Party-time with the Portland Northeast Optimist Club

The Portland Northeast Optimist Club recently held a luncheon at the Old Spaghetti Factory. What was the reason? To honor its members.

According to spokesperson Scott Keller, the activity was a way to say thanks for all they do and to share their optimism with others so they might want to join an Optimist Club too.




A magician was on hand to entertain the kiddos, including the big ones, and a great time was had by all.

You can share optimism by joining an Optimist Club today.

Click here to find an Optimist Club near you in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia or Alaska. 

Or send us a message and we'll help you connect with an Optimist Club today.

Happy Easter!

Today is the day in the Pacific Northwest and around the world with many Optimist Club that the whistle blows and if you blink, you've missed it.

What happened? 

The Optimist Club Easter Egg Hunt!

Shown here is a quick glance at the Optimist Easter Egg Hunt in Salem, Oregon. Enjoy.

Happy Easter!

Posted by Optimist Club of Salem on Saturday, March 26, 2016

Albany Optimist Club hosts Youth Appreciation Awards Night

A little more than 100 people were in attendance at Linn Benton Community College on Tuesday, March 8, 2016, as the Optimist Club of Albany, Oregon honored 21 students at the annual Youth Appreciation Awards event.

A keynote presentation given by Doug Marteeny. He shared 4 of the 5 secrets of success.

Please enjoy some photos from the event shared by the Albany Optimist Club on Facebook.

21 of our finest students get recognized
Posted by Optimist Club, Albany Oregon on Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Has your Optimist Club held a Youth Appreciation Activity? Please share your photos and story with us here. Thank you.

Portland Peninsula Optimist Club celebrates the season with Christmas trees

The biggest and longest-running Optimist Club Christmas Tree lot in the PNW District is just about to wrap up another season and according to club member Sharon Speer, it's been a good one.

Sharon sent us a few pictures of the Portland Peninsula Optimist Club that included Santa and his elves at work. (left)




She explained that Mario's, a men's clothing store in Downtown Portland, helped them advertise the tree lot this year. It created a window display with trees and coats that sent their shoppers to the Portland Peninsula Optimist Club tree lot. (right)

Shoppers found a well stocked and well-lit tree lot from which to choose their centerpiece for the Christmas season. (left)








Sharon also explained that the Optimist Club took time at its December 15, 2014 meeting to recognize a past president for his service to the Portland Peninsula Optimist Club. Reverend Bill Van Nostron was celebrated with cake and gratitude during this festive time of year. (right)

Thanks to Sharon Speer, Portland Peninsula Optimist Club, for the photos. 

It's Christmas Party time in Lebanon, OR

The Lebanon Optimist Club took time out from its Christmas party to pose for a Merry Christmas greeting. It looks like it should be a Facebook cover photo to me. Just sayin'....

Please send your Christmas photos - and more - to the PNW District webmaster so that we might share your adventures with others. Thanks!

Post by Lebanon Optimists.

Bring in the New Year with your Optimist Club friends

The Optimist Club of Albany, Oregon is hosting a new fundraising event this year: a New Year's Eve Party!

It will take place at Wheelhouse, 421 NE Water Avenue, Albany, Oregon, December 31, 2014, 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

For only $50 per person, you'll receive 2 drink tickets and appetizers and dessert bar plus live music from the 70s and 80s by Mach Six.

Click here to purchase your tickets online: www.nodinx.com/new-years-eve-cocktail-celebration.

Post by PNW Optimist District.

Groundbreaking for the Lebanon Optimist Club Gazebo

A note on the Lebanon Optimist Club Facebook Page read, "Optimists, remember to wear your Optimist shirts today at noon and bring an umbrella. See you there, rain or ... rain."

Wyatt King, the Facebook manager, was pretty sure that overcast skies would be the course of the day. But he was also certain that a great group of Optimist Club members would bring their own kind of sunshine for the Gazebo groundbreaking ceremony. And he was right.

Several hours after the first post, he returned with the accompanying picture and stated, "The Gazebo groundbreaking was a great success."

Lebanon Optimist Club 

He also reminded interested readers that they could still buy a brick in honor of their family, business or even a pet. Get in touch with them at the Lebanon Optimist Club Facebook page and get involved with this great community project and awesome community service club.

Read more about the Lebanon Optimist Club Gazebo project here. 

Portland NE Optimist Club announces Donna Jo Anne Flye Memorial Scholarship

The PNW District received a note from Boyd Yaden today that announced the passing of a long time Optimist Club member of the Portland NE Optimist Club, Donna J. Flye.

According to the announcement, she was an outstanding optimist and the club has decided to honor her memory by creating a scholarship in her name. The Donna Jo Anne Flye Memorial Scholarship will be an annual award and full details are available by contacting Boyd Yaden, Treasurer, Portland NE Optimist Club at 503-702-3812. 

Donations may be made to the scholarship fund by mailing the  Portland NE Optimist Club, attention Boyd Yaden, Treasurer, 13640 SE Hwy 2012, #103, Clackamas, OR 97015-8511. 

Sandy Optimist Club awards scholarships

With the ending of the school year comes the granting of scholarships. The Sandy Optimist Club wrote in today to brag about their scholarship recipients. It said,

"On June 5, our president, Bob Felix, presented the Sandy Optimist Scholarships. From left to right:

• Ana Martinez, Math & Science Scholarship, $500
• Faith Susie Russell, Nick Roth Performing Arts Scholarship, $1000
• Sarah Rutledge, Pat Wolf/FFA Scholarship, $500

This was the first Senior Awards Program in the new school and it was attended by many friends, families and Optimists." 

Thanks for sharing the picture with us and more important, thanks for supporting such deserving students.

Pancakes were served, fun was had

Last weekend, the Optimist Club of Lebanon, Oregon held its Annual Strawberry Pancake Breakfast.

Of course the pancakes were delicious, but the best part of any service club fundraiser has to be the people that get involved.

There are those who are there to set up and serve and those who are there to enjoy their families and friends.  Best of all, everyone is there to enjoy the day.

There's something magical about eating pancakes with friends and supporting the community at the same time. Don't you agree?

Thanks to Wyatt King for the pictures.  Click to enlarge and see more at the Lebanon Optimists Facebook page.

Salem Optimist Club shows youth appreciation every month

Salem Optimist Club member Frank Masser
and Kelsey Nanneman

The Optimist Club of Salem, Oregon celebrates Youth Appreciation throughout the school year. For January  2013, they will recognize students for for achievement in mathematics and science. 

At their most recent luncheon, club members met and honored Kelsey Nanneman, Senior, Blanchet Catholic High School. Gifted in mathematics, Kelsey completed the courses offered at Blanchet as a sophomore and has been taking courses at Willamette University for two years.  She has also excelled in other courses and is a member of the swim team. 

Kelsey also believes in community service and is involved with "Love Reins," a nonprofit group that provides horse therapy for disabled children. 

After high school, Kelsey hopes to attend Brown or Rice University where she plans to major in biomedical engineering. 

Congratulations, Kelsey, and great job, Salem Optimists. Thank you for making youth recognition an ongoing project. 

See more students at the Salem Optimist Club Facebook page. 

Gresham Optimists host Shop with a Cop

The Gresham Optimist Club had the honor of hosting two Shop with a Cop days this year. Shown here is Optigraph Bulletin editor Judith Hillend (center) with an entourage of shoppers at Target.

Shop with a Cop is always a fun event. It allows children and their families to meet with police officers and other first responders and build relationships based on trust instead of correction. The Optimist member volunteers go along to help the recipients make choices on what to buy. They say when they aren't there, the kids often choose to buy gifts for others and not for themselves.

Great project! Thank you Gresham Optimist Club.

Photo from the Gresham Optigraph. 

PNW District junior golfers qualify for THE OPTIMIST

Friday, June 22, 2012 - It was a rainy day at the Meriwether National Golf Club in Hillsboro, Oregon, but that didn't deter the hardy junior golfers at the PNW-US District qualifier for the  Optimist International Junior Golf Championships from playing some outstanding rounds of golf.

Finishing with a round of 68 and placing first in the boys 16-18 division was David Ganz followed by Sean Destro, 74 and Daniel Badaracco, 76.

In other divisions:
Girls 13 -14
Bridget Standard - 85
Rio Smith - 89

Boys 10-11
Samuel Pyon - 77
Drew Halili - 80

Boys 12-13
Timothy Lee - 81
Elijah Lai - 82

Boys 14-15
Brian Humphreys - 67
Trent Standard - 75
Joash Farlow - 77

All golfers are eligible to attend the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships. Registration must be completed and confirmed via the PNW District following Optimist International rules. Please click on the links to find more information from Optimist International Junior Golf or the PNW District.

Many thanks to District Tournament Chair Chris Hill for the pictures. Chris has offered to add an album to the PNW District Facebook page. Please be sure to watch for more.

Click here for the post about qualified junior golfers from BC Canada.

Portland Peninsula Optimists take first place

Submitted by Sharon Speer

Although the St. Johns Parade in Portland, Oregon, just celebrated its 50^th year on Saturday, May 12, for the first time, the Portland-Peninsula Optimists participated in the parade!  

In planning our entry, Secretary George Galati suggested that we should ride a school bus as our entry since that is representative of kids.  Mr. Galati, former principal of Roosevelt High School, was able to secure the donated use of a school bus and driver.  The cheer team at the high school made signs for the sides of the bus.  Many Optimists and kids rode the bus and waved to and kibitzed with the parade onlookers while traveling the parade route.  

Everyone had a great time, and it was a fun opportunity to let more people in the community become aware of our organization.  To top it off, we won first place in the Service Division!

Shown in the picture, left to right:  Dave Trabucco (newly elected president), Dave’s son, Don Lee, Bev Lee, Dave’s daughter, Bill Van Nostran (immediate past president holding first place ribbon), Sharon Speer, George Galati (Secretary/Historian), and Wayne Henry.

Would you like some optimism with your coffee?

Albany Optimist Club Coffee Stop

Perhaps you have seen them as you have traveled down HWY 5 at the Santiam Rest Area. Located between Albany and Salem along the Santiam River, sometimes they are on the northbound side of the freeway. Sometimes they are on the southbound.

"Who might I have seen?" you ask.

The members of the Albany Optimist Club!

They have been providing coffee for travelers for many years and sharing with them the Optimist Creed and membership applications. According to Jack Towns, it is unknown if the applications do any good since the cars are mainly passing through, but I think awareness of Optimist Club programs is always a good thing.

Our district and our organization owes a hearty thanks to the Albany Optimist Club for sharing the Optimist story with others.

Thanks to Jack Towns for the picture.

PNW District meeting for the Oregon region is Saturday, Feb 25

Do you know what makes Evelyn and Bill French happy?

Seeing a lot of Optimist Club members at the District meetings. And that is why Governor Bill decided to hold three separate regional meetings for the second quarter of the 2011-2012 administrative year.

Your next opportunity to meet the first couple is this Saturday, February 25, at the Keizer Renaissance Inn, Keizer, OR. Click here for details of the Oregon Regional PNW District meeting.

Click here for the program.   Click here to register online now.


Thanks to Traci Brandebourg for the photo.