DATELINE: Tuesday, July 29, 2003. President Erika Kirtdoll opened the meeting and asked Michel Listenberger to give the invocation and lead us in the pledge of allegiance.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: Tom Majerek introduced his guest Joyce from 5^th/3^rd Bank. John Willis introduced his guest Brent Brocksma who also joined us from 5^th/3^rd Bank. Welcome All!

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES: As a reminder, Bob Nemeth celebrated his birthday on July 23^rd and Dave VanStrien celebrated his birthday on July 24^th. Past member Ray Curtis has a birthday on August 1^st and Mark Whittaker will celebrate 9 years of marriage on August 23^rd. Congratulations! We wish the best to all of you!

BRAGS: John Willis bragged on Lloyd Phillips for helping out with a soccer call. Tom Majerek bragged that the Grateful Optimists raised $2,000.00 for Relay for Life. Mark Whittaker bragged about a great vacation his family took to Disneyland in Orlando and how much fun they had park hoping. Dana Trowbridge bragged that his son Colin was named Captain of his All Stars team and they finished 2 and 2. President Kirtdoll bragged that her husband has taken over the basement. No really, they have remodeled the basement including a surround sound system with 13 speakers (even one in the new bathroom).

ANNOUNCEMENTS: Sgt. At Arms Andrew Plym sends a heartfelt Thank You to all the Optimists for the wonderful flowers he received while in the hospital. Past President Tom Majerek bragged that this weekend is Riverfest weekend. Go down to Riverfront Park to enjoy yourselves. He also announced that this Saturday the 5^th/3^rd / YMCA Run will be held also in Riverfront Park. The Anything That Floats raft race will also be held Saturday at 2pm on the St. Joseph River during Riverfest. And don’t forget the Dragon Boat Challenge that starts at 9am on Saturday and runs throughout the day. Riverfest is also the place for the Optimist Duck Race and the Mountain Bike Run on Sunday. The weekend promises to be a great one with Arts and Crafts, games, kiddie rides and fabulous festival food. See you at Riverfest this weekend! President Elect Liz Capron announced that a fundraiser will be held at the Eagles downtown on August 17^th – NASCAR Sunday to raise money for organ transplant awareness. Liz also announced that she will be celebrating the one-year anniversary of her organ transplant operation on August 20^th. President Kirtdoll announced that a Board Meeting will be held on Monday August 11^th at 5:30.

50/50 RAFFLE DRAWING: Dana Trowbridge conducted the 50/50 raffle. Osceola Skinner took home the pot! Congratulations O.C.!

GUEST SPEAKER: Barbara Williams introduced her guest speakers, Lynda Dixon-Podemski, Levi Dixon (Lynda’s son and Barb’s grandson) and Sue McGuire of the Masonic Learning School in South Bend. Levi began by telling us a little about himself including the fact that he is in the 8^th grade. He read to us a story about how he suffered with dyslexia and how the Masonic Learning School had taught him how to read. When Levi gets older, he wants to build a wolf habitat. He is presently job shadowing at Kryder Veterinary Clinic and hopes to work one weekend a month at a wolf habitat in southern Indiana. He introduced his mother, Lynda, who discussed their situation and how she discovered Levi's disability and her struggle to find help. The Masonic Learning School accepts students, at no charge, to the school and tutors them one on one. Levi was severely dyslexic by the 4th grade and now he can read, write and is only two points from a graduation level based on the I-step test in Indiana. She said that students in Michigan are only tested for reading every two years. Levi is an extremely smart student and she is very pleased with his improvement. She introduced the program director of the school, Sue MacGuire. Sue told us how the Masonic Lodge sponsors these children and how the program works. We offer our thanks to Barb Williams and her guests for enlightening us about the Masonic Learning School.

CLOSING CREED: Osceola Skinner led the group in reciting the Closing Creed at the end of the meeting.

"I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go." Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967), poet

"Faith is not a pill you take, but a muscle you use." Author Unknown

"Originality exists in every individual because each of us differs from the other. We are all prime numbers divisible only by ourselves." Jean Gutton (1901 - 1999) Ichthyologist and educator

TODAY IN HISTORY: July 29th

1981: Britain's Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Spencer in an internationally televised ceremony in Saint Paul's Cathedral in London.

1968: In his encyclical Humanae Vitae, Pope Paul VI reaffirms the traditional Roman Catholic ban on artificial contraception.

1848: During the Potato Famine in Ireland, a nationalist rebellion led by William Smith O'Brien is crushed, and O'Brien arrested.

1958: President Dwight Eisenhower signs legislation creating the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

1992: Former East German leader Erich Honecker returns to Berlin to face charges in the deaths of people attempting to cross the Berlin Wall during his time in office. The charges are later dropped.

1890: Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh dies at the age of 47, two days after shooting himself.

Peter Jennings, newscaster (1938)
Dag Hammarskjold, UN secretary general (1905)
Paul Taylor, choreographer and dancer (1930)
Elizabeth Dole, public official (1936)
Alexis de Tocqueville, political writer and statesman (1805)
Ken Burns, filmmaker (1953)

Why are New Yorkers always depressed? The light at the end of their tunnel is New Jersey.

I was born on this day in 1883. I was known as Il Duce.

Benito Mussolini led Italy from 1922 to 1943. He founded the first fascist political group and later allied his country with Germany in World War II. Mussolini took the title Il Duce (The Leader). His clenched fist, jutting jaw, fiery speeches, and dramatic poses became his trademarks.