Here is Brittany Donnell, Executive Director of Sunshine Industries, a Sweet Home non-profit that is dedicated to serving people with disabilities and helping them live happy, quality lives, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great work they do for an underserved but well-deserving group that's in all of our communities.

Here is Charlotte Wiebe from Special Olympics Linn County telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great work they are doing to empower and celebrate their athletes who are developmentally disabled. They have dances, parties, and carnivals on top of providing athletic programs like bowling, swimming, and track. They really need coaches!! Check out their web site to find out how you can help these athletes achieve their dreams!

Here is Laurie Russel from Lumina Hospice and Palliative telling your Lebanon Optimists about the important and tough work they do to help our community members who are nearing the end of their time. They focus on comfort and helping their patients live each day as fully as possible.

Please join us in welcoming your newest Lebanon Optimists, James Wright and Warren Stroup. We're back at 100 strong! #bestinthenorthwest

Here is one of our own, Becky Van Atta from the Enliven Foundation, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great work that the Enliven Foundation is doing to help single parents get into education programs for their career choice, supporting them through school, and helping better establish their families to break generational poverty. Amazing work from amazing people! Let us know if you would like to help support the Enliven Foundation.

President Gary Heintzman created a "President's Appreciation" award for LeeAnne Gilmour to honor her outstanding work as Optimists Treasurer. Thank you for all your hard work, LeeAnne!

Our heartfelt thanks to Doris Modderman, you deserve the President's Citation! Thank you for all your hard work raising funds for Lebanon's kids!

Please join us in welcoming your newest Lebanon Optimists, Becky Van Atta from the Enliven Foundation, and Will Wright from the Lebanon Downtown Association! Welcome aboard!

Here is Bernie from Vets HQ "Vets Helping Vets" telling your Lebanon Optimists about the hard work they do to help out veterans with problems like getting their full veterans benefits and health care.

Here is one of our own, Doug Phillips, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great work our Lebanon Booster Club has been lining up and knocking down. From the ashes of the old "Wigwam Wisemen", Doug and a dedicated group of boosters have revitalized the Lebanon Booster Club. They are holding events, coordinating signs and donations for sports, and signing up Booster Club members to raise funds for Lebanon sports and other LHS extracurriculars. Their goal is to eventually make sports and other extracurriculars free for any student that wants to participate. Message us to learn more about how you can help!

Here is Kristi May with the LBL Early Learning Hubs, telling your Lebanon Optimists about how they are working to help all of Oregon's children get a great start on their education by getting them ready for kindergarten by making sure they can read and have the resources they need to be successful.

Here is Lorlee Engler, Director of the Lebanon Community Pool, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great programs offered by Lebanon's only pool. Family swim passes are only $285 a year!

Here is Nicole McGehee from the Lebanon Mothers of Pre-schoolers (MOPS). This is a great support group for new mothers. MOPS meetings include practical teaching through speakers, demonstrations and videos. Plus, there's usually food... food you didn't make! But more important, you'll get to have honest conversations with other moms who understand the joys and frustrations of motherhood. Find out more at www.mops.org

Here is Heidi Henry from the Center for Non-Profit Stewardship, telling your Lebanon Optimists about what the CNPS does to help empower nonprofits with education in sound financial, administrative, and organizational stewardship. If you are part of a non-profit, these great folks can help your cause succeed!

Here is one of our own, Leigh Matthews Bock, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the wonderful, powerful, and meaningful work that the South Willamette Valley Honor Flight does to honor those who fought for our country. Along with Paul, a Korean War Veteran now residing in the Lebanon Veterans Home, Leigh presented a moving video about how Honor Flight brings our aged warriors back to our Nation's capital and recognizes them for their sacrifice. It was truly touching to see how meaningful the Honor Flight is to our veterans. Please help this great cause by donating, volunteering to be a Guardian that accompanies each veteran, and by helping them find veterans!

If you know a veteran that hasn't been honored with an Honor Flight, please let us know right away so we can get them the recognition they deserve.

Here is one of our own, Bobby Williams from the ABC House, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the tough but unfortunately needed work the ABC House takes on to rescue, recover, and advocate for the kids and teens that face sexual abuse. The tragic reality some children face is horrible, but the ABC House works incessantly to fight the abuse some kids face and help those kids go on to live great lives. They also strive to prevent these abuses through education. You can support the ABC House with your volunteering, your donations, or by joining in their Runway Pumpkin Half Marathon & 8k on July 7th.

Please join us in welcoming your newest Lebanon Optimist, Kate Lacy!

Here is one of our own, Rose DixonBarry, telling your Lebanon Optimists about Lebanon's "Santiam Excursion Trains", Lebanon's premiere on-going event/attraction and a huge supporter of the Lebanon Community. You can ride their trains from Lebanon to Sweet Home and back, with food and beverages, almost every week! Check them out at santiamexcursiontrains.com and see what all the buzz is about!

Here is one of our own, Leah Wolfenbarger, telling us about the Junior Optimists Youth Attitude Award (JOYA Awards) that Lebanon started in 1997 and have gone on to be an example for the entire Optimists International. We spotlight students with great optimistic attitudes with recognition in their school as well as an annual award ceremony where dignitaries come to honor our optimistic youth. The kids get an ice cream social after, and become eligible for a JOYA scholarship when they graduate.

This wonderful program is something we are very proud of starting and continuing. We raise money with our annual Strawberry Pancake Breakfast as well as our new raffle! You can support this amazing program directly by contacting us, or buy raffle and pancake tickets from an Optimist member.

Here is Dala Johnson, Lebanon Police Officer and one of our own, representing her Blue Angels team and the Linn County Partners for Crime Prevention, telling your Lebanon Optimists about Child Abuse Awareness month and what they are doing to spread awareness and stop child abuse. You'll notice Lebanon has been turned blue by the hard work of the Blue Angels- it's all for our kids! Know the signs and know what to do if you see them. Contact Dala at the Justice Center to learn more and learn what you can do to help.

Here is one of our own, Helen Kennedy Ramsdell, pinch hitting for Cindy Kerby to tell your Lebanon Optimists about the Lebanon Strawberry Festival. It's time to submit your parade float application!

Here is Tina Breshears, Executive Director for the Lebanon Habitat for Humanity, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the hard work Habitat does to help the disadvantaged families in Lebanon get their own home and land to improve the stability of our community. They have a Christian philosophy, and they never turn away someone in need when they can help. Their ReStore storefront is a great place to pick up low cost house supplies and materials and all proceeds go towards their mission. Beyond this, they help homeowners out with navigating insurance and learning how to tackle the challenges of being a homeowner. If you want to support this great cause, let us know!

Here are Avery Shields and Tanner Acosta from the Lebanon High School Musical Theatre and Drama Department telling your Lebanon Optimists about the importance of theater for our schools and our community. They really need the community's help to get a good volunteer network that can help build sets on short notice. Know someone who can help? Let us know!

Here is Amanda Kelly, the Boys and Girls Clubs of The Greater Santiam Youth of the Year, telling us about the amazing impact the Boys and Girls Club had in her life. What an wonderful young person! Lebanon is proud

Here are Dena and Terri from Altrusa telling your Lebanon Optimists about the great work that Altrusa is doing for the kids in the Linn County community, including the Kidz Shop program that helps kids get the clothes and supplies they need for their year.

Here is Kate Lacey from the Boys and Girls Clubs of The Greater Santiam presenting Lebanon Optimists President Gary Heintzman with the team picture of another great group of kids sponsored by your Lebanon Optimists!

Here is Linn County Commissioner Roger Nyquist telling your Lebanon Optimists about what's happening in Linn County, including their ongoing lawsuits against the state for unfunded labor mandates and for mismanagement of Oregon's timber resources.

Here is Kate Lacey from the Boys and Girls Clubs of The Greater Santiam, presenting your Lebanon Optimists with a picture of a team we sponsored. What a great way for community members and organizations to be able to partner up and help out our kids. Who here has a business or organization that has sponsored a team or has had a kid on a sports team? Share your story!

Here is Cameilla Moss from Camellia's Candles in Downtown Lebanon. Cameilla's Candles has a variety of name brand candles, as well as a wax recycling program that is both sustainable and profitable! Check out her shop for some great mood lights, decorations, and old fashioned "aromatherapy" from your favorite candle scents.

Here is our own Dr. Ed Goering, Doctor of Osteopathy and professor at COMP-Northwest, telling your Lebanon Optimists about what DO's are, how they are different from your standard MD, and all the great work Lebanon's medical school is doing to grow the next generation of doctors for our state and country.

Here is Tammy Brewer, from Dream Dinners and the Lebanon Oregon Toastmasters, telling your Lebanon Optimists about the importance of family dinners and how they bring us together as a family and instill important values in our children. Dream Dinners loves to help people plan family dinners with guided meal prep for easy, delicious dinners (Wyatt can attest). They are starting to do fundraisers that combine cooking and supporting local causes. What a great company!