The Tri-Town Optimist Club was chartered on May 30, 2003, in Mechanic Falls. Members are mainly from Mechanic Falls, Poland, and Minot. The main focus of the club is to help area youth. The president of the club is Vicki Dean of Mechanic Falls. The vice presidents are Michael Ring from Mechanic Falls and Virginia Colby from Harrison, Terri Arsenault is the club’s secretary and Eileen Hotham is the treasurer. Both are from Mechanic Falls.

The Tri-Town Optimist Club sponsors the Student of the Month Program. The club has also been involved in helping families in need from the area. This Halloween, they helped the Elm Street School Before and After School Program raise money with the Fall Fair. They are currently working on starting a teen club at Poland Regional High School, as currently there are no civic groups there. Right now they are sponsoring an essay contest for high school students. The topic is “Being the Best I Can Be”. The deadline for the contest is February 28. To enter, contact Vicki Dean at 345-9150. If writing isn’t your thing, they will also be sponsoring an oratorical contest and a youth golf tournament in the near future.

But they are not the only group like themselves out there. In fact, there are 3,500 more. They are all under Optimist International, a club founded in 1919. There are 117,000 members and their headquarters are in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the fourth largest civic group in the world.

If you like further information on this club, go to www.optimist.org.