• OPTIMISTS HOST MILESTONE HOUSE AND INDUCT NEW MEMBER: On October 22, the Optimist Club of Carlsbad hosted guest speaker Beverly Boone, Executive Director of Milestone House.  Milestone House, which is celebrating 25 years in operation next year, is a foster home for at-risk teen girls located in Oceanside, CA.  They are always looking for donations of:  gently-used clothing, shoes, and accessories for teen girls; sheet music; magazines; books; board games; musical instruments; and supermarket gift cards.  Please contact Beverly for more information:   [email protected]  Beverly authored a booked titled Basic Training for Residential Childcare Workers:  A practical Guide for Improving Service to Children, published in 2012. The club also inducted new member Paul Kelly, who divides his time between his homes in Oceanside, Pennsylvania, and Florida.  Paul is a retired real-estate attorney.
• OPTIMIST CLUB OF CARLSBAD NEW OFFICERS & BOARD OF DIRECTORS: On Saturday, October 1, the Optimist Club of Carlsbad – “The Achievers”, formally inducted its new officers and Board of Directors for the 2016-2017 year with the help of its CALSO District Zone 1 Lt. Governor, Bonnie Styles.  The officers are:  Karen Radzinski (President); Joe Tosto (Vice President/Membership Chair); and Skip Griffin (Secretary/Treasurer). Directors including the officers are:  Irene Chow Pong (Immediate Past President); Leo Fradelis; Kevin Radcliffe; and Porama Srijinda.  We welcome the new officers and Board of Directors to a great year of bringing out the best in the kids, their families, and our community — right here, right now!
• OPTIMISTS DONATE $250 TO LUKAS WEAVER’S EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT: On Saturday, September 10, The Optimist Club of Carlsbad presented Lukas Weaver, Boy Scout with Carlsbad Troop 784, a check for $250 towards his Eagle Scout project. Lukas will be installing cement anchors and benches in the lunch area at Calavera Hills Middle School.  He will also be planting drought-tolerant plants in the area, and will be working with the Environmental Science Club at the middle school. Lukas used to attend this middle school and the adjacent elementary school, and he wanted a way to give back to the school. Currently, Lukas is a junior at Sage Creek High School.
• OPTIMISTS HELP BOY SCOUT WITH EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT: On Saturday, August 6, a few members of our club and members of the Sage Creek High School Junior Optimist Club assisted Boy Scout Colton Dister and other scouts from Troop 750 with installing nine Solar Walk sign posts along the trail of Calavera Hills near Lake Calavera.  Expected completion of Colton Dister’s Eagle Scout Project is end of August 2016.
• OPTIMISTS HOST BOY SCOUT EVERETT WILLIAMS: Boy Scout Troop 750 Life Scout Everett Williams formally presented his Eagle Scout proposal to The Optimist Club of Carlsbad “The Achievers” at the Club meeting on Saturday, July 30. His project involves painting a mural of character traits – Fairness, Perseverance, Cooperation, and Respect – on the walls of Pacific Rim Elementary with the school’s approval.  Eagle Scout Nathan Williams, Everett’s older brother, attended the meeting as well.
• OPTIMISTS PRESENT MOST IMPROVED STUDENT AWARDS AT PRO KIDS / FIRST TEE: The Optimist Club of Carlsbad — “The Achievers” and Program Director Katie Lynch recently awarded “Most Improved Student” awards at Pro Kids / First Tee to Loren Ishmael Guerra and Jasmyne Chavez. The club also fed about 40 kids, plus instructors and parents.  For many years, our club has supported the positive program Pro Kids / First Tee provides to its students to help them achieve good sportsmanship, accountability, and competency in golf. We congratulation Loren and Jasmyne for their recognition.
• OPTIMISTS DONATE TO BOY SCOUT DAVID THORNE’S EAGLE SCOUT PROJECT: The Optimist Club of Carlsbad — “The Achievers” were honored to receive guest David Thorne, a Boy Scout with Troop 748 of the Rancho Coastal District and a Carlsbad High School senior. David’s Eagle Scout project plan is to build succulent and desert cacti planters that would frame four displays of historical Carlsbad information for the inner courtyard of the Carlsbad Senior Center. The Optimist Club provided a $250 check and individual donations to sponsor his efforts.
  

• OPTIMIST CLUB OF CARLSBAD’S HAWAIIAN SUMMER BOWL-A-THON CHARITY FUNDRAISER: On Sunday, July 10, the Optimist Club of Carlsbad — “The Achievers” held its second charity Bowl-A-Thon at Vista Entertainment Center this year.  The theme of this event was Hawaiian Summer and it brought in fifty bowlers and kids out of the heat and into the fun.  The event price included 3 games of bowling, shoe rentals and baked goods snacks.  Raffle tickets and door prizes were available, and the proceeds will go towards the charities and service organizations — focusing on helping the youth in our community — supported by the club.
• OPTIMISTS WELCOME BACK EAGLE SCOUT NATHAN PEREIRA: On Saturday, July 2, Boy Scout Nathan Pereira of Carlsbad Troop 745 and his mother Joan revisited our club to provide an update on the completion of his Eagle Scout project. Nathan’s completed project is a tool and equipment shed for Agua Hedionda Lagoon — at the lagoon administrator’s request — to secure their valuable tools. Nathan was kind enough to add a small plaque on the shed door thanking the Optimist Club of Carlsbad in addition to the friends who helped build the shed.  Congratulations to Nathan for achieving his Eagle Scout merit badge this  summer! We are very proud of you!

• OPTIMISTS HOST NORTH COUNTY JUNIOR GOLF ASSOCIATION’S MARCIA EMERICK AND STUDENT GOLFER AVERY SCHMIDT: On Saturday, June 18, the Optimist Club of Carlsbad welcomed Marcia Emerick with the North County Junior Golf Association (NCJGA) and student golfer Avery Schmidt, who attends La Costa Canyon High School. Both of them provided their perspectives on how this non-profit organization helps youth ages 10 – 18 years excel through learning competitive golf skills. North County Junior Golf Association was founded in 1998 by Dave and Marcia Emerick to help teach the game of golf to local youth and help them reach the Junior World Golf Championship in San Diego. The Optimist Club of Carlsbad also donated $200 to NCJGA’s efforts. For more information about NCJGA, visit www.ncjga.com.