This morning Cynthia Kosciuczyk shared a beautiful reading from Philippians and Laz, looking very sharp in his uniform, started the Pledge of Allegiance.
OTIMISTIC FUTURE: A highlight of todays busy meeting, was Diana Drummey introducing Cole Mullins, from CHS, who has recently been elected as President of Junior Optimist International for 2018-2019. Cole’s very proud parents Joe and Condra Mullins were in attendance. Jennifer Landry, Cole’s JOI mentor, was away on business, but we want to thank her and Cole’s parents for helping to shape such a promising and optimistic young leader. Great Job Cole.
GUESTS: In addition to Cole’s parents, we had John Shaefer here for his third visit (new member maybe?) and George Bassola III, Gyorgy’s son, also for his third mtg. Sorry, young George may have to wait a few years to join, but he’s always welcome. Mo was also accompanying Gooch at the mtg. Always great to have a Soroptimist with us.
ANNOUNOUNCEMENTS:
-Remember DUES ARE DUE, NLT July 31, 2018. See previous emails for details.
-If you haven’t yet volunteered to help with our upcoming Sports Fiesta and will be here on July 28, contact Don asap. We need every able body.
-Carolyn Perino relates that Jim Perino has entered a full care memory center and will not be able to attend future meetings. Jim will be added to our Exfacto Member list so Carolyn can share club news.
-A new leadership opportunity is available: Captain of our talented Lawn Bowling Team. The grudge match (with pizza and beer provided) against our in-town rivals is coming up and we need leadership. Call Don if interested, even if you can’t bowl, but like pizza.
-This year’s Super Frog competition will be September 16. Two shifts are available, early and late. Be sure to sign up at next weeks meeting or contact Irish Flynn if you would like to participate.
-The Lakeside Bulls Rodeo is this weekend. If you would like to support a fellow Optimist Club, give Cynthia Kosciuczyk for details
-Our friend and past President Bruce Johnson has been going through a trying time with health. Keep Bruce in your thoughts and prayers, In the meantime Lauri told us that Island Threads is still open for business and can deliver your Goldenrod stuff in time for the Sports Fiesta. Lauri’s business number is 619-435-5006
-Jim Zoll won the 50/50 drawing this week. It seems that happens a lot. Of course he does buy lots of tickets each week. So I guess statistics work.
SPORTS FIESTA UPDATE:
-Tom Catlin briefed us on the fantastic marketing campaign underway for this year’s event. It includes; 5 stories and 2 big adds in the Eagle Journal, a feature article in the new Crown City Mag., adds in the Concerts in the Park brochure, E-Coronado, Coronado and Cays Happenings, as well as advertising at Tri Club of SD. Tom is also putting together a 30 second commercial to be aired on Fox Sport News in SD. Fliers are available for the full fiesta to be placed in business windows around town and leaflets to be placed any golf carts in town, promoting the golf cart decorating contest. See Bill Parry or Tom.
-Rob Kracht shared some great news about this years fund raising. Rob estimates we will end up with about $45-48K in liquid contributions and about $4k of in-kind contributions. Really a great job thus far, but there are a number of loose ends (pledges and fund raising assignments) to tie down before we celebrate.
-Bill Parry said that instead of holding a separate sponsor’s appreciation dinner, potentially bankrupting the Sports Fiesta, (see mea culpa next column) that we will invite key sponsors to join us at the Club Barbeque to be held on July 28. Details about time and place of the barbeque will be given at next weeks meeting. So stay tuned.
GUEST SPEAKER: Mayor Baily introduced our guest speaker Ernie Dronenburg Jr, Assessor/Recorder/County Clerk for San Diego County. Ernie gave us an entertaining and informative briefing on the many services provided by his office, how Proposition 13 works, why its the best property tax system in the country and on tax tips for building wealth. Not sure, but I think that last topic is an oxymoron.
If you need property assessed (for tax reasons), if you need to record anything (births, deaths, marriages, important stuff) or if you want to get married, go see Ernie. If you want to get divorced, go see the judge, not Ernie.
Prop 13 is the greatest because it changed Ca property tax from an assessment based system to a transaction based system. i.e. you’re assessed value is tied directly to the sale price of your home, plus escalation and additions.
As for how to build wealth through paying taxes, well he said stuff about transferring you assessed basis if over 55, and gifting your property and tax basis to your kids and tax help for disabled veterans (truly a good thing). However building wealth through paying taxes???. Oh well, as the Mayor said, Ernie is an elected official.
Anniversaries and Birthdays
There were three anniversaries this week: Gootch Goetschius, 29 years, sponsor Wynn Foster; Matt Pontes, 5 years, sponsor Bo Blumenthal; Caroline Lull, 2 years, sponsor Jim Perino. Congrats to all!
We celebrated three birthdays today. Bob Kennelly from New York NY, Irish Flynn all the way from Dublin Ireland and Teresa Leighty from Kansas Mo. I’m certainly no music critic, but I would give today’s Happy Birthday performance a 4 out of 10, which actually might be a new high.
Don’t forget to plan for club picture taking on July 26. Wear goldenrod. And next week, 7/19 we will have our own Buck Rogers as our guest speaker.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise”…Victor Hugo
July 18, 1936: The infamous Coronado Horse Show got its start. Who knew it would become the event it is today?
July 20, 1917: The Army’s Curtiss Flying School on North Island, was formally named Rockwell Field in honor of 2nd LT Lewis Rockwell who, along with his passenger Cpl Scott were killed in a 1912 crash in College Park Md. (editor’s note: the US Army had arrived on NI in Nov. 1912, however they had been preceded by the Navy, who had arrived in Feb. 1912. GO NAVY.
BRAGS & CONFESSIONS
Jim Zoll presented Bill Parry with the first annual “Dean Wormer Herding Cats Award”, in the form a coach’s whistle. Bill somehow managed to organize a normally undisciplined group of ageing Optimists out of cars, off the street and into decorated golf carts. Bill seemed to really like his new symbol of authority.
Bill’s glow was darkened, a bit, by his mea culpa on underestimating the number of donors who would give $400 or more to the Sports Fiesta. You see Bill promised to buy them all dinner, eating into the Sport Fiesta total take. The good news is that there were lots of generous donors this year, the really good news was that no one (besides Bill), followed directions and invited their donors to dinner. Whew!!!
Diana Drummey confessed to the “minimal” expense associated with her recent trip to the Optimist International mtg. in Canada. All she had to show for her trip was a stuffed beaver. Our President promised a swift and thorough investigation.
Don bragged about Irish, Cheryl, Marta and Dennis or their participation in the Get Fit, Go Play outing at Tidelands Park yesterday. They worked with 5 groups from La Mesa and Carlsbad, but there were kids from all over SD County participating in the event.
Diana bragged about winning two 3rd place awards at the SD Fair for Art Interpretation and as Armature Designer. Way to go Diana.
Mike Lavin bragged about his recent article in the Journal, but then confessed he didn’t know what it actually said. He was being modest, it’s a nice article, read it.