The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin" Vol. 2026 #31 5-6-26

VOLUME 2026 MAY 6 NUMBER 31

President Kelly Karl welcomed the membership and guests, then presented a reflection. The flag salute followed.

Sharon Fincham opened the Youth of the Month presentations by introducing the principals and teachers of Northview and Theodore Roosevelt, then acknowledged the parents and guests present.

 

Sharon then presented  Blessing I., a fourth grader from Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School. Blessing was nominated by her teacher, Jessica Kulp who wrote the following nomination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike Fincham presented our second honoree, Jana M., who was nominated by her teacher Tiana Swanson from Northview Elementary School.

I am nominating Jana for this award because I have had the privilege of working with her for the past two years, and during that time she has consistently demonstrated what it means to be a hard working, kind, compassionate student. Jana aproaches her school work with dedication and care, and always putting forth her best effort and taking pride in what she accomplishes.

What truly sets Jana apart is her character. This year when a new student joined the class from another country, Jana immediately stepped in with kindness and empathy. She took this student under her witng, helping her navigate the classroom, and offering friendship. Jana's generosity towards her has allowed that student to grow in confidence and flourish at our school.

Jana exemplifies the qualities of leadership that we strive to build at Northview. Having been part of our school community since kindergarten, she has grown into an exceptional student and an even more remarkable person. Her actions reflect integrity, compassion, and a genuine desire to uplift others. I am honored to nominate her for this award and I am incredibly proud of Jana!

Mark Locke presented our third Youth of the Month award to Gabe H. from Northview Elementary School. Gabe was nominated by his teacher, Elizabeth Madden.

Gabe has repeatedly impressed me with the way he helps one of his special needs classmates. Gabe has shown kindness and generosity well beyond what I have witnessed from any other students in my 20 plus years of teaching. Gabe does not do the work for the student, but instead helps him do it himself. Gabe is consistently leaned on to help this student communicate, oftentimes giving up his recess and free time in order to assist his classmate. Although his classmate is unable to communicate how he feels about Gabe, I think his willingness to work with Gabe (and no one else) time and time again proves the fondness he has for his fellow classmate. I have shared with Gabe many times, that I truly believe his calling in life is to help people, whether he becomes a special education teacher or a pastor (like he has shared he wants to be when he grows up) I have no doubt he will continue making a positive impact on his classmates and this world with his kind and gentle ways. He absolutely deserves to be recognized for his exceptional kindness!

Bryan Joy presented Nathan R. with the next Youth of the Month award. He was nominated by his teacher, Alyssa Liby, who shared the following nomination.

Nathan is an absolute joy to have in class! He has such a great personality – Always cheerful, positive, and full of energy! He is also incredibly caring and considerate, always treating others with kindness and respect. He goes out of his way to include classmates and help anyone out. He is such a hardworking student who consistently puts in his best effort and takes pride in doing well! Nathan truly is an inspiring student to have in class, and he radiates joy every day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The KSU Baseball game for this Wednesday has been canceled. We are still going to have the tailgate, but are pushing it to the Friday, May 8th baseball game against Cincinnati. Below is the official press release which includes a link to purchase tickets if interested in attending that baseball game.

K-State Non-Conference Games Cancelled

We need to get a rough head count to RC McGraws for Friday night. If you can please email me ASAP at ashley@curains.com or call me (and leave a voicemail if I don’t answer) at 785-249-8188 I will start a new RSVP list.

Tailgate will be in the time (4-5:45pm) at the same place (parking in front of the volleyball entrance).

Looking forward to some nicer weather and seeing you all there!

May 13th the IPS Class joint Interpersonal Skills Class Essay Contest winners will read their essays to the group.

Bill Snyder Half Marathon is Saturday, May 23rd. Volunteers are needed to help guide the runners to stay on the course. The race organization donates to the organizations supplying volunteers, so it is an easy way for the Optimist to generate some funding. The half marathon starts at 7:00 am on K-177 near I70 and the 5k starts at 7:00 am at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and both races finish at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Report time is usually 6:30 am and the location will be available later, though recently it has been near the stadium.

October 24th is our 24th annual Chili Crawl.

Meeting adjourned with the Optimist Creed.

MAY 13 – NOON MEETING: Program: Interpersonal Skills Essay Contest

MAY 20 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Brent Sigman: Topic: “Columbian Theatre”

May 27 – Noon Meeting: Program: Allan VanNahmen, local auctioneer: Topic: “Auctioneering”