Optimist Day observed in county

  • Members of the Gilmer County Optimist Club join Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris, seated, as he signs a proclamation recognizing Optimist Day in the county. Pictured in back, from left: Barbara Simmons, Bob Salman, Ed Grant, Lisa Salman, Bryan Staggs, club treasurer Rebecca Harrell, Probate Judge Scott Chastain, club president Trent Sanford and Ellen Grant.
    Members of the Gilmer County Optimist Club join Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris, seated, as he signs a proclamation recognizing Optimist Day in the county. Pictured in back, from left: Barbara Simmons, Bob Salman, Ed Grant, Lisa Salman, Bryan Staggs, club treasurer Rebecca Harrell, Probate Judge Scott Chastain, club president Trent Sanford and Ellen Grant.

    The Optimist Club of Gilmer County will be participating in Optimist International’s Optimist Day Thursday, Feb. 6. 

    Members of Optimist International celebrate Optimist Day throughout the world the first Thursday of every February to promote their efforts in helping and recognizing the people that make a difference in their communities. Club members are asked to wear Optimist attire including shirts, pins and hats. 

    “Our Optimist Club’s number one priority is helping the children of this community. Optimist Day will be awareness to our community about our club and our mission,” said Trent Sanford, Gilmer Optimist Club president. 

    “With Optimist Day, we hope to be able to get more people involved and bring more projects to the children of the community who need it most.” 

    The Optimist Club of Gilmer County has been supporting local youth since 2012. Programs and service projects the club are involved in include the Stuff the Bus school supply drive, the Kids Sac program, oratorical and essay contests and childhood cancer fundraisers. 

    Gilmer County Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlie Paris, also an Optimist Club member, signed a proclamation last week recognizing Feb. 6 as Optimist Day in the county. 

    Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with nearly 70,000 adult and youth members in about 2,500 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico and throughout the world. Carrying the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves,” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than 6 million young people each year. 

    The Optimist Club of Gilmer County meets at noon the first and third Friday of each month at Double L Restaurant, 449 Industrial Boulevard. 

    For more information on the local club, visit GilmerCountyOptimists.club or Gilmer County Optimists on Facebook. 

    To learn more about Optimist International, call 314-371-6000 or visit the organization’s website at Optimist.org. 

    For more information about the Optimist Day event, call 706-271-5973.