The International School Utrecht (ISU) Junior Optimist International (JOI) Club of Utrecht, Netherlands, Europe is entering its third year with a series of ongoing community service activities. In December, and again in February, ISU JOI Club members held bake sale fundraisers at the school during their break and lunchtime to raise funds to support the local Wilhelmina Kinderziekenhuis Children’s Hospital in Utrecht, Netherlands. Club members baked cookies and brownies and also brought in store bought goodies to sell. They raised €150 ($170) during the two bake sales with all the funds being donated to the Children’s Hospital. The ISU JOI Club is planning additional fundraising activities to raise more funds for the hospital. Club Advisor, Derek Bacorn, a member of the Del Mar – Solana Beach, California Optimist Club is also exploring with Children’s Hospital management additional volunteering and fundraising activities that ISU JOI Club members may perform in support of the children and the hospital. Additionally, on a recent sunny, but chilly, Friday after school, ten ISU JOI Club members performed a trash pickup and recycling community service project near their school to make the area a cleaner and safer place. Junior Optimists, like these in Utrecht, Netherlands are making a difference worldwide with their community service and planet saving activities.
