OPTIMIST VOLUNTEEERS RECEIVE FINAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUNDAY FOOD HAMPER/TOY DELIVIERS

December 16, 2009

A signed receipt must be obtained and returned to Optimist officials.

CROSBIE’S SELLING STYLE NETS ANOTHER $1K AT METRO BOWMANVILLE

December 13, 2009

Bowmanville, Dec 11,12,14: What could have been a disastrous weekend for Optimist Club of Oshawa Car raffle sales at the Metro Food Store chain turned into an acceptable bank deposit of $1,275.20 of weekend sales.

On Dec. 11th fighting away blistering wins, snow and unbelievable cold weather sales where down to only $210.00.  Another our 2009 GM Vibe wasn’t on display because of hazardous sidewalk conditions. The veteran raffle sales team comprised of Ronald ‘Batman’ Hele Peter Pniauskas were frustrated with the results.

With improved weather conditions and our vehicle on display had to fly solo as his partner Ilse Gilchrist was hit by that nasty flu bug. After numerous telephone calls raffle chair Jim Shaw landed his grandson Curtis Rodgers as a pinch-hitter. Net Saturday sales improved to  $410.00

Thanks the super sales style of husband/wife Crosbie combo  of elizabeth and Sandy sales flourished. They completely took over in a two-team showcase netting $647.20 for a three day weekend total of $4,175.20.

On the floor, the Crosbie’s are selling “Tigers

Thirty one weekend have been completed. ‘With one week remaining this events can be described as a complete success’ said incoming Optimist president Stephan Hambley. Enough dollars has been raised to completely paid for the vehicle and the hampers/toys for needy families as selected by the Salvation Army.

Monday morning (Dec 14) optimist officials Peter Pniauskas, incoming treasurer Narjorie Ogden, Elizabeth Crosbie and Jim Shaw  will pick up the collected toys from the Martin Chiropractic Clinic (19th year) and the Nurses located on the 4th floor at Lakeridge Health (OGH) – 6th year. Last year they collected 1,108 new toys was collected.

To-morrow (Dec. 15) local radio morning host Terry Johnston will be interviewing live Greg Martin and Ivan Downey the director of family service of the Salvation at 8:22 am. Their interview can be heard on both AM 1580 CKDO and on the FM 107.7.

Weekend car raffle sales volunteers where Ron Hele, Peter Pniauskas, Cybil Dewhurst, Stephen Hambley, Bob Blair, Curtis Rodgers, Eric Goodwin, Brian Tremblay, Elizabeth Crosbie, Sandy Crosbie and Jim Shaw.

The final weekend of sales is set for Walmart Super Centre Laval & Stevenson Road, in Oshawa on Dec 17,18,19 from 11 am till 6 pm

The draw for the 2009 GM Vibe and $1,500.00 of grociers donated by Walmart Canada is set for Dec 20th at the R.S.McLaughlin Armouries 53  Simcoe St. N. at 2:30 pm. The Optimist will be honouring our troops as Private first class Kasey McBride will draw the winning ticket.

MAYOR JOHN GRAY & OPTIMIST GOVERNOR TOM McNAUGHT TO LEAD 26th ANNUAL XMAS FOOD HAMPER & TOY CAVALCADE

December 7, 2009

OSHAWA, Dec 6th: An all-star cavalcade featuring over 100 vehicles will be lead by Oshawa Mayor John Gray and Cenon Optimist Govenor Tom McNaught from Oakville at the 26th annual Optimist Club of Oshawa members sponsored Christmas Food Hamper and Toy deliveries on December 20th. The local Oshawa club where formed and chartered on July 22nd, 1982.

The Oshawa nearly folded this past spring due to lack of funds to operate. Their main fund raiser weekly Bingo’s ceased on January 31st in Whitby when the business went into receivership. The Oshawa club was the mainstay for Zone 8 (Durham Region) with clubs operating in Ajax, Brooklin, Uxbridge and Whitby. When the local ecomony suffering a severe downfall from the closures of the GM giant auto plant closures, layoffs and forced retirements the future was bleak at best for a Optimist recovery.

Starting with a lowly bank balance of $2.86 and a commented budgeted items the membership decided to roll the dice for a comeback. Using the recycled fund raiser the group decided to raffle off a 2009 General Motors produced Pontiac Vibe commencing sales last spring in mid-May during Victoria Day weekend as first prize. Wal*Mart SuperCentre added to the first price take donating $1,500.00 in groceries to the winning ticket holder. Despite unwanted problems and growing pains this project has seen a new attitude develop, has incourage new members in supporting the Optimist mandate of being a “Friend Of Youth and our Community”

Devoted volunteers and members have logged over 9,000 hours in making this turn-a-about possible. Certainly a Cinderella Story” with a anticipated happy ending. Newly elected Optimist president Stephen Hambley said “our volunteers have been remarkable, when we originally printed 10,000 tickets it seemed receiving that figure was only a dream”. Local citizens have responded to the marketing strategy making believers  in purchasing of tickets at $5.00 each or the bargin basement price of 5 tickets for $20.00. Many business firms and fellow Ontario Optimist Club purchased $100.00 packages in boosting  ticket sold to  12,000.With two weeks remaining to the December 20th draw date 15,000 tickets seemed to be a reachable amount. This weekend our raffle gang are selling tickets in Bowmanville at the Metro Food Store on Dec 11,12,13 from 11:00 am to 06:00 pm The final sales weekend will be held at the Wal*Mart SuperCentre on Dec 17,18,19 from 11:00 am to 06:00 pm.

Optimist ticket sellers have been pro-active with in high traffic chain stores plus the Oshawa Centre, Auto Fest, Downtown Oshawa Sidewalk sale and the Five Points Mall.  The bulk of sales conducted every weekend for the past 31 weeks. The largest ever one day sale was conducted in Cobourg during the summer securing $1,700.00 in sales.

On Dec. 20th after the hampers/toys have been delivered a special cermony will be conducted within the R.S.McLaughlin Oshawa Armouries located at 53 Simcoe St. N. To-date over 9,000 volunteer hours have been accumulated by the Optimist and volunteers.  The volunteers are deeply committed. On numerous occassions tickets have been sold at three different locations on the same day. No one is paid for their efforts with all profits going to help the needy families and other Oshawa Optimist Youth events during the calendar year.

GENERALS SHUTOUT THE OPTIMIST

Originally it was felt – the announcement of winning ticket holder would be conducted at the multi-million GM Centre build by citizen of Oshawa. The Optimist where in contract with OHL club in early June and their management seemed very interesting in out suggestion in our face to face meeting. After 18 telephone calls/emails with no reply’s afterwards the anticipated love affair never happened. The “GO turn into a NO GO” for this no-brainer community project. The OHL Generals rent the GM Centre from the City of Oshawa. High profile individuals including elected City of Oshawa elected officials, Chambers and Commerce, GM Centre management and even super fan himself Terry Kelly a mainstay in the errection of the Civic Auditorium couldn’t convince the Generals Management team permitting the announcment. Plans called for a local soldier who served in Afghanistan to draw the winning ticket. The Optimist club wanted to saluate our armforces serving to protect our freedom for Canada. The Optimist membership offered to fill the unsold GM Centre  tickets and donating them to Oshawa’s youth for the Owen Sound vs Oshawa Generals game on Dec. 20th. Again the Generals never responded.

Jim Shaw – Car Raffle coordinator is disappointed with Oshawa Generals. A noted sports broadcaster, reporter he has aided the Generals for over 40 years however with new management they seemed non-interested in local community efforts.

As it now stands, the Optimist will employ the R.S.McLaughlin Armouries located at 53 Simcoe St. North for their Dec. 20th showcase.

Upwards to 150 volunteers will meet within the north parking lot north of armouries (off Richmond St) at 12 noon for  deliver for the 26th consecutive year of Food Hampers/Toys. Each vehicle are requested to deliver to two families each.

Each family will be supplied for two weeks (14 days) of groceries containing two boxes of staple food, one box of meats including a 15 pound average festive turkey with the fourth box jammed full or produce products Family members will be allotted three new toys each for children ages 14 and under. Toys are supplied by the Martin Chiropractic Clinic (19th year) and the Nursing Staff located on the 4th main floor at Lakeridge Health at OGH. The toys are sorted by gender and age for Optimist delivery. Last year the outlets collected 1,208 toys including 108 build a bears.

Kasey McBride 19 a Oshawa Cadet graduate will make the draw. He joined the arm forces this past spring . Prior he trained under deceased Jerry Kehoe whose wife is a super active volunteer with the Optimist Club. He be escorted by the Oshawa 1933 Cadet Band to make the official announcement.

The winning ticket holder name will be published in the local media, advise via telephone or email and his/her name will be published on the Optimist web site www.oshawaoptimist.ca

Anyone wishing to help delivery can contact Optimist event coordinator Jim Shaw at 905-576-6919 or via email at jimshaw15@rogers.com

OPTIMIST HONOUR SCERO-BRELAND SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS & INDUCT 2010 EXECUTIVE

December 6, 2009

CAR RAFFLE SALES STAFF FINALLY RECEIVE A SUNDAY OFF

November 21, 2009

OSHAWA, Nov 22; Finally the hard working Optimist Club of Oshawa sales team has been granted a Sunday off from their gruing sales schedule. Since mid-May our crack sales team has clocked every  Friday, Saturday and Sunday raising important funds for the 26th annual Optimist Christmas Food Hamper and Toys deliveries on Sunday, December 20th.

Car raffle chair Jim Shaw says it’s about time. Every member have  been taxed to limit yet never complain as a group they support this mighty project with zealous and committment. With four busy weeks ahead  our team requires a needy break away from selling.  On the weekend Fri, Nov 20 and Sat. sales amounted to $1,350.00 at the 24 hour Metro Food Store in Bowmanville.

Hats off to Fay and Kenny Graves, Stephen Hambley, Eric Goodwin, Tyler MacDonald and Jimmy Shaw for a job well done in producing another $1K plus week of sales.

This coming weekend we make our final appearance at Price Chopper located on the corner of Wentworth and Cedar Streets starting Fri. Nov 27th, Sat. Nov 28 from 11 am to 6 pm and Sun. Nov 29 from 11 am till 5 pm.  To complete the hectic 31 consecutive weeks of raffle sales we will be employing the following location before the 2009 GM Vibe loaded down with $1,500.00 in grocery  is drawn on December 20th.

On Dec. 4-5-6 it’s our final appearance at Sobey’s Food North on Wilson & Taunton, Week 30 we will appear at Metro Bowmaville Foods on Dec. 11,12,13 for the final time than wrap out scheduled showcasing ourselves at Walmart SuperCentre from Dec 17,18, 19th. As it now stands we start and finish our sales from the Walmart location located on the corner of Laval and Stevenson Road just moment from the MacDonald/Chartier (401) Freewa. Shaw plans to have  Scott Dairge and his D.R.P.S. rock band in attendance plus numerous clowns, the lolly pop singers and naturdally  Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus.

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2010 EXECUTIVE INDUCTION NITE DEC. 02 – HAMBLEY RETURNS AS PRESIDENT

November 21, 2009

OSHAWA, Nov 19th – Stephen Hambley will commence his 3rd term as president of the Optimist Club of Oshawa Inc effective January lst, 2010. He and his new board will officially be inducted on Wednesday, December 02nd at Optimist Headquarters – Johnny’s Original Eatery located within the King/Thornton Plaza 850 King St. West. Hambley now ties Donald Webb who sat in president’s post for a trio of separate terms. Hambley replaces Petrina Perrineau who has step down from her one year term for health reasons and her busy and demanding  work schedule.

Joining the “Hambley Team” will be president elect Sybil Dewhurst,new treasurer Marjorie Ogden and secretary Jim Shaw.

In asccepting another engagement as president he stated ‘Our club was on the verge of  folding as  the lack of funds was drying up to  support our community and youth projects. The Oshawa’s club  main fundraiser since they where  founded on July 22nd, 1982  was Bingo . The Whitby based bingo hall closed it’s doors on January 31st,2009 going into receivership.  Hambley continued to say, with no revenue in-coming in  and with prior committment expenses directed towards  to our youth and  community plus a reduced membership to  seven the outlook forcast looked glime at best.

Our city suffering from finanical woes due to General Motors and their feeder plants occuring heavy layof eliminations of jobs, early retirements The outlook seemed impossible to repair.

Employing an  Optimistic outlook,  Hambley using strong support from our Monday Nite euchre volunteer support group started with  $2.86 in their bank account. It  now appears the Hambley group are on thr rack track to recovery. His new 2010 executive members will include president elect Sybil Dewhurst a Optimist veteran who has joined the Oshawa organization serving for years in the Caribean, treasurer Marjorie Ogden and secretary Jim Shaw.

James Dimitroff a former Cenon Lt. Governor will officially welcome the new exeuctive on board.

WEEK 26, CAR RAFFLE SALES FLOURISH AT WALMART SUPERCENTRE

November 15, 2009

OSHAWA. Nov 15:  We are now down to the short strokes in our campaign to supply Christmas Food Hampers and Toys for needy Oshawa families for the 26th consecutive year. Since mid-May our club members and their friends have been selling auto raffle tickets on a 2009 GM Vibe  and $1,500.00 of FREE groceries to accumulate funds to pay for the hampers. Scheduled delivery date is Dec. 20th less than five weeks away and the draw.

On Monday a  deposit of $1,237.50 will be made into our Lottery Account. It is estimated that each family hamper will cost an estimated $200.00 each. The families are selected and screen by the Salvation Army. The families will receive one box each of staple foods, produce products and meats containing a 18 pound festive turkey. Their will be enough food to eat for fourteen days covering the holiday season of Christmas and New Years for a family of four.

HATS OFF FOR OUR WEEKEND VOLUNTEERS.

Special praise for our loyal weekend sales staff comprised of Peter Pniauskas, Ron ‘Batman’ Hele, Ruth Lelone, Eric Goodwin, Bonnie Krasnovsky, Sybil Dewhurst, Jan Lynch, Cathy Kehoe, Stephen Hambley, Greg Bamber and Jim Shaw for turning in yeoman effort.

Sales continue this weekend. We’ve been scheduled in for a three day weekend dates at the profitable Metro Foods (Formerly A&P), located in Bowmanville on Fri. Nov 20 (11 am to 6 pm), Sat. Nov 21 (11 am to 6 pm) and Sun. Nov 22 (11 am till 5 pm).

FROM THE PENTHOUSE TO THE OUTHOUSE FOR OPTIMIST RAFFLE SALES AT 5 POINTS MALL

November 8, 2009

Sales contiinue this week at the Walmart Super Centre located at Laval and Stevenson Rd in Oshawa South just north of the 401 highway. Our staff will operate sales on Fri, Nov 13, Sat. Nov 14 and Sun. Nov 15 from 11 am to 6:00 pm.   Volunteers are requested to contact car raffle coordinator Jim Shaw for work dates  and time alloted schedule.

AT METRO 3 DAYS, OSC FOR 7 – NETS $5K CAR SALES REVENUE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES CHRISTMAS

November 7, 2009

OSHAWA: Working ten consecutive days and unbelievable long hours the dedicated Oshawa Optimist volunteer car raffle sales team walk away depositing  15 dollars  short of $5,000.00 (Gross) towards their goal in supplying the accumuulative funds required to supply needy families with Christmas Food Hampers and Toys for their children on December 20th.

Only 49 calendar days remain before “D” day.We operated three days at the Metro Food oulet in Bowmanville on Oct 23,24,25 than moved to the Oshawa Centre for seven days commencing Oct 26 till Nov lst. A total of 308 manhours where required covering those  ten days. Kiddos to volunteers including Stephen Hambley, Eric Goodwin, Walter Lamers, Peter Pniauskas, Ken Ferrill, Ronald Hele, Marg Ross, Neil Metcalf, Jan Lynch, Cathy Kehoe, Lori Hambley, Gus Gordon, Brian Tremblay, Marjorie Ogden, Greg Bamber, Betty Hambleyt, Isle Gilchrist, Bob Blair and Jim Shaw for a job well done and completed.

The Optimist have gained awareness with  our community in accepting the changelle , answering the call for operating this worthwhile annual event. It seems a lifetime time ago, sales kicked-off back in mid-May. With only $2.69 in their bank account the Optimist Club of Oshawa membership wanted to acknowledge their promised to the community for the 26th consecutive year.

The Salvation Army screens and selects the families who will receive the annual windfall, from application received in early November. Director Ivan Downey and his reliable assistant Lori Armstrong make the final decision. They turn over a listing to Optimist Club  of Oshawa who in turn supply the required  funds to purchase the food products, arrange for the toys, pack the food hampers and deliver  to the families on December 20th. Last year -2008- marked the 25th consecutive year this smooth operating event occured. The Optimist deliveried t0 108 families with a retail cost of $40,000.00. Historically funds in the past where  raised from Bingo funds however on Jan. 31st the venue in Whitby at the Hideway Banquet closed it’s doors going into receivership. To-day only two bingo venues remain in Durham Region.  To asccomplish our goal- the Optimist purchased a 2009 General Motors Vibe vehicle to raffle from Thomas Pontiac-Buick-GMC in Cobourg.

The Oshawa Optimst are anticipating a complete sellout of tickets.  Working under the Ontario Lottery license No. M632010 they’ve printed 15,000 tickets. At the present time just over 9,000 have been sold at the rate of $5.00 for a single and for $20.00 customers receive a bonus ticket receiving 5.  Remaining confirmed selling locations are at the Five points mall, Walmart South “Super Centre”, Sobey’s North, Bowmanville’s Metro Foods and Price Chopper in the Lake Vista Plaza in south Oshawa.

Starting on Nov 4 thru to Nov 7 sales will be conucted inside at the Five Points Mall located in north Oshawa at the corner of Ritson and Taunton road.

DESPITE LOW ATTENDANCE AT 5-POINTS ANOTHER $1K PLUS WAS RAISED FOR CHRISTMAS FOOD HAMPERS

October 18, 2009

OSHAWA, Oct 18: Despite a pitfall of shoppers at the Five Point Mall the Oshawa Optimist Car Raffle Sales team still managed to collect $1,150.00 in net sales covering a  four day period from Wednesday October 14th to Saturday, October 17th. This sales period completed  twenty-two (22) consecutive weeks of sales. Only nine weeks remain before ticket sales officially close. The draw for the 2009 General Motors produced “Vibe”  containing $1,500.00 in groceries will be announced on December 20th. That’s the same date the 26th annual Optimist Club of Oshawa sponsorsed Food Hamper and Toy deliveries  will be deliveried.

Operating under Lottery License Number M632010 our sales team has 33  selling dates remaining before “D” day. At present the auto is paid, with enough dollars in our lottery account to supply 100 families with 14 days of food including three (3) individual hamper boxes comprised of one box of assorted meats including a 20 pounds festive turkey, a box of produce product with the other box comprised of hardy staple food. Again no  sweets are involved. Each child under the age of 14 with receive three (3) individual toys which are collected annual by our partners – the Martin Chiropatic Clinic (19th year) and the nurses from the Lakeridge Health (OGH-7th year) from the 4th main floor.  Last year the combined collected new toys amounted to  1,138.

On December 20th, an estimated 150 volunteers will collectively join to-gether bonding to pack and delivery the groceries/toys to families selected and screened by the Salvation Army.

Back in April the Optimist Club of Oshawa where in the midst of folding due to lack of funds. On January 31 the clubs prime fundraiser weekly bingo’s at the Hideway Bingo Hall in Whitby went in receivership eliminating all potentional funding for the Christmas Hampers. The Optimist Club of Oshawa member decided to operate first time car raffle. With the cooperation of the Cobourg GM dealership Thomas Pontiac-Buick-GMC we embraced  into a mammoth sales campaign starting on the Victoria holiday weekend. This has been the longest and most successfull fundraiser in club history when the club was founded on July 22,1982.

The sales staff have been using high traffic locations ie- Walmart Super Centre in South Oshawa and Cobourg, Sobey’s North, Price Chopper located at Townline Road and in the Lake Vista Plaza, the LCBO, Oshawa Centre, Five Points mall, Car Classic shows plus other locations. The general public have been responsive to our sales team.

This past week loyal and tired  volunteers working where; Gary Fossum, Peter Pnauskas, Ron (Batman) Hele, Eric Goodwin, Greg Bamber, Brian Tremblay, Stephen Hambley, Marjorie Ogden, Cathy Kehoe and Jim Shaw.

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