What are you giving this season?

It's the giving season. Thanksgiving is this Thursday and then we slide downhill, gathering speed and steam, into Christmas and the new year.

Some might tell you to remember to be grateful and share your gratitude with others, but really, isn't that somewhat trite? Gratitude shouldn't be evident only in November. It should be a year-round practice.

Others might tell you to slow down and enjoy the season, your friends, and family. This is also good advice; but from experience, I know that doesn't always seem possible. It is, but depending on your age, you may not have figured that out just yet.

There are some who wish for expensive toys, gadgets and trinkets and others who struggle to deliver those wishes to everyone on their Christmas list.

And there are some who are sad because of many reasons. It seems that the holiday season can bring out the best and the worst in all of us. That is why I encourage simplicity and optimism at this time of year.

One simple statement will allow you to give the gift of yourself to all you meet. What is it?

Promise yourself to wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

You can celebrate every season, not just the holiday season, when you start every day with a smile.

Click here to enjoy the full Optimist Creed.

Trick or Treat

October brings changing colors, cooler weather and Halloween with all the ghouls, goblins, witches and pumpkins that one can imagine.

It's that last one that brings out the Optimist Club members today. In Windsor, Ontario, the Riverside Optimist Club is hosting a free pumpkin decorating contest for the kiddos. Now that's a Halloween treat for sure.

Optimist Clubs can be found in most cities, helping to bring out the best in youth, community and you. If you want to be a part of the BEST movement, find an Optimist Club near you and join today. If you can't find a club, please let me know and I'll help you start one in your community.

Here are some of our kids creations so far! 🎃🎃🎨 pic.twitter.com/hmCyN1Otw0

— Riverside Optimists (@RiversideOC) October 29, 2016

Welcome to 2016, Optimist

The Optimist Creed has so many wonderful words and aspirations for us to follow throughout the year.  To choose only one tenet to live by is futile; we must embrace different lines at different times in order to do our best.

Promise Yourself 

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.
To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.
To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.
To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.
To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.
To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.
To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.
To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.
To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

As we ring in the new year, 2016, it is time to forget about the mistakes of the past. Instead, think about the future and press on to the greatness and opportunity that is promised.

Happy New Year, friends and Optimists. I hope to see you soon.

Merry Christmas from Experience Optimism

Christmas day brings joy to many; however, as optimists, we must remember to wish, share and experience the blessings of the day throughout the year.

From Experience Optimism, may your celebration continue and inspire you and yours to hope for all that is good in the world to be found and enjoyed by all.

Bowling for turkeys

According to an article in the Courier Journal, Clarksville, Indiana, each year the Optimist Club buys turkeys for the community. That's not unusual; many Optimist Clubs buy turkeys at this time of year to distribute through various outlets like food pantries and kitchens, senior centers and schools, among other locations.

But the turkeys bought in Clarksville were headed to a less likey recipient: the Parks Department.

Guess what they were bound for? Turkey Bowling!

That's right, each year the Optimist Club buys the turkeys that are a centerpiece for the Gobbler Games, a day-long party filled with child-friendly (5 to 12 years of age) activities. In addition to throwing the turkeys towards the pins in turkey bowling, the kiddos passed mini-marshmallows on plastic spoons and carried balloons clenched between their knees in an effort to rack up points enough to win a large turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Now that sounds like a fun day of optimism with the collaboration of the Clarksville Parks Department, the Clarksville Middle School and the Clarksville Optimist Club.

Photo credit: Jenna Esarey, courtesy of the Optimist Club

Shop with a Cop brings kids and cops together

The Fort Smallwood Optimist Club, Annapolis Optimist Club and Cherry Hill Optimist Club came together on December 5, 2014 to hold the 11th Annual Shop with a Cop program. The clubs paired police officers with 82 children and set them loose in Walmart to do some Christmas shopping.

The officers were there to provide moral support for the children's shopping spree. Afterwards, they had lunch at the Outback Steakhouse and tackled some Christmas wrapping for the presents they bought for others.

Shop with a Cop programs are popular because they give children an opportunity to interact with police officers in a positive manner, building trust and letting them know that police officers can be their friends.

As Optimist Clubs provide youth-serving projects for communities, they are a natural catalyst to bring the two groups together. They provide the administration and funding support to make the program successful.

Fort Smallwood Optimist Club
Shop with a Cop 2014

Photos courtesy of the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club. Check out the full collection on Facebook.

Praise for all contributors

This picture caught my eye today.

It was published at JenksJournal.com with a descriptive paragraph, "Optimist provides holiday food baskets ... The Jenks Optimist Club, partnered with the Jenks Police Department, area churches, the Jenks Chamber of Commerce and the Jenks Alternative Center, donated holiday food baskets to Jenks West Elementary and the Jenks Alternative Center."

What crossed my mind when reading the paragraph was wow, those three ladies are sure doing the work for a lot of people. And then I thought how easy it would be to dismiss the great number of partnerships that help service clubs thrive in their communities. It takes collaboration to prevent needs and people from falling through the cracks during the holidays and even more so throughout the year.

Next time your Optimist Club is fortunate to be photographed for the paper, try to be aware that the picture gives a good representation of the story because we know, it's a lot easier to read the headline, look at the picture and move on. As an Optimist Club, or any service club, be sure that your partners receive praise for their contributions at the same time that you receive praise for your coordination of an activity. We're all in this together!

Foster Children treated to Christmas Party

The Optimist Club of Bixby, Oklahoma enjoyed caroling at its club Christmas party and then two days later, the members shared their special brand of joy with others when they hosted the Foster Children Christmas Party. This annual event assists families by providing gifts for foster children.

While there, the children also got to talk to Santa and they enjoyed pizza, face painting, and yes, Christmas carols. Miss Bixby and her court were also in attendance and they took turns reading Christmas stories to the group.

The Foster Children Christmas Party has been a community tradition for 20 years. To support the program, the Optimist Club receives a list of area foster children from the Department of Human Services. They then reach out to the families to see if they want to participate in the event. Those that participate provide a wish list to the Optimist Club and Santa's Helpers, aka Optimist Club members go to work to find the items on the lists.

According to a club spokesperson, the kids will often ask for warm clothing and bedding, but the club also makes sure to make the gifts fun. After all, making kids smile, especially at Christmas, is what the Optimist Club strives to do best.

Photo contributed by the Bixby Optimist Club. 

Working together for Christmas

Optimist Clubs frequently serve as a catalyst or conduit for others give more to their community. As a catalyst, the club might spark an interest in a cause and as a conduit, the club enables giving of gifts, money, or service.

During the holiday season, the Optimist Club of Barbados South is doing both. It recently accepted gifts from the Sport for Life Program. The gifts will be given to children and families with the Christmas Hamper project that targets 30 families this year through the Child Care Board, plus an additional 10 families in the community.

According to Tricia Ford with the Sport for Life Program, a program that inspires children in all areas of their life through sports, the group is focusing on service. She was proud to report that all 43 of the participants donated gifts to the cause.

Optimist Club president Margaret Chapman-Farley received the gifts and was thankful to the group for helping the Optimist Club provide more services for children.

Photo credit: The Barbados Advocate

Caroling at the Bixby Optimist Club

Optimist Clubs support children's programs throughout the year and it is always delightful when students come to Optimist Club meetings to say thank you. Sometimes those remarkable young people visit and perform. That happens frequently during the holiday season and that's what's happening here.

Recently, the North Intermediate Choir visited the Optimist Club of Bixby, Oklahoma and shared songs of Christmas cheer. I hope you enjoy.

 

There was an optimistic shopping spree in Yuma

Optimist Clubs throughout North America have shopping trips on their lists of things-to-do before Christmas and many of them are taking children right along with them for the experience.

In Yuma, Arizona, Optimist Club members were up early on Saturday, December 7, for the annual holiday shopping spree. Children are take to the local J.C. Penney where they have $125 to spend on warm clothes for the season. They usually take about 30 kids each year, and this year, many individuals in the community donated $125 so that they could take one more.

Watch the video here.

Snowing on Santa's House

It's snowing on Santa's House in Belleville, Illinois. According to the children and the Optimist Club, it's a beautiful sight. I agree.

Post by Santa's House.

Optimists, cops and kids

Here is a great picture from the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club in Pasadena, Maryland. The club held its annual Shop with a Cop program today and the officers and their shopping-buddies are about to enjoy lunch at the Outback Steakhouse.

The FortSmallwood Optimist Club teams up with the Cherry Hill Optimist Club and Annapolis Optimist Club for this activity. By including the police officers, the children are able to meet law enforcement officials at a non-threatening activity and it helps them build relationships and trust for instances when they might connect in the future. 

According to a club member, it's a good feeling to see the smiles and excitement on these less fortunate children!

And it's wonderful to see Optimist Clubs making a difference, one project at a time. 

Thanks to the Fort Smallwood Optimist Club for the picture.

How many days until Christmas?

Can you believe it? In only three weeks, Santa will start making visits to local malls and houses set up just for him to visit with the public. In Belleville, Illinois, the Optimist Club has refurbished his house and set the hours when he will be entertaining guests, taking pictures and finding out just who has been naughty or nice.

Other Optimist Clubs are planning other Santa events, like the Delphos Optimist Club in Ohio where community members are asked to help ensure that everyone has a gift by contributing to an angel tree. Set up as the Delphos Community Christmas Project, the angel tree has been part of the community for 37 years.

Optimist Clubs help their communities in other ways during the holiday season and beyond. For the next two months, we'll be looking at food drives, coat drives and many other traditional community service activities including breakfasts with Santa as the big day draws near.

Right now, we're asking for your help. Send us a story and a picture so we can highlight your holiday project as part of the good things that Optimist Clubs do to make their communities a better place to live. Please send to optimist [at] newoptimistclub [dot] com. Thank you.

In Albuquerque, Optimist Club remembers the forgotton

Optimist Clubs find not only unmet needs in their communities, but sometimes they identify the unseen needs as well. So it was for the Evening Optimist Club of Albuquerque, New Mexico when member Leland Yates explained to his Optimist Club that as a cross-country bus driver he saw many unhappy children who had to travel at Christmas-time.

In order to meet this need in their community, the Optimist Club created Santa's Workshop so that children in transit through their downtown bus and train station would receive a gift bag. According to Leland, families often hit the road, traveling across the country, without any toys or games for their kids.

The program has been successful because the train and bus stations help coordinate the space on Christmas Day and other organizations get involved with donations. According to the coordinating committee, this program is growing. They are planning at least 20 additional gift bags this year. Good news, the community is engaged and individuals make contributions to the cause as well.

The Optimist Club credits the news stations for helping them to get the word out to the community. Contributors often cite that they were moved to give by the news story.

Please watch "The Forgotton."

A Christmas wish

This year, I'm spending Christmas in Las Vegas.  It's different and the Strip is much more crowded than I anticipated. There are a lot of foreign tourists, but also, a great number of typically American-looking individuals. I've seen a good number of children, too, and they couldn't miss Santa riding a motorcycle because in Vegas, anything goes.

Of course the other motto of the city, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," is wise as well.

So I will only say that I'm enjoying the week. I found the accompanying peacock at The Palazzo Shops, open, of course, on Christmas Day.

Let me share my Christmas wish with you: I'm wishing for happiness. And I'm finding it.

I hope that you and all of my readers enjoyed their Christmas Day with family and friends and that they too were able to do something that makes them happy. It's a simple wish for all.

Jerome Optimist Club serves Breakfast with Santa

Jerome, Idaho is a small farming community in southern Idaho with a large population of Mexican immigrants. Each year for Christmas, the Optimist Club serves a free Breakfast with Santa at St. Jerome's Catholic Church, meeting a need for many.

According to Club President Julie Stadelman, the breakfast is one of the club's favorite activities. Seeing the kids as they meet Santa with wonder in their eyes is a heartwarming experience.

Like the community, the Optimist Club is small as well, but everyone turns out for this activity and they bring their friends to share in the joy of serving others at this special time of year.

Being an Optimist Club member is a special commitment to the community. Breakfast with Santa is just one of many ways the Jerome Optimist Club demonstrates their responsibility in a timeless manner. Thank you.

Thanks to Traci Hine Brandebourg for the photos.

Santa's elves visit Middleton, Idaho

Steve Thompson and helpers at Santa's Workshop

Optimist Club members take on many roles in their communities and during the holidays a special role is being one of Santa's elves.

Many clubs adopt families, work in food banks, collect and redistribute toys or host a Breakfast with Santa. And a great many clubs host their biggest fundraisers of the year by selling Christmas trees.

This year, the Middleton Area Optimist Club partnered with the Greater Middleton Parks and Recreation Department to bring Santa's Workshop to life. With a donation of wooden toys from Home Depot, the Optimist Club and other community volunteers helped children in their community build a toy that they could take home with them.

Santa's Workshop was set up in the Middleton Rural Fire Department and more three hundred people enjoyed the day as part of the community's Christmas celebration that included a parade and tree lighting ceremony.

Orangeville Optimist Club to light up Kay Cee Gardens

Following its annual tradition, the Optimist Club of Orangeville, Ontario is decorating for "Christmas in the Park" at Kay Cee Gardens and the Broadway Median Downtown. Since they work on a nonprofit budget, this year, they went to Facebook to find a little help.

They are asking for donations of strings of lights in order to ensure this year's displays are extra special.

Simple request, eh? If you can help, please leave the Orangeville Optimist Club a message on their Facebook page (www.facebook.com/OrangevilleOptimists) or call 1-866-998-1499.

Christmas in the Park opens on December 7. Opening ceremonies will commence at 7:30 p.m.

Kay Cee Gardens in located Between Bythia Street and John Street, Orangeville, ON

Giving thanks year-round

In the United States, we begin the holiday season with the celebration of Thanksgiving. I learned today that the first Thanksgiving was held in September.

It was President Abraham Lincoln who moved the holiday officially to November. Did he know of the commercial frenzy that he facilitated by placing the celebration so close to Christmas? I doubt it. We were not as materialistic in the 1800s, but i wonder if perhaps we were more grateful.

Giving thanks is a respectful act. It should not be something that we do once a year when family and friends are gathered to witness. We should give thanks daily for the blessings we are fortunate to behold, witness and give.

Thank you.