1. Downtown Optimist Club
A periodic newsletter of the
A periodic newsletter of the
St. Petersburg -- Downtown Optimist Club
St. Petersburg Downtown Optimist Club
North Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447
North Florida District, Zone 9, Club #60447
March 12, 2011
Editor: Sharon Dennany, telephone 919-274-1311 or email: shar1558denn@yahoo.com
Scott Kaplan – President
7360 Ulmerton Rd. #21D, Largo, FL 33771
Zone 9 Lt. Governor – Jean Rutan
North Florida District Governor – Daniel Rich
2ND Quarter Conference in Panama City
The Downtown Club received patches for their yearly contribution to the OI Foundation. We
donated an average of $60 per person and have our patch for this. We also received the
award for the CPA book written by Scott. The CPA book for the Easter Egg Hunt has been
sent to OI for the international competition. The winner of that will be announced in July.
Chuck Hayworth received 2 awards for being the Distinguished District OI Rep. Jim Ridings
received the award for the #1 Lt. Governor for the district and was awarded the
Distinguished Lt. Gov Governor pin.
Gardner Harshman and Lee Warnock were awarded citations for the Downtown Club being
an Honor Club this past year.
Lee Warnock , Gardner Harshman, Scott Kaplan, Vi Hayworth, Jane Ridings and Bettie Jo
Carvalis were awarded for being district chairs.
Ric Carvalis was honored as a Distinguished Governor for the North Florida District.
The district had a fundraiser going for the Children's Cancer Campaign. Rubber ducks were
sold for $5.00 each. A drawing was held at the conference...Chuck won 1st prize of
$100.00!
The district 50/50 was won by Scott Kaplan who won $130! Lots of members won door
prizes.
The district CCDHH contest was held. The 2nd place prize was won by the young man
Zone 9 sponsored.
Other events were the great Hospitality Room and wonderful Banquet.

2. Sunset at Panama Beach
Taken by Scott Kaplan from his hotel balcony.
It’
It’s My Birthday!
March 9th Gardner Harshman
March 16th Jim Ridings
March 17th Chuck Hayworth
March 19th Bob Costa
March 27th Vi Hayworth

3. Spring forward Sunday March 13th
Benjamin Franklin is credited with the concept of
Daylight Saving Time. The basic idea is to make the
best use of daylight hours by shifting the clock forward
in the Spring and backward in the Fall. Daylight Saving
Time has been in use throughout much of the United States,
Canada and Europe since World War I. In 1966, President
Lyndon Johnson signed an act into law whereby Daylight Saving Time
begins on the last Sunday of April and ends on the last Sunday of October
each year. However, any State can opt out of Daylight Saving Time by
passing a State law.
Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time and neither does Arizona
(although the Navajo Nation, in northeastern Arizona, does). For many
years, most of Indiana did not observe Daylight Saving Time with the
exception of 10 counties. Beginning in 2006, all of Indiana now observes
Daylight Saving Time. However, the state remains divided in two time
zones. Seventy-four counties (including state capital Indianapolis) are in the
Eastern Time Zone. The 18 remaining counties are in the Central Time
Zone.
And if it seems like Daylight Saving Time starts early every year, you're right
-- sort of. Beginning in 1986, Daylight Saving Time started on the first
Sunday in April and ended on the last Sunday in October. But in 2007,
Congress revised the dates to the current March-November calendar in
order to extend the energy savings gleaned from earlier rising. Since the
1970s, energy conservation has been the primary reason for the summer
time change -- longer day means we turn on the lights later, saving energy.
It’
It’s My Anniversary
March 1st Jennifer Maldanado
March 6th Scott Kaplan
March 17th Judy Warnock

4. Bunco Party / Fund Raiser
The Downtown Optimist Club is having a Bunco Party/Fund Raiser
Invite all your friends and come out for great fun!
Date: May 21, 2011
Time: 6:00 PM
Cost: $10.00 per player
Place: 1409 49th Avenue NE, St. Petersburg
This is the home of two great Optimist members, Rick & Jean Rutan,
who have graciously offered their home for this event.
The proceeds go to the club’s youth account. Not only is this a fund-
raiser but also a social gathering for Optimists and friends. We would
recommend that you please bring a snack/finger food item to share.
Cokes/soft drinks will be provided. If you prefer beer or alcoholic drinks,
bring your own. There will be nice prizes for the winners, as well as a
50/50 drawing.
Kindly RSVP so that have enough tables
for everyone. We will need a head
count no later than May 18th.
If you have played Bunco before,
you know that it is a blast.
If you have never played,
not a problem. You will be taught,
and we guarantee that you will enjoy it.
Optimistically,
Vi & Viki
Co-Chairs

5. Tock…
March 1st Meeting at Tick Tock
The meeting was a short one. We submitted our entries for the essay
contest. Every club in the district has an entry thanks to Jean Rutan.
Next quarter conference is in Tampa. Everyone should attend if
possible. It is also the conference for the district oratorical contest
and the JOOI convention. The theme will be a Latin theme. More on
that later.
50/50 was won by Nancy Reeser. She drew the 7 of spades. Pot to
the winner is now $180.00.
Next meeting is March 15th at Tick Tock.
We inducted new members Nancy Reeser and Jean Rutan are
Della and Mitch Shuler. Della on the left and CJ Morris and Rick
is the JOOI club sponsor at Rutan are on the right.
Morgan Fitzgerald CJ was inducted on
Middle School.
February 15, 2011.
The shy one,
trying to hide,
is Sue Foster.

6. Patrick’
St. Patrick’s Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on the
17th of March. It is named after Saint Patrick (c. AD 387–461), the most
commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland. It originated as a
Catholic holiday and became an official feast day in the early 17th
century. It has gradually become more of a secular celebration of Irish
culture.
Originally, the color associated with Saint Patrick was
blue. Over the years the color green and its association
with Saint Patrick's day grew. Green ribbons and
shamrocks were born in celebration of St Patrick's
Day as early as the 17th century. He is said to have
used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain
the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish, and the wearing
and display of shamrocks and shamrock-inspired
designs have become a ubiquitous feature of the
day. In the 1798 rebellion, in hopes of making a
political statement, Irish soldiers wore full green
uniforms on the 17th of March in hopes of catching public attention. The
phrase "the wearing of the green", meaning to wear a shamrock on one's
clothing, derives from a song of the same name.
The first Saint Patrick's Festival was held on March 17, 1996. In 1997, it
became a three-day event, and by 2000 it was a four-day event. By
2006, the festival was five days long; more than 675,000 people
attended the 2009 parade. Overall 2009's five day festival saw close to 1
million visitors, who took part in festivities that included concerts, outdoor
theatre performances, and fireworks.

7. 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 DIRECTORS
President Scott Kaplan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .535-6939 Jean Rutan (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143
7360 Ulmerton Rd. #21D, Largo, FL 33771 Rick Rutan (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522-6143
1st Vice Pres. Vi Hayworth . . . . . . . . . . . . 527-2656 Judy Warnock (1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458-8278
2nd Vice Pres. Viki Pena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421-3721 Sharon Dennany (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . ..919-274-1311
Sec/Treas. Lee Warnock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 577-7159 Gardner Harshman (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .592-0243
Sgt-At-Arms/Gardner Harshman. . . . . . . . 592-0243 Moonyeene Harshman (2) . . . . . . . . . . . . 592-0243
Chaplain Rick Rutan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .522-6143
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Oratorical Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock
Essay Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jean Rutan
Programs/Speakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Rutan
Fellowship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vi Hayworth/Viki Pena
Poster Contest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jean Rutan
O.I. Foundation Rep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane Ridings
Respect for Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gardner Harshman
Youth Appreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock
New Community Dev. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
Raffles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Warnock
Easter Egg Hunt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Viki Pena
Bell Ringing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vi Hayworth
First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lee Warnock