Optimist Club of Perdido Bay

Grits and Bits

“Bringing Out the Best in Kids”
2010-2011
December 20 10 Cl ub # 29 -108 P .O. B ox 87 Lillian, AL. 36 549
M eets Every Saturday M orni ng at the Lillian Com m uni ty Cl ub 7:00 AM
AL/L A/M S G overnor Arthur M ack Lt. G o vernor B en Spencer
Editor: Sally M cKinney
www.lillian.org/ocpb.htm

MERRY-CHRISTMAS! Optimists…
I guess I’m getting old, I really love to say and hear “MERRY-
CHRISTMAS”! “After Thanks-Giving”…and while on Thanks & Giving – Thank You
for your generous giving to the Ecumenical Food drive and God Loving
participation at our 19th Annual Ecumenical Service. Sonny & Dick reported
$881and 540 LBs of food, with well over 200 local residents attending the service.
Assisting the youth at the LUMC with their total of 2,720 LBs of FOOD. Thank you
Lee and Andy for your outstanding job of coordinating / hosting our “2010 Youth
Appreciation Program”.
Hard to believe December is here and what an opportunity for “Elves”, NO-
One could make me believe there are a lack of jobs here in Baldwin County. NO-
Application required, just Step-Up; Ruth
Henderson will give you an “Up-Lifting
Position” at the CHRISTMAS PARADE,
Andy will hand you a “Heart Warming
Position” attending our SPECIAL NEEDS
KIDS CHRISTMAS, Mel Whitehurst will fill
your dreams with a “Loving Position”
helping with our FAMILY CHRISTMAS
BASKETS and I will shower you with a
“Joyous Position” of serving KIDs at our
KIDs CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST Party with
Santa. There Is Still Time for You, Too, to
Feel the LOVE of the CHRISTMAS
Da Prez leads off the Annual Ecumenical Service held Season…
this year at the First Baptist Church of Lillian. This is
an inspiring get together of people of all faiths to Please Get Involved…. GOD BLESS.
begin the holiday season. Thanks to all who
participated. God bless our wonderful community. Optimistically, bill c…
 DENNIS McKINNEY-1934-2010
Denny McKinney was born at a very early age in Los Angeles County,
CA—at least that’s the way he would begin. His family moved to Chicago
where he graduated from St. Gregory High School. He began a career in
computers, starting on IBM tabulators and finally working as a systems
analyst on the main frame at Allstate Insurance Company home office.
He and Sally were married in 1955 and raised three children, Kathy,
Peggy and Kevin. After about 20 years in computers, he changed careers
at the same company, managing the Ride Sharing Program. He traveled
across the country, promoting ride sharing as an energy-saving alternative to the single-
passenger commute. He retired in 1987 and moved to Spanish Cove. As a member of the
Optimist Club he most enjoyed reading to the children at Elberta Elementary School. His
hobbies included jewelry making, stamp collecting, ham radio and supporting his wife in all
her adventures. He was her best friend and lived up to the Optimist motto “Bringing Out the
Best in Kids”.

YOUTH APPRECIATION DAY

Here are some Optimist partners in “Bringing Out the Best of Kids”.
Athletic Team Sponsorship Ken Sanders OI Childhood Cancer Campaign
Baldwin County Special Olympics OI Chilhood Hard of Hearing Program
Alabama Sheriff’s Ranch Jim Harmon Robertsdale H.S. Special Education Maureen Zaneti
South Baldwin Center for Technology John Kane Melody Reid
Elberta E.S. Special Needs Class Janice Walley Turkeys for “Retarded Adults Program Willie Nell Evans
Elberta M.S. Special Needs Class John Cardwell Mary’s Shelter Gulf Coast Donna McCarley
Foley H.S. Magnolia Room Sharon Craver Elberta M.S. Incentive John Cardwell
Patti Owens Women Build Habitat for Humanity Mary Emde
Foley M.S. Magnolia House Brian Hood St. Benedict School Autism Program Sandra Fuller
Lillian-Perdido Bay Library Juanita Campbell Elberta Elementary School
Lillian Recreation Park Lighting Fund Ken Sanders School Nurse Medical Supplies Janice Walley
Lillian Recreation Park Athletic Equip. Ken Sanders Foley Elementary School Leigh Hawkins
 2010-2011 OFFICERS

President
Bill Cornell 962-2855
President Elect
Sonny Keigley 961-1740
Vice-President
Dick Erwin (850) 455-8027
Secretary/Treasurer
Lee Hoffman 962-3339
Past President
Andy Wilkinson 961-1343
DIRECTORS

Rod Benton 961-3461 1 Yr.

Lynn Neff 961-1087 1 Yr.
James Wright 962-3888 1 Yr.
Dan Church 256-4225 2 Yr.
Bill Broach welcomed Mack Walcott when spoke about the
Rod Haught 962-3216 2 Yr.
Windmill Market of Fairhope.

December Special Events Merry Christmas

and
Dec. 11 Lillian Optimist Club Christmas Parade Happy New Year
Dec. 15 Santa Visit at Six Special Needs Classes to my
at Four Local Schools. favorite helpers —
Dec. 18 Kids Christmas Breakfast with Santa the members of the
Optimist Club of Perdido Bay
Pass it on, check out our website at: and
http://www.lillian.org/ocpb.htm The Lillian Optimist Club

Love,
Top: Mary’s Shelter Executive Di-
rector Donna McCarley accepts a Santa Claus
check from Past President Andy
Wilkinson. Center: Elberta Middle
School Principal
John Cardwell Upcoming Events/Speakers
received two Dec 4 Jim Harmon
checks, one for Sheriff’s Youth Farm
special needs
classes and one
for the school’s Dec 11 Christmas Parade
Incentive Pro- Breakfast only
gram. Lillian
Optimist Club member Sharon Byl Dec 18 Santa Kids Breakfast Party
helped in the presentations.
Bottom: Lillian-Perdido Bay Library
Dec 25 Christmas Day
Board Chairman thanks the club
for their donation. Family time
 The Optimist Creed Kitchen Korner
Promise Yourself: December 11 SPECIAL TEAM
To be so strong that nothing can disturb Steve McMillan 937-9546
your peace of mind. Huey Mack 945-6043
Teddy (Joe) Faust 928-5445
To talk health, happiness and prosper-
Bob Wilters 955-1004
ity to every person you meet. Skip Gruber 986-8207
To make all your friends feel that there Trip Pittman 928-6766
is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true. Dec. 18 & Jan. 1 — Team 8
Bud Anderson 962-2418
To think only of the best, to work only Bob Henson 962-4617
for the best, and to expect only the best. Ed Van Driessche 961-2718
To be just as enthusiastic about the Chuck Ahrens 961-7548
success of others as you are about your Andy Wilkinson 961-1343
own. Kara Leigeber 978-5933
Buck Hamilton 961-2277
To forget the mistakes of the past
and press on to the greater achievements Jan. 8 & 15 — Team 9
of the future. Bill Youngs 961-1791
To wear a cheerful countenance at all Pat McGuire 962-3063
Cleo Conn 961-1955
times and give every living creature you
Monk Manning 961-3554
meet a smile. Glen Seering 961-1491
To give so much time to the improve- Bill Hall 961-9641
ment 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 Birthday to You!”
happy to permit the presence of trouble.
O.I
December Birthdays
“LOOK”
New O ptimists Wanted 1st Joe Taylor
9th Carl Robertson
TALK to friends, neighbors 14th Dave Ives
P LAN ahead-membership applications 20th Steve Love
available on information table 20th Joel Henderson
SP ECIAL spousal membership 22nd Cleo Conn
applications offer great savings 23rd Chuck Ahrens
REM EM BER -the more members, the 26th Bob Donnenwirth
more we can help kids and 30th James W right
31st Bob Walter
no one does it better than the
OP TIM IST CLUB OF P ERDIDO BAY