The Weekly Bulletin

March 19, 2019

Call to order: President Dewey at 12:00 p.m.

Invocation:  Rick Mckernan

Pledge:  Charlie Langreder

 

Introduction of Guests and New and Old Members (who have been gone):

None reported.

 

Welcome any new or returning members:  Eric Williams, new Downtown Optimist Club (D.O. Club) member, introduced himself.  He is the President of the Ridgeway Neighborhood Association.

 

New Downtown Optimist Club Members Introduction and Pledge:  President Dewey recognized new members Shirley Beckett and Eric Williams today.

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries

• President Dewey is celebrating her 14^th Wedding anniversary on March 19.
• Charlie Langreder is celebrating his 14^th anniversary of working at Bass Pro store.

 

Mystery Person

President Dewey gave the award today to Jerry Uppinghouse as a new D.O. Club member.

 

Announcements

• Sign In or Pay the Pig:
  • Rick Mckernan paid $0.25 to the pig for KU Men’s Basketball participation in the NCAA tournament.
  • O. Scheffer paid $0.25 to the pig for MU Women’s Basketball participation in the NCAA tournament.

 

• President Announcements:
  • O. Club Board Meeting: President Dewey reminded members of the upcoming D.O. Club Board meeting at the club house on Thursday, 3/21/19 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
  • Food Bank: President Dewey asked Jim Murphy and Larry Fick to summarize Food Bank volunteering last Monday. Larry and Jim stated they worked on packing chicken.
  • O. Club Search Committee: C.O. Scheffer, Steve Winter and Ed Musterman. They will report to us at the board meeting on Thursday, March 21 with a full slate of board members and officers.
  • Soap Box Derby: President Dewey asked Rick Mckernan to provide an update on Soap Box Derby planning. Rick stated there will be a meeting tomorrow evening to assign cars to drivers.  Rick asked for members to consider helping out at the Derby event on 6/9/19.
  • East Missouri Optimist Meeting: President Dewey announced the third quarter Optimist conference will be on May 3 and 4, 2019.  It will be held at the St. Louis Hilton Hotel near the Airport, 10330 Natural Bridge Road, St. Louis, MO.
  • Scholarship: President Dewey stated she would need to check with Cyrilla Galbreath to get an update on scholarship. Today is the deadline for turning in scholarship applications.
  • Dos De Mayo Event: Larry Fink said the Dos De Mayo event will occur on Thursday, 5/2/19 at the D.O. Club house.  He is starting now to collect money for the event, $10/adult.  Larry described the food menu for the event.
  • Douglass Baseball Clinic: Please consider helping with the Douglass Baseball Clinic (Tri Star) at Douglass Park (400 North Providence) on Saturday, 4/13/19 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  • Bike Safety Rodeo: The Bike Safety Rodeo at Karis Church (606 Ridgeway Ave) Thursday, 6/6/19 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with set up starting at 4:00 p.m.  Tables and chairs will be provided.

 

• Announcements from the floor:  
  • Carl Scott noted congratulations to the Rock Bridge High School Boys Basketball team for winning the state championship.
  • Carl asked members to remember to go out and vote at the local elections.

 

Today’s Speaker

Today’s speaker is Annelle Whitt, JD, Program District Coordinator, Multicultural Achievement Committee (MAC) Scholars, through the Columbia Missouri Public Schools.  Ms. Whitt also made available a number of MAC Program pamphlets at the presentation.

As per the available pamphlets – “the MAC Program is a holistic collaborative, educational support function of Columbia Public Schools. The MAC program is designed to provide students with the necessary skills and support they need to achieve success academically, emotionally and socially. The purpose of the MAC Program is to increase the number of historically under-represented students in Columbia Public School’s most rigorous course work, honors and advanced placement courses. The program’s goal is to ensure college and career readiness for students from cradle to career.”

Partners in education with MAC Program includes the Columbia Public Schools, Shelter Insurance, University of Missouri and Columbia College.

Many programs offered through MAC Scholars Program.  This includes such programs and initiatives as (but not limited to):

• In partnership with University of Missouri Division of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity – Women of Color, Honor and Ambition initiative for female high school students;
• In partnership with University of Missouri Division of Inclusion, Diversity & Equity – Men of Color, Honor and Ambition initiative for female high school students;
• The Mini MAC Scholars Program with goals to have students have personal commitment to academic achievement and success, celebrate academic success each and every day, and encourage students to begin thinking about college.
• Additional MAC programs and initiatives for middle school and high school students.

The MAC Program also has such events as a MAC Conference at Columbia College.  About 500 students from Columbia Public Schools participate.  There is also a program where students travel to different States in the USA to complete college tours.

Any Columbia Public School student can participate in MAC Program.  Students would need to sign a contract to participate and have a 3.0 grade point average, or show how they are going to achieve a 3.0 grade point average or better.  The MAC Program has an excellent reputation with students and their families, so students want to participate in this program.   At Columbia Public Schools, there are 678 students from Kindergarten through High School in the MAC Program.  The average student in this MAC Program has a 3.3 grand point average.

 

For additional information you can go to the website – https://www.cpsk12.org/mac.  And/or you can contact Ms. Whitt at awhitt@cpsk12.org.  Ms. Whitt’s phone number is 573.214.3095.

 

UPCOMING SPEAKERS

• 3/25/19 – Steve Smith from Job Point
• 4/1/19 –  Aaro Froese from Boy Scouts of America
• 4/8/19 –  Susan Shaffer from the Special Olympics
• 4/22/19 – Tim Haller from Big Muddy National Fish & Wildlife Refuge
• 5/6/19 –  Kim Sringley-Werner from Missouri State Private Lands U.S Fish & Wildlife Service
• 5/20/19 – Kelly Meyer – Coyote Hill Christian Children’s Home
• 5/27/19 – NO MEETING (Memorial Day)
• 6/3/19 –  Julia Dorm and Brittney Abbott from The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri
• 8/5/19 –  Ellen Drummond from Junior Achievement Program

 

Adjourn with the Creed: 12:50 p.m.

Optimistically Yours,

Ron Berg, Secretary