New Optimist Club building goes NxNW

Dallis Winsor, a former governor of the Alberta, Montana, Saskatchewan and N. Wyoming District (AMS&NW) has moved to Terrace, British Columbia and is working hard to bring optimism with him by starting up the brand new Kermodei Optimist Club of Terrace. In addition to prompting verbal support from the other Optimist Clubs in the PNW District, his effort brings up some questions that we will attempt to answer here. 

Where in the BC is Terrace? 

Spirit Bear 

Terrace, BC is north, way north of the bastion of Optimist Clubs that populate the lower mainland. The city's website boasts that Terrace is the heart of the northwest. By air, it is 550 miles northwest of Vancouver, BC. According to Mapquest, it would take approximately 16 hours to drive the 850 miles from Vancouver, BC to Terrace, BC.

PNW District Optimist Club members might find this reference helpful: Terrace is halfway between the sponsor club Hillsboro, OR and Fairbanks, AK. Yes, that is north by northwest.

What's a Kermodei?
A Kermodei is a blonde or light-colored bear known by native tribes as a "spirit bear." The taxonomy claims that the  Kermodei may be an albino black bear, but Wikipedia better defines the color morph as due to a recessive allele common in the population of the subspecies of the American Black Bear living in the region.

Cool! How can we help from a distance?
Dallis says he appreciates the support shown by the Optimist Clubs in the PNW District. Knowing that there is a base of support and other Optimist Club members and projects to turn to as they are beginning will help invigorate the new community. Please go to Facebook and become a fan of the Kermodei Optimist Club of Terrace now. (Please like the PNW District Optimist page, too.)

According to a status update on Facebook: 

There are TWO more organizational meeting this week to put us over the top in the chartering of the brand new Kermodei Optimist Club of Terrace so that we can get on with the pleasant task of "Bringing Out the Best in Kids". A meeting was held yesterday at the Terrace Public Library. It was good to see some new, but enthusiastic, faces. Not everyone can make every meeting and, so, we've decided to offer two alternatives this week (but feel free to come to both get-togethers):

Wednesday Feb. 8 @ Boston Pizza @ 6:30 PM (FREE pizza!) and Sunday Feb. 12 @ the Terrace Public Library meeting room @ 2:00 PM (FREE snacks!). See you there. Bring your friends and neighbours---

Let's keep our thoughts positive for Dallis and the Kermodei Optimist Club of Terrace to reach the charter member number this week so they can start working on projects to bring out the best in children in Terrace.

If you live in or near Terrace, don't wait; be an Optimist and join today. Reach out to Dallis at 250-635-5352.

Photo credit: Wikipedia Commons