Programs, Sponsorships & Donations

Chartered on November 30, 1984, the Optimist Club of Stanley Park (the Club) was sponsored by the Optimist Club of Kitchener-Waterloo. The local Optimist clubs are part of a world-wide organization, Optimist International, with the prime objective of working with youth for the betterment of all under the motto: "Friend of Youth".

The Optimist Club of Stanley Park, co-ed since 2008, has been committed to assisting local youth through numerous programs and projects including:

• Sponsor and host of the Grand River Bass Derby:   This a family orientated live-release fishing event , Ontario's largest, was co-hosted and co-organized by Natural Sports.
• The Stanley Park Optimist Natural Area  was made possible with funding from Bass Derby and local municiple partners. The Bass Derby generated enough proceeds that the Club can still fund further improvements and continues to do so as evidenced by the work completed at the Ottawa/Otterbein access point. 
• The Stanley Park Optimist Ball Program: This, along with the Grand River Bass Derby, was one of the Club's biggest undertakings for essentially 40 years. Registration fees, sponsorships, grants and donations allowed the Club to operate it on a self-sustaining basis. In addition to offering youth the opportunity to play ball at the recreational level, youth were also presented with employment opportunities as officials. The Crew of Officials soon became a very, very successful youth development program.
• Optimist International Programs including: Safety, various scholasrships & awards, Youth Appreciation,  and Oratory & Spelling Bee competitions.
• Stanley Park (Kitchener) Scouts Troup #1 is sponsored by the Club.
• The Student Career Counselling Centre at Grand River Collegiate was a major Club "investment" in 2001.
• The Child Witness Centre:  For the past several years the Club has taken on the role of Title Sponsor of the Cenre's Annual Pancake Lunch fundraiser.
• The Club's first Annual Bike Rodeo was held in 1985 and attracted between 150 to 400 participants (depending on the weather!) each year.
• With cooperation from the local school boards, the Club organized and operated a School Fishing Program each year until Sept. 2017. Initiated and run, by Optimist Ron Bauman, the purpose was to provide local students the opportunity to get out and experience the joys of fishing.
• The Fishing Challenge was a program that the Club hosted from 2000 through 2008. When offered in conjunction with the Trout Pond at the Sportsmen's Show, everyone in the community had the opportunity to enjoy fishing.   
• Sledge Hockey:  In 1999, after helping with the purhase of sleds in 1991 and again in 1994, the Club hosted an International Tournament in conjunction with the KW Sidewinders Sledge Hockey Club.
• Provided shirts each year for all the participants and coaches involved in the Youth Bowling League at Towne Bowl

• Saturday Night Youth Dances were sponsored and hosted by the Club from 2011 through to Dec.,2016. 
• Rented facilities on several occasions over the years so that the public could enjoy free swimming sessions at Lyle Hallman Pool and skating at Grand River Arena. When Covid restrictions in 2020 led to the cancellation of the Sanata Claus parade, Club President Mark Kerr arranged to have Santa tour the Stanley Park neighbourhood along with Mrs. Claus in a horse-drawn carriage. The Santa Tour has become an annual attraction.
• Sponsored Grand River Collegiate's annual Christmas Tea for our senior citizens.
• Provided Wheelchair Swings for the Sunbeam Centre and a speaker system for the benefit of the hearing impaired at Smithson School.
• Capital Expenses:  Over the years, the Club has financed: 6 Outdoor Basketball Courts, 3 full and 4 mini-sized Baseball Diamonds, and several Playground Structures.  Surplus ball equipment was donated to organizations serving local youth and, in various years, have included Canadian Indigenous, Dominican, Cuban and Mexican causes.

• Team & League Sponsorships: Since its inception, the Club sponsored local minor sports teams and sometimes whole leagues/divisions, including; basketball, ice hockey, sledge hockey, boys softball, girls softball, minor baseball, Track-3 Ski, soccer and T-Ball. This Team Sponsorship link is to photos of just some of them as there were many. many more.  As costs of such sponsorships increased, the Club shifted its focus to ensuring that local youth could enjoy healthy, active lifestyles by providing grants to school meal programs, school trips, subsidized summer camps, and school "emergency" needs such as clothing. 

In addition to the above, over the years the Club also made numerous donations to various local charities and several emergency relief  causes as noted on the  Club's Donation webpage.