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December 2003 Meeting notes
December 19 2003 Meeting Notes
Speaker: Bill Atkins
Long time Smyrna resident Bill Atkins, and former owner of Atkins Pharmacy has represented
Smyrna in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1982 until 1994. In 1994 he was appointed to
head the state Drug and Narcotics Agency for the State of Georgia. This agency deals with the
illegal use of legal drugs. He told us of the doctor who was writing his dog prescriptions for
his dog to support his wife's addiction. And the drug store that was never open except to sell drugs out
the back door and committing Medicare fraud. However, the largest problem is dealing in one way
or the other with doctors and pharmacists that become addicted to the drugs they work with. One of
the problems is the lack of desire of the federal authorities to deal with the sale of drugs through
the internet and across state lines.
Flippin' for Kids
Money is still coming in from ticket sales but as of the meeting December 19 we had received
$11,500 through the efforts of a great many people. This money will go a long way to further
the youth programs in Smyrna.
From the Treasurer
Second Quarter Dues are now due. Make checks payable to Smyrna Optimist Club.
Get ready! Onion Sales are just around the corner!
The board has approved a new program-an Oratorical Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. We need
a chairperson for this committee.
Thank you to all who volunteered to work in the Santa House. If you did not, you will never know how
much you missed!
Veterans
- It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion
- It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press
- It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
- It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
- It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
- It is the VETERAN, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
- It is the VETERAN,who solutes the flag, who serves under the flag.
God Bless all our service men and women wherever they may be during this holiday season.
They serve so we may celebrate the holidays in a FREE country.
December 12, 2003 Meeting Notes
Speaker: Chris Laster
Steve Wilson introduced one of Smyrna's newest celebrities, Chris Laster. Chris has been
recently named one of the top 25 teachers in the country by USA Today. He was the only
teacher from Georgia on the list, and after hearing Chris speak, we understand why he was chosen.
Chris gave us a chuckle when he told the club about playing football as a youth in Indiana.
His league was sponsored by the local Optimists. When a player asked the coach, "What's the
Optimist Club?", the coach replied, "a bunch of eye doctors who love football."
Chris has been teaching at Russell Elementary for 11 years and for the past five, has organized an
annual space shuttle simulation for fifth graders. Chris stresses the importance of his
students learning to work as a team. He enjoys watching them learn to use new skills throughout
the school year as they study space exploration and technology.
Chris got the idea for the simulation after taking students on a tour of the Huntsville Space
Center and saw "the lights going on" in his students. He asked one of them, "why couldn't we
do this at Russell?". The student replied, "we could do it better", and the Russell Space
Center was born.
The specifications for the size of the inside of the "shuttle" are true to the actual space
shuttle. Dobbins donated the insides of a C-140 to make it even more authentic. The shuttle
and Mission Control are housed in a donated trailer.
Students apply for the different jobs including mission control and astronaut crew. To apply to be an
astronaut, a student must pass a physical fitness test and write an essay. Six primary crews
are chosen as well as six back-up astronauts. In making the difficult choice of who will be
astronauts, Chris says he chooses the ones who work best together as a team.
After 8 months of hard work, the simulated flight is scheduled this year for May 6 & 7, with
lift off at 10:30 am. Landing the shuttle successfully is a real emotional high for all involved.
For more information, their web site is www.starsailor.com.
The Meeting
Guest: Ruth Hayden of the Smyrna Library.
It was good to see Bill Hamilton back after a long absence.
Our newest member, Patsy Stribling, was inducted by Rodney Hogue. Welcome Patsy!
Phyllis Stockfisch reports that we are rapidly approaching the $11,000 mark for the Pancake
Breakfast fund raiser. Please turn in any ticket money right away.
We had 54 members present and 3 guests including our speaker, Chris and wife, Nancy.
December Birthdays
- Hoke Rawlins - December 2
- Greg Lynn - December 3
- Jim Morrison - December 11
- Sharon Post - December 13
- Joey Hatchell - December 17
- Jim Wildes - December 27
- Chuck Hoskins - December 28
- Rodney Hogue - December 30
Club Anniversaries
- George Davis - 1 year
- Sue Hancock - 1 year
- Tom Woodward - 2 years
- Phyllis Stockfisch - 3 years
- Ed Whittington - 14 years
- Aaron Morris - 18 years
- Dan Scoggins - 31 years
- George Kreeger - 35 years
December 5, 2003 Meeting Notes
Prayer Breakfast
We held the annual prayer breakfast November 26 in conjunction with the Smyrna Kiwanis Club. The event
was attended by approximately 150 people. Our speaker was John C. Holly, Col. U.S. Army (retired)
and president of the Maynard Jackson Youth Foundation. In his 30-year career in the Army, Col. Holly was
a progressive manager and a key leader in numerous fast-paced organizations in the continental United States and overseas.
He commanded units in the Army from platoon to brigade level and was a staff officer at the highest
level of the Department of the Army. With his experience in managing and training people,
he was approached after he retired in 1992 to become president of the Maynard Jackson youth
foundation. They are a teaching foundation for youth that keys on basic leadership and enhancing
self-esteem and pride in accomplishment. They support a positive system of education, hard work,
positive attitudes, honesty, concern for others and installs a commitment to creative, intelligent and
ethical public service.
Pancake Breakfast
A second annual Flippin' for Kids Pancake Breakfast was held on November 29. Phyllis Stockfisch
has pulled it off again. Thanks to the hard work and participation by a great many of our club members it
was a great success. We served 591 people that morning. Combined with ticket sales and the
great generosity of our business community in donating all the supplies and material needed to
feed all of these people, the club will surpass last year's goals.
The $500 sponsors were: Emory Adventist Hospital; the Marietta Daily Journal; Ridgeview
Institute, BBT Bank and Trust and Mayfield Dairy. The $250 sponsors were Max Bacon, Mayor of
Smyrna; Northwest Exterminating; Kenny's Key Lime; and Dunkin Donuts. The $100 sponsors were: Publix
East-West Connector; Kroger-John's Ferry Road; Wade Ford; Fat Boy Drive In; Dairy Queen South Cobb Dr.;
U.S. Cafe; Commercial Signs, Inc.; Southeastern Mills; Community Bank of the South; Steve Clair-Health
& Life Insurance. The following people purchased Advertisements on the place mats: Carter's
Pharmacy; Karen's Gifts; Faith United Methodist Church; Gary Hill and Associates; Metro Benefits Group; Aggressive Appraisals; Curt Johnston, Cobb County School Board member; and South Print Systems.
With all the hard work and donations, we were able to raise approximately $10,000 to
continue our youth programs in our community. Well Done!!!
The Meeting
Harold Smith introduced our speaker for the day - Deputy Sheriff Neal Warren. Neal is second in command in the Cobb
County Sheriff's Department. Neil told us of the many duties of the Sheriff's Department. Co bb
County Sheriff's Department employs 700 people - 400 of them are sworn officers and operates with a budget
of $42 million annually. They not only provide security for the court system, they also operate
the county jail which accommodates nearly 36,000 people a year. They n ot only keep the people in
custody, they provide a myriad of services for everything from medical attention to helping them
acquire their GED if they so desire. They have recently completed construction on a brand new facility
to accommodate a newly instituted work release program where the inmates can maintain their
responsibilities to their family and community while serving out their sentences. They may also pay
restitution to victims, and pay for their room and board. The Sheriff's Department is also a very
active participant in the community, volunteering in many programs.
There were 56 members and 5 guests present for the meeting.
Walt Broom announced the birth of his 18th grandchild.
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