Beach Optimists are busy helping kids

Submitted Photo Bettie Lee Sundstrom, Mary Claus and Carol Robison with the PBOC honors banner, where in lower right hand of banner, the Lil Kamphuis memorial patch has been permanently attached.

The Pensacola Beach Optimist Club is planning the the NW FLOptimist International Conference in Pensacola for the first time in many years, February 8-10. The club is joining with other Optimist clubs in the area to put on a meaningful and educational conference for Optimists clubs throughout the state, by helping with the Hospitality Suite at the Clarion Hotel University Mall, and providing an assortment of gift baskets and prizes.

Also occurring this same weekend, the PBOC is sponsoring "Sundaes on Saturday" (chaired by Mary Claus), a special treat for the children of the Sacred Heart Hospital childhood cancer area, where PBOC members will provide ice cream treat fun with a Valentine's Day theme for the kids.

The PBOC is re-energized with new year's spirit and ready to tackle the club's lofty goals for 2008.

New members Katrina Medve and Rhonda Wehrenberg were initiated and welcomed into PBOC membership & then, Lil Kamphius (founding member of PBOC who passed away in 2007) was honored with the placement of an Optimist International Memorial patch, sewn upon and displayed on a special banner of the club reserved for honor. Kamphius' niece, Carol Robison, attended the meeting to witness the presentation of the memorial and a very touching reading about Kamphius, delivered by club secretary, Bettie Lee Sundstrom.

Every year the PBOC Sponsors the "Just Say No to Drugs" Optimist International poster contest for the island's Pensacola Beach Elementary School. This year's theme for the world-wide competition is "BE A HERO - JUST SAY NO TO DRUGS" (chaired by Debbie Campanella). Last year's poster artist, Sage Dunne, won local, zone, regional, state and went on to the nationals last year.

The PBOC awards savings bonds to the finalists at the school and those who are judged to go on have the chance to earn even more at each level of competition.

The Beach Ball Committee (chaired by Scott Neal) will begin meeting this coming week to make plans for this popular local April Event. Each year PBOC has been able to raise $5,000 for the Pensacola Beach Elementary school, and principal Jeff Castleberry says the school really needs help with an ITV studio, their general technologies fund, smartBoards for the teachers and many other items which the charter school needs but cannot obtain readily without charitable contributions such as those.

With Preliminaries April 29 and Finals May 6, the PBOC will once again present The Pensacola Beach Elementary School's Oratorical Competition (chaired by Joe Woodall). Each year is better than the one before, being inspired by those fourth, fifth, sixth graders as they recite their speeches during this Optimist International program event. For many club members, this is their favorite project to volunteer for and the one that personifies the club motto "Bringing out the Best in Kids" most.

Rounding out a busy spring jammed with events, the PBOC will sponsor the elementary school's "Bike Rodeo/Safety" Day (chaired by Debbie Campenella), May 19 all day, during the P.E. classes for all grades.

The Pensacola Beach Optimist Club is a group of special individuals who "Work so Kids can Play." For membership information, call Bettie Lee Sundstrom at 384-7236.