The Optimist Club of Calvert is a non-profit organization run by adult volunteers. Our mission is to help kids in the local community with service projects, scholarships, and support for other youth organizations. The Optimist Club of Calvert has touched the lives of many youth and adults in our community through the projects and programs that we have sponsored over the last fifty years. We are always eager to enhance and expand our efforts to be the ‘Friend of Youth’ and provide service to the community.
New Members Welcome !!!
Join us at one of our monthly dinner meetings! Meetings Dinner meetings are held on the fourth Monday of each month, starting at 7 p.m. at O’Gannigan’s Irish Pub in Prince Frederick. (Meetings are not held in December.) For more information about becoming a member, please visit our Membership page or email CalvertOptimists@gmail.com for more information.
The contest is open to students under age 19 (as of October 1, 2024) who have not yet graduated from high school. To apply through the Optimist Club of Calvert, students must attend a school in the Optimist Club of Calvert-Prince Frederick region (Chesapeake Beach, North Beach, Sunderland, Owings, Dunkirk, Huntingtown, Prince Frederick, St. Leonard, Port Republic, Broomes Island). Students in the Lusby, Dowell, and Solomons area, contact the Optimist Club of Solomons to enter their contest.
2025 Essay Contest Application
2025 Optimist Oratorical Contest Application
2024 Santa Night
Before Santa stopped by your house, he made sure to visit the Harriet E. Brown Community Center this month for our annual Santa Night. Forty kids visited with Santa, made crafts, played games and won prizes.
Constellation Energy & Optimist Club of Calvert Bike Giveaway
Earlier this month, we teamed up with Constellation to give away brand new bikes and helmets to 100 children. The bikes, assembled earlier this year by Constellation volunteers, were supplied by Free Bikes 4 Kidz Maryland. Seeing the joy, appreciation and smiles from these kids – many receiving their very first bike – is what the holiday season is all about.
The Optimist Club of Calvert would like to thank Constellation for selecting us to help distribute bikes and helmets to over 64 local families and St Paul United Methodist Church for allowing the bike giveaway to take place in your parking lot.
Christmas Parade
The 2024 Home for the Holidays Parade sponsored by the Optimist Club of Calvert and Calvert County Fair Board will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2024 (no rain date). The parade will start at 10:00 a.m. on Main Street in Prince Frederick, continue to Duke Street, go through the Prince Frederick Shopping Center, and turn right on Church Street toward the reviewing stand. Following the parade, head to King Park for Calvert County Parks & Recreation Home for the Holidays Celebration from noon to 3 p.m.
At our October monthly dinner meeting, we welcomed newest club member Paul Murdoch, Jr. Paul and lives in St. Leonard and runs an educational tour company called Chesapeake Heritage and Paleontological Tours. Interested in becoming a member or have questions? Send us a message to calvertoptimists@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
At our August monthly dinner meeting, we welcomed new club member Candace Milcarzyk. Candace is also a member of the Optimist Club of Solomons, where she is currently the Club President. Interested in becoming a member or have questions? Send us a message to calvertoptimists@gmail.com and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
August 12, 2024
It is with a heavy heart that we share the passing of friend and member Spencer Howes. Spencer was a charter member of our club (1968) and was our club President in 1976/77. We offer our condolences to the Howes family.
The Optimist Club of Calvert is proud to announce our 2024 Scholarship Winners!
Sarah Davis, a recent Calvert High School graduate, was awarded the 2024 Les Knapp Scholarship, valued at $8,000. Sarah will be attending the University of Maryland this fall majoring in Dietetics. Sarah Hurley, a recent Northern High School graduate, was awarded the 2024 Jim King Scholarship, valued at $6,000. Sarah will be attending Hamilton College in New York this fall majoring in International Relations. Kennedi Jones, a recent Huntingtown High School graduate, was awarded the 2024 Robert L. Chaney Career/Vocational/Technical Scholarship, valued at $3,000. Kennedi will be studying Computer Science at Hood College in the fall.
Sara Bevard, a recent Calvert High School graduate, was awarded the Edward V. Dorsey, Jr. Junior Optimist Scholarship, valued at $3,000. Sara will be attending Liberty University in Virginia this fall majoring in Biomedical Science. Emma Brezina, also a recent Calvert High School graduate, was awarded the Edward V. Dorsey, Jr. Junior Optimist Scholarship, valued at $3,000. Emma will be attending Stevenson University this fall majoring in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics. Congratulations Sarah, Sarah, Kennedi, Sara, and Emma! 
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