Red Deer Optimists give bikes to kids

One of the many projects conducted by the Optimist Club of Red Deer, Alberta is the Bike For Kids Program. Since its inception, Ken Williamson and his fellow Optimist Club members have refurbished and given away over 300 bicycles to children.

Ken is the driving force behind the project. He explains that there are many Canadian families that do not have the resources to provide their children with bikes. The problem is compounded because kids grow out of them quickly as well.

The Optimist Club receives bikes from the community to fix-up and redistribute and so far this spring, they have given away fifteen bikes. Ken says that more are needed, especially adult sized bikes to give to older children as they grow out of their youth bicycle. Donations may be dropped off during regular business hours at the Sunnybrook Farm Museum, 4701 30 St., Alberta.

To learn more about the program, you may reach Ken at 403.318.5803. Click here to learn more about the Optimist Club of Red Deer. 

Inspire, teach, reach and share

Inspiration comes from many sources. Some wake up to watch the sunrise while others cling to their pillow hoping to bring their nocturnal dreams to life. Some rise ready to sing life's praises, and others read the newspaper, watch the news stations, or log on to their computer to see what is worth their attention that day. We check into Facebook and update our friends on our activities and look to Twitter for a snapshot of the world.  As the day progresses, we write our own stories in our hearts and minds of the many ways we have made our life a little better and when we are very fortunate, how we helped others.

Words and deeds, thoughts and actions - all are important. All are inspirational. As an Optimist Club leader, I encourage my fellow service club members to share their stories of service with others, and I encourage every Optimist Club to start a blog so they can tell their stories in their own words and with their own passion. That  is what will bring the most attention to our mission of service and the 65,000 projects we perform every year. 

Gordon "Optimist Gord" Welling

Now an online friend has made the blogging experience even easier for those who were afraid to get started on their own. Meet Gordon Welling - or Optimist Gord as he refers to himself.

Optimist Gord is the Web Services Chair and online voice for the AMS&NW District 13 - Optimist International and the co-creator of the Edmonton Dinner Optimist Club website. He's taken my dream of every Optimist Club having their own blog and started making it a reality with a series of online tutorials at Put Your Club Online With Blogger.

The idea to create tutorials came to him as he was working on the Edmonton Dinner Optimist Club website. By his account, he has been working on the project for more than four months. There are currently four modules that take a novice blogger through the Getting Started stages to the Add your First Content. More modules are planned that will help the blogger create a website from their blog.

He has also created a useful list of free and easy-to-use resources and a privacy/terms of use policy that can be adapted to fit your website or blog.

With these step-by-step guidelines, Optimist Club members and others can share their stories with confidence, knowing help and encouragement is only a click away.

Quite an endeavor. And quite an inspiration. Thank you Optimist Gord for sharing your optimism by helping others share theirs. 

Singing for optimism

The Optimist Club of Calgary, Alberta, Canada celebrates Christmas in their community with the Optimist Festive Showcase Concert - a magical pageant of talent and joy at the Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.  Enjoy!

Getting published has never been easier

My Google Alerts turned up an entry today about an Optimist Club member in Red Deer, Alberta Canada.  I thought I'd make mention of it here for a couple of reasons.

1. Dr. Robert Cram is proud of his membership in the Optimist Club. He believes they do good things in the community or he wouldn't publicize his involvement on his website homepage. 
• Is your Optimist Club doing things that make your members want to cheer? Don't just ask yourself this question; ask them, and then ask them to mention the Optimist Club in their personal profiles and business websites. 
2. His website is being hosted by Blogger, the Experience Optimism host of choice.
• This is important because Blogger is free technology. Every one of your club members, in business or not, could choose to publish what your club does and how proud they are to be a part of it.

I think that asking everyone to be an Optimist Club blogger might be a bit much, but just think of the possibilities for interaction if only a few members in every club made the commitment. I'm available to help potential rookies get started. Be sure to forward my information to your bulletin editors and club presidents today. 

Calgary Optimist Club assists with a Walk and Roll for SMA

The Dinner Optimist Club of Calgary, Alberta recently sponsored the First Annual Kids In Motion Fun Run and Walk.  The event was a family affair for the benefit of children with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).   The money raised will help supply wheelchair equipment for children.

Many of the children in wheelchairs participated in the Family Fun Rock and Roll portion of the event. Click here to see their photo gallery. 

Optimist Clubs are great at filling needs in their communities. Congratulations to the Dinner Optimist Club of Calgary for filling this very special need for some very special kids.

Great website: Piper Creek Optimist Club of Red Deer, Alberta

Sometimes I run into websites that tell the Optimist Club story in an unique way.  Today I found one of those and I invite you to take a look at the Piper Creek Optimist Club of Red Deer, Alberta, CA with me. 

Beginning at the home page, you will know that you want to be an Optimist Club member if you want to take a positive approach to life.  They have kept an older tagline for Optimist International as their centerpiece: the Optimist difference...it's all in our name.  I like it!

Next, they have organized their site very well:

Events = fundraising activities that you will want to attend.  Click on the more buttons to find out why.

Projects = the activities the Piper Creek Optimist Club conducts or supports in their community.  Again, the more button will let you find out all about them individually.

About = shares the purposes of an Optimist Club and links you to more information about Optimist International, the formation of the Piper Creek Optimist Club and the Alberta, Montana, Saskatchewan , and N. Wyoming District and the Optimist Creed.  Again, click the more button to learn more about each topic.

Members = You guessed it!  Information for members, but such information is relevant to the community at large.  Kudos to the web designer for not password protecting it and allowing everyone who cares to know what the Optimist Club of Piper Creeek is doing.
Contact = Yes, contact information seems pretty simple, but they have even included instructions for how to request funds as well as how to join. 

Yes, this is an approachable club. If you live near Red Deer, Alberta, please join, for the Piper Creek Optimist Club looks like an engaged, well-organized, professional asset to the community.