March 7, 2011 – Volume 86-11

CURRENT NEWS:

This is the first Newsletter to be written as the result of the change in the distribution of the Newsletter. From now on, those with email addresses will receive the Newsletter by email from Dean Landman, our new Electronics Editor, while those without will receive their Newsletters sent by regular mail. This change will save our Club about $1,000 per year.

Recently, Dean Landman constructed a web site for our Club. It is well done and easy to read. If you go there you will find a wealth of information about our Club. To do so go to:

http://www.edinklgen.com/Topeka Optimists/.

President Ron Brown has received a letter of thanks from Doorstep thanking the Club Members who recently assisted with Doorstep’s recent fund raising event. He also announced that the next Board of Directors’ Meeting will be held on March 14, 2011. As always, all members are welcome.

Art Lancaster reports that our Optimist Oratorical Contest will be held on March 9 at the Topeka Public Library. We hope to have the results for the next Newsletter. Also Misty Kroger said that essays have been received for the Club’s Optimist Essay contest and are presently being judges. The top three papers will be presented at a later Club Meeting.

On February 19-20, Rod Obermeier attended the District Meeting in Salina. While there he presented our Club’s contribution of $500 to the Childhood Cancer Program. As a result we were awarded two new patches for our banner, and a framed picture from OI International. Rod presented the picture to Past President Tom Wigley in recognition of Tom’s Presidency during the 2009-2010 year. Ron Brown then announced that our Club will once again be involved in the “Brown Bag” collection of items for the children at Camp Quality. A list of items needed is available from Rod Obermeier.

President Ron Brown reported that Safe Streets is promoting a new program which emphasizes the prevention of automobile thefts. Such thefts are on the increase in Topeka, so be more alert about your cars.

Mike Akulow has been busy revising the badge case, so be sure to check to see if your badge number has changed.

Leland Denton reports that Bob Holmes is home and is improving. Bob would very much appreciate company.

Meeting of February 25, 2011:

Some six years ago, Dr. Diane McMillan sensed that she was “burned out” after teaching for a number of years at the University level. So, she told us, she took a Sabbatical for seven months searching for answers to questions such as: “How do you stop the difficulties that some people have?” What she learned inspired her to return to teaching and now she is a Professor of Human Services at Washburn University. Her classes have become most popular. She learned that people do not all react the same way to a given idea or event. Often one may be adversely affected while another is not. The one adversely affected may indeed bear the effects through an entire lifetime. So Dr. McMillan points out to her students that each person has choices. Each can take responsibility for their own life. Thus a person does not have to be burdened by adverse events in their past life.

Human Services strives to concentrate on three factors: Mind, Thought and Consciousness, with the objective of helping one not to let little things upset them, rather to consider others feelings and circumstances. In other words

(this Editor’s words) “don’t sweat the little things and give others the benefit of the doubt”. All in all, Dr. McMillan stated that she was OPTIMISTIC about the future. Very appropriate!

We had no visitors – it was reported that Rowland Hyles’s birthday is close at hand. Jokes were told by Ron Brown and Ted Heim; Leland Denton once again won the drawing and shared $13 with the OI Foundation; Rod Obermeier’s number was drawn to receive a prize. Since our supply of nuts has been depleted Ron will have to decide what prize to give to himself.

Meeting of March 4, 2011:

Amy Bermudez, Inspector for the Topeka Fire Department was our guest speaker. She related that she had a fascination with fire since she was four years old, and, after some experience as a fire fighter, found a more comfortable position working for fire safety and fire prevention. She opened with a few historical briefs, such as: the first fire was reported in Topeka in 1854 when a fire destroyed a cabin from which twelve persons escaped unharmed. Then there was a fire in Downtown Topeka in 1859 and then the first fire engine was acquired by the City in 1870. Continuing with fire history she said that President Calvin Coolidge inaugurated an annual “Fire Prevention Week”. This movement is the longest running public safety program in the Country. Through the years, fire fighting has always had to evolve as the technology for building construction has evolved.

Presently, Amy has found her true calling to be “Enforcement” and “Prevention”. Because, she said it: “isn’t a question of whether there will be a fire, but when”. Why? Because “everything will burn”. It is merely a matter of the degree of heat. It has been determined that once a fire starts in any room of a house, there is only a window of four minutes for the occupants to escape the structure. With such a short time, Amy stresses having a plan of escape for every office or family and to actually hold “fire drills”. It has been established that a fire affects all of a person’s senses, so that one easily becomes disoriented, often with tragic results.

The number one cause of fires in the United States is “improper cooking”. And the number one cause of deaths is: “smoking fires”. Quite often while a person is in bed. When oxygen is involved, the combination with a fire is very deadly. And in our current culture, more people are using oxygen as a health measure. Although she did not mention candles, it should be noted that often the use of candles can be dangerous.

Some of the ways of fire prevention, Amy mentioned are:

Never go back into a burning structure –call 911 immediately and wait for the fire department.

Don’t try to use a fire extinguisher unless you are well trained in how to use it.

Smoke detectors are not expensive and should be in use and kept well maintained – change batteries at least annually.

Maintain furnaces and dryers so that burnable materials are removed.

Be very careful with the use of space heaters and with extension cords. Amy commented that extension cords are only “temporary wiring” and should not be used continuously with appliances, etc.

Check doors and windows to make certain they can be opened as a part of an escape route. Especially if a door can be opened from the inside only with a key.

We had two guests, Adam and Josh, sons of President Ron Brown. Adam recently from a tour in Afganistan and Josh recently joined the National Guard. There was one joke from Clayton McMurray (Mike Akulow may comment on the authenticity next week); Gary Fleenor won the drawing and shared the pot with OI International; Leland Denton’s badge number was selected to win a prize, but what the prize will be is uncertain; and Tom Wigley’s badge number was chosen to receive the President’s Prize.