Gilbert Optimist Club Activities

To understand the activities of the Gilbert Optimist Club, you should probably first take a look at our mission statement. To put it simply, the club promotes community service by servicing the community.

Our activities fall into four general categories:

1. Service Projects - The main focus of the club is community service and many activities have promoted child safety. For example, at the Gilbert Halloween Carnival the club handed out information on Halloween safety and the club has done Child ID events at local schools.

2. Fund Raising - The club raises money to fund our service projects. The Rails to the Rim Raffle is a good example of a fund raising project.

3. Club Promotion - The club does some promotional activities. These are usually combined with other activities and are intended to increase community awareness and build membership. Participating in the Gilbert Days Parade/Festival is a good example of club promotion combined with a community service project like Child ID.

4. Club Meetings - The club meets twice a month to plan activities. These meetings usually include special programs. Speakers from local government, business, or charitable organizations help club members understand the needs of the community. Often a local youth organization or individual youth will be honored at club meetings. For example, the local Gilbert Explorers post was honored as part of Optimist International's Respect for Law week.

Of course, as club members work together, they build strong friendships. The club often plans social events like a Club Holiday Party just to get together and have some fun.