Dundalk Optimist honored as Club of the Year among peers

At a recent Conference of the local Maryland — South Delaware (MDSD) District of Optimist International, the Optimist Club of Dundalk was recognized as the District’s “2022-23 Club of the Year”. This is the highest honor that can be installed on a local Club by the District’s Governor and speaks volumes to the successes of the Dundalk Optimist Club and its current leadership.

The MDSD District of Optimist International consists of 28 local clubs across the State and the southern half of Delaware (below Bay Bridge). All Optimist Clubs do well with engaging in many great volunteer activities within their community; so, the Dundalk Optimists are quite honored to be recognized as being “the Best within the very best” of so many Service Clubs.

The Dundalk Optimist Club will soon be celebrating 75 years of continuous service in our community. The Dundalk Club was chartered in October 1949 by community leaders that recognized then that efforts to provide positive opportunities to the youth of Dundalk are very important to the future of our community. Our current vision and purpose of the Club remains the same to collectively work on programs which membership feel bring out the “Best of our Community” and provide positive opportunities for youth to become the future community leaders we require. By providing hope and positive vision, “Optimists bring out the best in youth, our community, and ourselves.”

The Club has an open invitation to any individual interested in becoming a member. We truly believe that if we all work together to show appreciation to our youth; to help them see and experience how government works, to develop a healthy respect for law and our police and firefighters, and to see how community leadership can be an achievable and a rewarding opportunity. To achieve this intension is the why we do what we do as a Club.

In 1949, our community leaders believed that we could and must provide opportunities to make a difference in the lives of our children, to help citizens in need, to mentor their fellow Club members, and develop their own leadership skills. This philosophy exists today within the Optimist Club of Dundalk and is why the Club was recognized as the MDSD Optimist Club of the Year.

Individuals interested in learning how they can have the opportunity to make a difference in our community, looking for a significant opportunity for personal and professional growth, and ways to reinforce a positive optimist mindset; should consider membership. You can and will make a difference! Applications are available on the Optimist International website, or interested individuals can inquire about membership on the Club’s Facebook page (Optimist Club of Dundalk, Inc.). Consider being the one more person that can be counted among the best of the best. You can make the difference and direct the change we need to realize and aspire to achieve. Right now, the Cup is half full!