At the first meeting of the year we established three priorities for the year… Membership, Community Involvement and Fellowship. Membership, which had eroded since our Charter, increased by over two-thirds from 19 to
32. This included new members such as Joe Carroll, Paul Mylemans, John Forsyth, Dale Long, Gerry Mmoss, Ken Morley, Mike Ready and Tony Verboom. We also purchased the Optimist road signs. Another optimist growth factor was the chartering of the new club of Strathroy. This growth allowed us to become an Honor Club.
The fellowship activities included the Youth supporter dance, co-hosting the District Convention in Sarnia, dinner meetings, attendance at the District Quarter Boards and zone meetings, putting a Float in Strathroy Santa Claus parade, and participating in other activities. The meeting place was again changed and moved to the Masonic Hall on Main Street. This Optimist hall was then the centre for many Club and community activities.
There were many community involvement projects; The Children’s Christmas party, Halloween treats at the club house, sponsoring a minor hockey team, sponsoring and eventually taking over the minor baseball program in Komoka, Parkview school bus Patroller, sponsoring the ice time for Parkview school skating, donations to the Multiple
Sclerosis carnival, Girl guides, an oratorical program in cooperation with Parkview school and the Bunny Bundle campaign. The Zone Oratorical contest was hosted by our Club at Parkview school.
The Club made a formal pledge of $25,000 towards the proposed Community Centre. This was a very important step. Even though we had no idea where this money was going to come from, it sent a message to the community, that the proposed Community Centre was going to be a reality.
Fund raising was very important so that we could carry out our planned activities. These projects included the youth Supporter monthly draws, weekly and special Turkey Bingos and the first Summerfest. Plans were also started to have the Club become officially incorporated as a not-for-profit organization.
The success of this year was just the start of continued growth and respect that the Club has achieved in the Community. All the members of this year should be proud of their involvement.
Reported by President, Paul Aarts 1974
Number of Members = 34