The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin": Vol. 2024 #48: 8-28-24

                                 VOLUME 2024          AUGUST 28, 2024         NUMBER 48

President Bill Wisdom welcomed the membership and guests, then presented the reflection, a quote from Tim McGraw’s song, “Humble and Kind.”

The flag salute followed.

Bruce McMillan introduced Kendra Kulman, Director of Manhattan Arts Center, who spoke on the Master Plan for the Manhattan Arts Center (MAC).  Kendra introduced Addie Johnson, Director of Theatre Education.  Kendra has been involved in the arts her entire life and has been with the MAC just over a year.  She serves in grant writing, development, and fund-raising roles as well as others.  Abby has been instrumental in growing the youth education theatre program.  Both took turns speaking.

Their program works with first grade through grade twelve in addition to the adult programs.  Everything they do is centered around educating the next generation of actors and technicians.  They usually have five main shows in a season.  The 2024 Season will include “All My Sons,” “Young Frankenstein,” “Holiday Weekend Trio,” “Daddys Dying, Who’s Got the Will?,” and “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.”  They also have their youth shows.

The program is volunteer based, thus their directors and actors are volunteers and put in a lot of time.  In addition, all the technicians for construction of sets, sound, lighting, props and costumes are volunteers.  Everything must be brought in as the stage is small, but they can do many different things with the space. 

The MAC created two new theatre programs.  The Academy has been going on for quite a few years for youth first grade through nineth grade.  The span of ages allows younger participants to be mentored by older participants.  Last fall they did “Finding Nemo” and this spring they did “The Three Musketeers.”  This summer they started their Company program for participants grades six through twelve who graduate from the Academy program.  This summer the acting Company did “Monty Python’s Spamalot.”  They also started a tech Academy program composed of about ten students who ran the sound and lights, props and set changes.  They will continue the Academy into the fall semester when they will be designing the fall production of “Anastasia.”  Forty-five students are currently enrolled this fall for “Anastasia” and this spring they will stage “Alice in Wonderland.”

The Manhattan Arts Center continues to grow.  They also have classes in drawing, watercolor, painting, clay, printmaking, and jewelry metalsmithing for all abilities and ages.  They have a main gallery of art exhibits which rotates every month.  

Friends of MAC is a program for a sustaining way to support the MAC.  They have Quarterly events for their friends; the starting membership is $50 or a family membership is $85.  They need many volunteers to take tickets, usher, etc.  If the theatre is not sold out, volunteers get a seat to see the show for free.  Volunteers are also needed for set construction and administrative tasks.  Information is available on their website.

The aging facility is small, and they are growing.  They have off-site rehearsal spaces, but most are not free of charge.  They need additional spaces in order to continue to grow.  They hope to announce plans for a new building and a campaign for raising funds.  The MAC has also gone through a rebranding process and has a new logo.

Manhattan Arts Center Website

Greg McCune introduced, new member, Jolene Roberts.  Jolene joined Optimists because Jim Blanton asked her to and because she likes to give back.  For many years, she had purchased a Christmas tree from the Optimist.  Jolene grew up in Ashland, Kansas, which is a small town about an hour south of Dodge City.  She attended K-State, changing her major several times.  She studied hotel and restaurant management, interion design, and fashion.

She started working at age 14 in the unincorporated town of Sitka, Kansas at a little restaurant.  She worked various jobs while in college, then moved to Kansas City for three years to go to massage therapy school.  While in Kansas City, she worked for McCarthy Auto Group, selling cars, helping manage and market their car inventory online, opened a new dealership, and track sales numbers.

She moved back to Manhattan at the urging of her sister and began helping at the Boys and Girls Club.  She drove vans to pick up kids, cleaned the building on 4th Street, then started doing administrative tasks.  The next thing she knew, she worked there full time doing fundraising managing the new building.

Rusty Wilson, who owned Kite’s, offered her a job.  She worked beside him until she made the jump into real estate in 2012.  At the end of October in 2019 she decided to open her own real estate office, Sells MHK.  She opened the office space downtown at the beginning of 2021.  This month marks her 12th year in real estate.

Jolene has two sons, Jeter (15) and Jagger (12) who go to Riley County schools.  When she has spare time, she likes to cook, travel, and spend time with family and friends.

No guests were present.

Bill Wisdom presented Jean Klassen her Dime-a-Day pin.

Jim Franke announced two work dates, Friday August 30, 8:30 to 11:30, to weed the fields and clean up fields for softball, and Friday September 6, 8:30 to 11:30, to prepare the park for the Optimist social on September 8th.  Signup is available on Signup Genus; contact Jim Franke (jfranke@ksu.edu) to get added to the Signup Genus group.

Bill Wisdom announced the Fall Social Potluck Dinner on September 8th.  Social and games begin at 4:30 pm.  Dinner is at 5:30. 

Bill Wisdom announced Aggieville Chili Crawl signup information is on the tables.

Bruce Bidwell announced signup sheets for the Fall Social at the Park, September 8th, were available to 1) signup to set up the event and 2) signup to bring food items.

Gary Lloyd announced the Manhattan Symphony Orchestra will perform at 100 Courthouse Plaza, Manhattan, KS on Saturday September 7th, at 7:00 pm.  In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the East Entrance Atrium of the Manhattan Town Center Shopping Mall.

Save these dates: September 8, Fall Social at the Park; September 28, football parking for the OSU game; October 19, Aggieville Chili Crawl.

Adjourned with the Optimist Creed

SEPTEMBER 4: MORNING MEETING: Jared Tremblay, Planning Mgr. – Flint Hills Metropolitan Planning Org.: Topic: “Transportation Planning 2050: Population, Financials, & 2nd Blue River Crossing”

SEPTEMBER 25: NOON MEETING: President William Wisdom: Topic: “Outgoing Presidential Farewell Address”

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS