On a beautiful summer like Saturday in November the Junior Optimist Clubs of the California South (CALSO) Junior Optimist International (JOI) District held their 1st meeting of the new 2019-2020 Optimist Year. Thirty-one Junior Optimists from eight different JOI Clubs gathered, along with eleven supporting adult advisors, sponsors, and adult CALSO Optimist District Junior Optimist Clubs Committee Co-Chairs for the meeting.
CALSO JOI District Governor Kylie Guess conducted the business portion of the meeting which consisted of announcements, introductions of her four Lt. Governors and invitations for them to report of the status of their assigned JOI Clubs. Governor Kylie introduced and invited the adult Optimists to provide input to the meeting. Prior adult CALSO Governor, Al Aegerter, provided words of encouragement and support to the Junior Optimists. The reigning Miss Bonita, O’Hara Wickham, Past President of Junior Optimist International shared her Optimist Journey that started over seven years earlier with entry into the Oratorical Contest. O’Hara now continues her journey as a member of an adult Optimist Club and her pursuit of higher education at the University of California, San Diego. JOI Club Presidents and JOI Club Members present were invited to share their recent Club activities and their Club’s plans for the year ahead. Since this meeting was held at the Historic Stein Family Farm in National City, CA, the JOI Club Members performed ‘farm tasks’ at the farm’s barns and orchards as a community service activity and brought baby carrots and cat food for the farm’s animals.
An ‘icebreaker’ activity was conducted with members of the different JOI Clubs getting to know each other better. The farm meeting event was concluded with a pizza party luncheon provided by the CALSO Optimist District and enjoyed by all. The Junior Optimists were invited back to participate in the Farm’s Holiday Craft Fair in December.