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

South Side Optimist Club wins #ReelOptimism contest

In an effort to increase its media collection and to promote what it means to be an Optimist Club member, Optimist International and the Optimist International Foundation recently hosted a video contest for #ReelOptimism.

Optimist Club members were quite enthusiastic with their responses when asked to complete the sentence, "The greatest thing about being an Optimist is...".

The #ReelOptimism winner was revealed at the Optimist International Convention (#OIConv14) on July 12, 2014. Congratulations to the South Side Optimist Club of Fort Wayne, Indiana for your winning entry and kudos for your inspirational fellowship.

Respect for Law program designed by students in Fort Wayne

The Optimist Club of Fort Wayne, Indiana and the Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation Department collaborated on a Respect for Law Program. By surveying students involved with the Parks Department's Youth Centers, they created a youth-directed safety program designed with the specific intent of keeping people safe when they are in the parks or on there way to and from park activities.

The core of the campaign was to produce Respect for Law and Safety posters with a Top 10 List to be Safe to and from the Parks as follows:

1. Walk with others. (Use a buddy system)
2. Pay attention to surroundings.
3. Stay out of the street.
4. Don’t talk to strangers; don’t go into strangers’ houses; don’t go to strangers cars.
5. Call parents to let them know when leaving and arriving, go directly to the Recreational Center
6. Self Defense. (Scream or run.)
7. When you see trouble, go the other way, stay away from danger
8. If you see a gun or knife or any weapon while walking to the park tell a staff member.
9. Call the Police when help is needed.
10. Say no to Drugs, Gangs and Violence

Additionally, the Optimist Club has arranged for three forums where Fort Wayne law enforcement officers will make presentations and engage with the youth on a one-to-one basis. 

The Optimist International Respect for Law program was first designed to provide opportunities for children and law enforcement officers to meet in a non-threatening way and develop positive relationships. Over the years it has expanded to include officer recognition on a club and community level; but as with most Optimist Club programs, engaging our youth is always the most rewarding. Good job Fort Wayne! 

Scout Pack donates to the Optimist Club

In an unusual turn of events, the Breakfast Optimist Club of Warsaw, Indiana was the recipient of a donation from Cub Scout Pack 3736. The money was earned by the scouts at the Optimist Club's car show and was returned to help support the many youth oriented activities carried on by the club each year.

A quick visit to the Warsaw Optimist Club website told me that it is a very active club and I was quite impressed with the calendar of events scheduled from now, May 31, 2013, to September 10, 2014. Interestingly, the club's calendar is front and center on its home page. That tells me, the Warsaw Optimist Club is all about action and from the donation from the young scouts, I think they are about inclusion and collaboration as well. Good job to all!

A celebration of service in Clinton, Indiana

On February 1, 2013, the Breakfast Optimist Club of Clinton, Indiana celebrated 25 years of service its community. The celebration included more than 80 attendees including Past Optimist International President John Reel and an assortment of other Optimist Club members and District leaders.

During the event, five new members were inducted to the Clinton Breakfast Optimist Club.

As part of its outreach, the Clinton Breakfast Optimist Club offers youth soccer and bowling. Find out more about them on Facebook. Congratulations on this milestone. And thank you for your service.

Service clubs go to the Fair

It's Fair Time in Johnson County, Indiana and that means the service clubs are about to make some big money. That includes the Optimist Club of Center Grove-Bargerville that is selling "Beaver Tails" at this year's event.

What's a beaver tail? According to sources, a beaver tail is a cross between an elephant ear and a doughnut. This trademarked delicacy can only be purchased during the Johnson County Fair and only from the Optimist Club.

The club expects to raise more than $7,000 at the fair in 2012. The money is earmarked for youth projects, specifically scholarships, scouting trips and the girls basketball team.

Other organizations, including Kiwanis and Shriners make a similar amount each year from their food booths at the fair. Gateway Services, however, garners about $15,000 annually as the only organization selling lemon shake-ups.

Service clubs benefit from the fair-goers and the community benefits from all.

Thanks to the Center Grove-Bargerville Optimist Club for the photo and story.

Starting a New Optimist Club in Terre Haute

One of the greatest service projects that Optimist Clubs perform is to help start up a new Optimist Club. A new Optimist Club will serve a new set of children and expand opportunities for adults to develop their leadership skills. New Optimist Clubs also serve a vital community development function, bringing people together to raise money for projects that they identify they need to make their town a better place to live.

I've been involved in numerous new club building efforts and it's always rewarding when the project catches the attention of the local news. That's what is happening here in Terre Haute, Indiana where WTHI has announced how residents can get involved.

Heading up the new Optimist Club is Dennis Bialaszewski. He says the club will be different from others, and will meet monthly only to "share ideas, set projects and complete activities."  The beauty of being an Optimist Club over any other service club is that each club is autonomous and the agenda that best fits the community is the agenda that sounds just right.

New service club starting up: wthitv.com

Caroling for canned goods

In Plainfield, Indiana, the Junior Optimist Club at Plainfield Community Middle School will take part in an annual tradition: Christmas Caroling in the Community. They have a special twist on their event. In addition to sharing holiday cheer and fun, they collect canned goods that are given away by counselors at the Middle School.

The event will take place throughout Plainfield neighborhoods on December 9, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Flyers are being distributed several days before to alert residents to the purpose of the carolers and other organizations and groups have been asked to join the 50 Junior Optimist Club members in the fun.

Thanks to Junior Optimist Club sponsor Joan Effinger for the story.

What is your favorite Christmas project? Please tell us about it here. 

Ft. Wayne, Indiana to be home to a new Boundless playground

The Optimist Club of Ft. Wayne, Indiana donated $40,000 to the city's parks and recreation department to build a Boundless Playground in their community.  That sounds like a whopping sum, and it is, but the playground is expected to cost $1.3 M.  Yes, you read that right.


So what makes a playground worth so much money? Please take a look at the architectural rendering of this 42,000 sq. ft. playground. A spokesperson for the Ft. Wayne Parks and Recreation Department says, "Fort Wayne's Boundless Playground at Kreager Park will have three pods of playground equipment and activity areas, a sprayground, accessible ramps and walkways, a picnic pavilion and accessible parking. Landscaping will add to the sensory experience of the facility as will the multiple types of surface used in the various pods, including sand, poured-in-place rubber, mulch and natural turf."

Now let me tell you what a Boundless Playground will do. It is a playground not only for children of all physical abilities, but also those who suffer from sensory disregulation, vision and hearing impairments, autism, and cognitive and mental deficits. Best of all, it is designed to encourage children of all abilities to play together rather than in separate areas of the park.


The Boundless Playground project started as dream of a 14-year girl, Taylor Reuille. Her dream is a public one and you can read all about it at taylorsdream.com. She put her dream into a website, shared it with the Ft. Wayne Parks and Recreation Department, shared it with the community and together they went on to collect a $70,000 Pepsi Refresh grant. Now with donations and grants they have raised more than $1 M and the groundbreaking took place on September 30.  The whole community is looking forward to a spring 2011 opening.


Now that my friends is optimism at its finest.


Photo credit: Ft. Wayne Parks and Recreation Department

The domino theory of fundraising

Thanks to the Optimist Club of West Fort Bend, Indiana for turning me on to another new fundraising idea. Giving a nod to a local citizen and former politician with championship play in his history, the Optimist Club will hold the inaugural Johnnie Pustka Invitational Straight Domino Tournament.

Tournament organizer Harold Kennedy said, "We really wanted to do something different than your typical golf or softball tournament. I think people will have a great time. We've got great sponsorships and we want to make this an annual event."

The tournament will begin at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, August 28 at the Swinging Door, 3818 FM 359, Richmond, Indiana. Teams are welcome.

The entry fee is only $12.50 per person with all proceeds to go to the Optimist Scholarship Fund. Find out more about the Domino Tourney here. 

Photo by Juan Carlos Reyes courtesy of the Optimist Club of West Fort Bend, Indiana.

Sharing the JOOI of Reading

The Junior Optimist Club from the Plainfield Middle School in Plainfield, Indiana shared the joy of reading recently with the school district's developmental preschool. 

They visited the school to deliver blankets made with a community grant that promotes Youth as Resources and while there they played games and read to the younger kids and helped them with an impromptu slumber party. 

Junior Optimist Clubs are part of the Junior Optimist Octagon International JOOI program with Optimist International.  One of their signature programs is the JOOI of Reading. 

Photos courtesy of the Flyer Group. 

Promote your Optimist Club online

The members of the Optimist Club of Elkhart, Indiana learned about a new shelter for women who are homeless at their meeting this week.  Next week they will learn about the Organ Donor Association and as an ongoing global project, they are collecting used mens shoes and clothing that they ship to Eden Children's Village in South Africa.

How do I know this?  Because the eTruth ("e" for Elkhart) told me all about the Optimist Club and other service clubs in their community.  This online newspaper has local, national and international stories.  Most important, their stories have color and personality and they let the average person know how to get involved in the community.  What a great service!  And what a great opportunity for service clubs to tell about what they are doing to make their city a better place to live.

Be sure to see if your city or region has a community portal and if it doesn't, why not consider developing one?  Today's digital world makes it easier than ever before to be our own publishers and promoters.  Send me a message  linda [at] newoptimistclub.com and I'll help you get started with your own blog.  Who knows where you may go from there.

Optimist Club engages with the Warsaw community

The Optimist Club of Warsaw, Indiana raises approximately $20,000 for the youth-oriented projects they carry out each year in the community.  They meet weekly to share their fellowship, strengthen their mission, and plan for the activities that they have committed to perform.  According to their website, the average attendance at their meetings is approximately 70 members plus guests.

As I've read through bulletins, blogs and websites, I have to say that is possibly the highest attendance that I have seen at a club that follows the weekly meeting model.  I think it's because they embrace exciting projects that are relevant to their community.  With at least 25 ongoing projects, they truly engage with each other and with the Warsaw community.  Read about their great projects here.

Keep doing what you are doing, Warsaw Optimists!  Great job!

More on the Optimist Difference

Yes!  Remembering the great tagline, "The Optimist difference...it's all in our name," allowed me to find others that are promoting that great message. 

One is the Optimist Club of Richardson, Texas.  The Richardson Optimist Club explains that the Optimist Club mission is threefold:

1. An Optimistic Attitude - Optimists believe that a positive approach can make all the difference in the world. Through hands-on community and youth programs, Optimists brighten spirits and create hope and confidence in the future. The Optimist Creed provides proof of the Optimists' philosophy.

2. Youth & Community Service - Along with the Optimists' motto, "Friend of Youth," comes the commitment to help, educate, inspire, and believe in tomorrow's future--our young people. Optimists believe that by investing in youth, we can ensure a better tomorrow.

3. Personal Development - Optimist Club members receive as much as they give. Optimists have endless opportunities to gain leadership experience and to grow personally and professionally. Optimists value the social and business relationships they develop with individuals from a cross section of their community.

Another is the Indiana South District of Optimist International.  In addition to learning that the positive attitude is what differentiates Optimist Clubs from all others, they also tell you that the Optimist Clubs of the Indiana South District have served 104,203 children from October 1, 2007 to Sept 7,2009 at 04:11 pm. Kind of a fun, interactive tool to encourage you to find out how.  When you click here you will not only learn how they do it, but how many children benefit from each activity.  What a great touch. 

Does your Optimist Club or District promote the Optimist Difference?  Be sure to let me know so we can tell others.  Thanks!

Optimist Club and YMCA send students to Respect for Law Camp

The Optimist Club of Greensburg, Indiana partnered with the Decatur County YMCA this summer to send children to the Respect for Law Leadership Camp. The Camp is coordinated by the Indiana State Police Department and held at Hanover College.

The students were chosen for their leadership and participation in an afternoon drug prevention program, Afternoons Rock, held at Greensburg Elementary School. Teacher Bill Wenning and YMCA Director Devon Brown, both Optimist Club members, made sure that six students got to attend the three-day overnight camp compliments of the Optimist Club. "Sometimes it’s all about having the right connection to help an idea get wings. Devon was able to give this idea ‘wings’ from his work with the local youth," stated Wenning.

While there, the students learned about the bomb squad, K-9 unit, and participated in practicing police formations. They also took turns driving golf carts while wearing "drunk goggles," a simulation of driving drunk. For their participation, the students earned the distinction of being a youth leader that will demonstrate positive choices to their peers.

Damian Mitchell, Darrian Mitchell, Brittany Lozier and Christian Dance attended an Optimist Club meeting with a slideshow to express their appreciation.

Optimist Club of Hagerstown, IN says Happy Sweet Sixteen

What would you think if a big bunch of Optimists turned out for your birthday? That is just what happened in Richmond, Indiana when the Optimist Club of Hagerstown surprised Whitney Jennings for her 16th birthday celebration. They brought a special gift: a handicap accessible van to help Whitney go more places.

Whitney has had health complications since very early in her life when she was diagnosed with diabetes. In 2007 she suffered a stroke in her spinal column during a multipurpose surgery. The spinal cord injury left her paralyzed and requires her to use different medical devices daily. The community has stepped in to help with upgrading the electricity in her family's home and expanding her bedroom to accommodate the equipment. Friends from the Boy's and Girl's Club frequently visits her, but the van will help her visit others.

It's a special community that works together to make a young woman feel included. Read the full story here.