Welcome to the Optimist Club of Gulf Breeze, Florida
East Bay Jr Optimist Club Charter Members
Here are our newly formed club members, officers were installed today at their first formal meeting. Students have started mentoring 2nd graders once a week before school with other projects coming soon.
We look forward to seeing what this group can do.
JUNIOR OPTIMIST
The Gulf Breeze Optimist Club sponsors the largest number of Jr. Optimist Clubs in the state. Located in elementary, middle and high schools, Jr. Optimist clubs provide opportunities for students to participate in community service activities, and to develop leadership abilities in preparation for responsible roles in society. Contact Pete DellaRatta at dellarattap@bellsouth.net for elementary and middle school. For Gulf Breeze High School contact Stephanie Duffy at duffys@santarosa.k12.Fl.us. For Oriole Beach Elementary, contact Ashley Riley via email at RileyA@santarosa.k12.Fl.us
Jr. Optimists of all ages support the local community.
Left: Oriole Beach Elementary School Junior Optimists sold Valentine Candy Grams to raise $2000 for the Navarre Beach Conservation Center. The club has a roster of 100 members.
Right: Gulf Breeze High School Optimists promote their own projects as well as assisting the Gulf Breeze Optimist Club. 2022 Officers were inducted Jan 12th, left to right are JD Weber, Erin Foster, Aaron Sampson, Mary Elizabeth Hotchkiss, Ethan Pensyl, Addi Ware, Natalia Mercado, Ronen Lim. (Missing is Brianna Dizon).
The Gulf Breeze High School Optimists is a dynamic club with 129 active members that take part in a variety of service projects. They work many of the water stops, along with motivating the runners for several local races. (Pensacola Womens 1/2 Marathon, Pensacola Beach 1/2 Marathon, and the Double Bridge Run) They work with Caring and Sharing and other local food pantries as well as supplying clothing needs for many local shelters and needy families. They collect toys for Toys for Tots. If there is a need, they are there to help. They also have a scholarship they give out each year in the memory of a former member. The "Sarah Brown Memorial Scholarship" is a generous scholarship given to several senior members each year.