History

History of the Dor-Wood Optimist Club
Organized: May 13, 1965
Chartered: June 12, 1965

Dorothy Lane & Woodman Drive
Optimist Club of Kettering, Ohio
Sponsoring Optimist Club:  The East Kettering Optimist Club
     President:  Frank Unzicker
                               New Club Building Chairman:  Tom Short
                                  Meeting Place:  Vito's Venice Inn, evenings
                                                      Dor-Wood's Charter Dinner:  evening of June 12, 1965
                                                         @ Imperial House South (cost of dinner: $4.00)

Initial Dor-Wood Officers
  • President:  Jerry Roberts
  • V. President:  Corwin Kohls
  • V. President:  Chester Thompson
  • Secretary / Treasurer:  Fred Smith
  • Board Members:  Richard Cain, Robert Corey, Tom Frazier, Anthony Gaccetta, Ray Schoonover, Doug Yaegle
Initial Dor-Wood Meeting Place: Vito's Venice Inn, Thursdays @ noon


OHIO District Hall of Fame - Dor-Wood Members
 Harry Vearn
Larry Spatz
 Bob Moore


Charter Members of the Dor-Wood Optimist Club
Paul Arnold
Elden Augustus
John Barney
Robert Bernhard  
Emerson Berry 
Richard Cain
Farrell Cole
Robert Corey
Robert Davis
Frank Demus
James Duncan
Harold Ericson
Tom Frazier

Joseph Frost
Anthony Gaccetta
Walter Green
Harold Hall
Robert Himes
Lowell Holt
John Kabel
Kenneth Kelso
Corwin Kohls
Valdis Lapsins
Gordon Lowell
James Marlow
Donald McClain

Joe McCloud
James Menzies
Herbert Palmer
Joseph Reno
Jerry Roberts
Ray Schoonover
Leroy Shue
Fred Smith
Vernon Teer
Ralph Terry
Chester Thompson
Robert Wellbaum
Douglas Yeagle


Past Presidents of the Dor-Wood Optimist Club
Jerry Roberts
Corwin Kohls
A. Douglas Yeagle
John Healy
Joe McCloud
John Kabel
Roger McCormick
Joe Westbrock
Richard Cain
William Jackson
Robert Himes
 Al Lewis
Harold Hall
Merle Hoover
Jerry Starr
Paul Atkinson
Vance Kennedy    
Larry A. Spatz, Jr.
Mike McGrew
Robert Himes
Paul Young
John Jeffries
Jim Hooghe
Larry Moore   
Jerry Widener
Jack A. Smith
William Roberts
Robert McCoy
Fred VonGruenigen
Jerry Barnett
Matt Zimmerman
Bill Hamilton
Brian Lewis
Mike Harker
Tom Kendo
Fred Dressel
Dave Dutton
Bob Moore
Marc Jewell
Jack Akerman
Charley Schuerholz
Dave Mills
Tom Hanna
David Hammond(2)
Larry McVey
Bill Braun
Frank Spolrich
Rob Hoffman
Joe Willen
Jim Berlon
Bob Montavon
Bryan McCormick
Jason Moore
Tom Kopacz
Lowell Vorpe
Dave Shoemacher
Mike Zywien

Past OHIO District Governors from the Dor-Wood Optimist Club
 Tom Frazier    Harry Vearn      Bob Moore
 Bryan McCormick    Tom Kendo

Past OHIO District Lt. Governors from the Dor-Wood Optimist Club
Jerry Roberts        Larry Spatz, Jr.        Bryan McCormick
Corwin Kohls        Larry Moore            Mike McGrew
Joe McCloud        Bill Hamilton            Bob Montavon
John Kabel           Matt Zimmerman     
Dick Cain              Tom Kendo 
Bill Jackson          Bob Moore   
Robert Himes      Jack Akerman
Merle Hoover      Fred Dressel
Paul Atkinson      Ron Labatzky

Past DorWood Honorees at the Presidents Club
PRESIDENT
Paul Atkinson
Bob McCoy
Jerry Barnett
Brian Lewis
Tom Kendo
Fred Dressel
Bob Moore
Marc Jewell
Jack Akerman
Charley Schuerholz
Dave Mills
Tom Hanna
Dave Hammond
Larry McVey
Dave Hammond
Bill Braun
Frank Spolrich
Rob Hoffman
Jim Berlon
Bob Montavon
Bryan McCormick
Jason Moore
Lowell Vorpe
Dave Shoemacher
Mike Zywien
Gary Brinkman
YEAR
1980-81
1992-93
1994-95
1997-98
1999-00
2000-01
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2015-16
2016-17
2017-18
2018-19
2020-21
2021-22
2022-23
2023-24
MEMBER HONORED
John Healy
Bill Roberts
Doug Yeagle & Dick Cain
Jim Conner & Tom Kendo
Doug Fritz
Bob Moore
Charley Schuerholz
Rich Foley
Jim Trent
Larry Spatz
Bob Moore
Fred Hoffman
Ron Armstrong
Jack Akerman
Marc Jewell
Dave Hammond
Bob McCoy
Bill Braun
Jerry Barnett & Dave Mills
Jim Berlon
Jack Steel
Ron Labatzky
Mike Athmer & Mike Gerlaugh
Paul Atkinson & Lowell Vorpe
Ron Armstrong & Fred Dressel

Dor-Wood Members Inducted into the Chester A. Roush
Educational Hall of Fame
Dor-Wood Members who have been
Holiday at Home
Grand Marshal

Harold Hall
Roger McCormick
Jim Trent
Jerry Barnett

John Jeffries
Chad Fornshell
Bob Suter
Bob McCoy
Fred VonGruenigen
Bill Jackson
Rich Bowden
Bob Karl
Lowell Vorpe
Roger Bauser

Frank Spolrich
Bill Lauter
Larry Lamb
YEAR
1989
1989
1989
1993
1995
1998
2000
2002
2004
2008
2010
2011
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2021




Roger Bauser
Jerry Barnett



Jim Trent




Charley Scheurholz
Jack Akerman
Frank Spolrich

Jim Berlon
Bob Montavon

Dor-Wood Members named Dor-Wood Optimist of the Year

1968   John Kabel

1969   Eldon Augustus

1970   Jim Lord

1971   Paul Arnold

1972   Larry Button, Bob Himes

1973   Ray Pickle

1974   Al Lewis

1975   Tom Richards

1976   Harold Williams

1977   Jerry Barnett

1978   Bill Jackson

1979   Vance Kennedy

1980   Jerry Barnett, Joe Smith

1981   Bill Wilcox

1982   Mike McGrew

1983   Dick Cain

1984   Larry Spatz

1985   Joe McCloud

1986   Gordon Blackmore, Jim Taylor

1987   Jerry Barnett

1988   Bill Heath

1989   Bill Jackson

1990   Mike McGrew

1991   Bill Roberts

1992   Bill Jackson, Doug Yeagle

1993   Paul Atkinson

1994   Jerry Barnett

1995   Bill Roberts, Brian Lewis

1996   Fred Hoffman

1997   Bob McCoy

1998   Tom Kendo

1999   Charley Schuerholz

2000   Doug Fritz

2001   Dave Hammond

2002   Tom Kendo

2003   Jim Trent

2004   Bob Moore

2005   Doug Fritz

2006   Larry Spatz

2007   Rich Foley

2008   Bob McCoy

2009   Ron Armstrong

2010   Marc Jewell, Bryan McCormick
2011   Jack Akerman

2012   Dave Mills, Rich Foley

2013   Bryan McCormick

2014   Dave Mills
2015   Doug Fritz
2016   Charley Schuerholz

2017   Jim Berlon

2018   Bob Montavon
2019   Jack Steel

2020   Jim Berlon

2021   Jack Steel

2022   Ron Labatzky

2023   Mike Gerlaugh

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