Fairfield Optmist Club celebrates 60 years

Credit: City of Fairfield

Credit: City of Fairfield


MEETING

The Fairfield Optimist Club meets every Thursday at 8 p.m., though members begin to socialize at 7 p.m. at 194 Joe Nuxhall Way.

The Fairfield Optimist Club might be one of the city’s best-kept secrets.

The club of about 90 members supports various aspects of the city, but quietly, said Fairfield Mayor Steve Miller, who is also a member.

“The Optimist Club does an awful lot for this community,” he said. “The Optimist Club knows what they’re doing and the recipients know what they’re doing, and that’s what’s important. It’s always been that way.”

And to celebrate the club’s 60 years of service to the city, Miller proclaimed Tuesday, Sept. 13, as “Optimist Club of Fairfield, Ohio 60th Anniversary Day” in the city and gave club president Jeff Herold a one-of-a-kind key to the city.

WATCH: See the city of Fairfield’s Optimist Club presentation

“We wanted to do something different, something special, and that’s exactly what we came up with tonight,” said Miller.

Instead of a standard key to the city, a special plaque was signed by all members of city council.

Herold said they are “just a group of guys that like to give back.”

“We appreciate being a small part of what makes this city great,” he said. “We like to help the youth of the community, we enjoy it and we feel it’s a good thing to do and we do it.”

The Optimist Club is involved in youth in the community, following its motto “Friend of Youth.” The club helped to introduce soccer in the 1970s, and this past April co-sponsored the 31st annual MASC tournament in which 500 teams from eight states and Canada participated.

The club also sponsors youth baseball and soccer teams, awards three college scholarships to area seniors, sponsors events and organizations supporting the youth, such as fishing derbies, after proms for Fairfield and Badin high schools, Joe Nuxhall Miracle League Fields, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, One Way Farm. The club also adopts needy children at Christmas and arranges a personal delivery from Santa.

Being around for 60 years “means we’re doing something right,” and the club has some “luck” on its side, said Herold.

“If feels great to carry on that tradition,” he said.

The Optimist Club is a men’s club and its mission is to “bring out the best in kids” by conducting positive service projects. The club works with the Paragon Optimist Club, which is a women’s club that was founded in 2004.

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