1. Downtown Optimist Club Newsletter
A periodic Newsletter of the St. Petersburg - Downtown Optimist Club
North Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447
February 2, 2010
Editor: E. Gardner Harshman, telephone 592-0243 or email: gharshman@tampabay.rr.com
3E J.O.O.I. Club Chartered ...
What a proud event --- seeing a brand new
Junior Optimist Club chartered at Morgan Fitzgerald
Middle School last Tuesday January 26th. This was
a red letter day for the club with Past Governor Vi
Hayworth performing the ceremony, Lee Warnock
awarding Charter Member certificates, and Lt.
Governor Jim Ridings presenting the club bell and
gavel. Even Judy Warnock and Jane Ridings were in
attendance to witness the happening. As the club
grows and they learn
more about Optimism
and how their club
relates to other Junior
Optimist Clubs in the
District, they will come to appreciate their Charter membership status. Regular
meetings will be held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Members
are welcome to come visit. Just let Lee or Gardner know when you wish to visit.
Friday morning, January 29th, the Zone 9
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of
Hearing was held at Pinellas Park High School. The
picture at left shows the winners — three from
Pinellas Park High School and three from Blossom
Middle School. In center is Governor Ric Carvalis
and on end is past Governor Bob Thompson, District
Chair of the contest who drove down from St.
Augustine with wife Shirley for the contest.
All kids are winners, just for participating, but only
two of these will be going on to Jacksonville for the
finals this coming weekend at the 2nd Quarter
Conference.
Thanks to Rick Rutan who did a great job with
emceing the program, to Lt. Gov. Jim who helped
present the winners medals, and to our own Lee
Warnock and Raymond James Club Pat Keegan for their never-ending support and work in putting this project
together for Zone 9 clubs. Ed. Note: My apologies if I missed someone who should have been mentioned.

2. Today’s meeting at Tick Tock ...
Apparently things went awry for our meeting. President Gardner opted to miss the meeting to attend his
grandson’s All County Concert Band performance at the Mahaffey theater. Expected speaker Sgt. Tracy
Schofield was a no-show, reasons unknown. Special guest visitor Diana Stancic, President of the new J.O.O.I.
Club fell sick and was unable to attend. As this writer understands it, there were several other regulars missing
due to illness or whatever.
Scott and Lee took over running the meeting and time was spent discussing some business. Talking about
the yard sale, reporting on the CCDHH contest, etc.
Jane Ridings reported that the Downtown Piggy has reached $29.31 which is almost as much as last year
all together. She has set her sights on doubling last year’s amount, looking for a total of $65 - 70 by the end of
September.
Yard Sale Time to go through your closets and garage and pick out those items you no longer use. Put them
together in one spot and then, on March 13th, you’ll have the opportunity of the year to get rid of them. Yes, we
need your no longer useables to sell at our club yard sale. Second largest fund raiser of the year, but not if we
don’t have much to sell. Let’s get it together, members!
Essay Contest. Jean Rutan reported that entries are coming in hot and heavy from all around via internet. She
needs clubs to sponsor these contestants.
Jean also reported that the poster contest which comes later, has the theme, “Slam the door on drugs.” For this,
she needs schools with 4th and 5th graders to participate. If you know a contact in a school that could be involved,
please give her a ring up.
Upcoming Activities ...
50/50 drawing is now up to
nd
February 5 - 7 — 2 Quarter $384.00. The winner, when
Conference in we have one, will receive a Jack
Jacksonville minimum of $192.00. Winner of
Febraury 14 — Valentine’s Day of the drawing today was
February 16 --- Regular meeting at Carol Sirrianna. She drew the Diamonds*
the Tick Tock Jack of diamonds instead of
the joker!
* Pretend it’s a card. (My scanner likes to give me
Birthdays ... fits on occasion.)
February 25th — Judy Warnock

3. Downtown Optimist Club
of St. Petersburg
th
3558 100 Terrace
Pinellas Park, FL 33782-4100
The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself -
To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of
trouble.
CLUB OFFICERS Vice Pres. Scott Kaplan . . . . . . . 535-6939
President Gardner Harshman . . 592-0243 Vice Pres. Vi Hayworth . . . . . . . 527-2656
Sec/Treas. Lee Warnock . . . . . . 577-7159 Poster Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Rutan
Sgt-At-Arms Jim Sirrianna . . . . 392-2718 O.I. Foundation Rep . . . . . . . Jane Ridings
Chaplin Rick Rutan . . . . . . . . . 522-6143 Respect for Law . . . . . . Gardner Harshman
Youth Appreciation . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock
Directors New Community Dev. . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
Jim Sirrianna (1) . . . . . . . . . . . 392-2718 Get Away Raffle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viki Pena (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421-3721 Easter Egg Hunt . . . . . . . . . . Scott Kaplan
Chuck Hayworth (1) . . . . . . . . . 527-2656 Bell Ringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
Jean Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143 First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock
Rick Rutan (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143
Judy Warnock (2) . . . . . . . . . . . 458-8278
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Oratorical Contest . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock
Essay Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Rutan
Programs/Speakers . . . . . . . . Rick Rutan
Fellowship . . . . . . Vi Hayworth/Viki Pena