The Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club recently teamed up with their sponsoring adult club, Sydenham and District Optimist Club and held a fundraiser for Chapman House Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce. The MOVE (Motivate, Organize, Volunteer, Energize) for Chapman House event on Saturday October 3, 2020 was a huge success, raising $2,600 for Chapman House. The inspiration behind this fundraiser came from a member of the Junior club who had recently lost his grandmother. His family expressed that the time their loved one spent at Chapman House was such a positive experience, they were able to go from spending their time focusing on caregiving tasks to being able to enjoy quality time with their loved one when she was at the hospice. As stated by a family member, “It was a total gift to be there, and I wish everyone who had to go through the loss of a loved one had the opportunity to experience the caring and kindness that all the staff and volunteers provided me and my family”. Seventeen(17) participants collected pledges and walked/ran/rode the trails, Nine(9) local businesses sponsored signs at the event, several family and friends or participants came out to support our participants, and members of the community stopped by our pizza barbecue as well as to learn about our event.

This Junior Optimist Club only just formed in April, 2020, and have been extremely active despite having to modify meetings and projects to comply with pandemic restrictions. They have donated to other community causes, and done many volunteer projects, but this was their first organized fundraising event. With the support of the Sydenham and District Optimist Club as well as a generous donation from the South East Grey Junior Optimist Octagon Club, this amazing group of young people (age 10-14) had a very rewarding experience on Saturday. Now that they know the steps involved in putting together a fundraising event, there will definitely be more successful ventures in their future. Many thanks to the corporate sponsors, the people who donated to the participants, Owen Sound Police for the barbecue and all of the friends and family who helped out. Anyone wishing information on joining the adult or Junior Optimist Club can email [email protected].

source: media release, Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club and Residential Hospice of Grey Bruce