DATELINE: Tuesday, June 10, 2003. President Erika Kirtdoll opened the meeting and Lloyd Phillips gave the invocation and led us in the pledge of allegiance.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: There were no guests other than our guest speaker.

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES: None this week.

BRAGS: President Elect Liz Capron bragged on our lunch location and the great food. She gave her compliments to the chef. Lloyd Phillips bragged that the Brandywine millage passed at yesterday’s election. Dennis Middleton bragged on Robert Rhynard’s "good memory", although Bob gave him the wrong date and time of the next race.

ANNOUNCEMENTS: John Willis announced that the Soccer Committee will have an End of Season Wrap Up meeting at Rudy Kappe’s home this week. They have about half of the soccer equipment collected for this year. He also announced that the next timing will be Saturday June 21^st at Fernwood Botanical Center. Volunteers should be on site by 8:30 a.m.. President Elect Liz Capron announced that the packets for the Dragon Boat Challenge are available. She bought some packets for members to take with them. Please, if you know of a company that can sponsor a Dragon Boat, contact Dave VanStrien or Liz. We will be limiting the number of teams to 20 this year and it is possible that the Youth Teams will race on Sunday during Riverfest. Dave Morse announced that the Optimist Golf Outing will be held next Tuesday, June 17^th here at Orchard Hills Country Club. The Golf Outing is being held in conjunction with the Berrien Springs Optimists. If possible, please come out to see the young people play or lend a hand as a volunteer. Volunteers need to be on site at 8:30 a.m. Depending on the number of participants they may break for lunch on that day and then start again after lunch. Sgt At Arms Andrew Plym announced that members are to wear Red, White and Blue on Tuesday July 1^st in observance of the Fourth of July Holiday. As usual, fines will be doubled (50 cents) for non-compliance. Robert Todd announced that guest speakers are needed for the meetings of Tuesday, July 1^st and Tuesday, July 29^th. Also, all of August is open to schedule speakers. Please contact him if you have a speaker to schedule. President Kirtdoll announced that at last night’s board meeting the Board of Directors agreed to change the meeting time from 6:00 to 5:30 p.m. The next board meeting is July 14^th. She also announced that Midwest Regional Youth Grange Contest is June 21^st and they are looking for judges for that evening. They really need judges so contact the president if you can help them out. The president also announced that members can now make suggestions or comments regarding our noon meetings and lunches. Present your comments/suggestions to the treasurer. Let us know how you liked the meals. Suggestions must be signed, no anonymous suggestions will be accepted. President Elect Liz Capron said that no negative comments should be made at Optimist meetings; after all, we are Optimists! Also, the Viking Ahtletics is having a "Worm Burner Open" Golf Scramble here at Orchards Hills on Monday, June 16^th. Lunch starts at 10:45. To participate, contact the Niles Athletics Golf Outing office at 1441 Eagle Street.

50/50 RAFFLE DRAWING: Dana Trowbridge conducted the 50/50 raffle. Butch Harrison took home the $10 pot! Congratulations Butch!

GUEST SPEAKER: Robert Todd introduced today’s guest speaker as Caitlin Elisabeth Klug, 2003 Miss Southwest Michigan Teen. Ms. Shirley Schader from the Miss Southwest Teen Board of Directors, accompanied Caitlin to our meeting today. Caitlin is 14 years old and was chosen as Miss Southwest Teen in July of last year. She attends Lake Michigan Catholic School and one day hopes to attend Michigan State University to major in Veternarian science to work with exotic animals. Currently she is involved in many things including taking dance instruction, modeling cloths, 4H and volunteering at a pet store. She became interested in the Miss American Organization when she was very young because she admired the other young people involved. Last year the Miss American Organization (of which the Miss Southwest Teen is a part of) gave away more than $31 million in scholarships to various participants. The teen program is for girls age 14 to 16 years old. Each girl speaks on her particular platform. A platform is an issue or cause which they feel strongly about and which will be the subject of their talk or discussion when visiting other groups. Caitlin’s platform is, "Learning Leadership Skills through 4H". She said that the 4H Club is the oldest boy/girl club in the nation and that it helps youth to learn leadership skills, self confidence, self determination and encourages good team work. She wants other youth to know that there are better things in store for them other than drugs, alchohol and destructive behavior. She said that 4H is more than just learning about how to care for animals. There are many different areas of interest to choose from in 4H, taking care of animals is just one of them. Children who are members of a 4H club learn how to work as a team and they learn what personal achievement really means. The 4H club celebrated its 100^th birthday in 2002 and is still going strong as one of the most popular youth clubs in America. It started as a far program, but that is only a small percentage of what the club does today. The club is a very diverse group with members from every culture, race and walk of life. It encourages good morals and values and helps families to interact together. Caitlin also told us that she has a Llama and that she really enjoys taking care of it and showing it. She says that it is probably one of the best animals to handle.

"Humor is the shortest distance between two people." Victor Borge (1909 – 2000), Entertainer

"Find reasons to do the important things, instead of reasons not to do them. Risk, experiment and don’t forget to have some fun while you are at it." Ernie J. Zelinski, Consultant

TODAY IN HISTORY: June 10

1194: Chartres Cathedral, France, burns down save for the west front. The reconstruction of the cathedral, which begins the same year, heralds the birth of the High Gothic style of architecture.

1776: The Continental Congress appoints Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston to write a statement of independence from Britain.

1935: Two recovering alcoholics, Bill W. and Dr. Bob S., found Alcoholics Anonymous in Akron, Ohio, to help each other stay sober.

1957: For the first time in 22 years, the Progressive Conservative Party wins control of the Canadian Parliament. They choose John Diefenbaker as prime minister.

1964: After a 75-day filibuster led by Southern senators, the U.S. Senate votes 71-29 to close debate on the Civil Rights Bill, which passes the Senate nine days later.

1978: Affirmed becomes the last horse to take the thoroughbred Triple Crown in the 20th century when he wins the Belmont Stakes. For the third straight race, Affirmed's rival Alydar finishes a close second.

Howlin' Wolf, blues singer and songwriter (1910)

Tara Lipinski, figure skater (1982)

Gustave Courbet, painter (1819)

Maurice Sendak, writer and illustrator (1928)

Henry M. Stanley, explorer and journalist (1841)

Judy Garland, actor and singer (1922)

A car is driven form A to B at an average speed of 60 mph and is then driven back from B to A along the same route at an average speed of 40 mph. What is the average speed of the car for the whole journey?

I was born on this day in 1915. I won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1976.

48 mph.

Canadian-born American author Saul Bellow writes novels centered on Jewish characters, culture, and tradition. Much of his work touches on the theme of alienated individuals in an indifferent society. In 1976 Bellow won both the Pulitzer Prize in fiction and the Nobel Prize for literature. Bellow also became the first novelist to win three National Book Awards, for The Adventures of Augie March (1953), Herzog (1964), and Humboldt’s Gift (1975)