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