What are PNW Optimist Clubs up to this season?

Santa's helpers come in all shapes and sizes and we are happy to report that many are Optimist Club volunteers.

Their projects are varied and for the 2018 season, some that we have seen include the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club Santa House, the West Tacoma Optimist Club Peanut Butter Drive, the Hillsboro Optimist Club Baby Food Donation, the Coquitlam Optimist Club Pancake Breakfast, the Roseburg Optimist Club Santa Hotline, and the Boise Noon Optimist Club Aloha Christmas Party, among others.

We're sure there are many more that we haven't seen and invite you to send a photo so that others may share in the joy of the season. Thanks for all that you do as an Optimist Club volunteer! We hope the season has been especially memorable for you.

A Thanksgiving project

The Meridian Optimist Club has been hosting a food drive at Thanksgiving for as long as I can remember.

The club asks Meridian schools to donate canned goods and non-perishable items and then Optimist Club members spend the day collecting, sorting, and packing the food for redistribution. I've heard President Kim Bowers say that it is one of her favorite projects and I can certainly understand why.

This year, with the help of member Tom McKinstrey, the club collected an entire box van full of goods.

Club secretary/treasurer Bill Garcia commented that the pictures don't really do justice to the magnitude of the collections.

In addition to all of the supplies collected, the Meridian Optimist Club purchases turkey and milk and adds bread and potatoes, courtesy of Rick's Press Room, so that the families that receive the donations may have a nice Thankgsgiving meal.

And there are plenty of canned goods left over to supplement their future meals. This year, the Meridian Optimist Club served more than 20 families with each receiving four or five boxes stocked full.

Additionally, over 3,000 pounds of food was given to the Meridian Food Bank.


Please join me in congratulating the Meridian Optimist Club on a job well done.

May you and your family enjoy the blessings of this Thanksgiving Day.

The Star Spangled Banner

We wish you a Happy 4th of July. Please click. You'll be glad you did.

Post by Jason Crews.

Calling Santa's Helpers in the Tri-Cities

According to Charlie Kissler, President, Tri-Cities Optimist Club and Lt. Governor extraordinaire, Zone 10, there's a right way and a wrong way to invite members to an Optimist Club meeting. You see, you always have to make it sound like fun; and then, of course, you have to deliver on your promise.

So for this week's meeting, the members of the Tri-Cities Optimist Club received this little poem from Santa's Chief Helper:

‘Twas the week before Christmas and some people in our city,
Could not afford gifts, isn’t that a pity?

The Tri-City Optimists, while pursuing the Sunny Side,
Chose to give back to their town, some gifts they’d provide.

Wrapped they must be, those presents willy-nilly,
So the entire group went to Hopwood’s for Chili.

Some wrapping they’d do, and all have great fun,
While ensuring a Merry Christmas for ten families, every one.

We’re halfway to our goal of a Christmas so cheery,
If we all help on this, no one will be weary.

The Kennewick place to be is 1500 S. Taft,
Where all the “wrappers” will display their craft.

Being an Optimist, I am sure I will see,
EVERYONE there, and happy, like me.

It starts at 6:30, to be early, feel free,
But if you get thirsty, it’s BYOB.

I hope my little poem doesn’t give you a fright,
Forward I’m looking to seeing everyone tonight!

Merry Christmas
YIO

Charles Kissler

North Okanagan Optimist Club helps coordinate Children's Christmas Workshop

The 8th Annual Children's Christmas Workshop in Vernon, BC began in November when the North Okanagan Optimist Club began collecting donations. They asked the community to look into their hearts, closets and cupboards to give away their new and gently used items that would be suitable for re-gifting.


Re-giftable suggestions for men included wallets, tools, gadgets, gloves, novelty ties, cologne. For ladies, they suggested trinkets, jewelry, spa items, lotions, soaps, candles, kitchenware, hats and bags, among other things. What they were really looking for were items that children might give to a parent.


On December 14, 2013, the Vernon Christmas Workshop opened their doors to to the community and children who "were low on funds but big on heart" came forward to do their shopping.

The North Okanagan Optimist Club, along with a number of other civic-minded individuals were there to help the kiddos with their selections, wrap the presents, and share wishes of good holiday cheer. And from the looks of the pictures, they shared some Christmas brownies and cookies, too.

Holiday projects in the PNW District - Optimist International

Over the weekend, Optimist Clubs throughout the Pacific Northwest District continued their Christmas and holiday celebrations.




In Coquitlam, BC, the Optimist Club held its annual Breakfast with Santa. According to Annette Smith, they served pancakes to more than 150 Brownies, Sparks and Cubs and collected seven boxes of food for Christmas hampers.






In Hillsboro, Oregon, the Optimist Club was working with the Boys and Girls Club to sell Christmas trees. The tree lot is located at Murphy's Furniture in Cornelius and it's open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

On Black Friday, the Hillsboro Optimists took to the streets of Portland to work in the Macy's Holiday Parade.

The Hillsboro Optimist Club will also be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on December 21 at Albertson's in Hillsboro.








The Optimist Club of Chilliwack has been busy decorating its float for the Christmas Parade in Chilliwack. It's not only a dragon boat float - it's a fire breathing dragon boat float!

The Chilliwack Optimists also held a Christmas Fundraiser Dance and raised money for youth projects and to fill the Christmas hampers.

In Gresham, Oregon, the Optimist Club held its annual Shop with a Cop program on Saturday, December 7.

What's your Optimist Club doing for the holiday season? Send us a picture and we'll highlight it here.

Happy Thanksgiving to Optimists everywhere

Today, in the United States, families and friends will gather for the first feast of the holiday season. They know that they aren't gathering merely to eat. They are coming together to share stories, their spirit and culture with others so that it may continue far into the future.

Giving thanks is respectful. It is good to celebrate the human spirit with gratitude. Thank you, Optimist Club members, for all that you do every day to share your spirit of service and hope.

Click here to read about the first Thanksgiving (celebrated in September) at history.com. 

Welcome 2011

Photo credit @thedailywhat 

How about one more Santa story?

The Jerome Optimist Club served more than 250 children at the Annual Breakfast with Santa on December 18. Santa Claus is shown here with his many volunteers.

Breakfast was held at the Jerome Catholic Church with food donations from Ridley's Food and Drug and Subway.  The Jerome Optimist Club sends a big thank you to all helpers and especially to Santa for making the day very special for all.

Thanks to Traci Brandenbourg for the photo.

Merry Christmas to you

Christmas Day! Make a joyful noise to the world.

We wish you happiness with a little Christmas music mix:
Michael Buble - Let it Snow
Mariah Carey - All I Want for Christmas is You
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole

Please click here to watch on YouTube.

Supermarket sweep!

The Pasco Tri-Cities Optimist Club sent their elves on a shopping trip today to purchase supplies for Christmas baskets.  Enjoy some of the pictures from club secretary Lareena Roberson here:



Thanks to Lareena Roberson for the pictures!

Auburn Optimists bring Santa to town

A tradition has returned to Auburn, Washington just in time for the Christmas season. The Auburn Optimist Club has opened the Santa House at B Street Plaza. It will offer varying hours from now until December 22 for children and their parents to visit and have their picture taken with Santa Claus.  Visitors can plan a visit by calling 253-315-3025 for the schedule.

Albany Optimist Club salutes veterans with a community breakfast

One week ago, the Optimist Club of Albany, Oregon coordinated one of their major community outreach efforts: The Veterans Day Pancake Breakfast. Today there were pictures posted on Facebook commemorating the event.  I pulled out a couple that made me smile.

Thank you Albany Optimists for your service and especially for recognizing our veterans.  Click here to be a friend of the Albany Optimist Club on Facebook and see more photos.