Optimists Swore In New Officers – from DigImperialBeach.com

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The Imperial Beach Optimists Swore In New Officers and Celebrated Another Successful Year at Ice Cream Social Last Tuesday Oct 08, 2017 08:42PM ● Published by Paul Spear Gallery: The Imperial Beach Optimists Swore In New Officers and Celebrated Another Successful Year and Handed Out Awards on Tuesday [4 Images] Click any image to expand. […]