Applebee's Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser - October 16, 2011

Thanks everyone for helping to make this fundraiser a huge success for the Team. Looking back over the records we have available for the last 5 – 6 years, this fundraiser seems to have had the most gymnasts and parent participation and made the most money! Thank you parents and gymnasts for raising the bar on participation. It was really awesome to see everyone work together from ticket sales to serving pancakes to make this fundraiser a success. When I looked around the restaurant where the girls were serving customers and cleaning tables and out on 125 where our sign holders were busy pulling in customers, I was truly proud of our girls! To show my appreciation I doubled the prizes for ticket sales etc. The winners are:

1. Most Tickets Sold – Nicole L. (Level 8), 36 tickets sold, Prize: $10 cash
2. 2nd Most Tickets Sold - Tatyana S. (Level 4), 28 tickets sold, Prize: Leotard
3. 3rd Most Tickets Sold – Grace P. (Level 4), 23 tickets sold, Prize: Leotard
4. 4th Most Tickets Sold – Alana R. (Level 4), 18 tickets sold, Prize: OTW tie-dye t-shirt made by Leah, Kaylee, and Deb P.
5. Most Creative Sign – Tatyana S. (Level 4), Prize: Long sleeve gymnastics t-shirt
6. Most Creative Thank You Card – Hannah E. (Level 4), OTW tie-dye t-shirt made by Leah, Kaylee, and Deb P.
7. Most Enthusiastic and Hardworking Server – Grace P. (Level 4), OTW tie-dye t-shirt made by Leah, Kaylee, and Deb P.
8. Random Drawing from redeemed tickets – Krystiana S. (Level 6), OTW tie-dye t-shirt made by Leah, Kaylee, and Deb P.

Level 4’s – you guys totally rock!!! I wish everyone could have seen Grace taking care of her customers. She worked so hard all morning and never lost her beautiful smile. She definitely has potential as a restaurant entrepreneur! Congratulations to all the winners. Hope you are enjoying your prizes!

Parents - you totally rock too!!! Special thanks to our kitchen crew of Cheryl, Jeannie, and Mary. You guys did an awesome job helping the girls with the orders, keeping the coffee and syrup flowing, and the dishes clean. Thanks also to Tom and Dwight and for manning the cold drink bar and even making chocolate milk! Karen J., Corine, and Elise you guys were awesome greeters and hostesses. Sue and Karen S. thanks for supervising our sign holders outside the restaurant. The girls were truly enthusiastic and really did pull customers in - they told us! We had some students of Miss Liz's from 20 years ago join us because they saw the OTW signs! Thanks to all the other parents who served food and beverages, and helped clean tables! It was great to see the parents and the girls working together for the Team. It was also great to have most of the Coaches in attendance and to see how much they enjoyed having the girls wait on them. LOL! It was also fun meeting everyone's Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, and Grandparents etc. Their support really made the day special. My sincere thanks to everyone!

On Saturday September 17, 2011 OTW gymnasts  kicked up into a handstand to help break the world record for the most handstands performed simultaneously. Each year, USA Gymnastics celebrates National Gymnastics Day to build awareness of the sport and support Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. National Gymnastics Day seeks to promote the value of physical fitness and good nutrition for everyone, regardless of age, gender and ability level. Since 2001, gymnastics clubs across the country have raised more than $1.4 million for Children's Miracle Network. 

2011 was deemed the "Year of the Handstand" by USA Gymnastics because it leads into an Olympic year - 2012 - and the handstand is a basic gymnastic skill. Some variation of a handstand is performed on every gymnastic apparatus, and many tumbling skills pass through a handstand position during their execution. This year USA Gymnastics encouraged its member clubs nationwide to celebrate National Gymnastics Day by joining together to break the world record of 2,402 simultaneous handstands set by Australian gymnasts in Melbourne to promote the 2005     
                               World Gymnastics Championships.

In support of National Gymnastics Day and local gymnasts, Governor Lynch signed a proclamation declaring September 17th Gymnastics Day in New Hampshire. Along with Governor Lynch, the Governors of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada and Texas proclaimed September 17, 2011 as Gymnastics Day in their respective state. 

The OTW gymnasts gathered at 12:45 p.m. to warm up. Coach Paul and Coach Becky relayed the count-down from the USAG website and gave the go sign for the handstands to commence at precisely 1 p.m. ET. The Optional gymnasts headed for the balance beams and performed their handstands there. The gym floor was covered with participants as well.  Isabel joined in from the Scout popcorn sales booth at Derryfest.  LaNaya joined in while on break from her studies at Winona State University.  Her form perfect as usual.  Lt. Col(s) John Hess from Hanscom Air Force Base also joined in.  His form...well let's just call it freestyle! The longest handstand was held for over a minute by Nicole on a balance beam. The shortest handstand which between us looked more like a frog jump was done by Coach Paul.  He swears he is going to practice and beat Nicole next time.  LOL! Coach Megan held her own, but Coach Sharon really shined with perfect form and pointed  toes.  Once Nicole hit the floor, the coaches entered the headcount on-line and everyone waited to hear the results. Early Sunday morning USA Gymnastics posted the results. Over 20,478 gymnasts from more than 300 gymnastics clubs nationwide had joined together and broken the world record and brought the title back to the US. The OTW gymnasts were thrilled to hear the news at practice on Monday.     

 Congratulations to our world record setters! Way to go!

Compulsory Clinic - September 11, 2011

Some of the Level 4 - 6  Team attended a pre-season clinic in Pelham, NH on September 11, 2011.  The girls practiced routines and received feedback from Judges and Coaches.

Olivia, Siera, Jenna, Krystiana, Alexi, and Tatyana

taking a break from the action.    

NH Gymnastics Day Proclaimed by Governor Lynch

Ask and you shall receive.  Today is one of those days where that usually not so simple proverb is simply true.  A couple of days ago I asked Governor Lynch to proclaim Saturday, September 17, 2011 NH Gymnastics Day in conjunction with USAG's National Gymnastics Day.  Today I'm thrilled to be in receipt of a proclamation making it so!  Unfortunately, the Governor is unable to join our handstand kick-up on Saturday, but he did wish us the best of luck breaking the world record.

Vote to Help OTW Win Big

There’s over $1 Million in grants at stake; your votes help decide who gets them.

Voting is easy, and fast.
Just share a few brief thoughts on the Intuit Facebook link about why you love OTW.  http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/fan

Each vote is like a raffle ticket.
The more votes a business gets, the more chances they have to win $25,000 Intuit Hiring Grants that are awarded each month. Keep track of the competition with the link below and get everyone you know to vote.  We can win this!
http://lovealocalbusiness.intuit.com/pulse?vtid=email_conf_fan

Your words matter!
Judges will review the monthly grant winners and select one Grand Prize winner of an Intuit Small Business Grant worth $50,000!

So make your opinion known, and vote to help OTW get recognized as your favorite local business.

Don't know what to say? 
Grab one of the reasons to love OTW listed below and paste it in the text box on the Facebook Intuit website and voila,  you have done your good deed for the day!

I love Off the Wall Gymnastics because it helps kids:

1.      Learn the fundamentals of movement and develop coordination.   Gymnasts do well 

            with both static and dynamic balance and learn early to fall without injury.

2.      Develop flexibility. Gymnasts are among the most flexible of all athletes.

3.      Develop strength and power. Pound for pound, gymnasts are among the strongest Olympic

            athletes.

4.      Gain self-esteem, confidence, and a positive “can do” attitude. Gymnast are the first at 

            school to volunteer to do things in front of the class.

5.      Learn to listen, follow rules and directions, and be polite.  Gymnastics classes are a

            controlled environment where Coaches are polite and respectful and expect the same of

            their students. 

6.      Learn social interaction with peers and competitors. Gymnasts learn cooperation,

            teamwork, sportsmanship, perseverance and much more!

7.      Develop a strong work ethic.  Some gymnastics skills are HARD to master.  Gymnasts learn

            to set goals and follow through to achieve them. 

8.      Develop skills to enhance other sports and maintain a healthy life style.  Fitness is CRITICAL

            to the current and future health of children.

9.      Overcome fears. Some parts of gymnastics are very challenging. The key is they are 

            “attainable challenges”. To face a challenge and then accomplish it, is a wonderful part of

            gymnastics and it happens all the time!

10.    Exercise their minds! Focus, discipline, determination, and problem-solving are all part of 

           the gymnastics experience, and are incredibly useful skills for the classroom and life!

11.     Gymnastics is GOOD FOR KIDS AND INCREDIBLE FUN TOO!