The Weekly Bulletin of The Optimist Club of Knoxville, Tennessee

Rebecca Butler Mona- OI PresidentRobert H. Leonard - OI Past President 1967

Gwen Gable - GATEway GovernorBeth O'Brien- Lt. Governor

A Look At

"The Sunny Side" Of Everything

LAST MEETING FRIDAY 10 MAY 2019In July 1965, a discussion between Past Optimist International President CARL BOWEN and former FBI Director J. EDGAR HOOVER resulted in the birth of Optimist International’s Respect for Law program. This is the fourth most popular program with more than 1,500 Clubs participating last year. Our 54th annual observance of Respect For Law Day saw honorees from five locally based law enforcement agencies recognized. Knoxville Police Department officer of the year JAMES BRIAN EVANS and JOSHUA A. SHAFFER were presented by Chief EVE THOMAS. Knox County Sheriff’s Office officers of the year JEFF MONROE was presented by Captain Kevin Holbert.Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Officer of the Year GENE PARKER was introduced by Sergeant DAVID SEXTON.Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper of the year WILLIAM SATTERFIELD was recognized by Lt. WILLIAM BRUCE.Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent JOEL FEASTER presented Special Agent of the Year BILL LECKRONE.

BOB GIBSON was Chairman of the Day for our annual Respect for Law Day. Lt Governor BETH O’BRIEN assisted BOB as she has done for the past several years.

SATURDAY 11 MAY 2019Last Saturday we conducted the second annual Community yard Sale. On hand to make it happen were Chairman DARRIN RHINES (and JORDAN), JIM ADCOCK, President CHRIS COX, CINDY HAGAN, DAVE & NANCY HARTER, DAN McGEHEE, and VEE PANAGAKOS. DAVE reported $942.75 taken in and a whole bunch of happy shoppers carrying treasurers away. Thanks to all who donated, worked (or shopped).

THIS WEEKFRIDAY 17 MAY 2019

Volume 99, Number 22 "Kids grow up with or without Optimism . . . The Choice is Yours."© May 14, 2019

Last October, The Knoxville Utilities Board announced that GABRIEL “GABE” BOLAS, II would become the new president and CEO of that utility. Invite a friend to join you for lunch on Friday 17 May and you both can meet GABE. He is the seventh president and CEO of KUB, he is an engineer and – well, come to lunch and let him tell you all about himself and his plans for the future. BUDDY RIMMER will offer the Invocation and lead the pledge to the flag to get our meeting started.

NEXT WEEKFRIDAY 24 MAY 2019Cathedrals are in the news – especially Notre Dame! By now you have heard “experts” explaining how difficult it will be to design and rebuild that fire-damaged structure. To provide some perspective we welcome a former member of this club, KELLY HEADDEN with BARBER & McMURRY Architects - the firm responsible for the design of magnificent Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Northshore Drive. Come meet KELLY and learn “the rest of the story”. FRANK LEUTHOLD starts our meeting off with the Invocation and pledge to the flag.

PLAN AHEAD SATURDAY 8 JUNE 2019GATEway District Optimists - SUPER ZONE MEETING The GATEway District Comes to You!Here’s your opportunity to network with other nearby Optimist Clubs Participate in round-table discussions and activities.Learn more about the Personal Growth and Improvement (PGI) Program.AREA D Zones 11, 12, 13, & 14Saturday, June 8, 2019 10:00 AM - 3:00 PMAllen Memorial United Methodist Church800 Decatur Pike, Athens, TN 37303$20 Registration includes lunch and snacks.

Club Chartered 21 December 1920

GATEWAY 2018-2019

OPT

IM

IST INTERNATIONAL

In It To Win It,Be The Best!

GABRIEL “GABE” BOLAS, II

KUB

Officers 2018-2019President ..................................................Chris CoxPresident-Elect ....................................Ben GoodsonVice President .................................... John KerriganVice President ....................................Darrin RhinesSecretary .......................................... Vee PanagakosTreasurer .............................................David HarterSergeant-At-Arms ........ Buzz Buswell, Chris AlbrechtPast President ......................................Beth O'Brien Director ........................Bradley Pruitt '20 2 Yr TermDirector ............................. Kelly Pratt '20 2 Yr TermDirector ....................... Melanie Hogg '20 2 Yr TermDirector ........................Chris Albrecht '19 1 Yr TermDirector ........................... Jim Adcock '19 1 Yr TermDirector ..............................Tom Zuraf '19 1 Yr Term

Henry Naff Trustees Michael Cermak 2019 • Al Stigall 2020 •

John Mays 2020 Annie LaLonde 2021 • John Temple 2021

COMMITTEE CHAIRS 2018-2019Adopt-a-Mile ............................................................American Hero of the Year.. .............. Michele Cox &

Steve FowlerAngel Tree .......................................... Sharon PoundBulletin Editors .................... Buzz & Donna BuswellCamp Eagle's Nest .......... Allen Collier & Dan GreenChaplain ................................................. Jim AdcockCheese Sales ..............Gwin Harshaw & Glen WeberChildhood Cancer ............Chris Albrecht, Kelly PrattChristmas Dinner and Haslam Center Partyfor Boys & Girls Club. .................................. Lisa Huber Community Yard Sale ...........................Darrin Rhines &

Vee PanagakosDessert Auction ................ Jim Adcock & Brenda Staton Dorothy Weber "YES" Award ....................Jim Adcock &

Annie LaLondeElection .............................................. Ben GoodsonEssay Contest (OI) .........Mac Prevost & Beth O'BrienFinance Committee ............................ Michael CermakFISH ........................................................Bradley PruittFootball Time in TN ..................................................Fountain City Christmas Parade.................... Bill Gentry Freaky Friday ................................................................Fundraising .................... David LaFratta & Don Lindsey Induction ...........................................Dan McGeheeInterclub Visitation ................................David HarterJohnny Mauer Day .... Bruce Duncan & Britt BowdenLawn Mower Safety Clinic ........................................Membership ..............Dave Harter & Wayne MulkeyOI Foundation .....................................Essie JohnsonOratorical Contest (OI) .............................Erin Favier Professional Development Program .. Annie LaLondePhotographer ....................................... Bob FreemanPrograms ............................................Helen Hewitt, Don Lindsey, Sharon PoundPublic Relations ...................................Don LindseyRespect For Law Day ............................... Bob GibsonShoney's Kidcare ID ......................... Annie LaLondeSocial ....................................................John TempleTLC ..........................................................Erin FavierTri-Star Sports(OI) .... Frank Leuthold & John KerriganWebsite Administrator ............. Kathryn McCulloughYouth Appreciation Week (OI) ............... John Meade

The Sunny Side is published weekly for the members of the Optimist Club of Knoxville. Your calls, letters and comments are welcome. Submit articles and photographs; their safe return is guaranteed: The Sunny Side • Editors Buzz & Donna Buswell 1101 Remington Road, Knoxville TN 37923 604-4443 • 603-0094 evenings & weekends Email: buzztof@comcast.net Deadline: 5:00 pm Sunday prior to publication the following Monday Photos by: Robert Freeman, Glen Weber Reporter: Brenda Staton Publisher: Donna Buswell Circulation: Distribution to each member of the Optimist Club of Knoxville by First Class Mail Monday of each week or electronically on Tuesday.

CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES BIRTHDAYJOHN TEMPLE 15 May

ANNIVERSARYSHARON POUND 10 May NOEL GILBREATH 11 MayKELSEY MAUER 14 May

OPTIMIST MAY ANNIVERSARYHARRY D BRYAN 1977DENNIS McBRIDE 1983JOHN MAYS 1984BOB FREEMAN 1991

PICS JOHNNY MAUER Academic Athletes from greater Knoxville High Schools were recognized during our annual program honoring academic and athletic achievers. Austin East Kiyontac WarrenBearden Preston RuthCareer Magnet Academy Benjamin HurstCarter Lainey CorumCentral Alyssa MontgomeryFarragut Kyle CarterFulton Zoe PoormonGibbs Austin CoppingerHalls Sheldon JamesHardin Valley Kensi Nicole GrayKarns Logan CrawfordKnoxville Catholic Jake RenfreePowell Jonathan SamplerSouth Doyle Ferrell ScottWest Elizabeth Babb

BRUCE DUNCAN and BRADLEY PRUITT teamed up to make this a special presentation to these outstanding youth. We wish them the best as the graduate from high school.

MAC PREVOST got all dressed up to present our annual Essay Contest winners. He and President CHRIS COX are seen here with MADDIE (3rd); BROOKE FORESTER (2nd) and FELICITY MILAM whose first place essay in inserted in this issue of The Sunny Side.

DAN McGEHEE installed JOYCE TAYLOR seen here with her sponsor BUZZ BUSWELL. JOYCE is a University of Tennessee graduate and is currently a Title IV ADA Specialist at ClearCaptions, LLC. Please introduce yourself to JOYCE and invite her to work on a project with you.

Respect For Law recognitions (see article on page one).Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Wildlife Officer of the Year GENE PARKER was introduced by Sergeant DAVID SEXTON.

Knoxville Police Department officer of the year JOSHUA A. SHAFFER was presented by Chief EVE THOMAS.

Knox County Sheriff’s Office officers of the year JEFF MONROE was presented by Captain Kevin Holbert.

Tennessee Highway Patrol Trooper of the year WILLIAM SATTERFIELD was recognized by Lt. WILLIAM BRUCE.

2018-19DIME A DAYCAROLYN BLINDDON BLINDBUZZ BUSWELLDONNA BUSWELLALLEN COLLIERCHRIS COXDAN GREENBOB FREEMANCINDY HAGANDAVID HARTERNANCY HARTERESSIE JOHNSONDENNIS MCBRIDEPAUL NICHOLSBETH O'BRIENBRENDA STATONJOHN TEMPLEGLEN WEBERJACQUELINE ZURAFTOM ZURAF

$100.00 CLUBALLEN COLLIERCHRIS COXBOB FREEMANCINDY HAGANESSIE JOHNSONDENNIS MCBRIDEBETH O'BRIENGLEN WEBER

$250 PRESIDENT'S CLUBALLEN COLLIERCHRIS COXCINDY HAGANESSIE JOHNSONDENNIS MCBRIDE BETH O'BRIEN

CHRISTIAN D. LARSON PARTNERS110. BUZZ BUSWELL142. PAUL H. HARBIN167. DONNA J. BUSWELL170. BOB LEONARD197. ESSIE JOHNSON291. DAVID C. HARTER376. MIKE RAGSDALE383. HARRY D. BRYAN462. MELINDA BASLER490. WILLIAM "EARL" WHITE506. ALLEN COLLIER528. JONIDA ROBINSON558. MARIE LEONARD605. JOHN W. MONTGOMERY628. ESTEL HAMILTON704. BETH O'BRIEN710. CHRIS COX714. CINDY HAGAN

Contact ESSIE JOHNSONto make your donation for the

2018-19 year

SPONSOR A NEW OPTIMIST 2018-19DAVID SCATES sponsored by MICHELE COX

CHIP FLEEMAN sponsored by DAN MCGEHEEJOYCE TAYLOR sponsored by BUZZ BUSWELL

WILL BREWER 2015JOHN KERRIGAN 2015TOM ZURAF 2017VEE PANAGAKOS 2017

Federal Bureau of Investigation Supervisory Special Agent JOEL FEASTER presented Special Agent of the Year BILL LECKRONE.

Knoxville Police Department officer of the year JAMES BRIAN EVANS was presented by Chief EVE THOMAS.

Central High School JOHNNY MAUER recipient ALYSSA MONTGOMERY was unable to attend our annual earlier this month so she stopped in last week to receive recognition as Central High School academic athlete for the 2018-2019 school year.

Last Saturday we conducted the second annual Community yard Sale. On hand to make it happen were Chairman DARRIN RHINES (and JORDAN), JIM ADCOCK, President CHRIS COX, CINDY HAGAN, DAVE & NANCY HARTER, DAN McGEHEE, and VEE PANAGAKOS. DAVE reported $942.75 taken in and a whole bunch of happy shoppers carrying treasurers away. Thanks to all who donated, worked (or shopped) and to DARRIN and VEE for their leadership..

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.

Christian D. Larson

Optimist Mission Statement

By providing hope and positive vision,

Optimists bring out the bestin youth, our communities

and ourselves.

OUR WEBSITE: www.knoxoptimist.org

Check out the website link for more pictures

FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/OptimistClubofKnoxville

FELICITY MILAM

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY OF KNOXVILLE

“WHEN ALL THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED, IS OPTIMISM STILL NECESSARY”

I stare at the blank document in front of me. Ideas flit and ricochet across my mind, most of them too fleeting to be seriously considered as adequate writing material. I have recently read many stories of inspiring characters overcoming the daunting obstacles in their lives. Truth be told, my life has been one of relative ease and comfort up to this point. How am I to write about the optimism I am familiar with when I have not had to rely on it for most of my life? Then I consider: on the whole, have I been happy? Throughout my life, have I adopted the outlook that brings the most joy and fulfills the potential of every situation?

I drive the same route to school every day. I drop off my brother and make my way to the same class every morning. For the most part, I make the same grades in my classes. Every afternoon, I return home and complete my homework. Every night I eat dinner and get to bed on time. On the weekends, I usually go out with the same friends. On Sunday mornings, I go to the same church and see the same people I have grown up with. I am not ridden by hardship or tragedy. Such is the life of many American high schoolers – the same routine, the same rut, day in and day out. Without optimism, could this be the pattern that my life will always follow? It does not take turmoil to test the durability of my outlook on life. Perhaps the adversary to my own optimism has been not hardship, but complacency. Complacency settles in the lack of an optimistic outlook. Stagnancy is contrasted by the endeavors for improvement that are characteristic of an optimist. Everyone has goals that they hope to achieve throughout their lives, and inevitably these goals cannot all be achieved. With this knowledge, it is easy to become discouraged as the efforts to reach the fulfillment of one’s ambitions continually fall short. It is usually far more comfortable to attempt nothing than to attempt something and risk reaping no rewards. There lies a mountain between a minimum requirement and excellence that is bridged by optimism, as it supplies the ability to see a world of opportunities for improvement.

I must also examine whether I tend to focus on getting what I want or wanting what I get. Often, I expect the world around me to be flexible so that I may be happy, while my own desires are inflexible. The stagnant, complacent mind sees only very specific outcomes as satisfactory to maintain its happiness. Optimism supplies a pliant frame of mind in which I decide to be content with my circumstances no matter what they are and to be grateful for seemingly small, everyday occurrences. This lens transforms the world of mundane events into a land of wonder and possibility.

A writer holds in her fingertips the power to transcribe powerful emotions wherever her fingers land. The optimistic writer describes the beauty in the crystals of ice that form on the windshield of her car during the frosty winter months and endearingly recounts the struggle between her fingers and the four furry paws of her six-month-old kitten for territory on her keyboard as she writes. She does not complain about the cold or become frustrated with her ignorant cat. Instead, she captures little moments of joy and spreads them to her audience. The same can be said for any person who picks up a paintbrush, plays an instrument, or speaks a word. Every person has the capacity to change their worldview in order to positively impact the people they come in contact with. Rarely does one leave a neutral impact on another – each party has either a negative or positive impression left after any given interaction. Although optimism stands out during hard times, it is far deeper than just finding a solution to a problem or enduring through the difficulty of a catastrophe. It is a part of who I am. It is the lens through which I view the world. It has a tremendous impact on not only my own feelings, but how I reflect them to others. Optimism is ultimately the key to maintaining a healthy attitude and resisting complacency in the midst of seemingly dull circumstances.

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