When something needed to be done at the Optimist Club of Coronado, Paul Machin and George Kunberger were always there.
They took on responsibilities that extended far beyond expectations.
This is what made selecting just one Optimist of the Year “impossible,” said Jim Calloway, club president. And it’s what led him to bestow that honor on both men for 2024.
“You have those people in life where you don’t need to give them direction,” said Calloway. “I’ve spent a lot of time dealing with the 5% who are problems, but with Paul and George, you give them a task, and you know it’s going to be done right.”
In Coronado, the Optimist Club — run entirely by volunteers — supports over 50 activities that promote education, leadership and moral values in local youth. The contributions of Machin and Kunberger have helped advance the 100-member club’s mission, making them “indispensable members of the club,” Calloway said.
Kunberger, an eight-year member, joined the Optimist Club after retiring.
“I met a fellow at the Community Center who told me about the club,” he recalled. “After attending a few meetings, I was hooked.”
Though he only lives in Coronado half of the year, Kunberger manages the club’s weekly newsletter, the “Green Sheet,” which summarizes meetings and features research on guest speakers and relevant topics.
“I try to make it something they [members] want to read,” Kunberger said, adding both humor and thoughtful insight into each edition.
Beyond writing, Kunberger is active in the club events, from bringing breakfast to every weekly 7 a.m. meeting at the Community Center to organizing the club’s pickleball tournament with Machin, a fundraiser that replaced the longstanding Sports Fiesta.
“George is always the first to volunteer and lead, whether it’s coaching or running fundraisers,” Calloway said.
Machin, meanwhile, wears many hats.
As both prayer chaplain and co-treasurer with Todd Lytel, his “organizational skills are unmatched,” Calloway said, noting Machin’s dedication to managing the club’s finances.
A father of four, Machin said he met Paul Lull, an Optimist Club member, when they were at a district board meeting, upset about a controversy known as “Tortilla Gate.” He was encouraged to join the club.
“The bottom line for the Optimist Club is everything we do, we do for kids,” said Machin, adding that his family motto is “always give back to your community.”
Machin also spearheaded a monthly auction this year that raises funds for the club’s scholarships and other youth programs.
“We have members of the club and people from the community donate things that they don’t have a need for anymore,” Machin said. “It might be a flashlight or it might be some local person’s artwork, and that’s been really successful in generating money for the kids.”
Calloway, who retired as a Navy captain after 31½ years of active duty, saw something special in Machin and Kunberger.
Their initiative and commitment reminded Calloway of the trusted colleagues he relied on during his Navy career.
“They operate better than I could, and there’s no need to follow up,” he said. “I’ve always surrounded myself with people smarter than I am and just turned them loose. Both Paul and George fit that category perfectly.”
