On Saturday, April 23rd, the North Augusta Optimist Club held its annual Pancake Breakfast in support of local families affected by childhood cancer. The Optimists have held this breakfast for about 10 years, supporting the same cause.
The North Augusta Optimist Club—a part of Optimist International—has a focus area for childhood health and wellness, and with the knowledge of families in the area being affected by the trauma of childhood cancer, the Optimist Club wanted to start a project that would support the families in need.
Joanna Arnold, Treasurer of the Optimist Club and Project Manager of this breakfast, has a few examples of support for these families. Arnold says, “we almost always do something for a child who has cancer. Sometimes we do backpacks with activities, games, and things to take to their treatment.”
Making sure the child is occupied with something is a foremost concern of many of the doctors that are there to aid the children, and much of that responsibility falls on the parents or willing supporters.
When it comes to the parents, the Optimist Club says “we also always do something to ease the process, whether that it gas cards, restaurant gift cards, or something that fits a specific need.”
With this breakfast the Optimist Club wraps up a two-week-long “event-fest.” They’ve held many events that include their Easter Egg Hunt, Youth Appreciation Day, the start of their Junior Optimist Club, the pilot of the restart of their Oratorical Contest, and their scholarship review process.
While the Optimist Club waits to feel out the future of service around the community, they hope to see as much of the community as possible involved in their service events. No matter the age, you’re welcome to help the Optimists in any way possible.
Optimist Club members cooking breakfast.
Photo Credit: Andrew Towner