The holidays are over and we at the SCV Newhall Optimist Club hope you and yours had happy ones. Our wishes for the New Year are ones of health, happiness and peace for all mankind. Our thanks and gratitude go out to all those in the community that helped make our annual food and toy drive a success.
Because of this community, many children and their families had a very merry Christmas. Our annual “Santa’s Magic” trek to the Pitchess Detention center was as always, very heart warming and we were touched by the many children who were on hand to see Santa and receive a toy. For many of those children visiting relatives, mainly their fathers, the toy they received at Santa’s Magic may have been the only Christmas present they got. Some have asked why do we do this? All we can say is that these children are the victims and as Optimists we believe in “Bringing out the Best in Children,” perhaps this will help to do that. It was nice to have Santa back (aka Mike Gadbury) after a three-year absence due to his health problems. Thanks to the members of the SCV Newhall Optimist club and other Optimist clubs and non-Optimists volunteers that helped.
With the holidays over we are full steam ahead for our “2008 Bowl-a-thon which will take place on February 16 at the Santa Clarita Lanes benefiting “Heads Up Therapy on Horses.” There will be five-man teams bowling and we still have several spots open. Besides bowling, there will be a silent auction and several other surprises. Bowling is not limited to the “just good bowlers”, this is a family event, so bring down the kids, grandma and grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins, and have a good time.
This year’s bowl-a-thon is dedicated to Jim Tidwell who is still recuperating in the hospital due to the many burns he suffered trying to save the horses during the horrific fires we suffered last year. So please help us to help rebuild “Heads Up Therapy” and join us. For information call Mike Holt at 661-236-7265 or Cathy McCutcheon at 661-296-0782.
There is still time to enter the 2008 essay for high schoolers and oratorical contests for middle schoolers. If interested call 661-252-7313 for further information. Both of these contests have scholarship money as the grand prize.
Until next month.