St. Lawrence Optimist Club

The St. Lawrence Optimist Club, part of Optimist International, was founded in 1995, with the Lasalle Des Rapides Optimist Club as our sponsor. Our charter membership consists of five still-active members, and we have grown to now have approx. 30 members. We are one of the very few English-language Optimist Clubs in the province of Quebec.

To make our club dinner meetings enjoyable and appealing, most business is conducted at committee and board meetings that are open to all members. Club dinner meetings feature good fellowship and interesting programs. Dinner meetings are held monthly on a weekday evening at 6:30 pm, at a restaurant or school in Verdun, LaSalle or Lachine.

We raise funds to support youth in our communities by selling hot dogs and fruit cakes and other fund-raising events. We hold an easter egg hunt for children every spring and are involved in many projects for youth, including our school bag project which annually provides school supplies and bags for many young people.

In order to serve youth and the community effectively, a club must have able, dedicated members. We seek women and men of good character with a keen interest in serving youth and the community with us.

For further information, please contact Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Quinn at (514) 768-1332.


Our club's hero, Chris Kazmerchuk, winner of 5 medals at the Special Olympics; sponsored by the St. Lawrence Optimist Club.	Another hero, Jaleesa Wright, winner of a gold medal in sprint; sponsored by the St. Lawrence Optimist Club.

The Saint Lawrence Optimist Club is embarking on a joint fundraising venture with the Dawson Community Center in Verdun . These two organizations support the Verdun community and beyond. The needs for fundraising are Dawson ’s participation in a Canada wide teen leadership conference taking place in St. John New Brunswick in May 2009. Eighteen teens from Verdun hope to participate. The Saint Lawrence Optimist Club needs to raise funds once again this year for its school bag project. Our club distributes 40 to 60 schools bags filled with much needed school supplies to disadvantaged children in our service area.

Our fund raiser will be a St.Patrick’s day dinner and entertainment evening for adult members of our community.

Donations in kind, of food and drink, help with advertising the event or ticket sales, voluntary participation as an entertainer or musician as well as donations of door prizes would certainly contribute to making our evening successful.