Living The Creed Wi l son Go lden C i r c l e Opt imis t C lub

Upcoming Events

March 28 - Junior Golf TYGA

Wedgewood Golf Course-Noon

March 28 - Livestock Judging - 6 pm

Wilson County Fairgrounds

April 5 - Program Meeting - 6:30 pm

Stoneybrook Church - Speaker Becky

Stottlemyer (Faith Connections)

April 7 - Kisses for Cancer - Food Lion

April 18 - Fundraiser-Moe’s South-

west Grill (5-8 pm)

April 19 - Zone Oratorical Contest

Something Differetnt 6:30 pm

April 25 - Deaf Oratorical - NCSFD

May 3 - Business Meeting - 6:30 PM

Stoneybrook Church

May 4 - Golf Tournament Fundraiser

at Wedgewood

May 12 - District Oratorical Contest

Goldsboro, NC

May 17 - Program Meeting 6:30

Stoneybrook Church

Inside this issue:

Children’s Home 2

New Members 3

2nd Quarter Zone

Meeting

3

Scholarships 4

ECU - Cancer Bell 5

Essay Contest 6

Childhood Cancer 7

Christmas Memories 8

Golf Tournament 9

Darden Middle

School

9

Member Spotlight 10

Oratorical Contest 11

President’s Mes-

sage

12

Volume 5, Issue 2 March 21, 2018

GOLDEN CIRCLE DONATES TEDDY BEARS

Golden Circle members started their “Teddy Bear” project at their annual Christ-

mas party on December 21st, by donating more than 70 bears to be given to the

Wilson County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Deputies will give children a teddy

bear when they are present in stressful situations, with the hope that it will help

comfort children, help to defuse family & domestic situations and most of all, to

help children realize that law enforcement officers are “good guys” and can be a

friend to them.

As of this publication date our club has now donated more than 100 teddy bears

to the Wilson County Sheriff’s office and they have expressed appreciation and

have had many opportunities to give away the bears. One officer has com-

mented that it calmed a stress-

ful family situation just by giving

a child a bear. This is “BEARY

GOOD NEWS”!

“Bringing Out The Best In Youth, Ourselves, and our Communities”

Living The Creed Page 2

“ Wherever you

go, go with all

of your heart.”

- Confucius

Valentine Party at The Children’s Home

Those who are happiest are those who do the

most for others.”

~Booker T. Washington

Twenty members of the Golden Circle hosted a Valentine’s Day party at The Freewill Baptist Children’s

Home in Middlesex. Special thanks to Project Chairpersons Dot Windham and Joy Belle Finch. Also

thanks to Norma Duell on the AWESOME “Minute to Win it” games - the kids LOVED them!

$1,600 donated for the

home’s summer program

Carrie Brown, Children’s Home - Sara Robbins, Dot Windham

and Joy Belle Finch with the Golden Circle.

Living The Creed

“To do more for the world

than the world does for you,

that is success.”

– Henry Ford

Golden Circle Welcomes New Members

Page 3

Left to Right: Sara Robbins, President; Diane Keeter, New Member; and Betsy Winborne, Sponsor.

Left to Right: Sara Robbins, President; Karen Sawyer, New Member and Janice Lamm, Sponsor.

2nd Quarter Zone Meeting - February 1, 2018

It was another packed room for our 2nd Quarter Zone Meeting which was held at Parker’s Barbecue on Thursday night, February 1, 2018. Lt. Governor, Jimmy Lamm led the meeting which was hosted by the Wilson Bennett Club.

There were 52 Optimist members present represent-ing 5 different clubs within Zone Three. Golden Circle had 28 members present!

Each club represented shared a bit about the things going on in their clubs.

Zone Three has many wonderful community projects going on this year.

Our speaker for the evening was Sheriff Calvin Woodard, from the Wilson County Sheriff’s of-fice. He shared information regarding the Sher-iff’s office new program for youth (ages 11-13)called PATH (providing alternative thinking strategies). The program gives a crystal clear picture for a future they don’t want for them-selves.

Living The Creed Page 4

IT’S SCHOLARSHIP TIME! Our Scholarship Committee has updated this year’s

application and will be delivering all information to

our local public and private high schools during

March.

Scholarship Committee members Brenda Farmer,

Carol Collier and Frances Buck have set a May 1st

deadline to receive applications from graduation

seniors. The deadline has been set earlier than last

year in hopes of choosing the winners early and be-

ing able to present the scholarships at the High

School Awards Day in May.

Our club plans to give three $1,200 scholarships this

year.

HELPING HANDS AWARDS This will be our 3rd consecutive year of recognizing a

fifth grader in each of Wilson County’s 14 elemen-

tary schools.

In April our Helping Hands committee will contact

each school and ask that the teachers choose one stu-

dent from its fifth grade classes who exemplifies the

positive quality of being courteous and helpful to oth-

ers.

The winning student from each of the 14 schools will

receive a certificate and a $10 gift card on Awards

Day. The student’s name will also be engraved on a

perpetual plaque which will be displayed in each

school.

This project is one way that we can recognize and

encourage younger students to be courteous and

helpful. Often times only high grades and superior

sports abilities are recognized and we want to make

sure that the students see that being a helpful person

is a valuable trait and one that can lead them to be-

come good citizens in the future.

The Perpetual Plaques that will be dis-

played in each school.

Page 5 Living The Creed

End of Treatment Bell for ECU

Six members of our club delivered a new End-of-

Treatment Bell to ECU Brody School of Medicine De-

partment of Oncology/Hematology on Friday,

March 16, 2018.

Our group was warmly welcomed with a reception

by about 20 staff members. Before presenting the

bell, a patient named Justin (pictured to the right)

rang the bell to celebrate the end of his cancer treat-

ment.

Attending the reception was several physicians and

staff members. It was a very touching and joyful

presentation.

This is our fifth End of Treatment bell donated so far.

ECU Physicians and Staff with Golden Circle Members

Page 6

Living The Creed

ESSAY CONTEST

From L to R - Ethan Kaosombat Honorable Mention, Eian Causey 3rd Place, Emma

Rand, 2nd Place and Elizabeth June Hawley 1st Place Winner

Golden Circle announced the Essay

Contest winners on March 1st. We had

four contestants and our winner for

this year is Elizabeth June Hawley.

Elizabeth’s essay has been submitted

to the District Essay Chair person to

compete with other club winners in our

District. The District winner will re-

ceive a $2500 scholarship. We wish

luck to Elizabeth in the next level of

the competition.

This year’s essay topic is “Can Society

Function Without Respect?”

Page 7 Living The Creed

Childhood Cancer News

Our club seeks children in our area who are being treated for cancer so that we may offer as-sistance to them and their family.

We recently met Katie who is a seven year old special needs child who has been undergoing treatments for cancer in Greenville, NC

We helped her family with a $100 gift card and a large kids basket with lots of activities, games and supplies that kids would enjoy during a hospital stay. We also gave her a nice pink bunny, which she loved!

The Bennett club also helped the family by providing a gas tank and fuel for the family.

Katie is the third child we have been able to help so far this year.

Diane Johnson, our Childhood Cancer Chairperson has set Saturday, April 7th as our Kisses for Cancer Fundraiser for this year. It will be held at two of the Food Lion Stores in Wilson.

We hope to raise $700 for local Childhood Cancer children by handing our candy kisses and taking donations.

Our club also donates to Optimist International Child-hood Cancer fund, which helps to fund research for Childhood Cancer.

KISSES FOR CANCER

Mother (Blanca), Katie and sisters Eva and Stephanie

Page 8

Living The Creed

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES 2017

Golden Circle Members hosting a Christmas party for the residents of Longleaf Neuro Medical

Center in Wilson. L to R - Diane Keeter, Kathy Sandifer, Angela Iwaniuk, Carol Collier, Norma

Duell, Betsy Winborne, Joy Belle Finch, Sara Robbins and in the back is Carlos Burk - Longleaf

Volunteer Director.

Page 9 Living The Creed

Darden Middle School

GOLF TOURNAMENT-MAY 4th

Mark your calendars and invite everyone to join us for our

ninth annual Golf Tournament which will be held on Fri-

day, May 4, 2018 at Wedgewood Golf Course in Wilson.

The cost is $50 per player or $200 for a 4-person team

(which includes cart fees and lunch). The cost to sponsor

a hole is $100.

We hope we have a pretty day and lots of participants - Please encourage

your business contacts to support us for an afternoon of fun and fellowship.

Several of our members have visited

Darden Middle School in support of its

Community Partnership project.

Darden is one of 3 schools in Wilson

County which has been recognized as a

priority school by the Federal Govern-

ment due to their performance on man-

dated testing and socio/economic dy-

namics of the 98% minority student

population.

Our club is seeking ways we can help to

turn things around through academic

banquets, mentoring, and efforts to increase parental participation. We

have applied for a $500 matching grant with Optimist International and we

are also seeking to partner with the Wilson Evening Club to fund some of

the projects needed for improvement. The school is seeking tutors and men-

tors and if you are interested please let us know.

Living The Creed

Barbara Hester joined the Golden Circle club on

July 16, 1991. We are so lucky to have Barbara in

our club, because she is one of the most dedicated

and steadfast members we have ever had. And

even more important she is a friend to all of us.

Barbara has sponsored 13 new members over the

last 16 years and more than half of the members

she brought into our club are still here and still ac-

tive! This means she has not only brought her own

energy and passion to our club but has brought in

several others who have also added energy and

new ideas to our club.

Barbara served as our President in 1995. She has

served as our Secretary for 3 consecutive years

and also for our Treasurer for 3 consecutive years

as well. Barbara has served as our OI Foundation

Representative for 10 consecutive years and in

2006 Barbara served as Lt. Governor for our Zone.

In addition to the offices she has held in our club, she has also chaired many

successful projects over the years including the Oratorical and Essay Contests.

It is easy to see that she has helped the Golden Circle become the thriving and

successful club that we are today!

Barbara has been married for 50 years to her high school sweetheart, Ralph Hes-

ter, and they have two sons, Brian and Chris. She retired in 2014 after 26 1/2

years as a Dental assistant with Boles, Ham, Dixon and Boles in Wilson. She has

worked a total of 47 1/2 years in the field of dentistry.

In addition to her work in Optimism, Barbara is also involved in her church, First

Baptist Church of Wilson. She also served as Treasurer for the NC Dental Assis-

tants Association. Barbara has also been a major supporter and often a care-

taker for many of her older siblings and other family members.

Barbara was raised on a farm in Broadway, NC and was the youngest of eight

children. She graduated from Boone Trail High School and also the Technical In-

stitute of Alamance County.

Barbara’s hobbies include reading, cooking, and helping the elders in her church.

When asked what attracted her to our club, she says it was “fellowship with

other ladies and service to youth and other community projects.” Her friend and

co-worker, Becky Boswell sponsored her in 1991. Some of her best memories

are selling Christmas trees (wreaths mostly) and other fellowship during all team

activities.

Barbara Hester is a treasured friend of the Golden Circle Optimist Club!

Barbara Hester - Member Spotlight

Page 10

Living The Creed Page 11

ORATORICAL CONTEST Our Oratorical Contest was held on Thursday - March 23rd at Stoneybrook Church.

We had planned to have 5 speakers, but 2 of our students were unable to attend

and we only had three students to compete. The topic this year was “Where are

my Roots of Optimism?”

The top two contestants will compete in the Zone Oratorical Contest on April 19th

and the two winners from the Zone will compete in the District Contest on May

12th in Goldsboro.

Lydia Denton - 1st Place (Greenfield School); Bridgette Kirby - 3rd Place (Hunt High

School); Sara Mackenzie Harris - 2nd Place (Wilson Early College)

Message From Your President

President -

Sara Robbins

4622 London Church Rd

Elm City, NC 27822

Sara Robbins 252-373-5406

Angela Iwaniuk 252-289-5050

Email: ncangel49@aol.com

A FRIEND OF YOUTH

Wi l son Go l den C i r c l e Opt imi st C lub

We’re on Facebook!

The Wilson Golden Circle Optimist

Editor -

Angela Iwaniuk

10861 McKenzie Rd.

Bailey, NC 27807

Our club was formed in 1987 and is an “all ladies” club. We strive to

live by the tenets of the Optimist Creed and promote optimism as a

way of life, inspire a respect for law, inspire an interest in good

government, and aid and encourage the development of youth, in

the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will ad-

vance the well-being of man, our community and even the world.

While performing community service projects and raising funds, we

also manage to have a good time and enjoy the fellowship of other

like-minded women. We invite other women to come join us!

The Golden Circle Optimist club never ceases

to amaze me!

Of course, a “club” is its members and is what

its members make it. So I am truly amazed by

the wonderfully gifted, talented and committed

members we currently have enrolled. I’ve

learned in the past few months that if a gaunt-

let is thrown down not only will our members

pick it up and run with it but deliver that same

gauntlet in better shape than when we re-

ceived it!!

Teddy Bears continue to be delivered to our

Sherrif ‘s department with numbers approach-

ing 200!!! Remember, Ladies, Easter bunnies

go on sale in about ten days and Dot reports

great buys at The Clothes Line. Let’s all work

to keep this worthwhile and fun project thriv-

ing!!!

Congratulations Dot, Joy Belle and Norma on

THE most successful valentine’s party ever

at Middlesex children’s home!!!! How will you

ever top it? Wait!!! I know you will find a way!!!!!

Two of our annual fundraisers are on the horizon

- Kisses for Cancer and our Golf Tournament . I

know each of you will find a niche for one or both

of these projects and we will not only reach our

goals but exceed them. Thank you in advance!

We also have our restaurant fund raiser coming

up on April 18th at Moe’s and we will participate

in Belk Charity Days in April & May. Help out so

we can in return help out a kid!!!

On a personal note, thank you for the many calls,

visits, cards, emails, and the absolutely beautiful

fern that was delivered during my “incident”

which is what I have named my most recent

health crisis. Your individual and group support

has helped me stay Optimistic!!

Be strong, Optimist strong!

Sara Robbins

President Golden Circle Optimist Club