Breakfast Optimist Club of Belen, New Mexico History

It all began in November, 1976.

The Belen Optimist Club intended to build the Breakfast Optimist Club of Los Lunas. Ray Buller, Walt Knoblitt, Ken Tannery and Leroy Stevenson started to work on the new club.

The first meeting place was Rose's Cafe in Los Lunas. Most of the men that came to the meeting were from Belen, so the next meeting was moved halfway between Belen and Los Lunas, and the hope was for a "MidValley Optimist Club." The meetings were held at EI Nino's (now known as EI Nido), but still the men came from Belen.

So, as fate would have it, the new club moved to Belen. The meetings were held at the Mesa Motel Restaurant on North Main Street, and about 18 months after beginning to organize the new club, there were 36 men signed and paid, and the new club was ready to charter.

The organization meeting happened on April 26, 1978 and the Breakfast Optimist Club of Belen was chartered on April 27, 1978. The following were the charter members:

• Everett D. Ness
• Anthony Giardina
• Pasqual K. Armijo
• Harry J. Auge
• Don R. Ross
• William J. Bourdy
• Junior G. Bowman
• Harry A. Bruneau
• Raymond J. Buller
• Linwood A. Carleton
• John T. Collins
• Vetus C. Cramberg
• Charles H. Crandall
• William L. Crowell
• Edward L.Gonzales
• Earl S. Haworth
• Thomas V. Kappel
• Bill L. Kline
• George J. Koch
• Ross Lovato
• Gary A. Mariegard C.
• Arthur Martinez
• Walter A. Noblitt
• George V. Reed, Jr.
• Silvio Roma
• James W. Shaffner
• WalterJ. Sherman
• C.Leroy Stevenson
• John E. Stevenson
• Ron L.Straughan
• Kenneth Tannery
• Robert H. Thomas
• Monte V.Vopel
• Harold G. Walters
• David L. Werde
• Chris Zamora, 111

Everett Ness was the first President and Ken Tannery was the Vice-President. The Governor of the NMlWT District was Larry Gurman and the Lt. Governor was George Mercer.

Breakfast Optimist Club of Belen Presidents

• 1978-79 Everett Ness
• 1979-80 Tony Giardinia
• 1980-81 Woody Carlton
• 1981-82 Leroy Stevenson
• 1982-83 Ken Tannery
• 1983-84 Charlie Manger
• 1984-85 Ken Tannery
• 1985-86 Gene Costalez
• 1986-87 Phil Martinez
• 1987-88 Wendall Carmer
• 1988-89 Loyd Nickelson
• 1989-90 Bob Saltzman
• 1990-91 Mark Johannson
• 1991-92 Bill Martin
• 1992-93 Everett Ungemach
• 1993-94 John Schmink
• 1994-95 Ray Buller
• 1995-96 Leroy Stevenson
• 1996-97 Phil Martinez
• 1997-98 Carl Schauer
• 1998-99 Sallie Rizzo
• 1999-2000 Max Wakitsch
• 2000-01 Loren Minner
• 2001-02 Patsy Torres
• 2002-03 Sue Wakitsch
• 2003-04 Elna Ray Carmer
• 2004-05 Dave Klukas
• 2005-06 Cindy Clark
• 2006-08 Dean Brunkow
• 2008-09 Bob Reis

Projects of the Past

Fund Raising:

• 1977 - Wood cutting project (a funny story - ask a member)
• 1977 - 2000 Chuck Wagon - first outing was July 4, 1977 and consisted of a barbecue pit on the back of a flat bed trailer. In 1978, the first chuck wagon on wheels was built.
• 1980�s � Sold fireworks
• 1990�s � The Culpepper/Merriweather Circus and a Magic Show.
• 1996 � A golf tournament

Youth Projects:

• Three Optimist International sponsored programs:
  1. Essay contest
  2. Oratorical contest
  3. CCDHH
• 1982-1966 � Junior Miss Pageant
• 1980�s and 90�s � Bike Safety program
• 1995 to the present � Breakfast with Santa
• 1996-97 - Southwest Showcase (show choir competition for high school students in the southwest)

  Respect for Law:

  The first Officer of the Year banquet was held in 1984. We will celebrate 25 years in 2009. This is the longest running program to honor law enforcement officers in the State of New Mexico.

The Belen Breakfast Optimist Club also serves Los Lunas and all of Valencia County, New Mexico.