By Dr. Ferrell Miller
The JC Breakfast Optimist Club’s “Celebration of Optimism” held Wednesday at the Hampton Inn included recognition of Windy Hancock, the current McKinney-Veto Coordinator for USD 475 with the JC Breakfast Optimist Club’s “Making A Difference For Youth Award”; a “Getting To Know Our Optimist Club Members” presentation by Marcia Fiorentino, Freshman Success Academy Principal at Junction City High School and a “Conversation with Red and Gloria Dunham”, long time Optimist Club members.
Before Windy Hancock worked at Junction City High School before becoming the McKinney-Veto Coordinator for Geary County Schools(a program to assist homeless and disadvantaged children). Dana Wiegand, coordinator ofthe Optimist’s Recognition Committee, stated that Windy has sacrificed her personal time to cloth students through the JCHS Blue Door program, fed students through events like “Turkey Tutoring” and “Egg Excellence”and tutored any student who needed academic support. The “Turkey Tutoring” and Spring Break programs were created as an opportunity to provide tutoring for high school students by teacher volunteers and breakfast and lunch for the students which were donated by local businesses and community members. She also sent students home with snack bags of granola bars, popcorn, mac and cheese, oatmeal fruit and other goodies, which helped feed our most at risk students.”
Wiegand further said that “Windy gave out stockings to students during December, but unlike Santa, Windy’s stockings were not the tangible gifts of treats, they were the gift of Grace. Windy Hancock sees each student as an individual, supports them in their imperfectstate and celebrates them along the way.”
Marcie Fiorentino, a new member of the JC Breakfast Optimist Club, has come to Junction City as an administrative leader at JCHS. She stated that “When I was young, I never wanted to be a teacher or administrator, because I saw how hard my parents worked.” Then her life changed when she became a camp counselor for middle school students. “I loved working with those kids” she stated. During her teacher internship, Marcie was told by one of her college professors that she had the skills to be a school leader or administrator. One thing led to another, and she is now the Freshman Success Academy Principal at Junction City High School. “My parents lived in Wakefield, Kansas.”That drew her interest to this area, which she described as being quite different from life in New Jersey. “People’s values are different here. Even when there is no traffic at a cross walk and the light is red for the pedestrian, people wait until the light changes to green. I like that. People seem to care more about others too.” she said.
Red and Gloria Dunham have been involved with the local Optimist Club for over 50 years. Each of them hasseen many changes. “We used to sell Christmas Trees and fireworks and had Burger and Bean and Pancake Feeds, which we no longer do. We had about 40 members”when we did those fundraisers”, Red said. Red also told club members that “The Optimist Club organized a Soap Box Derby competition and sent Dana Wolf to the national competition in Akron, Ohio. (That car is still located in the archives of the Geary County Historical Society Museum). Other projects for youth included a Hoop Shoot Contest, Kids Bowling, establishment of the Girls Softball Field at the Geary County Fair Grounds and a shelter at South Park.” Gloria was a member of the Opti-Mrs. Club, which was organized in 1975 and separate from the men’s club. “We prepared meals for Optimist Club socials in the summer and around Christmas time and assisted with fundraisers” Gloria shared. The women later joined the men’s club and supported the activities as a single unit.