INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: Michel Listenberger introduced his guests Ray and Elaine Curtis, who Mike has known since their environmental group days back in the 1970s. Welcome Ray and Elaine. Please feel free to join us again. President Kirtdoll welcomed back prospective Optimist Jazmine Kyles. Jazmine will have her induction ceremony at a future meeting.

BRAGS: Osceola Skinner bragged on Baba Garba who has been attending the lunch meetings although he is on a fast. Osceola talked about how dedicated he was to the fast and how well he is doing. Past President Tom Majerek bragged that his beloved Notre Dame team is now 2 and 0. Andy Plym bragged on how he made everything right after giving a friend tickets to the wrong Notre Dame basketball game. President Kirtdoll bragged that she will be leaving for Houston later this week. Have a good time Madam President. Liz Capron bragged on her upcoming trip to the Caribbean. Treasurer Dana Trowbridge bragged on what a wonderful job Osceola Skinner did last week in keeping the books straight while Dana was away. John Willis bragged on Dave Morse for getting all the soccer goals down at Eastside Park. He also bragged on Jack and Sheila Frost who registered for this past weekend’s race and apparently their numbers did well in the race but no one had seen Jack or Sheila. Seems Sheila passed the registrations on to friends, one of which finished 3^rd overall and won a trophy.

PRESENTATION: President Kirtdoll presented Dana Trowbridge with a 3 Member Pin because Dana brought in three new members. Congratulations Dana!

FOR ALL THE MARBLES: Dana Trowbridge conducted the 50/50 raffle. Don Boyer won a chance at the $122 pot. L L L L L L L He did not pull the Joker. He pulled the Ten of © . Try your luck again the next time Don, there’s bound to be a winner soon. Craig Krassow recommend that at the last meeting before the Christmas holiday that we draw until someone wins the pot. That way won Optimist will have some extra shopping money. The group all agreed; therefore at the December 17^th Optimist meeting we will draw until somebody wins the pot! Everyone should show up that day and buy a ticket.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Robert Rhynard announced that the next race is "Jingle Bell Run", which will be held on Saturday, December 7 at the Hall of Fame in downtown South Bend. Race starts in the morning. See Bob for more details. Osceola Skinner thanked everyone for signing up for the SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING. He still has slots available and we’d like to get more Optimists to sign up for an hour of bell-ringing. Bell ringing days are on Saturdays December 7^th, 14^th and 21^st at Walmart from 5 to 9 pm and at Radio Shack from 9 am to 5pm. Sgt At Arms Andy Plym announced that everyone is to wear fall colors at the next meeting in observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Those who do not wear fall colors will be fined double. President Kirtdoll announced that at the next Optimist Board meeting would be held on Monday, December 9^th . Dana Trowbridge announced that he, President Kirtdoll, Past President Majerek and Michel Listenberger had attended the First Quarter District meeting. He said that there was a very nice turnout and talked about how the Optimists are partnering with General Motors to help kids. He said that at the meeting a General Motors representative presented a check for $10,000 to the Michigan Optimists in support of the children. Our thanks to General Motors for such a great donation. Robert Todd announced that we still need to schedule guest speakers for the month of January and beyond. Michel Listenberger announced that the Niles JOOI Club would be assisting the Downtown Development Authority with the Santa Store on December 5, 12, and 19^th.

GUEST SPEAKER: Tom Clabaugh introduced today’s guest as James Pierce, better known as, JAMES THE MAGICIAN. James led an interactive show with the audience in which he performed several card and rope tricks. He was very funny and very entertaining. It seems that James quit his job a few years ago to devote his full attention to his magic. We give our thanks to James Pierce for being with us today. Thanks for the great Magic Show!

"I always advise young people to dream small dreams, because small dreams can be achieved, and once you achieve a small dream and a small success, it gives you confidence to go on to the next big step." John H. Johnson, Founder of Johnson Publishing Company

"Ideas are great arrows, but there has to be a bow." Bill Moyer, Journalist

TODAY IN HISTORY: November 19

1620: The Mayflower arrives off of the coast of Cape Cod.

1863: American president Abraham Lincoln delivers the Gettysburg Address at the dedication of the Civil War cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

1954: The first automatic toll collection machine is placed in service at the Union Toll Plaza on New Jersey's Garden State Parkway.

1969: American astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan LaVern Bean are the third and fourth humans to walk on the surface of the moon.

You enter a deserted house late at night. Inside there is an oil lamp, a gas fire and a stove full of wood. You have only one match however, so which should you light first?

The Match

American actor Jodie Foster, a magna cum laude graduate of Yale University, has starred in over 30 films since she began acting at the age of seven. She won an Academy Award for her leading role in The Accused (1988), and won her second Academy Award in 1992 for her role in The Silence of the Lambs. As Clarice Starling, a rookie FBI agent trying to find a serial killer in The Silence of the Lambs, Foster won critical acclaim for deftly communicating her character’s strength and intelligence.