Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Kopp, Matousek, Brown, Blader-Polzin, Mathis, Dickenson, Burke, Poeschel, Morrow
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 11/23/2022
Optimist Club Holds Potluck For Youth (2022)
Six young adults stand together after being appreciated by the United Church of Christ’s Optimist Club in Neillsville. After a hearty potluck, (l-r) Jacob Kopp, Aubrey Matousek, Andrew Brown, Olivia Blader-Polzin, Abigail Mathis and Keegan Dickenson hold up their engraved plaques from the Neillsville Chamber of Commerce. Edward DuBois/Clark County Press
By Edward DuBois
Six teenage members of the Neillsville community walked away with full stomachs and $50 after the Neillsville Optimist Club honored them Nov. 15.
In the United Church of Christ’s warm basement, a contrast to the dark, cooling night, families brought a banquet that was laid out across a few tables, digging in to dishes like spaghetti, mac and cheese (the good stuff, with the breading on top and all,) taco salad, two kinds of fruit salad, a plate of baked chicken and brownies to top it off. Not much was left after many had gone through for seconds.
After everyone was fed, Kelly Burke, president of the Optimist Club, spoke of the history of the club and its mission before talking about the event’s purpose.
The night was in recognition of six young individuals and their positive contributions to the community. People had nominated the individuals to the Optimist community, though membership was not a requirement for the honor.
Judy Morrow read a message from Neillsville’s mayor, Dewey Poeschel, who also recognized the youth and their dedication to the community in various ways. Morrow then, one at a time, read off the nomination letters sent to the club as each teen stood beside her and Burke, before handing them an engraved plaque and $50 from the Chamber of Commerce.
Aubrey Matousek was honored first, for all the extra-curricular clubs she’s involved with at school, the certificates she’s received on her grades, working toward the Horatio Alger scholarship, helping other students and volunteering for church activities.
Abigail Mathis was introduced as a “very busy teen.” A member of the Miss Neillsville Court, she recently held a job at the Citizens State Bank, though had to give it up to work on her family’s farm and contribute to a business they had opened. On top of that, she’d played both volleyball and the piano in a local musical.
Andrew Brown’s 10 friends and family watched him be honored for the four sports he played (basketball, football, being a member of the high school’s Vocational Industry Clubs of America, and being predicted to graduate Summa Cum Lauda.
Jacob Kopp, a member of both the FFA and the Neillsville High School football team, was honored for those, as well as his involvement in the 4-H chapter. Taking to hear Vince Lombardi’s words, “Winners never quit, and quitters never win,” he also shoots for the Neillsville Trap team, and plans to join the track team in the spring.
Keegan Dickenson was submitted for a list of accomplishments including playing four years of varsity football, interning in the Clark County’s IT department, being a two-year academic award winner and volunteering as a youth flag football coach.
Olivia Blader-Polzin’s nomination was based on her outstanding employment over the past two-and-a-half years at Sniteman Pharmacy. Highlighted were her problem-solving skills and communication with staff and customers, her reliability and her willingness to go the distance by picking up extra shifts. She was remarked as the “epitome of a team player,” a “stellar employee,” and a “stellar student.”
The group stood with their plaques for a group-photo, then, due to the less-than-ideal driving conditions, Burke announced an early end to the evening to allow families to drive home before the roads iced up.
