About

Mission Statement: By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids.

Vision Statement: Optimist International will be recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential.

Our Club’s current membership is 50 and continues to grow.
We were Chartered in March of 1982 and still have 3 charter members from that date. From our Optimist International’s mandate, which is “Friend of Youth”, all our activities are centered around the youth of the community. As you look through our website you can tell we are a very active group and enjoy what we do as Optimists.

Our Executive consists of the following: President, Past President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, 3 – 2 yr Directors and 3 -1yr Directors. Elections are held annually. The Executive meet on the 1st Wednesday of each month (excluding July & August) to discuss donation requests, our various programs, activities and fundraisers and any issues that need to be addressed.

Our General Membership meet on the 4th Wednesday of each month (excluding December, July & August), which includes food, fun and fellowship. At these meetings, information and updates are shared about the recent things we have done, and upcoming events & new ideas.

We also hold a N.O.W. (New Optimists Welcome) event in November, which through member sponsorship, potential new members are invited to our dinner meeting, and we share with them what we do, why we do it, and let them know that we feel that they would be a great addition to our Optimist Family. When approved by the executive, we request a police check, for the safety of the youth in our community. Members are also responsible for paying annual membership dues, however our club subsidizes some of this cost to keep it as low as possible.

We are only a small but vital part of Optimist International. We also have a Zone level (Zone 6), District level (Southwestern Ontario) and a Regional level (Northeast – Great Lakes)
Our Zone includes: Brigden, Lambton Central-Petrolia, Moore, Oil Springs, Sombra-Sombra Township and Wallaceburg. Total of 10 Zones. We meet as a whole 4 times a year – member attendance is optional)
Our District includes: From Windsor to Grand Bend to Aylmer (not including the city of London) and one club in Kitchener. Total of 71 Clubs. We meet as a whole 4 times a year – member attendance is optional
Our Region includes: All of Ontario (Central Ontario, Midwestern Ontario, Southwestern Ontario) Atlantic Central, Michigan, New York-New England. Total of 6 Districts
Optimist International includes the following: USA, Canada, Caribbean (Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia), International (Congo, France, Ghanda, Mexico, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Uganda). We meet once a year – member attendance is optional.

Visit us on our Facebook page (Lambton Central Petrolia Optimist Club)

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.

~ Christian D. Larson ~