It was sixty years ago this month that I was inducted into the club. Wilf Barlow, who owned Bar-Don Lanes and had been my boss since I started to set pins at age 12, and my surrogate father since I was 14, invited me to join the club the month before David was born (which also tells you how old he will be on May 2).
My first duty with the club was when the old Saltfleet High School (which is now Cardinal Newman High School) was replacing its bleachers and donated its old wooden stands for Little League Park. I rode on the farm wagon from the school to the park and helped set the stands in place.
I was the first President to serve two separate terms, and both were in significant years - Canada's centennial in 1967, and the U.S. bicentennial in 1976.
In 1992 the club decided to nominate me to receive one of Canada's 125th anniversary medals for service over the years (I used to be a lot more active than I am now) and it hangs proudly above my desk.
The club started out as a group of businessmen, just one allowed from each profession. But men's service clubs started to fade and as our members grew older we were on the brink of closing. Fortunately, Optimist International changed the rules and allowed women to join. Our wives had started an Opti-Mrs. club which was very active and most joined the Optimist Club and rejuvenated it.
Several years later, as that group aged, the club once again started a decline. Mardi's son A.J. joined about that time and within a couple of years had used his network of friends to bring in many younger members. A.J. has also served more than one term and has done more than any of us to keep Optimism alive and well in Stoney Creek.
The club is in good hands and currently thriving under a young lady named Jennifer Accardo. Mardi and I remain members and contribute when we're here (including Turkey Roll and the baseball booth), but we miss three busy Optimist months while in Florida.
In today's environment, service clubs are needed more than ever. It will be interesting to see how that translates as we emerge from COVID-19.
----------------------------------------
As Edward Bok, who donated a magnificent bell tower amid floral gardens to the people of Florida said;
"Make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it."
| And, in these troubled times the Optimist Creed is more relevant than ever: The Optimist Creed Promise Yourself To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. We all have trouble living up to those promises, but try it and make the world a better place! And so ends today's sermon. ---------------------------------------- Mardi and I are currently in a coronavirus test group! The World Health Organization is suggesting that drinking alcohol may heighten your risk of contracting the virus because of the increase of careless drunken actions (they also fear more physical abuse). So, we are risking our lives to see if this is true, in the altruistic interest of helping our fellow citizens. You're welcome! --------------------------------------- Australia has quickly reacted to this new information from the WHO. Effective immediately, they are restricting alcohol sales to a maximum of 12 bottles of wine and two cases of beer per customer per day. That should do it! ----------------------------------------- Mardi did a shop today. We should be good for another two weeks I hope.  |
I'm definitely getting some cabin fever, but with the temperature at plus 3C I'm going to try to last until Saturday when it's forecast to be a bit warmer. Then I'll head to the greenhouse and hope that the riding mower works.
If this desperation continues I may have to get the accordion out of the storage locker!
---------------------------------------
Stay strong. Stay well. It will get better!
No comments:
Post a Comment