October 23, 2007                                                                      Vol. 24 No. 2

 

NEXT CLUB MEETING

The next meeting of the Optimist Club of Treynor is planned October 27, 2007, 7:30 a.m. at the Treynor Community Center.  RICHARD VORTHMANN has arranged for Brian Young to speak about his experiences in the Peace Corps.  Members are encouraged to bring a guest and the public is invited.

 

REPORT OF RECENT CLUB MEETINGS

At our club meeting on 10/13 there were 20 members and all the varsity and junior varsity Treynor football players plus coaches present to partake in a breakfast meeting at the high school.  LESS HARVEY opened the meeting by leading the pledge.  LARRY KRAMER led the devotion prayer.

HARVEY noted the good attitude and efforts of the players during a challenging football season.  Coach Steve Owens had each team member to introduce himself and state their positions on the team.  Assistant coaches Phil Wagner and Leigh VanWinkle were introduced.  The game film of the previous day with Westwood-Sloan was reviewed.  Coach Owens noted the 85 yard touch down drive and several good touchdown passes from players. 

Thanks to HARVEY for making the arrangements for the breakfast meeting.  Thanks also to Janelle Keysor for cooking breakfast and to MILLI HARVEY, MARSHA UNDERWOOD, and DOREEN MAYBERRY for working to serve it.

At the club meeting on 10/20 there were 17 members and two guests present.  Pres. DALE WILLENBORG opened the meeting by leading the pledge.  LARRY KRAMER led the devotion prayer.

The 50/50 was awarded to BILL VORTHMANN, and the attendance pot was awarded to KEVIN UNDERWOOD.

Contributions to the Youth Fund were received from BILL VORTHMANN for his birthday, from Pres. WILLENGBORG and DIANNE for their anniversary, from KEVIN ABBOTT for being featured in the newspaper, and from Pres. WILLENBORG for the Treynor football team effort.

Thanks to ARLYN NORRIS, JOHN SCHMITT, GARY FUNKHOUSER, BOB HIBBARD, LARRY KRAMER, JEFF JORGENSEN, and Pres. WILLENBORG for helping with the gate receipts and parking at the last two home football games of the season. 

JOHN SCHMITT reported that KEVIN UNDERWOOD, JEFF JORGENSEN, GARY GUTTU, GARY FUNKHOUSER, and LARRY KRAMER assisted him at the can and bottle sorting with the cheerleaders last week.  Their final sorting this month will be on the 31st at 4 p.m.

JEFF JORGENSEN announced the Highway 92 pickup was rescheduled to the 25th because of wet conditions.  Meet at the elementary school to start at 4 p.m.

JORGENSEN circulated a financial summary of club accounts for the past Optimist year.

GARY GUTTAU announced there would be a meeting after the regular club meeting with a calendar printing company representative to look at a possible fund raising project.  All members were invited to attend, especially Board members.

GARY FUNKHOUSER stated that Treynor students were working on their entries for the Optimist International Essay.

ARLYN NORRIS circulated a prayer signup sheet for coming months. 

LARRY KRAMER announced another informational meeting about our club for prospective members would be arranged in November.

 

A TRACTOR RIDE FOR LIFE

Bob Husz of rural Council Bluffs and formerly from Macedonia has a mission.  He is founder of the Tractor Ride Against Cancer and he is working to raise funds for research to treat and prevent cancer.  Husz is personally fighting cancer with his efforts to raise these funds.  During the treatment period for stage 3 cancer he started an effort to restore a 1952 Ford tractor with the help of some family members and friends.  Along the way he got the idea of riding the tractor across Iowa to raise awareness of the need for funds to extend cancer research.  Husz teamed with the University of Nebraska Medical Center Research Foundation and organized his first tractor trip of a week’s duration in August 2006.  Husz said he raised $9 thousand the first year.  He also did another trip across Iowa in June 2007, but he doesn’t know yet how much money was raised.  Husz said he has four grandchildren and he plans to take each one along with him so he has plans for two more trips across Iowa.  He said he takes a different route each time.  Along the way tractor clubs and individuals join with him in the ride across Iowa and many people contribute to his efforts.  The Research Foundation takes care of publicity and he concentrates on the logistics of driving his tractor which can travel about 24 mph.  Husz said there is talk of extending this activity to a ride across the United States.

October Can Kennel contributions for Cheer Leaders

Oct. 25       Roadside pickup with Cub Scouts, 4 p.m.

Oct. 27       Club meeting, program by Brian Young.

Oct. 31       Can and bottle sorting. 4 p.m.

November Can Kennel contributions for Santa’s

                Village

Nov.  3     Club meeting, program TBA.

             Board meeting after club meeting.

 Birthdays

10/17  MARSHA UNDERWOOD,

10/29  BILL VORTHMANN#

 Anniversaries

10/13  DALE and DIANNE WILLENBORG#,

10/17  DENNIS WHITE

# recognized to date

 

P.S.  A girl brought her new boyfriend home to meet her parents and they were horrified at his unkempt hair, tattoos, dirty language, and air of hostility.  After he left, the mother said, “Dear, he doesn’t seem like a very nice person.”  And the daughter said, “Mother, if he wasn’t a nice person, why would he be doing 500 hours of community service?”