The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin" 3/29/23
VOLUME 2023 MARCH 29 NUMBER 26
President Thad’s welcome was followed by the Flag Salute.
ACHES & PAINS: Be Kind, you never know what battles others are facing…. keep those less fortunate in your thoughts and prayers.
PROGRAM: Thad Hall turned the meeting over to Steve Havenstein who introduced us to SRO, Sonia Gregoire and RCPD Officer Rachel Pate. At the Manhattan Optimist we are proud to recognize this years “Respect the Law” Officer of the year, Corporal Rachel Pate. The nomination for this award is through Corporal Pate’s fellow officers Since her employment with the Riley County Police Department, she has been very active in working with the youth in our community. Corporal Pate is the coordinator for the Riley County Police Department Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run and Polar Plunge. She also volunteers with the Boys and Girls Club and in doing so has developed great relationships with the children there.
Corporal Pate is the LBGTQ+ Liaison for the RCPD and has been since June 2019 attending monthly meetings and events for the LGBTQ+ community. She has served in the RCPD Honor Guard since 2017 and is the current President for the RCPD FOP. As the president of the FOP, she also coordinates the Shop with a Cop which as we know has very positively affected our community. Corporal Pate is a model employee with the department and goes above and beyond in positively impacting the youth in our community.
This aligns with our Friend of Youth motto and Optimist Creed.
* Making your friends feel there is something in them.
* Looking at the Sunnyside of everything and making optimism come true.
* Thinking the best, working for the best and expecting the best.
* Always Wearing a cheerful countenance.
We are honored to award the Respect the Law Officer of the year to Corporal Rachel Pate!
Thad Hall talked to us about the importance of Membership Recruitment and will be sending out his PowerPoint with information for all of us to look over. The more members we have, the more we can do, it takes ALL of us!
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Kelly Karl, stepping in for Greg McCune, introduced us to new member, Joey Purpura, who just joined on March 15. He joined Optimists after a conversation with his neighbor Mike Fincham. Joey said he had been thinking about “giving back” and he feels that Mike was sent by God to encourage him to open a new door in his life.
Joey grew up in Kansas City, where most of his family still reside. He went to Rockhurst High School and then K-State, majoring in agricultural business. After graduation in 2014, he spent a couple years in the grain business trading corn, soybeans, wheat, and dairy feed. A little over half of this time was spent in Idaho, which he said was a shock to his comfort zone. His desire to combine a love of people, agriculture and the outdoors led him to the real estate brokerage world. He has been with Midwest Land Group since early 2016 and is an associate broker.
He moved back in with his parents in Kansas City until 2019, when he moved to Beloit to expand the land brokerage business further west. Like a lot of people, Joey said the COVID pandemic was rough for him personally, despite having financial success, and he decided he needed a more balanced life. Joey moved to Manhattan because his partner, Maddie Noyes, got a job as a mental health therapist with Courser Lapo Therapeutic Wellness. The couple were blessed with a baby boy in June of last year named JJ. Joey said that JJ is a tremendous source of joy in their lives.
In his spare time, Joey likes to hunt, fish, golf, and invest in relationships with friends and strangers alike. He and Maddie have been attending different churches in Manhattan and look forward to more recreational activities that will come from that. At his first Optimists meeting, while reading the creed, Joey said he felt like he was reading something he already knew in his heart, which is what called him to join. Welcome to Optimists Joey.
CLUB STUFF/ANNOUNCEMENTS:
- Grow Green Match Day is April 21, 2023, see Todd Chyba with any questions
- Dime-a-day Optimist International – club # 37135 Can you spare a dime a day??
- OI Annual Convention will be held July 2nd thru 5th in Arlington Virginia
- Bill Snyder Half Marathon will be May 27th – more information to come
- Per Membership Survey – Meeting changes will start in June. There will be two Noon Meetings per month. They will be on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, Morning meetings will be held on the other Wednesdays.
- 13th Annual Spaghetti Dinner to be held March 25th – THANK YOU TO ALL WHO MADE THIS EVENT SUCH A SUCCESS!!
GUESTS: Welcome Patty Noriega here this morning with Officers Gregoire and Pate, we’re glad you joined us. Welcome back (long time member) Ken Ebert, thanks for joining us this morning.
Meeting adjourned with the OPTIMIST CREED.
APRIL PROGRAMS:
PROGRAM CHAIR: Heather Peterson
APRIL 5: Student of the Month Presentation – Sophia Steffemsmeier (Noon Meeting)
Diane Hinrichs-Toburen,Di rector of Marketing Development at Pawnee Mental Health
Overview of Pawnee Mental Health Operations
APRIL 12: Youth of the Month: Ogden Elementary School (Morning Meeting)
APRIL 19: Youth of the Month: Oliver Brown Elementary Schoo (Morning Meeting)
APRIL 26: Youth of the Month: Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School (Morning Meeting)