Optimists celebrate Snow Day 2016

There is no shortage of snow on the US East Coast this week as a blizzard hit calling off school and  sending children of all ages to play outdoors and record their shenanigans as the #blizzardof2016.

However the Optimist Club of New Holstein, Wisconsin celebrates every year with a Snow Day. This year found children, hosted by the Optimist Club at the Optimist Park Chalet, and their parents enjoying popcorn and hot chocolate along with arts & crafts and simple games on SnowDay2016.

I can't think of a better way to spend a snowy afternoon than with children and optimists. Can you?

Click here to find an Optimist Club near you and join! 

Photos: Mark Sherry

Man sells 20,000 tickets to an Optimist Club pancake breakfast

Here's one of those odd stories about an Optimist Club member that just makes you smile. Mr. Bill Binner of the Fond Du Lac Optimist Club has sold 20,000 pancake breakfast tickets.

It started in 1971. Like many service club volunteers, Mr. Binner was given 45 tickets to sell to the club's first annual pancake breakfast fundraiser and he found the number daunting. Diligently serving his new Optimist Club, with a suggestion from his wife, he went door-to-door to meet his neighbors and sell his allotted tickets.  He went on to sell 200 tickets that first year and every year since he has topped his sales goals reaching the 20,000 mark for this year's annual event.

This marks 43 years that the Wisconsin Optimist Club has hosted Pancake Day. The event will take place Saturday, November 8, 2014, 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., North Presentation Parish Center, 706 Minnesota Avenue, North Fond du Lac.

Photo Credit: Doug Rafik/Action Reporter Media. Read more here.

Plan ahead and enjoy more success

One of my alerts returned the following headline today, "Optimists conducting coat drive." I clicked because I wondered why would I get such an old alert. I thought I might need to tweak it and then I saw that the Wahpeton/Breckenridge Optimist Club was indeed collecting coats in May. The article said that they were doing so "to ensure students have warm coats to go along with their school supplies in the fall."

I think I would have been equally surprised if the alert had said that the Optimist Club was collecting school supplies; kudos to them for their excellent planning. Right now, people are packing away their winter gear as they prepare for the summer months ahead. What better time could there be to donate a gently used jacket or coat?

So often our Optimist Clubs use just-in-time planning approaches. That means, as an event grows closer, the club members divvy up the tasks to get them done just in time for the big day. However, doing so limits the opportunity to market the event appropriately, save money on supplies and sell tickets when appropriate. And even though this method works to some degree, it doesn't allow the opportunity for outreach and communication beyond the club's immediate circle of influence. It also focuses on tasks instead of objectives and never gives the opportunity to ask, should we be doing this?

The goal of any plan is to help an organization or individual reach certain identified objectives. In the case of event management, the goal isn't typically to merely hold the event, it is to hold a successful event determined by the number of people engaged and the quality of the time that the attendees spend there, among other things. The end objective is to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the event organizer and its guests.

Every year, an Optimist Club should take time to evaluate its goals for the year and then systematically look at the events or activities they conduct to see if they will help it reach its goals. Then, and only then, can the club assign chairpersons and committees to carry out the tasks that bring an event to life.

Early analysis should include a plan for outreach. We don't plan events for ourselves; we plan them for others to enjoy, be nurtured and engaged. One of the first steps should be to ensure our stakeholders, from potential sponsors to the anticipated audience, are aware of activities that are being planned for them so that when the activity arrives, they already have them on their calendar.

Early planning should also include early deadlines and a tracking mechanism to be sure everyone involved is accountable for what they've been assigned. When the committee meets, go over the tasks and celebrate the progress that has been made. Celebrating small steps will build enthusiasm and give more talking points for word of mouth marketing. It will also increase buy-in. Members will feel good about what they are doing and when we feel good about what we're doing, we ask others to get involved.

The overarching goal of any Optimist Club is to increase membership so that it can do more in its community. By planning ahead and focusing on objectives instead of tasks, your Optimist Club will achieve its goal and be better prepared to deliver on its promises for providing community service.

Ice fishing: it's a good thing it's cold

A time-honored tradition was observed by the Wausau Optimist Club on February 9, 2014 when Optimist Club members and young anglers hit the ice for the annual Optimist Youth Fisheree. It's the 40th year that Optimist Club has taken kiddos and their families ice fishing.

According to DuWayne Witter, co-chair, "It's a nice outing and even though it 's been cold the past couple years, you get to go out and do something and not just sit in the house." 

WFXS, MyFoxWausau - News and Weather for Wausau, WI

Getting out and being active leads to positive thoughts and good mental health. And that's just one more reason to belong to an Optimist Club. Be an optimist; it makes you healthy!

90 years and counting

When I've been absent from my blog for any period of time, I always reenter with a bit of apprehension for I feel that I should write about something terribly poignant. Perhaps I should describe what has been consuming my days so thoroughly that I haven't had time to write. Or perhaps I should describe what I've learned in my ten days of silence.

Either might make for a diary of cathartic confessions for me; however, I doubt that the topics would, at least at this point, provide entertaining or educational value to my readers.

Instead, let me highlight something that I found to be more interesting today:

The Optimist Club of Sheboygan, Wisconsin is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year.

That's a long time to be serving one's community with community service projects that bring positive thoughts and change to light. Some of its signature events involve community volunteers while the Optimist Club serves as the coordinator. Specifically, the Back 2 School Basics program began in 1996 and individuals have supported the project with donations every year since.

In a return of support, the Optimist Club partners with others to present the Children's Literacy Project and the Making Spirits Bright Christmas light project. Club members also make up a Relay for Life team and serve as Salvation Army bell ringers.

To remain relevant in a community for 90 years indicates the flexible and engaged membership. They are connected to their community in a way that lets them fill needs that come to light. More important, they are able to adapt and change to meet the demands of a growing and changing community. We wish the Sheboygan Optimist Club 90 more years of service.

Post by Optimist Club of Sheboygan.

Dictionaries will never go out of style

Does anyone really use a printed and bound dictionary anymore? I hear that asked whenever a dictionary donation program is mentioned and I always think, well, if they don't they should. There's something special about feeling the weight of a book in one's hand and actually flipping the pages to find what you are looking for presents a sense of accomplishment that one can't find or feel on Google.

I'm happy to report that the Stevens Point Noon and Plover Optimist Clubs in Wisconsin recently donated 600 Webster's Encyclopedic Dictionaries to the third grade classes in their school districts. It was the 10th year that they the clubs have sponsored this activity.

Shown here are some happy third graders from the St. Stephen Elementary School. Thanks to the Stephens Point Optimist Club for the picture.

Children and optimists design cardboard city

I grew up in a family-owned business where we sold and repaired major appliances and consumer electronics. That meant we always had a surplus of large cardboard boxes. Oh how I wish I had known about this awesome Optimist Club project!

For the Art in the Park event in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the Stevens Point Noon Optimist Club created a cardboard box city. Sprawled out with a resemblance to an urban city, the boxes started out in their plain brown form. By the end of the event, the boxes were colorful renditions and exhibitions demonstrating the creativity of the young artists that made their way through the demonstration. Watch the video and learn more.

Art in the Park is produced annually by the Stevens Point Parks and Recreation Department Children's Arts Program. With over 100 arts and crafts tents, children, and others, share their talents and wares with the community.

Hire an optimist

If you live in the Whitewater, Wisconsin area, here is a deal that you don't want to miss! Hire an optimist and you'll help support the University of Whitewater Student Optimist Club's service learning trip to Burkina Faso. Your contribution is tax deductible, you'll get some chores done around your home or business and the community of Burkina Faso will benefit from the talent and passion of some fabulous young people.


The UW-W Student Optimist Club has a history of making mission-style trips. in 2012 they worked with an orphanage, multiple schools and many underprivileged youth in four regions of Ecuador. While the onsite work is rewarding for both the students and beneficiaries, much goes on behind the scenes as well as the students prepare to go. Not only do they fund raise for expenses, they raise money to purchase needed supplies, hold clothing drives and learn about the region they will be serving.

In Burkina Faso, the group of students will be:

• Building computer lab
• Creating sustainable gardens
• Building a Student Optimist Club
• Delivering soccer balls and interacting with children 
• Delivering medical supplies, equipment and knowledge 
• Delivering educational supplies and hygiene supplies

But before they leave, they must raise enough money to ship an ambulance to Dedougou. It will be the first emergency vehicle in the African community. 

Find out more about the trip and how you can contribute to the Student Optimist Club's success: 

Download a flyer

Visit the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club blog

Or make a donation to the UW-Whitewater Student Optimist Club Service Learning Trip to Burkina Faso by sending a check to:

Optimist International Foundation

c/o Kim Adams

800 W. Main St. UC 250

Whitewater, WI 53190

Optimist Club spearheads splash pad project

The end of summer may be near, but some communities are still celebrating. That was the case in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, where the city and county came together with the Optimist Club to dedicate the city's new splash pad. 

It took nearly three years and multiple partners to raise the $750,000 necessary for the water playground and Friday, August 23, 2013 was an exciting day for all, especially the kids. 

“Opening the new splash pad park today makes it a great day for Fitchburg,” said Mayor Shawn Pfaff. 

“Through our collaborative efforts with the City, the Optimist Club and community residents, we have made the investment to build this important public amenity – just like our new library and our bike trails –to continue making Fitchburg an even better connected community for families and children from all walks of life for generations to come.”

The splash pad is located at McKee Farms Park. The idea came from the Optimist Club with President Joan Mohr spearheading the three year project. The time and effort has all been worth it. Optimists always perform projects that acknowledge or benefit kids and Joan says,  “Kids have always been special in my heart. I wanted to give kids of all abilities a special place to have fun and cool down in the summer. The splash pad project became a passion. May families enjoy it for a long time.”

Indeed. That's the reason Optimist Clubs do what they do - so families may enjoy their communities for a long time, perhaps forever.

Photo courtesy of the Fitchburg Optimist Club. See more about this story at connectfitchburg.com. 

Back to school time brings out the Optimist Club

For sixteen years, the Sheboygan Noon Optimist Club has helped students go back to school. And over the years, the school supply drive has grown to serving 800 students to more than 1700 at last count. It's a family tradition for some. Having received the supplies when they were a student, they now return to volunteer in the program.

 Approximately 100 volunteers, Optimist Club members and others, volunteer the day of the event. According to program co-chair Linda Machtig, families begin to line up as early as 3:00 in the morning. It's like Best Buy after Thanksgiving Day, she explains.

She also explained that the need is so great that next year they will begin to advertise earlier for donations. More than 15,000 products were purchased this year, totally depleting their funds. The Optimistic way though is not to complain, but instead, find a way to do more. The Sheboygan Noon Optimist Club promises to do just that.

 Watch a clip of the Sheboygan Noon Optimist Club’s Back to School Basics School Supply Giveaway.


      

Video courtesy of the Sheboygan Press. 

Meet the St. Norbert College Optimist Club

Today I learned about the St. Norbert College Optimist Club in De Pere, Wisconsin  because I followed a suggestion on Facebook. Sometimes it's a good thing to follow your friends' recommendations!

What I discovered was a busy, medium-sized club that started in 2007. It has some history behind it and theoretically, it has graduated its first members and possibly more. I was impressed to learn that the college had recently awarded the Optimist Club a service award for having the most service projects on campus. That's a group of Optimists for you - always busy, giving their time to help others.

One of the club's ongoing fundraisers is the Pulsera Project. This art and commerce project raises money for programs in Nicaragua and focuses on fair trade, education, worker's rights and shelter support for the people of Nicaragua. It also provides micro-loans for a number of different projects including creating the pulsera bracelet.

The St. Norbert Optimist Club tells its own story in the following video recap of the year. Watch to see how it served over 2,000 children last year. Please enjoy.

Optimist Clubs show Respect for Law

One of the purposes of an Optimist Club is to inspire good citizenship and respect for law and in 1965 Optimist International established the Respect for Law program. According to a brochure from Optimist International, the intent wast to familiarize youth with the people in their community who work hard to make it a better place to live. "It is vital that youth recognize the contributions that law enforcement officers make to their community and that they realize these officials are there to assist them if needed."

Through the years, the program has become less about children and more about the officers. As a way of showing respect and appreciation for their service, many Optimist Clubs bestow Officer of the Year honors on deserving public servants. Some recent awards follow. 

Arkansas City Optimist Club

In Arkansas City, Kansas, Police Officer Troy Cochran was honored by the Optimist Club. 

"Officer Cochran exhibits an insatiable desire to work his cases to clearance,” said Arkansas City Police Chief Sean Wallace. “He prides himself on taking a case that appears unsolvable and working every angle until he finds a break. This trait alone enables Officer Cochran to stand out among his peers.”

Waukesha Optimist Club

In Waukesha, Wisconsin, the Optimist Club recognized Correctional Officer Erin Billeb for her work as a training officer in the Waukesha County Jail, especially for her role in assisting inmates who deal with mental illnesses and chemical dependencies. 

Sheriff Dan Trawicki explained, “Erin’s job is one that, as you can imagine, is extremely difficult. We are very lucky to have Erin in this position.”

Not every Optimist Club chooses to honor a single officer. In Chattanooga, Tennessee, the Optimist Club showed their appreciation to the Chattanooga Police Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (SWAT).  The team was nominated by the Chief of Police Bobby Dodd for their service as officers who never receive a routine call. 

Carolyn Tucker, president of the Scenic Chattanooga Optimist Club, said “The Scenic Chattanooga Optimist Club is proud to be a long-time participant in the Optimist’s annual Respect for Law Program. As a community, we are deeply indebted to those who choose a career of service in law enforcement. These men and women serve as the frontline of protection for all of us, and we are proud to honor them.”

Her sentiments are why more than 1,500 Optimist Clubs participate in the annual Respect for Law activity by honoring their own.

Photos courtesy of the Arkansas City and Waukesha Optimist Clubs. 

Deliver value and create news

The Wausau Noon Optimist Club makes a lot of headlines because they are so active in their community. They give back in so many ways and the media takes notice.

This week in Wausau, kids under 17 got to swim for free thanks to the Optimist Club. It's one of the easiest projects that a club can do because all it requires is the entry fee, some advertising, and the facilities, the media and the kids do the rest.



But there is an underlying marketing concept at work here. When you do good things, people talk about you and they want to be associated with you. About sixteen seconds into the video, Optimist Club Board member Scott Campbell has the opportunity to tell what the Optimist Club is all about. That positive message, with the kids playing in background, is priceless.

The Wausau Noon Optimist Club is delivering something of value to the community. They are creating news.

A storybook anniversary

Some Optimist Clubs celebrate milestone anniversaries by hosting a recognition dinner, but not the Optimist Club of Wausau, Wisconsin. In honor of their 50th Anniversary, the Wausau Optimists joined the Marathon County Public Library to create a new entrance into the Children's Library section.

The entrance includes a yellow brick road and characters from seven favorite children's books. According to Optimist Club member Bob Stansey, they want to inspire reading, especially for at-risk kids. He explained, "They walk that yellow brick road right into the children's library and learn how important reading is to them. That the world is open to them."



Click here to find out more about the Wausau Noon Optimist Club.

A cause for celebration in Wausau

We've highlighted ice fishing and community festivals for the Wausau Noon Optimist Club on this blog. Today we recognize them for celebrating 50 years of service to their community.  According to an article in the Wausau Daily Herald, the purpose of the Wausau Noon Optimist Club is to "make the lives of Wausau youths better through fun activities ranging from the athletic to the educational."

In fact, 140 members come together to do that every week. Tony Stasney, President explained that the prevalence of technology makes the Optimist Club's work even more important. "Today, more than ever, it's important that we have things and events for kids in the community that get them out of the house," he said.

Throughout the years of service, the Wausau Noon Optimist Club has donated more than $1 million back to the community. The work with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club, sponsors the Optimist Oratorical and Essay Contests, hosts basketball tournaments, provides dictionaries to schools, and most recently held a skateboard tournament to bring children and adults together for some contemporary fun.

Congratulations and good luck in your next 50 years.

Help fight childhood cancer with a bike ride

The ninth annual Sugar River Bike Tour to help fight childhood cancer will be held on Saturday, September 25 in Brodhead, Wisconsin. The event is sponsored by the Brodhead Optimist Club and for a $30 donation, bicyclists  can choose to ride East 50 miles, West 50 miles. Following the tour, a hot lunch and goodies are provided.

The Sugar River Bike Tour is part of the the Brodhead community's Autumnfest. Participants can also enjoy a Family Farm Bike Tour, Farmers/Craft Market, Pumpkin Carving and Scarecrow Building, Chili Contest, Bake-off, Hayrides and Trick or Treating for those in costume.  There is also music entertainment an the Poopapalooza Cow Pie Bingo. Now who doesn't want to attend this fall festival?

Photo credit: www.badger-trail.com.

A chili cook off raises fun and funds

Chili seems like more of a fall or winter dish to me, but real chili lovers look for the good stuff all year-round. That's why the Optimist Club of Bellevue East-Town, Wisconsin has planned a Chili Cook Off for this weekend.

The annual event is both a community picnic and a fundraiser for the club's many youth-serving projects. It will take place at Josten Park, Sunday, August 29, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Optimist Club has been serving up the area's best chili, music, children's games and fun at the community picnic and chili cook off for 27 years.

Find out more at the Village of Bellevue, Wisconsin website.

Optimist Community Park in Janesville

More than $50,000 and 18,000 volunteer hours have gone into the development of the Optimist Community Park in Janesville, Wisconsin and more improvements are planned and currently in the works.  According to Optimist Club spokesman Al Draeger, electricity, a new shelter and a new pavilion are next on their to-do list.

The Optimist Community Park has been a project of the Tuesday Morning, Wednesday Morning and Thursday Noon Optimist Clubs in Janesville for 17 years. It is the location of the Annual Family Day Celebration organized by the clubs in early August, but most importantly, the park serves the community year round. Offering amenities like electricity and extra pavilions just add to everyone's positive experiences.

In addition to developing and maintaining the 37-acre city park, the Optimist Clubs built a concrete bridge over Spring Brook Creek, developed nature trails, and coordinate an annual park clean-up day for the community.

And to think, it all began with a candy bar sale.  Fifty cents of every dollar raised, or every candy bar sold, by the Optimist Clubs brought this park to life.

Mixing generations of fun

It's Saturday! What do you have planned for this hot mid-summer day?

Many of our Optimist Clubs are hopping with activities from classic car cruise-ins at the local drive-in to splash-downs at area water parks.  One activity especially caught my attention today: Wausau Noon Optimists are holding a skateboard event.

The Optimist Club of Wausau, Wisconsin is reaching out to children and young adults with contemporary interests with what is being billed as a skateboarding event.  They have set up a half-pipe in the city square for a day for the Mini Ramp Jam. Furthermore, they are celebrating their 50th anniversary with this event.

That's awesome, dude! The Wausau Noon Optimist Club is celebrating fifty years of service with a supervised skateboarding event for kids, a skateboard contest for children under 17. That's a great way to mix the generations and be remarkable.

Congratulations to the Wausau Noon Optimist Club on your anniversary and your ingenuity and thank you for the story.

A Father's Day suggestion

Music from the 50s and 60s, food, fun and a Best Dads Contest are all part of the 33rd Annual Fond du Lac Optimist Club Father's Day Antique Car Show at Lakeside Park, Sunday, June 20, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.

This sounds like a great way to celebrate dad with optimism.

This is the club's major fundraiser for the year.  They expect hundreds of antique and classic cars with an entry fee of $5 each.  Entry to the public is free and fun is guaranteed.

According to the Optimist Club, proceeds have funded projects including a soccer field, baseball diamond and equipment and improvements at Lakeside Park as well as many youth service projects in the community.  Prospective new members are always welcome to find out more about the club at a weekly meeting, Wednesdays, 7:00 p.m., at the Elks Club, 333 Sheboygan Avenue, Fond du Lac.