Optimist Club of Plainfield, Indiana

"Bringing Out The Best In Kids" in Plainfield, Indiana since 1954!

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Plainfield Optimist “Special Needs” Baseball Program to begin this Spring...
The Plainfield Optimist Club has long been known for its youth sports programs.  Beginning this year, the Club plans to add a “Challenger” Division to its Little League Baseball Program.  The Club is seeking to serve kids who may have special needs or challenges that otherwise may prevent them from participating in youth sports programs.  The program is set to have games every Saturday afternoon beginning May 1 at Jim Hummel Park.  The program will eventually move to the new “Miracle Field” planned to be a part of the new Plainfield Youth Athletic Complex.

The Challenger Division was established in 1989 as a separate division of Little League to enable boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, ages 5-18, or up to age 22 if still enrolled in high school, to enjoy the game of baseball along with the millions of other children who participate in this sport worldwide.  Today more than 30,000 children participate in more than 900 Challenger Divisions worldwide.

Teams are set up according to abilities, rather than age, and can include as many as 15-20 players. Challenger games can be played as t-ball games, coach pitch, player pitch, or a combination of the three.  In a Challenger game, each player gets a chance at bat. The side is retired when the offense has batted through the roster, when a pre-determined number of runs have been scored, or when three outs are recorded. Score is not kept during Challenger Division games.

The Optimist Club will hold an informational meeting and advance player registrations at the Plainfield Public Library on Tuesday, March 30 at 7:00 PM.  The Club is seeking parents of potential participants and other community minded volunteers who would like to participate in this program as volunteers to attend this meeting.  Anyone who is interested in this program is also urged to contact Plainfield Optimist Club President, John Reel by phone at (317) 839-3266 or by
e-mail at johnreel861@comcast.net.

Plainfield Youth Athletic Complex …
Click to view the preliminary drawing of the Youth Athletic Complex to be developed east of the Plainfield Re-entry facility (formerly the Indiana Boys School) as provided by Banning Engineering. Plainfield Youth Athletic Complex

2009-10 Meeting Schedule…
Beginning Octoberb15, 2009, Club meetings will be held at the Plainfield Elks Lodge every Thursday  at 6:30 PM.  The third Thursday of each month will be known as "Super Thursday" featuring a special program of interest to all members, especially those who may not be able to attend every week.  A few meetings may be held at alternative locations.   Watch the "Opti-News" for dates and locations of these meetings.

Mar. 18 – “Super Thursday” – Mr. David Best portraying Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and author of the Declaration of Independence, will perform a reenactment entitled “A Conversation with Mr. Jefferson”.  Mr. Best is a 1950 graduate of Harvard University. He was a member of the adjunct faculty at Indiana University–Purdue University at Indianapolis for 17 years before retiring in 1999 as an Associate Professor. He is a member of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors and is the editor of the Hoosier Surveyor, the society’s publication. He is a Past President of the Harvard Club of Indiana, a Past President of The Propylaeum Historic Foundation, Inc. in Indianapolis, and is the Immediate Past President of the Breakfast Optimist Club of Indianapolis.  As an avocation he presents one-man shows as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette. He is known locally and nationally for these presentations before groups ranging from kindergartners to attendees of national conventions. In this thirty minute portrayal of Thomas Jefferson at the age of 82, the setting is in Mr. Jefferson’s Monticello study. Mr. Jefferson will reminisce about pivotal events in his life and about his role in writing The Declaration of American Independence.  Members of our youth Clubs, the Octagon Club and the Junior Optimist Club, have also been invited to attend this program.  Club members are encouraged to bring their school aged kids as well.  For planning purposes, please e-mail Mike Woodward by March 15 to let him know how many plan to attend and/or eat.  Mike’s e-mail is mjwoodwardiu@yahoo.com.

Newsletters:  The Opti-News, the Club's monthly newsletter, is published monthly.  Current Newsletter - 
May 2010                                                    

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