HAMPER/TOY UPDATE.

December 20th is “D” day for the 26th annual Chrstmas Food Hamper and Toy deliveries for needy Oshawa families as selected and screened by the Salvation Army. The “Armys” staff head have supplied us with the official list of families who be receiving the Hampers/Toys.  Sales where conducted at Sobey’s Food (Wilson & Taunton Rd) on Dec. 5 & 6th. A profit of $1,042.00 was banked. Optimist volunteers included Eric Goodwin, Brian Tremblay, Marg Ross, Neil Metcalf, Elizabeth and Sandy Crosbie, Cybil Dewhurst, Brian Tremblay and raffle coordinator Jim Shaw..

MONDAY NITE OPTIMIST EUCHRE

Peter Pniuskas captured week 12 recording the most points accumulated with 83. He just returned from a well deserved two week golfing vacation in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Newcomer Andrew Wood placed second with 80 points. Jimmy Duval was third – 78 points. He and his lovely wife Sandi will be enjoying a spiral ham for the top prize reward. Gloria Logan won the official coin flip for the most lone hands for the evening outdwelling Optiist Jim Shaw. Logan took home the bottle of Opti-Napa Valley wine.

Bob ‘Dirt’ Burtinsky continues to dominate all percentage players with a nifty 70:18% mark. He’s immedately folowed by James Brooks at 69:80

DURHAM COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP BURSARY

A huge crowd attended the 9th annual Optimist/Durham College atheltic scholarships buseries in memory of deceased Thomas A. Scero and Sydney H. Breland . Students receiving this presitigious  honour was Courtney Small )Varsity Basetball) and Courtney Small (Varsity Soccer). Both the players, their families and close friends where in attendance.  Soccer coaching legend at the college Stan Bombino received a special award for his longivity and dedication to the sport of soccer.

INDUCTIONS CERMONIES

Former Cenon Zone 8 Lt. Governor James ‘Jimmy D’ Dimitroff sworm in the 2010 Oshawa executive. Stephen Hambley will be our new president, president elect is Cybil Dewhurst. Treasurer will be Marjorie Ogden and veteran Jim Shaw takes over as secretary and special events. Ken “Story’ Ferrill did a superb job as MC.

OPTIMIST BREAKFAST WITH SANTA.

A last minute decison to the host a Optimist Breakfast with Santa Claus for 108 youths was a tremendous success. Working with Brenda Danson – pancakes, juice boxes, fruit, was served and enjoyed by the hungry kids from the North Oshawa area. It was a a special days for the youngsters. Jim Shaw was the liassion official for this event.

OPTIMIST WADO KAI KARATE TOURNAMENT

The largest attended crowd in the 19 year history of the Optimist Club of Oshawa-wado Kai Karate attended at the Y.W.C.A. Auditorum Dec. 5. Sixty four indiviudal trophies where donated by the Optimist Club plus bargian value Opti- hot-dogs and soda.

Special acknowledgement were presented by the Optiimist to Theresa Virgin, susan Kucakowaki, Kim Ellias and John ‘Janusz’ Galant for their longivity and loyal service to the Wado Kai Club.

Ronald ‘Batman’ Hele, Lori Hambley, Peter Pniauska, and Jim Shaw represented the Optimist club.

Besides bargain based pricing, the OCO have pulled out all the stops. Each day over the noon hour, Bingo and Euchre games are available in a special share the wealth pay-off. Out front of the interim hall, chef Dave Maher will be cooking up his BBQ  serving Optim-Burgers, Sausage On A Bun and delicious hotdogs. Bubbles & Bibbies will be doing her thing, with face painting in a clown-like atsmophere with the Funky Monkies. Three local Optimist Bands will be appearing over the noon hour supporting our Car Raffle draw. Leading off Wed. July 15 will be Gary Fossum and his Country & Western band, followed by the Nancy Jones special clown band and on Friday July 17th -PC Scott Dargie lead singer with the D.R.P.S. Heat Rock’N'Roll  Band  will singing and playing your favourites. Special Youth sponsored Optimist sports teams will be supplying sports demo’s for the public daily at high noon. The Wado Kai Karate Club, Blue Knight Lacrosse Club, the NASC Softball and soccer clubs  will conducting the secrets of their sports. Daily at 12:30 pm the go head to head in a “Tug Of War Contest” with local city councillors, D.R.P.S. and the Oshawa Firefighters supplying the opposition.  The winning team will receive a Opti-Lunch and reconigition awards.

On the final day Sat. July 18th at Lot 4, the Optimist are hosting a mammoth Yard Sale under Optimist Miles Richardson. Vendors can purchase tables for $15.00 each in advance. Cash payments go directly to the Optimist Christmas Food Hamper and Toy Deliveries.  Bargains galore will be on display from 8 am till 1 pm. Vendors are requested to be set up and ready to go by 7:45 am.

Immedately following the yard sale, it’s off to the  downtown ball park to watch exciting Inter-County baseball tagged as Optimist Day At The Ball Park. We’re featuring the hometown heroes the Oshawa Dodgers up against the highly touted Toronto Maple Leafs. Patrons are requested to bring along a non-perishible Food item to aid the deplated Salavation Army Food bank. Game time is 2 pm and Optimist president Petrina Perrineau will toss out the first pitch,

Certainly these are exciting time for the Optimist Club of Oshawa members.

I’m very disappointed reported McFater however if we would have operated we would have operated at a loss.

The intention was to raise enough funds to cover our Youth and Communitys scheduled events  for this summer. Since the lost of Optimist weekly bingo’s  at the Hideaway on January 31st  the Oshawa Club have been seeking and investigating other avenues to require funds. For the past 28 years Optimist bingo has operated for the past twenty-eight years. Currently Oshawa  has an bingo application to operate at the Red Barn commencing on July lst,2009. At present the City of Oshawa licensing bureau awaiting approval.

Local O.H.L. fans still  attempting to get over the departure of team leader and  captain John Travaras who was dealt to the London Knights Thursday in a mammoth nine player swap.  Travaras will  probably be the N.H.L.’s first draft selection this spring

Winning ticket holder Sue Kuczkowski and her immediate family comprises of  husband Dan, daughter Kathryn and son Michael  backed off on game day.The Kuckowski had just  returned from their annual  Dominican Republic vacation  Saturday. They  had a family crisis as one of their favourite pets had to be put to sleep. At a special family meeting the group collectively they decided not to attend. The  entire family was upset over the bad news.

The quartet was replaced by Michael Garcia, Victor Kobic, Brock Buntsma  and Adam Przybyiski. Mrs. Kuczkowski officially apologized for her family’s absence stating “if the circumstances were different we would have attended, but life plays it’s funny hand”. Oddity was whenthe winning ticket was announced on December 21st, 2008 at the 25th annual Optimist Food Hamper/Toys Deliveries for 100 needy local families she missed that announcement. After delivering her alloted hampers, her husband Dan was dispatched to emergency suffering servere pain that  required immediately medicial attention.

Included for this special occassion package were long time friend Kim Ellis, Alex Munr0, Keith Munro, Jose Carlos Garcia, Myrna Garcia and the Virgin family Theresa, Ted and Jennifer.

Prior to the game, the group was treated to a special pre-game dinner at Johnny’s Orginal Eatery. Oshawa Optimist Club reresentives where immediate past president Stephen Hambley, the director of ticket sales Greg Bamber and Jim Shaw.

The tickets were donated by Peggy Kohls representing the City of Oshawa Community Service department. Profits from the raffle went directly the 2008 Christmas Food Hampers/Toy deliveries. A profit of $1,200,00 was raised after expenses.

Again the Optimist Club under the direction of event chair- Oshawa Club president Petrina Perraneau performed yeoman service  at the event held at the Y.W.C.A. gym. The Oshawa Optimist Membership supplied first class rated trophies for all events. The calibre of trophy was designed by former Oshawa Optimist Ted Bailey, president in 2000 who received accolades from the receiptants. Also the Optimist kitchen staff comprised  of current Oshawa President Petrina Perrineau and her two side kicks Optimist Stephen Hambley (President 2005 & 2008) and Jimmy Shaw (President 2006) proudly hung out the COMPLETELY SOLID OUT sign from their gourmet menu comprised of Opti-Hotdogs, Opti-Bottle Water and Opti Soda at the bargain bottom price of a “Loonie Each” Fresh made orange drink was supplied FREE by the Optimist. Complete results details will appear on our website WWW.OSHAWAOPTIMIST.CA on Mon. Dec 8th