Welcome to the Clarkston Area Optimist Club

Programs and Events Section

Grant Program

The 2024 Fall Grant Program Application is now closed. Our spring 2025 Grant Program will be available approximately in mid-March of 2025.

Flags for Kids Program - 2025

Informational Flyer:

Flag Flyer 2025.pdf (442.76 KB)

Subscription Form:

FFK 2025 Subscription Form.pdf (337.4 KB)

Outstanding Student Citizen Program

Optimist Winter Fest

2nd Saturday of February, every winter, Depot Park skating rink, 12:00noon to 3:00pm. Skating, hot chocolate, DJ music, smores with campfire and kids games. All families are invited and it's FREE!

Club President's Page

From our 2024-2025 Club President Rick Karlewski:

Thank you for visiting the Clarkston Area Optimists Club website! I encourage you to explore all of the pages here and learn about all of the activities we provide and support within the greater Clarkston area, then consider joining us. Having a positive, optimistic attitude has been shown to lead to a longer life as well as slow the aging process!

There are many reasons to become an Optimist and it begins with do you want to be a better person? Do you want to live in a better community and a better world? Optimism, and being an Optimist can lead to not only a better life for a prospective member, it can lead to a better life for multiple people. When we change the perspective of an adult or a child to optimism, they in turn can change their family. A family can then change a neighborhood. A neighborhood can change a community which can then change a city, a state, a nation and ultimately the world.

There is a branch of mathematics called chaos theory and within chaos theory there is a concept called the butterfly effect. This states that a butterfly on one side of the world can cause a tornado on the other side of the world due to the ripple effect of just flapping it wings. It explains how a small fluctuation in one part of system can generate a huge difference in the later outcomes. While not looking to cause a tornado, I would like to leave you with one thought:

Let us, as Optimists, be the butterfly that flaps its wings and ultimately changes the world for the better!

Upcoming Meetings

Membership Gatherings are held on Wednesdays mornings at the Clarkston United Methodist Church, 7:30am. Guests are welcome to attend. Complimentary coffee, donuts and bagels are available for your wake-up pleasure.

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024 - 7:30am - Jim Tedder, Township Trustee and Rotary Club President will be our guest speaker

Wednesday, October 30th, 2024 - 7:30am - member Lisa Austin, will speak about the Children's Writers Camp/Reading Program

Wednesday, November 6th, 2024 - 7:30am - Business Gathering

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024 - 7:30am - Craig Boring, OI Foundation Executive Director, along with member Rob Whitcomb, will talk about an IO program called Charitable Giving

Wednesday, November 20th, 2024 - 7:30am -

Wednesday, November 27th, 2024 - 7:30am - no meeting, casual gathering at Neimans Market Cafe

Clarkston Optimist Media

Optimist Club YouTube Channel

Click here, to view and watch Clarkston Optimist activities and programs happening right here in Clarkston.

Service for the Community

Click here, to view our Independence Televison spotlight video on the Clarkston Optimist Club.

Podcasts by Alan Partington

Turn up your speakers, click on the links below to listen to the latest in Alan Partington's creative Podcast Series, featuring local community members.
"Clarkston Family Farm"