- Hub staff

Formed in April 2020, the Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club, a group of 16 youths ranging from ages 11 to 14 have already begun involving themselves in many community events.  Even during this global pandemic, they have continued to help.

Some of the members have donated plants for the club to sell, advertising them on their Facebook page to raise money for the Grey Bruce Animal Shelter. Individual members have done yard work in exchange for donations, and worked on their own projects like McKinley making and selling terrariums with profits going to the Club, and Isaac producing and donating ear savers to local healthcare workers.

The Club has collected over two thousand dollars from a bottle drive in Leith that will be put towards the Sydenham and District Optimist Clubs construction of the accessible playground at the Hibou Conservation Area. The members of the Junior Optimists will be involved ongoing in the project, helping to choose from playground options and conducting future fundraising events.

One of the Owen Sound members of the Junior Optimists Club has had a second bottle drive set up in front of their home with a sign made by the members. People dropped off bottles and they were returned and all proceeds – $1,000 – are going to The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce.

Carrie Stevenson from The Women’s Centre Grey Bruce responded: “We were delighted to learn that the proceeds from the Owen Sound & District Junior Optimist Club bottle drive will benefit the women and children served by our programs. Funds raised will be directed to rejuvenating the shelter’s backyard, including mulching a new playset area, introducing a small water feature, and providing shade and seating for the women while they are enjoying the yard. With the warm weather here, the women are eager to be outside after being limited to their rooms during the pandemic. The generosity of our community continues to shine through as evidenced by donors like the Junior Optimists, who partner with us to help women and children build safe and sustainable lives as they move away from abuse and violence.”

Katie Holovaci, Advisor to the Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club and President Elect of the
Sydenham and District Optimist Club, says Optimist Clubs are all about “bringing out the best in children, in their communities, and in themselves”.  

“The new Owen Sound and District  Junior Optimist Club has been surpassing all expectations right from the start. It is the perfect way to demonstrate and represent the efforts of their sponsoring adult (Sydenham and District) Optimist Club.

Source: media release, Vice President Shayla Adamson, Owen Sound and District Junior Optimist Club