The Club proudly supports the Gardena Valley Sansei Baseball League, where boys and girls can find competition and friendship on the 'field of dreams'.

The Gardena Evening Optimist Club no longer operates a Youth Basketball League.

The Club publishes a monthly Optipinion newsletter for members and friends of the Club to keep them informed about current events, programs and activities. In addition, an Annual Year Book is published for the Club's Annual Installation Banquet.

The Club holds an annual Christmas Party at the JCI VFW Hall for Optimist kids of all ages. Club members prepare a delcious holiday feast with all the trimmings and afterwards sing Chritmas carols and share the holiday spirit with families and friends. Santa Claus makes a special early appearance and passes out presents to all the kids. In conjunction with the Christmas Party, the Club also conducts its annual Food and Toy Drive with members and guests dropping off their donations at the party.

The Club hosts an annual Clambake and campout for club members, families, and friends at Carpinteria State Beach just south of Santa Barbara. A fun weekend of outdoor activities and potluck food at a group campsite on the beautiful California coast.

The Club annually supports the Junior Blind Olympics, where visually-impaired children compete in athletic events. Jointly sponsored by the Pacific Southwest and Pacific Southeast Districts, the event is attended yearly by hundreds of participants and is held at the Junior Blind of America Campus in Los Angeles. The Optimist Clubs of Southern California contribute goods and services to the event.

The Club supports the Japanese Cultural Institute (JCI) in Gardena and its annual carnival by cooking rice for the all the food booths. The two-day event is held at the JCI; many food and game booths ensure a good time for all.

The Club honors members of the community who have aided or promoted law enforcement as part of our Respect for Law program. Scholarships are awarded to deserving students who intend to pursue careers in law or law enforcement. The awards this year were presented to:  Police Assistant Gicelle Ramirez from the Gardena Police Department Explorer Post and Capt. Cameron Williams from the Torrance Police Department Explorer Post.

Through the Essay program, the Club encourages today's youth in the development of their awareness of the origins and the responsibilities of freedom and, at the same time, to provide participants with the opportunity to improve their skills in written composition, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The competitions begin at the Club level and continue to the District level where a $2500 scholarship is awarded to the winning essay. Click to access the 2014-2015 Essay Contest Application. The official topic for this year's contest is “Optimism Should be a Priority” and the deadline for entries is January 31, 2014. For questions or for application submittal instructions, contact Chairman Jim Carroll at (310) 415-0196 or email GEO.

Through the Oratorical program, the Club encourages today's youth in the development of their speaking and presentation skills. The Oratorical Contest is not designed to merely recognize and honor the best speaker in a school or community. The purpose of the program is to offer training, encouragement and experience that will aid participants, as they become contributing citizens in society. The Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships is awarded annually by Optimist International for this program. The competitions begin at the Club level and continue to the District level where scholarships of $2500, $1500 and $1000 are awarded to the top 3 winners. Click to access the 2014-2015 Oratorical Contest Application. The official topic for this year's contest is “How My Optimist Will Help Me Press on to Greater Achievements of the Future” and the deadline for entries is March 2, 2015. For questions or for application submittal instructions, contact Chairman Jim Carroll at (310) 415-0196 or email GEO.

Through the Youth Appreciation program, the Club honors outstanding youths of the community with a special awards banquet at a local restaurant.

The Club supports local Optimist Youth Homes. Funded through our general fund, the Club provides gifts, housewares, and equipment to the residents of the various homes and contributes an annual donation to OYHFS.

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