The Rushville Breakfast Optimist Club held an evening meeting March 27 at the Country Cooker Restaurant. President Phil Brashaber called the meeting to order and led the group in the pledge to the American flag. Chuck Kemker gave an invocation.

Jeannie Kemker shared with the group that Chuck had fallen through the floor of a home during a fire that afternoon but was doing well enough to attend the meeting. Other brags were from Phil Brashaber, stating his son Keith had traveled safely to his destination with five other friends for Spring Break. Cheryl Turner-Romans bragged that her son was having a good time staying up late for his Spring Break.

President Phil reminded everyone of the upcoming District meeting to be held April 28 in Wabash at the Honeywell Center. District Essay and Oratorical Contest winners will be announced at this meeting. He also mentioned the Optimist Scholarship deadline is April 6. Shirley Biehl told the group the 4th of July Car Show flyers would be ready next week and available for members to pass on to car enthusiasts as well as businesses that might display them for advertising. There is also a group of members that will be collecting funds and bowling April 29 for Big Brothers Big Sisters “Bowl for Kids' Sake.”

Cheryl Turner-Romans, essay contest chairperson exceptionale introduced, Julianne Heady, the Optimist Essay Contest Winner for 2007, who read her essay to the group and introduced her family members in attendance.

Julianne, Tom, Lisa, Joe, Zack and Ben Heady joined the group for dinner and shared some of the family’s interests and their experiences in home schooling. Lisa has been working and chairing the group of Greater Rushville Area Christian Educators at Home for several years. The older students are involved in speech and debate with other student members of the National Christian Forensic Communication Association. The students learn to debate both sides of an issue and seemed to think this was a challenge since their own feelings are generally one-sided. Julianne is a senior and plans to become a nurse. She plans to attend Cedarville University near Dayton, Ohio, this fall. Julianne also enjoys riding horses, Civil War cotillion dancing, is an accomplished pianist, plays piano for her church and currently holds a part-time job.

Members were asked and will consider being judges for the NCFCA on April 12 through 14, which will be held in Indianapolis.

The next Optimist meeting will be at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday at the Country Cooker. Promise yourself to wear a cheerful countenance and give every person you meet a smile!