Installations our club has funded for the enjoyment and health of all in our community.

Our club also makes financial contributions to many worthwhile endeavours in our community. Fundraising efforts, including our online 5050 raffle, have allowed us to make generous gifts to many organizations in Lambton Shores. Here are a few recent examples:


Bosanquet School Breakfast and Snack Program
Hillside School Playground Equipment
Caring Quilters of Lambton Shores
Forest Ringette Association
Taxandria Soccer Club
Lambton Shores Community Phragmites Group
Children's Wish Foundation
​NLSS athletic equipment
Sponsorship of two plots in the community garden for a kids' gardening club

We also support financially two very important Optimist Southwestern Ontario District initiatives:


Bravery Beads

and

​SWONT Conductive Education

​

Through our Fire, Water and Ice Safety Program (begun with funds raised through our first online 5050 raffle) we have supported many initiatives to promote safety awareness in Lambton Shores.

Fire Safety Poster competition in local schools.

Emergency Services presence at our events, often with equipment and an obstacle course too!

Thanks to local artist Dawn Greco, with the support of the Municipality of Lambton Shores and a small group of enthusiastic volunteers, we have added fun activities to our outdoor community centre space: hopscotch, four square and more!

We have provided financial support to our local school Bosanquet Central for several worthwhile endeavours and initiatives!
Go Bobcats! You are kind! You are honest! You are part of a team!

Due to COVID 19 we were not able to make our junior gardener program happen, but we still made good use of the two plots we'd sponsored. Optimists planted vegetables in the plots, and placed a 'bounty basket' in the garden for everyone to help themselves! We hope that our efforts helped anyone who was experiencing food insecurity.

Working together with Lambton Shores Nature Trails to establish a beautiful trail head and "Heart of the Trails" garden at the Community Center.

Fighting phragmites on L Lake in Port Franks - a provincially and nationally significant wetland that is facing a serious threat from this invasive plant. 

All of these Optimists are also board members of the Lambton Shores Phragmites Community Group

Our Club set out to collect 100 NEW items in the 2018-19 Optimist 100th Anniversary Year. Club members set out to donate Adult or Children’s Hats, Gloves, Scarves, Slippers, socks or underwear and also travel sized toiletries. How wonderful that our club surpassed this goal bringing in 400 items! These items were turned over to Lambton County charities including Women’s Interval House and Inn of the Good Shepherd.  

The Lambton Shores Lightning play their home games in Arkona. In 2019, they were the Ontario Rural Softball Association bantam girls’ champions and  qualified for the 2019 Youth Softball Nationals held in Elizabethtown, Ky.  Pictured here , APFO President and SWONT Lt. Governor Walter Michielsens and President Elect Fran Bell present cheques to support these young athletes in their endeavour.

Back row: Councillor Lorie Scott; Savanna and Trish Wilcox of the Lambton Lightning, APF President and SWONT Lt. Gov. Walter Michielsens,   Front Row:  APF President Elect Fran Bell   Photo credit: Garrett Pedlar

Residents of the Thedford  Country Manor had a raised bed to plant veggies but no soil. Optimists made it happen! Thanks to a donation of plants from Roelands Plants, the residents soon had a great garden!

"So thankful for the Port Franks Optimists who have invested and encouraged the youth in our community. Bosanquet Graduates and families were treated to the incredible selfless work and love shown as this wonderful group cooked and served the Graduation dinner! Thankful for their example in investing in the next generation!" - grateful parent Heather Jennings   July 7, 2018

Community Projects

Our club has contributed funding and many hours of 'sweat equity' to help make our community's visions realities!