NEXT CLUB MEETING

  The next meeting of the Optimist Club of Treynor is planned at 7:20 a.m. Saturday morning January 13, 2007 at the St Paul’s Lutheran Church.  JUDY GUTTAU has arranged for Lindsey Schuler to speak about her experiences at the University of Kansas.  All members are encouraged to bring a guest. 

 

REPORT OF RECENT CLUB MEETING

  At the Club meeting on 1/6 there were 23 members and six guests present.  President GARY GUTTAU opened the meeting with the pledge and offered the devotional prayer.

  Family members of the program speaker Matt Zimmerman were introduced as guests.  They included parents Ron and Deb, sister Nichole Zimmerman, and grandparents Irvin and Bobbi Larsen.

  RICHARD VORTHMANN noted that GEORGE SCHNEIDER returned to the hospital for treatment. 

  JEFF JORGENSEN announced that CARL GARAFFA was also in the hospital.

  Pres. GUTTAU announced that KELLY McGOWEN had taken a job in California.

  The 50/50 was awarded to KEVIN UNDERWOOD.  The attendance pot was awarded to PENNY NELSON, but it couldn’t be collected.

  JOHN KLEIN added a dollar to the Youth Fund to advertise the Pheasants Forever involvement in the upcoming hunting and fishing exposition at the Council Bluffs MidAmerican Center, January 19-21.

  Pres. GUTTAU announced the next can and bottle sorting with the junior class and parents would be Wednesday the 10^th at 6 p.m.  LARRY KRAMER noted the new Can Kennel floor was finished and signage and rain gutters have been ordered to complete the structure. 

  JUDY GUTTAU circulated a monthly program speaker coordinator signup list for 2007.  She noted that only the months of August through October were open yet.

  Pres. Guttau announced the next Club meeting would be at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

  Pres. GUTTAU and JEFF JORGENSEN auctioned numerous ‘Christmas white elephant’ items contributed by Club members.  Bargains were had by successful bidders ranging from about one to forty dollars.

  There were eight Board members present after the Club meeting to discuss business items.  Treasurer JORGENSEN reported club assets of about $7956 plus an endowment value of $1767.  A motion by JOHN KLEIN and seconded by JORGENSEN was approved to deposit the ‘white elephant’ auction receipts in the endowment fund.  LARRY KRAMER reported that expenditures for the new Can Kennel totaled $3283 to date.  Pres. GUTTAU reported on discussions at the recent City Council meeting regarding meeting schedules at the Community Center.  Our Club can meet Saturday mornings withou! t charge as long as we participate in a fund raising event for the Community Center.  Other meetings will be charged at half rate.  Pres. GUTTAU will inquire about Treynor Day activity planning with previous chairs and present proposals at the next Club meeting.

 

OBSERVING THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IN BRITAIN

  Matt Zimmerman, a Treynor graduate, is a senior at Central College majoring in marketing and communication.  Last summer he participated in the Central College study abroad program by traveling to London to work as an intern in the Parliament of Great Britian.  Zimmerman said he worked for a Member of Parliament (MP) with senior rank in the Conservative Tory political party who represented the Cotswold district.  The MP supervised Zimmerman, gave him work tasks, and introduced him to other members of parliament and to ambassadors of other countries.  Zimmerman said it was a fantastic experience that changed his perspective about people and politics.  He noted there are differences between the British legislature and the U.S. legislature.  There are three political parties representing the British citizens, Zimmerman noted.  They are the Conservative Tory, Liberal Democrat, and Labor Party, and this results in vocal debate and government action through compromise.  Zimmerman observed that this fast paced legislative action is much different compared to the U. S.  Zimmerman stated he gained va luable experience of working as a professional although he was in an unpaid intern position.  He organized daily portfolios for his supervising MP on current events and breaking news.  He answered letters from the constituency in Cotswold who wrote their representative to seek solutions to local problems when they couldn’t get local action.  Zimmerman said he also performed information research for parliamentary debates, and was surprised to find the debates were planned and scripted.  He noted than immigration and worker compensation issues were major subjects of debate in parliament this summer.  Zimmerman stated the most difficult thing to do was to follow the cultural standards of etiquette and keep titles of individuals straight when addressing them.  Zimmerman said he was one of seventeen parliamentary interns, three from Central College and the remainder from various U.S. locations.  After graduation this year he is planning to find work in the local region, get married, and maybe become active in U.S. politics.

 

CALENDAR

January Can Kennel contributions for After-the-Prom.

Jan. 10     Can and bottle sorting at the Can Kennel, 6 p.m.

Jan. 13     Club meeting, program by Lindsey Schuler.

Jan. 20     Club meeting, program by Treynor Fire Chief Russ Maguire.

Jan. 26-27  Cub Scouts Pine Wood Derby.

Jan. 27     Club meeting, program by Brad Tiarks, owner of Bradley’s Florals

Jan. 31     Can and bottle sorting at the Can Kennel, 6 p.m.

February Can Kennel contributions for Octagon Club.

Feb.  3     Club meeting, program TBA, breakfast served by Silver-Keg 4-H.

 

Birthdays

1/19  DENNIS WHITE,  1/24  JOHN SCHMITT

Anniversaries

(none)

# recognized to date