The Weekly Bulletin

Monday, August 26, 2019

 

Call to order: President Dewey at 12:05 p.m.

Invocation:  Red Leighton

Pledge:  Mary Dewey

 

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

 

Welcome any new or returning members

None

 

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Ken Oster 59th Wedding Anniversary will next Monday, September 2

Charlie Langreder 80th Birthday will be on Monday, September 9

Sid Sullivan 44th Wedding Anniversary is this Friday, August 30

 

Mystery Person  Ken Oster gave the HyVee Gift card to Sid Sullivan

 

Sign In or Pay the Pig   NO ONE FEED THE PIG THIS WEEK

 

President Announcements

 

• Food Bank: Jim Murphy, Carl Scott, and Larry Fick . Larry said “Packaged Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ceral.”

 

• Koeze- Steve Winter said ” Koeze Nut has already sent him 600 catalog in the mail last week.”

 

• Restaurant Certificates – Steve Winter said “We are not sure which restaurants will on the list of gift cards this year. Muzzy Restaurant has been sold and not sure the new own is on board.

 

• Club Social – Steve Winters keep Tuesday, November 5 in mind. That is the day for our annual Shrimp Dinner at the Clubhouse at 6:00 pm. Adults will be $10.00 and kids eat Free. Will be asking for money soon for this Club Social.

 

• Respect the Law BBQ: Respect for Law BBQ: Will take place on Saturday, August 31 at COMO Park shelter more detail to come. Need help in serving the food, cooking and set up and cleaning. Dexheimer Shelter – byTennis Courts. All local clubs. Kids First Optimists have put up a volunteer sign up at Respect for Law signup Alternatively contact Tom Luckenbill at (573) 808-1615 or Mary Dewey at (573) 808-1120. We will have a information table during the BBQ to show off what we have done over the years for the Youth of Columbia and one of our Soap Box Derby Car. We will be trying to pull in new members.

 

 

• Christmas Trees: O. Scheffer said “The tree will be here on Saturday, November 16 hoping full truck and 1/2 truck . Not two different days.” We will having the Mizzou baseball team helping out again this year unloading the tree.

 

 

Announcements from the Floor:  Talked about Robert Grant funeral service was on Monday. He was a member of the Sunrise Optimist Club. Then Dean Shelly funeral service he was a of member of the Breakfast Club of Downtown Optimist Club.

 

 

Today’s Speaker

Karen Grindler from Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center

(www. http://cedarcreek.missouri.org)

 

Today’s speaker, Karen Grindler is the Executive Director and founder of the Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center. Karen has been running the center for nearly half her life, 32 years. She is recognized in the community by her rough voice and outdoor look, and an unchanged hairdo somewhat hidden by a perpetually worn ball cap. She runs the Center with a small staff and approximately 175 volunteers.

The Center utilizes 20 horses and ponies to work with disabled children and adults. This could include people with such problems as autism, developmental disabilities, speech delay, downs syndrome, and veterans PTSD. Riders can be self-referrals or from the Truman Veterans Hospital, the Thompson Center or a local mental health agency. Volunteer are predominately MU student but many local residents also help out.

Karen shared a couple of memorable success stories: A Kelly who experienced balance problems as a result of Agent Orange exposure was afraid at first to mount a horse. After an 8-week session, she regained her confidence and was able to accompany her husband as a passenger on his weekly motor rides for the first time in 14 years. And she loved it. Another story included a young boy, paralyzed from the waist down suffering from phantom pains. (A common ailment when inactive muscles signal the brain for a message to move.) During his horseback rides the gentle movements of the horse satisfied the leg muscles and he was relieved of the phantom pains during the weekly rides. And, a 2-year old child came because of a speech delay problem that speech therapy couldn’t remedy. After a couple of sessions, the child suddenly began telling his parents of his riding experience on the way home from the center. He had been paired with a pony whose short, quick gait as sufficient to strengthen his diaphragm.  Finally, not only clients benefit. Several volunteers have made life changes as a result of their work at the Center.

The Center can always use help in the form of volunteers and/or donations. The cost of the program is about $700.00 for 8 weekly sessions. Clients are charged only $400.00 but there are scholarships for those who cannot afford the whole amount. The Department of Mental Health offers support as do private donors. Volunteers are always needed to assist and accompany riders. The fall training session for volunteers is September 9 from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Center located at 4895 MO 163. This is located a short distance south east of Columbia.

Two projects that Karen is seeking help to fund are 1) a fence to surround a 10 acre pasture as a couple of the horses too old to ride need space to retire and make room for additional riding horses and 2) the Center needs a draft horse capable of handling heavier riders (250 lbs. or so). These are horse customarily used for plowing or pulling a wagon like a Clydesdale.

Karen can be reached by phone 573-875-8556 or through the Cedar Creek Therapeutic Riding Center website.

 

UPCOMING SPEAKERS

 

• 9/2/19 No Meeting  (Labor Day)
• 9/9/19 Carrie Gartner the Executive Director of The Loop CID
• 9/16/19 Jessica Bernhart from Camp Hickory Hill Diabetes Camp

 

 

Adjourn with the Creed: We finished with the Creed at 12:47 p.m.

 

Optimistically Yours,

Mary Dewey, President

 

                            

 

East Missouri District 2018-2019 “IT’S FOR THE KIDS”