CLARKSTON — For nearly 40 years, the Clarkston Area Optimist Club has brought an optimistic outlook to the Clarkston area community through the work they do supporting the future of that community, its youth.
The club is part of an international service organization founded in 1911 and currently over 80,000 members strong worldwide.
Locally, the club supports Clarkston schools and its students through essay and oratorical contests, college and trade school scholarships, outstanding student recognition, school programs through financial grants and its Junior Optimist Clubs in area schools.
In addition, the club supports community events such as the Fourth of July Parade, the Clarkston Holiday Lights Christmas Parade, the Friendly Forest, SCAMP Field Day, the OptiSocks program for disadvantaged youth, WinterFest and Optifest, as well as the Depot Park playground equipment and ice-skating rink and the hoop house at the Clarkston Family Farm.
Each Winter, the club holds its WinterFest in Depot Park for kids and each summer the club holds its OptiFest at Renaissance High School. This summer’s event was held Aug. 3 and featured games, fun, food, education, a petting zoo, face painting and bounce houses. New to the event this year was a pizza eating contest to go along with the annual pie eating contest, a basketball free throw contest and a Make It, Take It arts and crafts tent.
Through one of its largest fundraising events, the Clarkston Area Optimist Club beautifies the community with their Flags-for-Kids program. Club members and other volunteers place American flags on 10 feet long poles in front of homes and businesses on six national holidays throughout the year –
Memorial Day, Flag Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Sept. 11 and Veterans Day. The cost to individual households and businesses is just $50 for the entire year. Anyone interested in participating in this program to support the club can contact the club at info@clarktonoptimists.org.
With 96 members, the Clarkston Area Optimist Club is the largest Optimist Club in the state of Michigan and continues to welcome new members said club president Debra Berry. The club meets each Wednesday morning beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Clarkston United Methodist Church annex 6600 Waldon Road, Clarkston. The hour-long meeting includes announcements, points of pride and a guest speaker. For more information, reach out to Debra Berry at 248-467-0592 or deb@debinparis.com or visit www.clarkstonoptimists.org.