Merrill Noon Optimist

05/26/2026

Join us tomorrow, May 27th at noon, at the Eagles Club of Merrill for our guest speaker, Cory Tomczyk. You know those blue magic paper boxes you see around town?? That’s him!

Cory started his company, IROW, in 1989. First as a collector and processor of scrap cardboard and paper. The company evolved into a document destruction service provider and also entered the Waste services market. Today mainly a Document, Hard Drive and Product destruction service company, IROW still does general Cardboard and Paper recycling and also some industrial scrap plastics. Serving North Central Wisconsin and now expanding eastward, IROW continues to provide the level of service that only a family-owned company can.

Guests to our Optimist Club get two meals free, so they can see what we’re all about before committing fully. We’re a great group of Merrill citizens and we’re excited to meet you!!

05/13/2026

This past Saturday Optimists had the great pleasure of hosting After Prom Bowling! We had over 90 kids come out for free bowling, pizza, candy, and giveaways. Thank you so much to everyone who came out and thank you to Les & Jim's for having us💃🎳

05/11/2026

Looking for a great way to connect with others in the Merrill community over lunch?
Join us at an upcoming Optimist Club meeting as we welcome guest speakers Dan Seanor and Andy Somers from Northcentral Technical College!
Dan and Andy are longtime Graphics instructors at NTC with decades of experience in education and the printing and graphic communications industry. During our meeting, they’ll share more about the work they do at Northcentral Technical College, their experiences in education, and how technical education continues to impact students and local communities.
Dan Seanor has taught at NTC for 27 years and previously worked as a cost estimator at Reindl Printing in Merrill. Andy Somers taught Graphic Communications at Wausau East High School for 10 years before joining NTC, where he has now taught for 12 years.
We’d love to have guests join us!
📍 Merrill Eagles Club
🕛 Noon
📅 Meetings are held the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month
Best of all — the first two meetings guests attend are FREE, and no RSVP is needed. Just show up, enjoy lunch, meet great people, and learn something new about our community.

05/06/2026

What an incredible day we had at our Respect for Law Expo last week! 🚓👮‍♂️🚒
The Optimist Club of Merrill loved seeing so many young faces light up as they explored emergency vehicles, met local heroes, and learned what it means to serve with integrity and courage.
Events like this remind us how important it is to build trust, spark curiosity, and encourage respect between our youth and those who protect our communities.
A big THANK YOU to all of our law enforcement partners, first responders, and volunteers who made this experience so memorable.
Let's take a look back and check out these great moments captured during the Expo!

05/03/2026

We are glad to have once again sponsored this event for the Merrill and Tomahawk 8th graders. It is a great opportunity for them to get a working knowledge on the ins and outs of law enforcement. Thank you again for everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to make this event possible!

Prairie River Middle School hosted the annual Merrill Optimist Club’s Law Expo Friday bringing in many different types of law enforcement from around and state, including the FBI.

04/24/2026

This week was our week to pack bags for Food for Kids. This program supplies kid-friendly, shelf-stable food bags containing items such as cereal, heat-and-eat single-serve meals, pudding, fruits, granola bars, snacks, and more. These bags are delivered to the schools, and on Friday afternoons, the child’s teacher or aide discreetly place the bag in their backpack before dismissal. We are proud to be able to help this worthy need in our community.

03/27/2026

This past Wednesday at our bi-weekly meeting, Optimist President Nancy Stadler present Kim Larson from the Boys & Girls Club with a $10,000 pledge donation towards their playground at the new Merrill location for the Boys & Girls Club. This project is still being funded however they are optimistic for the renovations of the former armory to begin soon. If you'd like to learn more about this initiative striving to support children within our community you can visit their website here: https://www.bgclub.com/bgcmerrill

02/02/2026

Congratulations Hannah!

Our January Youth Optimist of the Month is Hannah Klinger. Nominated by Ms. Morgan Wilde, who states, “I had Hannah in two classes throughout her high school career; I also know Hannah through the Student Council as her advisor. It is with great admiration that I nominate Hannah. She consistently chooses to see the good in every situation and inspires others to do the same. She truly lives out the Optimist Creed–looking at the sunny side of everything and working to make her optimism come true. Hannah is driven by a mindset of excellence; thinking only of the best, working only for the best, and expecting only the best from herself and those around her. Whether she’s tackling a difficult assignment for Anatomy & Physiology or cheering at a football game, she approaches every task with a positive attitude and a strong sense of purpose. What stands out most about Hannah is her enthusiasm for the success of others. She celebrates her friends’ victories with genuine joy, often cheering louder for them than she does for herself. Her encouragement lifts others up, and her belief in their potential helps them believe in themselves. Hannah’s optimism is not just a personality trait; it’s a way of life. Her presence brightens any room, her outlook is contagious, and her actions consistently reflect kindness, hope, and determination. She leads by example, not just through words, but through how she treats people every day. For her unwavering positivity, strong work ethic, and sincere support of those around her, Hannah is a truly deserving nominee for the Youth Optimist”.

Hannah is active in Varsity cheer (letter), Varsity track (letter), Junior Optimist (officer), National Honor Society, Student Council, Youth Apprenticeship, and Link Crew.

When not in school, Hannah volunteers at Aspirus, MHS Cheer kids camp, Food for Kids, and at the Humane Society.

Following graduation, Hannah plans to attend UW-LaCrosse or Carthage College to become an occupational therapist. She is the daughter of Kris and Carrie Klinger.

01/25/2026

01/23/2026

Congratulations Hannah!!

Congratulations to Hannah Klinger, our Merrill High School January Youth Optimist of the Month! 🌟

Hannah’s positive attitude, dedication, and commitment to making a difference truly stands out. We are proud to recognize her for exemplifying optimism and leadership at MHS.

Way to go, Hannah - keep shining! 👏💙