Optimists celebrate 30th anniversary
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Cape Girardeau Noon Optimist Club celebrated its 30th anniversary Wednesday. Members gathered for lunch and speeches. Dr. Charles Wiles, club founder, spoke to members and charter members like Jim Ham, Dr. Robert Fox, Kevin Gerlach, Mike Blechle and Club President Bill Humphries. The Optimist motto is "Friend of the Youth," and it has sponsored local projects and groups with funds totaling more than $500,000 during the past 30 years. Through fundraisers like the annual Chili Day, the club funds indoor soccer leagues, a student oratorical contest and playgrounds and other projects. It recently donated $100,000 to Melaina's Magical Playland, an all-access playground in the works for Cape County Park North.
Subscribe below or log in with your password here.
For more than 115 years, the Southeast Missourian has written the first draft of local history. We have aspired to enrich, entertain, educate and inform. Our core values have remained firm: truth, service, quality, integrity and community. Support our mission.
Join today
Note: Special discounts available to new subscribers only. Print subscriptions may include up to 13 Premium Issues per year, which include special magazines. For each Premium Issue, your account balance will be charged an additional fee in the billing period when the section publishes. This will result in shortening the length of your billing period.