Rotary and Optimists Clubs Work Together
Submitted by Dr. D. Michael Hart
The Rotary Club of Westfield and the Optimists Club of Westfield have been working together for many years for the benefit of Westfield. Optimists focus on Youth, while the Rotary is a business networking and service club.
Darielle Walsh from the Optimists spoke to the Rotary Club members about the activities of the Westfield Optimists Club. They have 50 members, meet once a month, on the 2nd Wednesday of each month, for dinner at Echo Lake Country Club, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Guests are welcome. The focus of the Optimists is to benefit Youth and the Community. They service 3,000 youth in Westfield. Darielle was President of The Rotary Club of Westfield in 2007-2008.
Darielle informed the Rotary about the Optimists projects and how they needed to adjust with the changing times. The Rotary Club works with the Optimists on the food insecurity program. It started just with Westfield families, then expanded to St. Joe’s in Elizabeth and then the Union County College Food Pantry. With the Pandemic raging, instead of delivering food baskets, the Optimists and Rotarians deliver gift cards from ShopRite. Rotary donates $1,500 per year for this program, and helps to deliver the food or gift cards. Other community groups contribute also, such as the Y’s Men Club.
Project Graduation for the High School was one of the signature projects for the Optimists for 30 years. The Rotary Club always participated with a substantial donation, and some of its members helping. It was a celebration at the Ricochet Racquet Club in South Plainfield the night of Westfield High School graduation, in order to keep the kids out of trouble. This was cancelled the last 2 years because of the pandemic. As an alternative, the Optimists published individual photos of the graduating High School class members in the Westfield Leader. They are also sponsoring renovations to the Derek Nelson Memorial Courtyard at the Westfield High school.
The Optimists were sponsors of the Haunted House at the Town Pool on Halloween, but the town has cancelled that program. They now sponsor the Halloween Parade through downtown which will change routes to the South Avenue train station parking lot due to some Township issues.
The Optimists give annual awards to the two Intermediate schools’ teachers and school nurses. The Rotary Club gives the prestigious Philhower Award to an elementary school teacher.
The Optimists sponsor a Junior Optimist Club at the high school and a Youth Volunteer Award to a Junior at Westfield High School. The Rotary Club sponsors the Interact Service Club at Westfield High School; an Interact Service Club at Edison Intermediate School, and Early Act Service Clubs at Jefferson and McKinley Elementary Schools.
For more information about the Rotary Club of Westfield, contact club Secretary Dr. D. Michael Hart, by email at drmhart@yahoo.com. The Rotary club meets 3 times per month and guests are always welcome.
