NEW OPTIMIST CLUB WILL GET OFFICIAL CHARTER THIS MONTH

CHAFFEE -- A newly formed Optimist Club here will soon receive its official charter from Optimist International.

Officers will be installed at a charter banquet Oct. 21. The ceremony begins at 6:30 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, 143 W. Yoakum.

Mark Hogan, the head baseball coach at Southeast Missouri State University, will be the guest speaker for the charter banquet. Charles Wiles, a past president of Optimist International, will be the master of ceremonies.

The Chaffee club was organized Aug. 29, and has 52 charter members. It is sponsored by the Optimist Club of Cape Girardeau.

Officers are Jerry Wolsey, president; Debbie Simmons, secretary and treasurer; Darla Chapman and Ron Eskew, vice presidents.

Club meetings will be held at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Chaffee Nutrition Center.

Optimist International is one of the largest service club organization in the world. More than 155,000 people are members in the 4,200 clubs.

Optimist Clubs conduct service programs aimed at young people. Some of the programs include substance abuse prevention, the Optimist Oratorical Contest, the Optimist Essay Contest and the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship.

For more information about the Optimist Club of Chaffee, contact Richard Hodge at 887-3177.