Ashland Optimist Bulletin December 14, 2024
Breakfast: Dec. 21- Bern Bonderer, Robert Blake, and John Travlos
Carole Iles, Dorise Slinker, and Tony Ash
Program- Elmer Schiefer- His history and the Christamas story
We will be hosting Bingo on Dec. 20th and raffling hams off to players.
There weren't enough people at the Board meeting on Thursday to provide quorum. If you are on the Board, the Board can't do any business without enough people showing up.
Christopher Felmlee, Leigh Kottwitz, and Tony Ash provided a delicious breakfast this morning for an oversized crowd, including multiple breakfast casseroles and mixed fruit.
President Ken Bishop recognized Barrett Glascock, who was presented with the Columbia Realtors Community Service Award Thursday night. Barrett shared a Thank you card from the Boone County 4H Recognition Council for our donation and shared that the Ashland Optimists donated 50 hams to the Community Teachers Association for this year's Christmas baskets.
Wes Buffington, who is one of our newer members, introduced our speaker, Stan Adams this morning. They both grew up in Mokane, MO before Stan was sent to Vietnam in 1968. Wes shared that our country lost 58,220 soldiers during the Vietnam War.
Stan was a member of the Manchus, an elite part of the 4th Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division which was deployed to Vietnam. Stan arrived on November 27, 1968, just as the Manchus were involved in the Thanksgiving Eve Battle before they were even able to construct their patrol base camp on the Ho Chi Minh trail. They finally had the opportunity to build Dec. 18th and the camp was dubbed Mole City because the bunkers were built underground. Three days later, on Dec. 22nd, Mole City came under a massive assault from the North Vietnamese which lasted all night, during which the Manchus lost their ammunition dump. Stan was one of the soldiers who had to walk out later to bring in more munitions.
Stan came home in 1969 but kept to himself for several years as he dealt with PTSD. In 2003, he attended his first reunion of the Manchus, which was partially coordinated by his wife, Rita, who searched for fellow survivors. One of Stan's former officers directed him to the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital in Columbia, which Stan said was one of the best decisions he made. The VA Hospital directed him to write down the nightmares he was experiencing, which he did until Rita convinced him to compile his memories into a book, which was printed at "Mokane to Mole Hill" in 2019. It is filled with his stories, as well as 250 photos of other soldiers from the Manchus. The Daniel Boone Library has a copy, if you didn't have a chance to purchase a copy from Stan.
In 2020, Stan and Rita were approached by Matt Wilcox, who was working on a documentary about the Manchus based on Stan's book. "MANCHU: A Brotherhood of Sacrifice" came out on May, 18 of this year, with the first viewing at William Woods University. It has also been shown at other documentary film competitions around the country and was featured on Lakefront TV, out of Leesburg, FL. I have attached the two clips from the film that were shown at the meeting. Part 1:
https://youtu.be/FAe4AxxM6YU?si=cFdxFzbrI3GBkW0e
Capt. Pienta:
https://youtu.be/8SGETsIqhZA?si=ugBU5AAiIkAiezmQ.
Bern Bonderer is still looking for people to ring bells at Moser's to raise money for the Salvation Army. Rich Ward, his daughter Carrie Mertensmeyer, and I had a fabulous time and saw lots of generous area residents on Friday when we rang. Contact Bern at bern.bonderer@twehous.com if you are interested or talk to him at breakfast this upcoming Saturday.
We have third-sixth grade basketball games at the Middle School covered for this coming Saturday, but will need coverage for Jan. 4th. Starting Jan. 11th- Feb. 15th, there will be games at the middle school and primary buildings, with help needed on Jan. 11th since Madeline will not be available. Here is the link to volunteer: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1w4JWpm71-cgSESc2UmmJ3jaoaHZjbNZpXmc4hEqBJ4w/edit.
Lunch for the referees and timekeepers will restart January 4-Feb. 15. Lunch should be dropped off at the score table in the middle school gym between 11:00-11:30, if possible. If you are interested, you can sign up at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-g3SqJ_Sav3PeLgpINzz4h8MAibIT2tttfIb4hHZXqY/edit.
The Ashland Optimist Club is offering Adult & Pediatric CPR/AED + First Aid certification classes at the Ashland Optimist Club on January 5th & 12th. (This is a 4 hour course held on one day; two dates of opportunity.) These classes are for anyone, aged 15 and above to receive CPR/AED Certification. To find out more and sign up through the Ashland Optimist Club, click on the following link:
https://form.jotform.com/243375228203048 or go to our website at ashlandoptimist.org.
Letitia DenHartog
ashlandoptimist.org
