Optimist Club donates to teachers

Teachers at the Red Oak School District received a special boost from the Red Oak Optimist Club on Jan. 10.
Red Oak Optimist Club representatives Rick Leinen and Cliff Owen, and Joleen Jorgensen, Lt. Governor for Zone 3 of the Iowa District of Optimist International, gave each certified teacher at the Red Oak Junior/Senior High School and Inman Elementary $100 towards a supply purchase, a total of $8,200 for the 82 certified teachers.
Optimist member Dan Crouse, who was unable to be present at the presentation, said he knew teachers were having hard times.
“I talked to some teachers, and I heard the word struggle. I understand this time of year. What we aimed to do was help them with that struggle. One of the primary purposes of the Optimist Club is to become involved in our community helping our children,” Crouse said. “I can’t think of a better way to do that then to be personally involved with the people that educate those children.”
Crouse said there were a number of ways the Optimists aided the district, and they were proud to do so.
“We are proud to be part of this, but I still drive by the school and think about what more we can do at the club level, or get more involved in helping the teachers out with education, or provide you with the tools that you need. I know the teachers are providing more than you should have to, to make sure the students have all the supplies they need,” commented Crouse.
Jorgensen addressed the teachers, saying the Optimist Club was aware that the teachers did whatever it took to get necessary school supplies.
“Every teacher received a letter. The letter should indicate that the money that you’ve received is to go to your classroom for anything that you may need to help educate the little ones and the big ones here in Red Oak. Red Oak is a very special place. And especially the Optimists, they have a very special place within the community and personally in my heart,” Jorgenson stated. “If you have spent money already for your classroom, please use it to reimburse yourself. If not and you’ve had something out there on a wish list, go ahead and put that money toward it.”
Leinen expressed his appreciation to the citizens of Red Oak for making the opportunity to donate the money a reality.
“We get all our money from that can kennel at Fareway. So if anybody has cans and bottles that are redeemable, go ahead and drop them off because that’s where we get all our funds. We appreciate that. It’s a tough job, and it doesn’t pay very well, but it’s a great fundraiser for us as a club,” advised Leinen.
Leinen also said the Optimist Club was seeking any members that were interested in joining.
“If anybody is interested in helping us out sometime with a membership application, we’d appreciate that too. We used to have 35 members. Now we’re down to 16 and really have about four that really are able to participate,” Lienen said.
Owen said if someone was interested in aiding the Optimist Club but couldn’t serve as a full member, there was an alternative.
“We have a Friends of Optimist Club membership, which is a step down membership program. So say, for instance, your pharmacist couldn’t necessarily be an Optimist member right now, but still supports the Optimist Club and what they do, so they’ll go ahead and write a little donation to be a friend of the Optimist Club for this year, and support us in what we do for the kids, the community, and ourselves,” explained Owen. “We’ve had several conversations with people. I think a lot of people support us, and like what we do, but time is always the element. With Friends of Optimist, when we have track meets for Inman or something, we always have people willing to help. So if you’re willing to help at different events but just can’t attend meetings, we’d love to have you, just as an official Friend of Optimist.”
Jorgensen also shared that Optimists do offer an oratorical and essay contest where the kids can win as much as $2,500 by writing an essay, and urged the teachers to pass the information on to their students.