Promise Yourself!
Optimist Club of Coronado
Post Office Box 180251
Coronado, CA 92178-0251
January 11April 26, 2007, 2007
Meetings at 7AM on Thursdays at Coronado Yacht
Club
Wasn’t that a nice meeting? High school students
reading essays about their hopes and successes--
proud parents smiling--prayers about meager
meals while Gil Gilliland walks by with both hands
full.
First we had to get by Ledge Hakes and Bob Mc-
Crary fighting over our money. The next hurdle
(and one that will not go away) was Dick Madouse
collecting ad copy already. See, I told you not to
put that stuff in a drawer and forget it. Dick will be
all over you soon.
President Jack got us moving in the right direction
with Stu Powell praying and Rick Thomas leading
the pledge. Then he turned things over to Don
Crawford who was on hand to tell us all about the
Essay Contest and introduce our top entries. Don
noted that the thirty-three entrants joined the fray,
and we had the top three. The students put aside
vital stuff like prepping for tests, filing college ad-
mission papers, and applying for their Master
Cards to enter our contest. The three young
people who read their essays should be doubly
commended. The payoff for the winner is a schol-
arship that will certainly help out stressed parents
and take some of the load off those credit cards.
Lisa Bernardi was our first winner. She read her
essay about her goal of becoming a nurse. Her pa-
per told of her efforts to help out her more chal-
lenged classmates by organizing a “Best Buddy”
program for the special needs students in her
school. Lisa doesn’t need us to tell her that she is
already a winner in every important regard.
Anthony Salvatore wrote and talked about making
a difference in his world by small actions in daily
life. The smile or the greeting that makes a friend
feel better about himself fits right into our philo-
sophy and creed, doesn’t it. Sign that boy up.
Coco O’Brien read her essay on how she wanted
to be remembered. Hers is the entry that will be
sent on to the District Level far judging. Coco
wants to be remembered for making a difference in
the world. She told us that rock stars and fashion
models and the stars of popular culture may look
good, but there is a lack that becomes apparent
when examined closely. Good for her.
And good for all those parents who raised these
bright, outgoing, and socially conscious students.
We had our usual picture taking and medallion
presenting. I sure hope that someone knows how
to get this stuff into the community newspaper. We
need to get the ideas of these teens into the lives
of the old curmudgeons who live in our fair city.
Speaking of curmudgeons, Lance Massey was
hailed for having 22 years in the club this week.
He celebrated by announcing a Cinco de Maio
party on the Strand to clean up Route 75. He will
<www.sportsfiesta.net>
Lance MasseyJack Laris-
circulate his clipboard
on, President
again next week. I
Jack LarisonDiana Drum-
think we will wear
mey, Pres. 20007-086-07
sombraros instead of
Joan Gillem Art Jones,
hard hats. BJ Adelson
External VP
will dress his poodle in
Ledge HakesLeslie
South of the Border
Crawford, Internal VP
ribbons and Bill
Jack DavisStu Powell,
Jepson will bring all
Secretary
the guacamole left
John Freeman, Treas.
over from the Flower
Rosania, Sloan & Mc-
Shows party for us to
Clure,USNA ’45 Publish-
breakfast on.
ers McCrary and Gowan
Bob Sheridan, Editor
Joe Petrucci played
Jingle Bells and Let It Snow to celebrate the birth-
day of Rick Thomas. What’s the connection you
ask. Well, Rich was born in Rugby, North Dakota
and had to walk through snow everyday on his
way to school. The music was fine.
Jack read a note from the Lamb’s Players that told
of the work that they do in schools and the nice ef-
fect that it has on students. We help with our
bucks, and Lambs reaches 38,000 students with
their influential stage shows. BZ.
Ed Chapman asked us to remember to show up at
the LAST TRACK MEET OF THE YEAR ON WED-
NESDAY AT 2:30.
And Stu Powell asked us to remember to attend
the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 3, at
7PM at Coronado Middle School.
John Freeman stepped into the spotlight. John told
about his lifelong trek south from the Pacific North-
west to the Pacific Southwest. On the way he has
apparently helped in the demise of several com-
panies and most recently was the one to turn out
the lights at the bitter end for one for his employ-
ers. We all enjoyed John remarks about how much
he learned while working for a true shyster. morn-
ing sixty of us showed up for our Thursday morn-
ing feast. The breakfast comment sheet at the
front table has disappeared so I guess we are all
happy. Or maybe we are just tired.
BJ and his fellow Glorietta Bay traffic monitor Bill
Jepson counted all the money. Jack struck the bell
at 7AM. Off again into the adventure of another
Optimist meeting. Carla Fargo tickled the heart of
the Greensheet editor by using a recent page two
as a prayer. It was pretty good. Then Jerry Thum-
mel lead the pledge,
We introduced Carl Boyd as a guest, but really he
said he was with us in memory of his good friend
(and ours) Ted Stearns. Toni McCabe came with
Marilyn Schaefer, but she is member although an
infrequent attender. She has found a better break-
fast somewhere.
Stu Powell got to tell the joke of the day, and it
was a reminder to be polite to the counter people
at the airport, because they hold the fate of your
luggage in their power.
Joe Petrucci had a double treat for birthday kids
Leslie Crawford and Roy Mantz, but only Roy was
here to enjoy the harmonica and the singing. Joe
has figured us out. The smaller part the club has in
the production the better things sound. That is
something that former songmeister Fred Hauck.
Speaking of Fred, he returned his Greensheet to
me complaining that the flag postage stamp was
affixed upside down indicating either trouble in the
club or carelessness. Would it be appropriate to
ask Fred to forget the mistakes of the past.
And speaking of those mistakes of the past, the
Dingmaster was back from foreign shores and
ready to help us make our Optimism come true.
First he got Jack Couture for wandering into the
meeting after the bell. Then Lee saw a resemb-
lance to Gooch in an ad for a new play at the Old
Globe about old aviators. When he propose fining
Gooch John Freeman upped the ante and sugges-
ted that all old aviators be fined. That seemed ok
with Mr. Cargill, and so they all stood up and gave
back some of that flight pay. Lee wasn’t through
yet because he he fined Chris Massy for being a
realator and Paul Dudley for playing golf with
someone who dragged him into the winner’s circle.
Jerry Thummel won $47 in the 50-50 drawing, and
he gave it all to the Youth Fund. Jerry is making it
hard on those whose children need new shoes if
we ever win.
We had significant Optimist Anniversaries this
morning. Leading the pack was Jake Sloan who
has 34 years in the club this week. Next was Barry
Mitchell with thirty years. Then comes Roy Mantz
with 26 years. Al Aegerter has 13 years, and Ann
Boyd has eleven. Let’s see. In that group we have
one District Secretary Treasurer, one Governor,
one Lt. Governor, three past presidents (one dis-
tinguished). Of particular note was the collection of
over 9,000 aluminum can pull tabs during the “Yes
We Can” effort to help provide a dialysis machine
to a young man in Vallejo. That was Jake Sloan’s
work. Ah, remember the day of correcting dump-
sters full of aluminum. The smell of stale beer and
deciding which Optimist got to climb up on top to
keep the cans moving to the back of the container.
Someday we should have a program on that old
program. Does anyone have slides?
Did you know that if you can’t change the batter-
ies in your smoke detector the Coronado Fire De-
partment will dispatch somebody to do it for you?
Talk about service. In 2005 the fire department re-
sponded to 1085 calls in medical emergencies.
There were 170 structural fires or desmoking calls.
The department responded to 158 vehicle acci-
dents. There were 306 “other” type responses. I
guess the cat in the tree is in this category. Our
Fire Chief Kim Raddatz told us all about his de-
partment including the good fact that the goal is to
get a first unit to the scene in under 6 minutes
90% of the time. They do it.
A definite nip was in the air this morning. Hallelu-
jah!! Food again and
Sixty-One of us filed by Buck Rogers and Dick
Madouse reading the guest list, taking our badges,
and looking over the breakfast comment sheet.
Someone, remembering the mistakes of the past
had written, “You call this a breakfast!”. Yes, Vir-
ginia, the mean-spirited do live among us.
President Jack invited Carla Fargo to lead us in
prayer, and she did so in rhyme. Captain Stark led
the pledge. Our lone guest was Mark Rogers, son
of Buck.
Immediate Past President Lance Massey told a
joke about men’s underthings that will in the in-
terest of taste be omitted. I thought that I only had
to omit one item per meeting to pass the censors,
but then, later in the meeting, our program speak-
er finished that hope off with a tale of bestiality in
colonial America. Does anyone know where I can
find a bleep on my keyboard?
Joe Petrucci redeemed this part of the meeting by
playing a foot stomping version of “Sugar Blues” or
“Azul Asucar” in our new national language. Joe is
our star on these cold winter mornings when he
unwraps his harmonica to get our blood moving.
We had birthdays of Joe Huber, Wynn Fester, and
Ann Eades to celebrate and the “Sugar Blues” was
just the number.
Jim Cooper celebrates thirty-one glorious years as
an Optimist this week, and Bill Parry, who we don’t
see too much of these days, has nineteen years
with us.
Jack Larison reminded us to keep the evening of
December 21 free for our Christmas party. It will be
at the Yacht Club at 7PM.
The traveling midshipmen choral group gathered
as they do each year at this time to salute the
Army Mule. Yes, it is that time of year when the
Black Knights of the Hudson under our own Bobby
Ross face off against the Midship-persons in their
white hats. Saturday is the 107th rematch of the
game and the results have been an amazing 50-
49 edge for Navy with seven tied games. Barry
Mitchell (or someone posing as Colonel Mitchell)
called the editor to say that he and Bruce Williams
are covering all bets and giving no points. They
want all the Navy money that you can wager.
Speaking of money, Stu Powell won the 50-50
drawing with a white ticket.
The Dingmaster was disappointed that Charlie
Ahern was not with us. But he took money from
his own wife who contributes to Lamb’s Players.
Jim Cartwright left before paying his fine, and
Ledge had to give a dingpass back for a letter to
the editor in the spirit of dear departed Carol
Cahill.
Lance Massey recovered from his joke to an-
nounce that the Silver Strand will be picked up and
restored to its beautiful pristine state by the Optim-
ist Club on Saturday, December 9. He needs a few
more pickers.
Tomorrow night the elves of the club will hand out
cookies and cider to those who mill around Christ-
mas in Coronado. Come see John McKechnie and
Chris Massey with their cute little pointy elf shoes.
Frank Osgood found out when in his fifties that he
had roots on the Mayflower. One great- great -…-
great grandfather was a church elder while anoth-
er was a non-pilgrim member of the party with a
troubled, but adventure-heavy past. Frank told us
about his research into the lives of these two men
and of their roles in the first English settlement in
the New World that had self government.
Frank’s tale was fascinating. The hardships of the
first year, when the little band of 102 people lost
47 to death, tried the hearts of all. They sailed in a
leaky “Mayflower” in September 1620 and arrived
on Cape Cod in December in the dead of Winter.
After exploring the area by small boat the group
came ashore at Plymouth on Christmas Day,
kneeling to give thanks.
Franks told us about William Brewster, his church
leader ancestor who, even when the people were
dying from starvation, preached with power of
God’s gift of new Jerusalem they had come to.
Franks other ancestor was Steven Hopkins, A
“stranger’ recruited by the London company man-
aging the colony for his savvy and experience. He
had been in Jamestown earlier and been ship-
wrecked in Bermuda. Hopkins came with wife and
several children.
The talk was quite fascinating and brought to our
minds the hardships that were overcome by those
who settled this wonderful land for us. I think we
could have listened to Frank for hours, but his
story about the unfortunate Thomas Granger who
was discovered to be engaging in unhealthy prac-
tices with a wide range of farm animal needs a
special filter.
Frank promised help for any folks who are inter-
ested in genealogy. Sounds like a great offer.
Next week you can get See’s Candy from Mrs.
Gooch. The program will be from the Virtual Real-
ity Medical Center of San Diego. We will hear
about using virtual reality technology to treat pho-
bias and post traumatic stress disorders. Would
this have helped poor Thomas Granger back in
Plymouth? While engaged in this work John raised
three successful young people who are now in po-
lice work, in the office of the California Legislative
Analyst, and working to make your hard drives
smaller and faster.

John didn’t mention that he was the first army of-

fice to be allowed to be president of the Optimist
Club of Coronado. This was because he had
served in all the behind the scenes positions in the
club and at the district level, and he knew too
many secrets. A guy like that you have to bring to
the top.
And John is married to Lucy who works for the
Padres and gets Jerry Coleman to speak to us.

John is our competitive sailor and is on the A team

of BJ’s cycling group. Thank John for all that he
does for us next time you see him.

Jim Alley told a very funny story about sex and sun
block. This was to get Clyde the Clown back into action.

And finally next week bring a friend. RADM Mac

McLaughlin who is president of the San Diego Aircraft
Carrier Museum will tell us all about the USS MIDWAY.
Should be a good show. And we will introduce the Youth
Appreciation Awardees from the high school.
Now go our and SELL ADS SELL ADS SELL ADS