It’s time to celebrate Optimist Day on February 3! The Optimist Club of Sydenham and District, and the Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club are two very active service clubs in Owen Sound, the Municipality of Meaford and surrounding areas.
In the past year alone, they have had an Inclusive playground installed at Hibou Conservation Area, organized and co-sponsored Kaleb Dahlgren to headline a Youth Mental Health Event, provided bikes to newcomer families, conducted a children/youth bicycle safety course, created a Pollinator Project, made donations to the Women’s Centre, Salvation Army Food Bank, and Orange Shirt Society, collected Winter Clothing for those in need, Sponsored an Optimist Club in Sri Lanka, sponsored local sports and recreation, conducted Optimist International Oratorical, Essay, Art and Photography contests, sponsored local youth to attend the Hugh O’Brien Youth (HOBY) Leadership programs, and many other worthy endeavours. As soon as the pandemic restrictions allow, these Optimists will also be resuming such events as their Canada Day celebrations in Annan, Shop with a Cop, and luncheons at the Meaford Scarecrow Festival.
None of these projects would be possible without the amazing support from our community! So many generous individuals, local business and organizations have contributed to our fundraisers, including sales of “Uncle Dad’s” pizzas, Evergreen wreaths and other Christmas items, our annual yard sale, the Hike for Happiness Day and our ongoing bottle drives.
This year, Optimist Clubs all over the world are celebrating Optimist Day by performing Random Acts of Kindness (RAK’s)! Our local Junior and Adult Optimist Club members are doing their own RAK’s, for example: paying for the next person in line at Tim Hortons, handing a gift card to a someone working hard, shovelling snow, making dinner for someone, giving blood, feeding birds, donating to a worthy cause, and calling grandparents or other family members you can’t visit right now.
Watch for the cards we are handing out, encouraging others to “pay it forward” with their own creative kind gestures. In a world that is still struggling through a pandemic and many other challenges, we want to promote the idea of spreading optimism for those who are able, and of offering a kind gesture to those not feeling optimistic right now.
