Optimist Membership – A Life-long Commitment
The Optimist Club of Gettysburg began its efforts to “Bring out the Best in Kids” in Gettysburg in 1958 and while Charter members from that first year are getting hard to find, some current and long standing Optimists Club members have had a life long relationship to the youth supporting organization. The Optimist Basketball program got its start in 1959 and to this day continues to have a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of Gettysburg youngsters. Wayne Hill, a Gettysburg Optimist Club member for nearly 38 years got his optimistic start as a member of one of the original Optimist Basketball teams, the Lehigh Engineers, in 1959. Since than Wayne has continued his service to the community’s youth through his membership in the Optimist Club of Gettysburg, most notably through his leadership of the Annual Optimist of Gettysburg Oyster and Shrimp Feed. Wayne will guide this popular event again this year on Saturday, March 9, between noon and 3:00 pm at the 1863 Inn of Gettysburg. The Feed is one of several Optimist fund raising projects that support more than nineteen youth related programs throughout the Gettysburg area, including The Optimist Basketball Program. The club is extremely proud and thankful for Wayne’s continued dedication to the organization and for his ongoing efforts to “Bring out the Best in Kids”
The 2013 Optimist of Gettysburg Basketball Program will continue on Saturday, February 2. The girls will remain at Lincoln Elementary School and the boys will return to the Gettysburg Middle School. The K through 3rd grade boys are scheduled for 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM and 4th through 5th grade Boys are scheduled for 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM. The K through 3rd grade girls are scheduled for 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM with the 4th through 6th grade girls wrapping the day up from 10:30 AM – 11:45 AM. Club members, family and community volunteers are welcome to attend and support the days activities.
For those not in attendance last week, T-shirts will be available Saturday morning.
To download images from this years basketball program visit our Facebook page for information of recent sessions.
