MILESTONES OF OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL

• 1911 First Optimist Club forms in Buffalo, N.Y.
• 1919 First International Convention in Louisville, Ky.
• 1922 Optimist Creed is adopted.
• 1923 The motto "Friend of the Delinquent Boy" is selected.
• 1924 Motto revised to "Friend of the Boy.
• First Canadian Club forms in Toronto, Ont.
• Junior Optimist becomes part of the program.
• 1928 First International Oratorical Contest is held.
• 1929 Organization grows to 117 Optimist Clubs with 8000 members.
• 1936 The Life Membership plan is intorduced.
• 1940 The organization grows to 234 clubs and 12000 members.
• 1953 First International Bike Safety Week is held.
• 1954 Campaign against results in passing of 1956 Narcotics Law.
• 1957 Youth Appreciation Week first observed on international basis.
• 1960 Campaign against pornography to school childern started.
• 1963 Octagon Clubs for high school students initiates.
• 1964 Stay in School Program is launched.
• 1965 In cooperation with FBI and RCMP, Respect For Law started.
• 1967 Optimist Junior Golf program forms.
• 1969 50th anniversary celebration.
• The Optimist International Foundation is created.
• 1970 Drug Abuse Information program introduced.
• 1971 Organization grows to 3000 clubs with 106,000 members.
• Tri-Star Sports program rolls out.
• 1972 L.I.F.E. (Living Is For Everything) started for environmental issues.
• 1973 Optimists adopt "Friend of Youth" motto.
• 1978 Help Them Hear program begins.
• 1983 First official International Essay Contest is sponsored.
• 1984 "Just Say No" drug information to educate youth is started.
• 1985 Optimist International Foundation Fund reaches $2 million.
• 1986 Organization grows to 3800 clubs and 160,000 members.
• 1988 Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI) becomes official youth clubs.
• 1990 More then 20 clubs charter in Hungary
• 1992 Optimists in Action Day unties 232 clubs in a one day volunteer effort.
• 1993 75th Anniversary celebrated in Louisville International Convention.
• Alpha Clubs for grades 1 to 4 becomes part of JOOI.
• 1995 Optimist Non-Violence Day takes place.
• 1996 ABC (Always Buckle Children) safety awarness program is sponsored.
• 1997 ESPN broadcasts the Junior Golf championships on TV worldwide.
• 1998 Optimist float wins the "National Trophy" in the Tournament of Roses parade.
• 1999 Optimism celebrates 75 years in Canada