A new project for the Middleton Area Optimist Club

The Middleton Area Optimist Club has partnered with the Greater Middleton Parks and Recreation once again to bring a new activity to the growing community. The grand opening will take place on June 8, 2019, of the Middleton Optimist Club Disc Golf Course in Foote Park, Middleton, Idaho.

The Middleton Optimist Club Disc Golf Course was a passion for several members to develop a recreational opportunity for the community. It will launch with the first annual Disc Golf Tournament on opening day. Registration will take place at 11:00 a.m. and the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 12:00 p.m.

Cost to participate is $20 per team. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. For more information, please contact the Middleton Area Optimist Club at its Facebook event page.

Play boxes come to Vernon, BC

The North Okanagan Optimist Club in Vernon, British Columbia has developed a year-round approach to its popular Unplug and Play program. In addition to its annual city-wide awareness campaign held in late April each year, it has also developed Unplug and Play boxes. The boxes, filled with balls, hula hoops, and other children's toys, have been placed around town. They ask for help from neighborhood volunteers to padlock the boxes at night and keep the club aware if new supplies are needed.

What an awesome way to raise awareness for the Optimist Club and its mission: Bringing out the best in youth, community and you.

Boise's Coach Harsin played Optimist Football

When Optimist Club members attend district meetings and conventions, they learn more about the communities they visit. During the 2017 PNW District Convention, attendees got to learn just a little bit more about Boise, the Boise Noon Optimist Club, the Boise Noon Optimist Football Program and its relationship with the Boise State Broncos.

Specifically, it is a very personal relationship for Head Coach of the Broncos, Bryan Harsin. During a luncheon program, Coach Harsin shared that he started his football career at nine-years of age with the Boise Noon Optimist Club Football Program. 

What drew him to football? Harsin said that as a child, he liked football because he got to hit people. While that may seem overly aggressive, it is a positive way to channel young people's energy, build sportsmanship, teamwork, and strategy. As a coach, he teaches his players personal development along with their athletic ability. 

Optimist Clubs have a positive impact in their communities and on the young people they serve. The Optimist Youth Sports Complex in Boise and Coach Harsin are two examples of many from just one Optimist Club. Imagine what an Optimist Club might achieve in your community and get involved! Get your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers together start an Optimist Club today. 

Click here to get started. 

Wild Bill rides for kids and the Oregon City Optimist Club

Bill Upton is 75-years-old. When he was 51, he had a heart attack and at 55, five stents were placed in his heart. Seven years later, two more stents were put in, but none of the surgery has stopped Bill from raising money to support youth programs in his home town of Oregon City, Oregon.

His latest effort is a cross-country bicycle ride in honor of the Oregon City Optimist Club, especially its pay-to-play school sports grant program. "I should probably be raising money for the heart people, but I really admire the Optimists and their dedication to kids," explained Bill.

A former teacher and coach at Ogden Middle School, Bill likes that the Oregon City Optimist Club is always available to help with youth and community service projects. Some of its projects are the Oregon City High School's JROTC program and graduation party, Pioneer Pantry, the Oregon City Public Library, Angels in the Outfield, Building Blocks for Kids and the Sycamore Lane Therapeutic Riding Center, among others.

Bill and six friends are leaving on March 5, 2017 from San Diego, California. They will take a 50-day, 3,100-mile journey to St. Augustine, Florida. He is confident that he can make the trip and asks that you cheer him on by making a donation to the Oregon City Optimist Club in honor of "Wild Bill," as he has been dubbed by the Oregon City Optimist Club members.

You can cheer Wild Bill on at this link: Wild Bill's Ride for Kids

The Oregon City Optimist Club would like to thank you for your support.

Donation leads to advertising for Oregon City Optimist Club

Optimist Clubs serve their communities in different ways.

Sometimes the clubs receive recognition

for their involvement and many times they don't. I think most members would say that just knowing they have made a difference is enough recognition for them.

But it is still nice to be recognized. Recognition helps attract new members to your club because people see the good that you are doing. Recognition elevates your status in your community and in addition to recruiting new members, it encourages collaboration and support with other organizations and businesses. Simply put, recognition helps your Optimist Club do more.

The Oregon City Optimist Club recently participated in a major fundraising for the high school wrestling team. Their donation funded new wrestling mats and as a bonus to doing a good deed, the club's name is now printed on two of the mats for all to see.

That sounds like a win-win situation for sure. Good job Oregon City Optimists!

Photos: Esther Hunt, Oregon City Optimist Club

Coquitlam Optimists host a Free Skate Day

November 11, 2016 - We call it Remembrance Day and Veterans Day, but in Coquitlam, British Columbia, the Optimist Club calls it Free Skate Day. For a number of years, the Coquitlam Optimist Club has held a free ice skating activity for children on this day off from school. This year they also held the Annual Walk for Youth and raised more than $7,000.

Take a look at the photos shared on Facebook of the participants plus all the food they collected for the Tri-City Food Bank.

West Tacoma Optimist Club awards students for Tri-Star Basketball

Shirley Zurfluh, Chair, Tri-Star Basketball Program, West Tacoma Optimist Club, was on hand at the Narrowsview Intermediate School Awards Assembly held Friday, June 13 and Monday, June 16, 2014.

She was there to share the results and present awards to the students who participated.

Following are photos of the grade level awards.

Fifth Grade
First Place: Zeek Joseph King, Jordyn Horton
Second Place: Kyle Bailey, Victoria Reardon
Third Place: Thomas Sacks, Alyssa Ramos

Sixth Grade
First Place: Andy Hong,Takara English
Second Place: Savion Rollins, Courtney Bogman
Third Place: Tyreek Wright, Natalie Gronlund

Seventh Grade
First Place: Tejohn Potts-Woods, Savannah Tripp
Second Place: Yassine Ghjarram, Salese Clark
Third Place: Jered Kukrashima, Isabella Tyner

Photos by Kryger, submitted by the West Tacoma Optimist Club

Optimist goes from British Columbia to India to share hope and positive vision

K.P. Aujilay, member, Optimist Club of Vancouver, BC wrote in this week with a story of international proportions. Read on! 

For the last 12 years I have been coordinating Oratorical and Essay Contests for the Vancouver Optimist Club. I am amazed at the insight of young students now a days. They are not only thinking of their own communities they are also aware of what goes on the world. 

I was born in India. Realizing that this spirit of optimism could do wonders for children in developing countries like India I often wondered the best way to assist children in my country of birth.

Optimist International does not have Optimist Clubs in India. But this did not stop me. With financial assistance from my family,ten years ago I started holding Essay Contests at local colleges close to where my parents live. Education and Sports are my passion. This passion also encouraged me to start holding Annual Track Meet for Elementary and High School students for schools close to where my parents live in India. 

It has been an amazing and fulfilling experience. It also taught me that rich or poor children are always full of dreams. I am glad that I am able to assist in bringing out the best in kids; kids that do not get the same opportunities that our kids get in developed countries.

Well done, K.P.! Thank you for sharing your optimism abroad and at home.

Junior Golf: Results from the US qualifier

The results are in from the PNW District Optimist International Junior Golf Championships qualifying tournament, US division.  The top scores are:

Boys 10-11
1st pl. Mateo Fuenmayor score = 81

Boys 12-13
1st Pl. Samuel Pyon score = 76

Boys 14-15
1st Pl. Nicholas Timm score = 84

Boys 16-18
1st Pl. Giebien Na score = 71

Girls 13-14
1st Pl. Megan Sells score = 102

Girls 15 - 18
1st Pl Jennifer Krause score = 80

The tournament was held June 14, 2014. The Hillsboro Optimist Club and District Chair Chris Hill hosted 18 players. Moving on to the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships in Florida are Giebien Na and Jennifer Krause.

Please enjoy some scenes from the day.
Optimist International Junior Golf Championships - PNW District, US Division

Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club celebrates April Pools Day

Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club members

At the indoor Bike Rodeo

Easter signifies that the seasons have changed and the warm weather makes us want to get outside and play. Of course, April showers sometimes interferes with our best-laid plans, but if you're an Optimist Club, you don't let a little thing like rain get you down. You adapt!

And that is exactly what the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club did. On April 19, the day of their publicized and anticipated April Pools Day and Bike Rodeo, the rain moved the celebration indoors at Thorbeckes FitLife Aquatic Center.

Girls Bike Winner!

According to the Centralia-Chehalis Optimist Club, the day was a big success. "One heck of a good time was had by all," claims its Facebook page. For the Bike Rodeo, over 60 kids enjoyed an indoor imaginary bike ride and were tested on their safe biking skills. The club also gave away 2 children's bikes in a raffle.

For April Pools, the kids went swimming, played in a float boat, finished a coloring contest and visited with officers from the police and fire departments.

Boys Bike Winner!

The Optimist Club and Thorbeckes worked together to ensure the children had a great time and the smiles demonstrated to the community just how fun it is to belong to this great group of caring adults.

Visit the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club on Facebook for more pictures.

Gresham Optimist Club hosts Tri-Star Basketball

It's only been a project of the club for a couple of years, but just one look at the photos and you can tell it is one of the favorites. What is it?

Tri-Star Basketball!

The  Optimist Club of Gresham was recently at Portland's Alameda School for three days as it hosted 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in the Tri-Star Basketball program.

Optimist Club members scored the students on shooting, dribbling and passing and then gave trophies to winning students and classes.

See more pictures and like the club's Facebook page here.

Optimist football - it can touch your heart

Football is a passion for some of the Optimist Clubs in Idaho including Boise, Nampa, Mountain Home, Emmett and Horseshoe Bend. It's that last club that recently shared some Optimist football history with me.

Deb Miller, a charter member of the Horseshoe Bend Optimist Club shared this picture of four generations of her family being involved in Optimist Football as players and coaches.  Shown are the members and coaches of the flag football team. She explained that her son, John Wolsleben is the head coach and his father, John, and Grandpa, Ben are the assistant coaches. The second player from the right is John's little brother Jerrod and not shown in the picture, is John's daughter Ashlyn, an Optimist Football cheerleader.

Horseshoe Bend Optimist Club Football

According to Deb, this story of Optimist mentoring touches her heart. I'm sure you'll agree, as I do, that it touches yours too. 

Thanks for sharing, Deb!

Tri Star Basketball in Tacoma

Before the school year ended, the West Tacoma Optimist Club held a very successful Tri Star Basketball Competition at the Narrows View Middle School. Led by chairpersons Shirley Zurfluh, Optimist Club members hosted more than 500 students in the two-day event. The winners are shown here.

Thanks to Dick Disney for the picture.

Optimism abounds on a rainy race day in Salem, Oregon

Fifty schools, 3,200 elementary school students, 14,000 spectators and one Optimist Club! It's a good thing that the Salem Optimist Club had help from the Parks and Recreation Department along with hundreds of community volunteers and the presenting sponsor Country Financial for the biggest relay race ever.

Country Kids Relays are in their 39th year and the excitement and enjoyment has never been better for this annual tradition held at McCulloch Stadium. See more pictures at the Statesman Journal and learn how the rain didn't keep the kids, coaches or spectators down. Like their coordinators, they proved they were all Optimists.

Great job, Salem!

Unplug and Play with the North Okanagan Optimist Club

This Saturday, April 27, 2013, marks the beginning of a week of "Unplug and Play" in Vernon, British Columbia. Coordinated by the North Okanagan Optimist Club with help from the North Okanagan Early Childhood Development Coalition, more than 70 children and family-friendly events are scheduled at different locations throughout the community.

Staying with the Unplug and Play theme, daily activities include story time, swimming, hockey, gymnastics, dancing, yoga, and so much more. Click here for a PDF of all scheduled activities. 

According to the North Okanagan Optimist Club, the purposes of Plug and Play are many. It's a community event that encourages families and neighbors to leave their homes and enjoy each other's company as well as the community in which they live; but it will also expose them to many "get active" opportunities, luring them away from the couch and away from their computer and television screens. With that message, the Optimist Club is speaking to wellness initiatives and facing the childhood obesity epidemic head-on.

Local businesses are involved as well as government and community organizations.

Chartered in September 2011, the North Okanagan Optimist Club states that their mission is to raise money so that they can support children and teens in their community in a different way. The Province of British Columbia thinks they are doing just that so they gave the Optimist Club's effort $5,000 to advance the idea of Unplug and Play.

Find out more and stay up-to-date with the Unplug and Play movement by liking the North Okanagan Optimist Club on Facebook.

Photo credit: Jennifer Smith/Vernonmorningstar.com

Salem Optimists and Country Financial bring the Kids Relays back this year

2012 COUNTRY Kids Relays
T-Shirt Contest Design Winner,
by Alice Cooney

The Optimist Club of Salem, Oregon has once again teamed up with Country Financial and the City of Salem Public Works Department to coordinate the 39th Annual Country Kids Relays. The event will take place on May 18, 2013 at Willamette University, McCulloch Stadium.

The track event is a unique competition open to students in 1st through 5th grades. All races are 4x100 meter relays except for the main event of the day, the Mayor's Mile.

The entry deadline for schools was March 20; however, kids began preparing for the event on March 4. Through the event, children learn to compete individually, as a team, and as a community. They share positive values, enjoy friendly competition, and most important, they encourage others to take part.

Country Financial came on as the presenting sponsor for the event only a few years ago. It brought new opportunities for students to participate, namely, the t-shirt design contest. Open to the same age group, children have until April 5 to submit their design. In addition to shirts being made with the winner's design, his or her school will receive a $1,000 award and a pizza party for the student's class. The theme is "One team, one dream." Find out more at Country Financial.

Finally, the sponsors are helping the South Salem High AVID class with a community service project to collect One Thousand Soles. It's their goal to collect 1,000 pairs of new or gently used tennis shoes that can be redistributed to those in need. What a great project!

Great job, Salem Optimists and Country Financial!

Chilliwack Optimist Club supports dragonboats

This just in... the Optimist Club of Chilliwack, BC is supporting the Harrison Paddle Club junior dragonboat team.

What is a dragonboat? Good question. According to the San Francisco International Dragon Boat Festival website, a dragonboat "is a boat of 20 paddlers, a drummer and a steers person." In the sport, the team paddles "to cross the finish faster than their competition."

Dragonboats originated in the Pearl River Delta region of China's Guangdong Province and similar long boats have been used in competition since the original games of Olympia in ancient Greece. Many have ornamental dragon heads and tails when used in competition.

As a team sport, it involves power, speed synchronization and endurance. Dare I say, it involves a little optimism as well to have 20 paddlers on that narrow boat!

The Chilliwack Optimist Club will supply the paddles, t-shirts, and life jackets for the team. It is open for paddlers aged 14 to 18. No experience is needed to join the team as the focus of the Harrison Paddle Club is health, fun and fitness.

The Harrison Paddle Club and the Chilliwack Optimist Club will also be providing mentorship to teens through the program. Good job, Chilliwack! It's interesting to learn how Optimists bring old traditions to light.












Pictures courtesy of the  Optimist Club of Chilliwack on Facebook.

Caldwell Optimist Club kicks up some fun at annual jamboree

When you think of the Caldwell Optimist Club, you are likely to think of boxing and rodeo, but did you know that their original and longest-running program is youth soccer?

Governor-elect Larry Blackburn wrote today to let us know about a fun activity that the club held with the kids this week. Some Optimist Clubs might call it Tri-Star Soccer, but not content with only three activities, the Caldwell Optimists call their activity "The Obstacle Course."

Here's what Larry had to say:

The Caldwell Optimist Club held its annual jamboree for the soccer program Tuesday May 8; over 600 children participated. The Caldwell club sponsors two separate “obstacle courses” for all the soccer kids on this evening that officially concludes the spring program. 

Club President Connie Holt reports 16 members along with several spouses and JOII Club members from our Canyon Springs High School all pitched in and helped. The project started with the course setup at 3 pm with the competition ending at 8:30 pm. It took until nearly 10 pm to get everything completely cleaned up, put away, and many thanks are offered to all. 

Youth soccer is the single biggest project of the Caldwell Optimist Club with both a fall and spring season and this activity reaches well over 600 children each fall and spring.

In addition to Connie and Larry other club members participated including: Bob Kafka, Wayne Eisenbrandt, Mary Armstrong, Brenda Whelchel, Florence Blackburn, Chris Allgood, Alisha Allgood, Debbie Lenington, Rick Matkin, Lynne Matkin, Bill Moore, Doe Schamp, Joe Shreve, Diane Crookham, Lisa Karlberg, and several JOII members. 

A special fishing derby in Jerome

The Jerome Optimist Club held one of its favorite projects on Monday, May 7, at Martin's Pond in Jerome, Idaho when about 150 students with special needs went on their annual fishing outing. According to chairperson Sheri Mitchell, an event like this has been taking place at Martin's Pond for about 30 years.

The Optimist Club coordinates the activity with the schools, the bus service, the pond, Idaho Fish and Game and Clear Springs Food who donates the trout. This year Sportsman's Warehouse donated tackle and Trophy Bait supplied worms.

Another addition to the project this year was increased help from students at the high school, specifically Kylie Bright who worked with Sheri and the Optimist Club making the Annual Special Needs Fishing Derby her senior project.

The video, from KMVT, discusses her and her classmates involvement. Bright says, "It's one of the greatest feelings in the world, and to help them reel in the fish. And to get it off the line and to hear the screams and the laughter. It's something you can never forget, it's just a great experience for everyone."

Oregon City Optimists host hoops fun

Every year, the Optimist Club of Oregon City helps the kids in their community participate in their very own March Madness by hosting a little tournament called Tri-Star Basketball.

Tri-Star Basketball is open to participants of all ages and skill levels and while some of the kids have the opportunity to demonstrate their athletic ability, all of the children have a great time.

Cari Vandecoevering, of Oregon City, took her family to the event and then checked into the club's page on Facebook to say: 

"The Optimist basketball contest was a ton of fun and my kids loved it. Thanks for putting it on. You are all amazing!"

Members of the Oregon City Optimist Club led the participants in passing, dribbling and shooting skills contests. Judging was based on time and precision, but as Cari said above, smiles and laughter were the true measure of success.

See all the pictures from the Tri-Star Basketball Contest and more by liking the Oregon City Optimist Club page on Facebook.

Don't forget to like the PNW Optimist District page while you are there.