December 2016 Hallie Optimist Club

PO Box 3011 Eau Claire, WI 54702-3011 hallieoptimist@gmail.com

Hallieoptimistclub.org

President: Gale Haas 715-271-1844 Vice President: James McDonald Secretary: Etta McDonald Treasurer: Harold Snortheim Past President: Linda Soltis-Schroeder

Hallie Optimist Club News

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA SCHEDULED

Big Hearts abound in the Lake Hallie area. Early-birds most definitely get the worm as the Hallie Optimist Club meet at 6:45 am Thursdays except Thanksgiving and the third Thursday of each month at Mom’s Kitchen located at 3035 North Hastings Way, Eau Claire, WI. The club was chartered in March of 1985. The Hallie Optimist Club currently has 47 members.

Hallie’s Optimism is seen in the events they put on and the children and families they support in the Chippewa Valley area. An upcoming event is “Breakfast with Santa” on Saturday, December 10, 2016 from 8-11 am at Hallie Town Hall, 13033 30th Avenue, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729. A pancake and sausage breakfast offers the opportunity for children to talk to Santa, and for parents to catch a candid photo. Price of the breakfast is $6.00 and Children 12 and under are free.

Lake Hallie Police Department and Chippewa Fire District Station One personnel and emergency vehicles will be on hand to answer questions and let the kids get a close up look at their vehicles and equipment. Please support our donors—Siker’s Furniture , Praxair , Thrivent Financial , and Kwik Trip.

If you are interested in helping kids in our community along with an enjoyable experience, call Gale at 715-271-1844 or email him at hallieoptimist@gmail.com. Find out more at the club website Hallieoptimistclub.org. Volunteer your time and join the “Big Hearts in Our Community” to enrich the lives of kids.

OUR MISSION

By providing hope and positive

vision, Optimists bring out the

best in kids.

OPTIMIST CREED

Promise Yourself-

To be so strong that nothing

can disturb your peace of

mind.

To talk health, happiness and

prosperity to every person you

meet.

To make all your friends feel

that there is something in

them.

To look at the sunny side of

everything and make your

optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to

work only for the best and to

expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic

about the success of others as

you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the

past and press on to the

greater achievements of the

future.

To wear a cheerful

countenance at all times and

give every living creature you

meet a smile.

To give so much time to the

improvement of yourself that

you have no time to criticize

others.

To be too large for worry, too

noble for anger, too strong for

fear, and too happy to permit

the presence of trouble.

Meetings:

Mom’s Kitchen 3035 N Hastings Way, Eau Claire, WI

6:45 am Thursdays except Thanksgiving and the third Thursday of each month

Third Thursday meeting -5:45 pm at the Lake Hallie Golf Course 2196 110th St, Chippewa Falls, WI

Board meetings are on the 2nd Thursday, 6 pm at the Hampton Inn, 12707 30th Ave, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729

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UW-EC OPTIMIST CLUB NEWS

One picture is worth a thousand words and here are a few that show the UW Eau Claire Optimist Club in action. This club, established in 2015 by invigorated students with the help of the Hallie Optimist Club. College Optimists are independent clubs and can choose the projects they want to support.

UW-EC Optimists volunteer at Joshua’s Camp. When a family has a child being treated for cancer, it quickly becomes a daily struggle

just to hold everything that matters together. For families under such constant stress, Joshua's Camp is a very special retreat with a life-renewing mission. They offer a safe haven where everyone in the family is given the opportunity to step back, relax and experience a feeling of solid ground. Joshua's Camp is available to qualifying registered families free of charge.

UW-EC Optimists also work to increase the number of Optimists on campus. Here they are recruiting new members. Congratulations to this great group of Optimists who are working hard to ‘Bring Out the Best in Kids’.

These Optimistic students held a Winter Carnival for children. Their efforts paid off in recruiting many volunteers . If you are a student and would like to join call (715) 889-3238.

Although we didn’t see many ghosts and goblins there were loads of

other wonderful costumes at the Hallie Optimist Halloween Party for

children held on October 22 at the Lake Hallie Village Hall. Children,

adults and Optimists wore a wide array of

costumes…from a little old lady to a nun!

There was lots of fun taking turns trying

to crack open piñatas and then scrambling

for candy and toys. Crafts, pumpkin

painting, costume prizes, and pumpkin

carving demonstrations were very

entertaining for the 115 attendees. Hot dogs,

apple juice, popcorn, nacho cheese and chips,

cookies and bars helped stave off hunger.

Thank you to the Optimists who made this day

special for so many. Also a big THANK YOU to

our sponsors: Klinger’s Farm Market, Farm

and Fleet, Hallie Walmart, and Anonymous

Donors.

HALLOWEEN FUN!

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SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS!

Please help us get the word out about our community events. Support our sponsors! Would you like to become a sponsor? Ads are $120 per year for six ads. Contact Jim McDonald at 715-831-0680.

OPPORTUNITY

Get the support you need to make lasting lifestyle and behavior change with one of the health promotion programs offered through the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire County. All courses are FREE and fun! Strong Bones – One hour strength training classes meet twice weekly. Four Information Sessions for new participants and seven workshops start on January 3, 4 and 9

Stepping On – Comprehensive fall prevention program - starts January 18

Living Well with Chronic Conditions – Learn 13 self-management tools to live better with an ongoing physical or mental condition - starts February 8

Healthy Living with Diabetes – Designed for adults with type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes or their caregivers; – starts March 29 These evidence-based programs work! Sign up today - some workshops fill quickly. Register online at www.adrcevents.org or call 715-839-4735.

Hallie Optimists have been busy raising money and that means we get to give those hard earned dollars to deserving youth organizations.

North High School Band volunteers have been entertaining the crowds at the annual Breakfast with Santa and the Easter Bunny. So we decided to note our appreciation with a $200 donation! Shown are President Gale Haas, Noah Jordan, Brie Vasterling, and Hayden Guckenberg. Noah and Brie marched in Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade!

The Dyslexia Center teaches people with Dyslexia to read. Past President Linda Soltis-Schroeder chose a $100 donation from the Hallie Optimists on her behalf. Here Tammy Tillotson, Center Director, is shown with Gale Haas and star pupil Aiden Haas (Gale’s grandson).

The Optimist are a generous group. Vice President James McDonald and Gale Haas are shown with a print awarded to the Hallie Optimist Club for donating over $500 to the Optimist International Foundation. Funds from the Foundation are awarded to clubs to grow fundraisers for youth programs in their communities. Three $250 gas cards were also donated to families of children with cancer.

DONATIONS MADE TO LOCAL ORGANIZA-TIONS TO BENEFIT YOUTH

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 2016-2017

Halloween Party

October 22, 4:30-6:30 pm

Lake Hallie Town Hall

Breakfast with Santa

December 10, 8-11 am

Lake Hallie Town Hall

Scholarships for

Graduating Seniors

Essay Contest

Due in January 2017

Breakfast with the

Easter Bunny

April 15, 8– 11 am

Lake Hallie Town Hall

Youth Appreciation

April 29, 10-1

Micon Cinema

Safety on Wheels:

Bike Rodeo

May 11, 3-5 pm

Sam Davey School

Golf Scramble and

Golf Ball Drop

June 17

Lake Hallie Golf Club

Youth Fishing Event

June 3, 9– noon

Lake Hallie Sportsman’s

Club

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR JODI ARRIOLA SHARES HER ‘WHY I’M AN OPTIMIST’ STORY

Why are you an Optimist? Why are you motivated?

To wake up at 6 AM to attend a weekly Optimist meeting Give up your Saturday to prepare and serve pancakes, cheese curds or

hot dogs Give up many hours of your time to plan and initiate a new project Travel miles across your home state to learn what others are doing in

your zone or district Take an afternoon that you have off to go to local businesses to solicit

funds for your next project

Your actions and the actions of current and future Optimist goes beyond “the

what” we do referenced about and can and should be found in our WHY.

According to Simon Sinek in his book Start with Why, the why is how great

leaders inspire and motivate others to take action. “Our why” links to our

purpose, beliefs, and motivations as optimists within our clubs and

communities? Potential optimists don’t and won’t connect with all the

activities that we do unless we can connect them to the “why” in what we do.

The goal of Optimist International is to increase membership to 100,000 by

our 100 year anniversary in 2019 in order to better the lives of an estimated

3.5 million children. In thinking about how to provide purposeful leadership

to my club and zone in supporting current members, recruiting new members,

and creating new clubs the following why statement developed:

We believe that there is potential and goodness in every child. Together

as Optimists, we each can make a difference in ourselves through the

interactions we create for the children in our communities.

By sharing our experiences and talents with new and potential Optimists,

each of us has the responsibility to share and grow optimism in the

world and influence positive experiences for children.

Optimism isn’t just a philosophy—it is a way of creating a better world—

one child, one member, one community at a time.

Being able to communicate “my why” to potential and current Optimists has

encouraged students to build a club at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

in March, 2015. Additional plans and efforts are underway in other

communities and clubs within Zone 1 of the WINUM district to bring out the

why for Optimism and encourage growth in our membership through Club

Building and NOW programming. Each Optimist should consider “their why”

and communicate what motivates them to be a great leader and member of

their club and community. With inspired members it becomes easy to Bring

Out the Best in Kids, Ourselves and Our Communities.

FUNDRAISING MADE FUN!

One way we fund our good work is by volunteering at events. This year

Optimist members volunteered at the Northern Wisconsin State Fair

Cheese Curd Stand, Festival In the Pines admission gate, United Way

Block Party, and the Oktoberfest Bier Garten and Cheese Curd Stand.

Not only do we raise money to donate to programs that help kid’s in

our community, we have fun! If you are interested in joining the fun

call Gale at 715-

271-1844. Here is

President Gale

Haas accepting a

check from the

Festmeister and

Festmeisterin for

our hard work at

the Bier Garten!

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Optimist International is a worldwide

volunteer organization made up of more

than 2,500 local Clubs. Do you want to

help youth in your community? Join us.

Hallieoptimistclub.org

SPEAKERS AND VISITORS TO OUR MEETINGS

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Right: North High School Band

Director Theresa Soules.

Below: Michael Cohoon,

Chippewa Falls Mission

Coalition told us about Tiny

Homes to prevent

homelessness.

Below: Benita Wagner, Coordinator

of UW-Eau Claire Service Learning

told us how the students can grow

our organization.

Some North High Band Members

HOW YOU CAN HELP

The work we do is done by volunteers. All the money we raise is returned to the community by donating to community organizations. The events we host are held so children have safe and fun activities. We work to bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves. You can help us reach these goals by becoming a member, partnering with us, or donating goods or funds to help with our events and fund raising. In the recent past we have donated $5000 to Hallie Youth Baseball, $3000 to Irvine Park, $1500 to Joshua’s Camp, $500 to Special Kids Day and much more.

Golf Scramble and Golf Ball Drop: Raises funds for $500 scholarships given to seniors who often have a GPA of 2.5 to 3.5.

Halloween Party: A safe, supervised way for children to enjoy costumes, games, food, and music.

Essay Contest: Children develop critical thinking and are eligible to advance to win scholarships.

Youth Appreciation: Recognizes children in local school districts and awards them with a certificate, movie, treats, and a pizza party. Families are invited to attend.

Safety on Wheels: Teaches children safe operation of bicycles, skateboard, and rollerblades. Two bicycles, helmets, and other safety equipment are raffled. A hot dog meal is served.

Youth Fishing Event: Gets children and their families outside fishing. Prizes are raffled. A hot dog meal is served.

Breakfasts with Santa and the Easter Bunny: A pancake and sausage breakfast gives children the chance to talk to Santa Claus or visit with the Easter Bunny. Children 12 and under are free. All others are $6.

Newsletter: We keep the community informed by sending out the newsletter electronically to public and private schools in Altoona, Eau Claire, and Chippewa Falls. Our advertisers also receive printed copies. Business card advertisements are $120 for one year.

How you can help: Sponsor a hole or donate a gift basket for our golf tournament. Donate money, supplies, entertainment, prizes, coupons, gift certificates. Purchase an advertisement in our newsletter. Join our organization and donate sweat equity to raise funds.

What you get:

Publicity at the event and in the next newsletter, links on our website, links on our Facebook page. Fun relationships with wonderful people. A great feeling knowing you helped to ‘Bring Out the Best in Kids’!

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