The Weekly Bulletin
May 8, 2017
Call to order: Ed Musterman, President at 12:05
Invocation: Jim Beckett
Pledge: Harold Rowe
Introduction of Guests Charlie Langreder introduced his wife Bonnie. Sid Sullivan introduced his lovely wife, Joan.
Birthdays and Anniversaries None reported
Mystery Person – Mary Dewey designated Larry Fick to received today’s gift certificate for the work he continues to do at the Food Bank.
Greeter – Charlie Langreder spent 10 of the 21 day Turkey hunting season doing what he likes to do best: enjoy the great outdoors. He spent a lot of this time in the rain, saw a lot of deer, squirrels, and even a bobcat but in the end he came up empty handed. Boone County hunters bagged 4-500 turkeys; statewide hunter returned home with 43,325. Charlie’s wife, Bonnie, missed this whole adventure as she stayed in their dry home.
Announcements
- Sign In and badge on or Pay the Pig Carl Scott again awarded the Pig.
- Candidate slate of officers for 2017-18- Carl Scott gave the 2nd reading of the candidate slate:
Ed Musterman for President
Mary Dewey for Vice President
2nd Vice President (Open)
2 year Board Mike Hatchett
2 year Board (replacing Jim Murphy) Open.
The 3rd reading and Membership vote will take place at May 15th meeting
- Notice of vote to amend the bylaws 2nd reading with 3rd reading and vote scheduled for May 15 was read by Carl Scott:
Article VIII Election Procedure Section 4 will be repealed and replaced as follows:
No President of the club who has served a full term as President shall be eligible to serve the succeeding year as president. The President of the Club who has served a full term as President can serve the succeeding year again as President; no more than two consecutive terms.
New Member recruitment event – (C.O. Mike Hatchet, Jessica, Travis) C.O. reported – May 3rd meeting at Logboat Brewing went well but no new members signed up.
- Soap Box Derby – (Rick, Chuck) Rick reported all is on schedule for the Sunday, June 11 event. Sign-up sheets will be circulated next week. Rick emphasized the need for 16 drivers from the DOC.
- Scholarship – (Cyrilla, Carl, Max) Work is completed for scholarship presentations next week.
- Food Bank – Larry Fick, Jim Murphy, Carl Scott
- Bike Safety May 20th – Mary Dewey reported 2 bikes have been donated for prizes to attendees plus Howard’s Donut Shop is offering a $20.00 gift certificate. This event is being well publicized on CPS website and newsletter as well as the city newsletter sent out with utility bills.
- Art in the Park – Harold Rowe circulated the sign-up sheet for booth coverage at this important new member recruitment event
- District Oratorical Contest — A Southern Boone High School student, Ivan Bossert from Ashland, MO won the competition and will go on the national competition.
- Family Fun Fest – Wednesday, May 17 at Cosmo Park. Carl Scott will be attending, other members are asked to help him with this recruitment event.
- 99th Optimist International Meeting will be held in Albuquerque, July 6-8.
- Partners in Education: Mary Dewey and Larry Fick attended this event. Among other groups, the Downtown Optimist Club received an award for its years of involvement. CPS expressed uncertainty of the exact number of years but once determined a certificate with the correct years will be issued to the DOC
Today’s Speaker
May 8 – Dr. Carol Ward, Professor, Dept. of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, UMC
Dr. Ward has been teaching in the Anthropology Dept. of MU since 1991. She also teaches anatomy in the School of Medicine. Her interest in learning the “why” of human evolution has led her to an extensive field research of fossils in a remote corner of Kenya. She explained most of the archeological sites are in Africa. While it’s hard to believe early humans would live in these hot, arid lands, she posits climate change as the cause of an out-migration. (Even Neanderthal Man moved to Eurasia 200,000 years ago) She described the region as a lush savanna capable of supporting vibrant life 2 to 6 ½ million years ago.
For the past four years she and her team have travel to a remote village in northwest Kenya, a 2 3 day journey from the capital, Nairobi. The team stays with the Turkana people in their worksite called West Turkana Paleo Project. The natives are a traditional culture that practices polygamy and where men and women take their meals separately. Dr. Ward was relegated to taking her meals with the adult women, none of whom spoke English or Swahili. A tribal benefit from the project is a school where the children learn many subjects including English.
Dr. Ward’s focus is on fossils of the ancient humanoid ancestor, Australopithecus afarensis, who lived in this region of Africa 3.7-3 million years ago. Her work combined with other studies pieces together the slow evolution of modern man’s skeleton. Changes in the skull relating to brain and jaw sizes are related to diet, ecology and life style changes. The grasping hand distinguishes man’s ability to adapt to societal and environmental changes. Her studies have dispelled the myth of the Time-Life “Age of Man” as a descendent from the apes. The unique S-curve of the human spine distinguishes humans from that of straight backed apes. Unique vertebra characteristics help distinguish human fossils from animal fossils. They also contribute to modern medicine and the effects of different athletic activities have on these body parts.
The 35 minute, slide lecture presentation was packed with too much information to cover in this brief synopsis. But, Dr. Ward agreed to return at some future date to talk of other work she is doing. You have to be there to really appreciate all she has to share.
UPCOMING SPEAKERS
May 15 – MU Swim Coach Greg Rhodenbaugh
May 22 – Member Spotlight, Nadia Ryakhmyatullov
May 29 – No Meeting, Memorial Day
June 5 – Welcome Home – Shelter & Assistance for homeless veterans and families.
June 12- Ashlee Smith, Director of Development, Ronald McDonald House
June 19 – Natalie Thornton, Site Director, Phoenix Family, Columbia Square & Claudell Homes
Downtown Optimist Club 