The "Manhattan Optimist Club Bulletin" Vol. 2026 #2 10-8-25
VOLUME 2026 OCTOBER 8 NUMBER 2
President Kelly Karl welcomed the membership and guests and presented a reflection. The flag salute followed.
Thad Hall outlined the Manhattan High School Student of the Month Program. The program recognizes Manhattan High School seniors who make a difference in their community through volunteerism and leadership of activities that have a positive impact on the MHS or Manhattan community. The goal of the program is to inspire and encourage youth to get involved in their community in an effort to benefit others. We recognize six Students of the Month throughout the year. Applicants submit a résumé and are judged by a committee of Optimists. Recipients receive $100 to donate to the organization of their choice and are eligible for a $1,000 scholarship as the overall yearly winner. Wrenn Burton was introduced as the Optimist's Manhattan High School Student of the Month.
She has been passonate about three things in her life: Golf, Business Professionals of America, and First Tee. This past summer she got to play in a golf tournment in North Carolina at Pinehurst. She received this opportunity because they won the State Golf Championship in 2024. She got to meet a lot of other young golf players at the tournament. Her best friend, who was also on the golf team, got to go also. She recently had another personal best at a tournament.
The Business Professionals of America (BPA) at MHS is also an organization that is important to her. She participated in BPA her sophmore year, then became treasurer her junior year, and this year, her senior year, she was elected president. She has learned about different careers, life skills, and social skills. She participated in competition both individualy, and with a friend. They both qualified for nationals in Florida and competed there.
She is also passonate about First Tee. She has been a member for twelve years and it has had a big impact on her life and kept her very busy. In April of 2024 she was Ace Certified, the first female participant in Manhattan to become certified. To become Ace certified, one must complete four projects that are centered on Community Service, with 48 or more volunteer hours, in Career, Educational Opportunities, and Golf Skills. She was accepted into the First Tee John Deere Drive Your Future program.
She is a member of the National Honor Society and elected treasurer her senior year. She placed 4th at the Business Professionals of America State Leadership Conference in Presentation Individual, and National Qualifier in Small Business Management Team. She completed the Distinguished Service Graduate Program which requires over 100 hours of community service and soon to be a Kansas Scholar. She has been involved with the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation with Youth in Community and at the Sunset Zoo. She helped with the Manhattan Basketball Association Breakfast Club by helping running drills and taught youth the fundamentals of basketball.
Her future plans include attending college; her top three choices now are Clemson University, Kansas University, and Arkansas University. She really enjoys traveling and wants to do more of that.
Wrenn donated her $100 from the Optimist to the MHS chapter of the Business Professionals of America. She thanked the Optimist for selecting her.
Larry Fox introduced Matthew Driscoll, KSU Associate Head Men's Basketball Coach. Matt is the winningest coach in North Florida, with 238 wins and Atlantic Sun Conference, with 144 win history during a 16 year stint from 2009 to 2025 with the Ospreys. He led UNF to three regular-season Atlantic Sun Conference championships in 2016, 2020, while winning the league's tournament championship in 2015. He guided the Ospreys to three postseason appearances, including the school's first-ever trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2015. He was selected three times as the Atlantic Sun Conference Coach of the Year following his regular season championships in 2014-15, 2015-16, and 2019-20. Matt has 37 years of coaching experience that includes stints at the high school, junior college, Division II and Division I levels.
KSU Head Men's Basketball Coach Tang said, “I am excited to welcome Matthew Driscoll to the K-State family as our new Associate Head Coach. Coach Driscoll is a proven program builder and an exceptional teacher of the game. His ability to develop players and implement high-level offensive systems is second to none. At North Florida, he no only became the winningest coach in ASUN history, but also built one of the most dynamic and efficient offenses in the country, consistently ranking among national leaders in 3-point shooting and scoring. His basketball IQ and passion for teaching will bring tremendous value to our program and elevate our team on every level.”
(Editor's note: Coach Driscoll is an extraordinary dynamic speaker; these written notes simply cannot accurately convey his presentation.)
The 14 dots on the map where he has coached are driven through relationships. Relationships are the key to everything that we do and everything we have done. The power of those relationships help shape us to be the best versions of our self that we can be. We help be the best we can be by helping others be they best they can be. It is not just here, but globally; KSU has five players from all over the world. We have an impact on people's lives and when he left Florida it was evident he had left a legacy defined by our care, our generosity, time, our talent, and our treasure. We do that by elevating everything we touch. If we sacrifice and serve, what we are doing, you can win the hearts of people, your family, grandchildren; you can win the hearts of whoever you want. If you win the hearts, you win the game. A slogan in North Florida read “Get up, win, go to bed.” And you do the same thing the next day; that's what everyday is about. Today is the greatest day you have. When you do those things, people think you're nuts, you're crazy; this can't happen; who could do this? If you believe and you have a faith and you stand on it, who knows?
Matt stated “This dude (meaning himself) shouldn't be standing here today.” There are 365 Division I coaches in the world and he was one of them. From his early background few would have thought he would be one of them. But it is those dots on the map and those relationships.
Matt talked about how he got here. He was hired at Baylor University shortly after a shooting affecting their basketball program, and spent seven weeks sleeping in his office so he did not waste time commuting. He watched the news coverage about the Baylor shooting at night from his office. They had to hire assistant coaches and hired Coach Tang at Baylor and also Paul Mills, current Wichita State, coach at the same time. Matt was 39 years old and mentoring all the other coaches; and that is why he is here at Kansas State. He could have stayed a Florida and retired. But God said, “I need you to go do this.” He said a lot of wonderful things have happened already and he is super excited to be here.
Our speaker, Matt Driscoll, our student of the Month, Wrenn Burton, her father Ben Burton, her mother, Tamara, and her sister Maren.
Bill Wisdom announced he will be sending out guidelines for the Chili Crawl volunteers and he has enough volunteers for the on Saturday October 18th. Tickets are on sale at:
Buy tickets – 2025 Annual Chili Crawl – Johnny Kaw's Yard Bar
President Karl announced they are working on getting Optimist shirts, hats etc. merchandise.
Also lapel pens can be purchased through Optimist International.
Thad announced Hoop, Holler 'N Shoot preparations are in progress and we should have dates from KSU soon.
Dues were due October 3rd.
On Sunday October 19th we are hosting a softball tournament at Optimist Park. Jim Franke will send out a request for volunteers through Signup Genus.
Meeting adjourned with the Optimist Creed.
Chili Crawl, October 18th 3:30 to 6:30. Social opportunity at Liquid Art winery on October 23rd 4:00 to 6:00. Sign up can be done on Sign-up Genus.
OCTOBER 15 – MORNING MEETING: Program: Jessa Peterson, Owner, Chapter 5 Yoga: Topic: “100 Miles of Pain – High Lonesome 100”
OCTOBER 22 – NOON MEETING: Program: Liz Holle, President & CEO, Big Lakes: Topic: “Big Lakes Overview”
Program: President Kelly Karl: Topic: “Membership Meeting”
