Member News – The Rotary Club’s Martini Tasting/Masquerade Ball contest will feature Club members Anna Scholes, LeeAnn Cline, and Dawn Soto, and their special delicioso concoction using locally-sourced honey:  Bees Knees!  (It’ll get you buzzing!)

Update on our founding Optimist Club member, Dan Meehl – Barry Knoblich reported that the Judge’s condition hasn’t changed.  He is under hospice care, in Room 155, heavily medicated, and doesn’t recognize visitors.  If you’d like to visit, and say a prayer for him and his family, you’re welcome.  His room is an apartment-style, with a separate bedroom where he’s resting.  There’s a chair beside the bed, and if no one else is there, you can go in.

Committee Reports

Youth Appreciation – Our banquet will be at the Stone House on Thursday, April 23, from 11:45 – 1:10 p.m. Our keynote speaker will be Dr. Jeff Fox, President of the College of Southern Idaho. Cost will probably be $20 per person. We’ll make it an extra special event as we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of our CluB so mark your calendars!

Optimist International Student Essay – the competition has ended, the judging is finished, and the winners are being notified.  The winners will read their essays and collect their winnings at the March 5th meeting – don’t miss it!

 Lost Wages – Kathleen Hale announced that we’ve secured Don Anderson Construction  as our Title Sponsor!  Start bringing those donated items (for the Silent Auction and the Egg Game) to Kathleen Hale and LeeAnn Cline so the folks putting the baskets together can see what they have to work with!  No sense in delaying!  March 14th is just around the corner…..!

Wanna be of more help? Check out the spreadsheet to see which past donors still need to be contacted.

Guest Speaker

Our Guest Speaker was Jen Willes, from the JuMP Company, a musical theatre for students in first through twelfth grade. They’ll be presenting a delightful musical play “Once on This Island Jr.” at the John Roper Auditorium this weekend, with performances tonight, Friday, and Saturday!

The JuMP (which stands for Junior Musical Playhouse) Company’s strict purpose is to promote theatrical education by involving youth in the performing arts, and granting charitable scholarships to members seeking higher education.  Although JuMP Company is a non-profit organization, everyone involved in JuMP profits from theatre education.  JuMP Company was founded in 1984 by Martha Mead.  Each year it presents a winter show in February and a summer show in July.  Every spring members who are graduating from High School have the opportunity to apply for JuMP Company scholarships.
Over the years, JuMP Company has awarded scholarships and other community donations totaling over $75,000.  JuMP Company is a volunteer organization.  Everything you see on the stage during a show is done by volunteers, without whose dedication and effort the task would be impossible.  JuMP Company members must be in 2nd through 12th grades. Auditions are held in early January for the Winter Show and late Spring for the Summer show.
JuMP Company holds several workshops throughout the year which are open to all school-age participants. Each show has a production fee which must be paid before cast members begin rehearsals. Typically this runs between $100-125.  Need-based scholarships for production fees are available with board approval, prior to auditions.

We got a preview of the great voices featured at the JuMP show at our meeting!

The Rotarians have presented the Paul Harris Award to our own Barry Knoblich, which puts him in the esteemed company of such notables as U.S. President Jimmy Carter, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, U.S. astronaut James Lovell, UN Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar, and polio vaccine developer Jonas Salk.  The Paul Harris Fellow recognition acknowledges individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to the Rotary Foundation.

Put these Optimist events (and others of interest to Optimists!) on Your Calendar!