A Little Optimism for Your Week
A little optimism for your week ☀️
This line from the Optimist Creed has guided our club for generations. Curious about us or ready to get involved? Send us a DM. We'd love to meet you.
#OptimistInternational #GardenaCA #CommunityService
Manhattan vs. New England: The Great Clam Chowder Vote
Hello, Optimists!
The Clambake is almost here, and before we fire up the pots, it is time to settle one of the great culinary debates of all time.
Manhattan or New England clam chowder?
This year the decision is YOURS. We are putting it to a club vote: which chowder gets served at the Clambake. Two legendary recipes enter, one leaves a champion.
MEET THE CONTENDERS
Contender 1: New England Clam Chowder, The Creamy Classic
New England
Rich, creamy, hearty, comforting. New England clam chowder is the traditional white chowder made with tender clams, potatoes, onions, and a creamy broth. Thick, satisfying, and made for oyster crackers and a warm piece of sourdough bread.
Traditional New England Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, juices reserved
- 3 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cups half-and-half
- 1 cup clam juice or broth
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- Salt, pepper, and thyme to taste
Preparation:
1. Cook bacon until crispy, then saute onions in the drippings.
2. Add butter and flour, stirring to form a light roux.
3. Add clam juice, potatoes, and thyme. Simmer until potatoes are tender.
4. Stir in half-and-half and clams.
5. Heat gently without boiling, season, and serve!
The result: a creamy, savory bowl of New England comfort.
Contender 2: Manhattan Clam Chowder, The Bold, Tomato-Based Challenger
Manhattan
Forget the cream! Manhattan clam chowder takes a completely different approach with a vibrant tomato broth, tender clams, potatoes, celery, onions, and herbs. It is lighter, tangier, and packed with vegetables. This East Coast classic delivers ocean flavor and savory tomato goodness in every spoonful.
Traditional Manhattan Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cans (6.5 oz each) chopped clams, juices reserved
- 2 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 cups clam juice or broth
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- Thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper to taste
Preparation:
1. Cook bacon until lightly crispy.
2. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until softened.
3. Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, clam juice, potatoes, and herbs.
4. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
5. Add clams during the final few minutes, season, and serve!
The result: a bright, hearty, tomato-rich chowder bursting with coastal flavor.
NOW IT IS YOUR TURN TO VOTE
Which chowder deserves a place on our menu? One vote per person, so make it count.
And do not be shy! Email the club at gardenaoptimist@gmail.com and tell us WHY your chowder deserves the crown. A little friendly chowder rivalry never hurt anyone.
Let us get everyone involved, have some fun, and make this a delicious club decision.
Yours in Optimism,
Chef Justin
Perch Fishing at the Clambake: A Beginner's Guide
Every year at the Clambake we hold a Perch Derby, and every year somebody catches their first fish in it. If you've never surf fished before, this guide has everything you need to get started.
What you'll need
Bring a spinning rod and reel if you have one. I bring artificial sandworms, hooks, and sliding sinkers for everyone, and I'm always around to help get rods set up.
Need a rod? This 8-foot rod (https://a.co/0fAFoNpE) is a great, inexpensive starter for surf perch. You can toss light bait out with it and feel every bite.
You'll also want sun protection, comfortable clothes, and shoes that can get wet. If you're 16 or older, you'll need a California fishing license (more on that below). A bead, swivel, leader line, and basic tackle round out the kit. Not sure what you need? Just ask me.
Your rig: the Carolina rig
We use a simple setup called a Carolina rig. Slide a sinker onto your line, add a swivel, tie on a short leader with a hook, and you're ready for bait. Start with a 1/2 to 1 oz sliding egg sinker, a small bead to protect the knot, a barrel swivel, 18 to 24 inches of leader, and a size 4 or 6 hook. Thread a 2-inch Gulp! sandworm onto the hook so the body covers the shank and the point stays exposed.
The knot: improved clinch
This is the one knot worth learning. Thread through the eye, wrap 5 to 7 times, through the small loop, back through the big loop, moisten, tighten, trim. If knots aren't your thing, find me at the beach and I'll tie them all day.
How to catch a perch
Here's what most beginners don't realize: you don't have to cast far. Perch feed in the shallow water where waves break and wash back out.
• Fish the wash. Look for where the waves churn up the sand.
• Keep your bait moving. Cast out, let the sinker settle, then slowly reel in with pauses.
• Feel the bite. You'll feel a little tap, tap, tap. When a fish takes it, lift gently and reel steadily.
• Move around. No bites in 10 to 15 minutes? Try another spot down the beach.
• Watch the waves. Keep an eye on the surf, give swimmers space, and cast away from other beachgoers. Adults, keep kids supervised.
Catch it, cook it, eat it
Surfperch are genuinely good eating. Release the smaller ones carefully. If you keep one, it has to be legal: know your fish and respect the limits. I'll help with safe hook removal, cleaning, and cooking right at camp. When in doubt, ask before you keep a fish.
Fishing licenses
Anyone 16 or older needs a California sport fishing license. Kids under 16 fish free. The easy option is a one-day license ($21.09). Just make sure you select the derby day: https://wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/online-sales
Derby rules
The derby runs Saturday morning until 4 PM. Longest eligible surfperch wins. Measure from the tip of the nose (mouth closed) to the end of the longest part of the tail, and take a photo of your fish on the measuring device.
Current CDFW Southern Region regulations: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Ocean/Regulations/Fishing-Map/Southern
A Little Optimism for Your Week
The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. — Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi said the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others, and our club tries to live that every week. Curious about us or ready to get involved? Send us a DM. We'd love to meet you.
The Optipinion Is Back
President's Message
Hi everyone,
Something big is happening in our club, and I couldn't wait to tell you.
Meet your new home base. Our website, www.gardenaoptimist.org, is now the center of everything we do. Here's your tour.
The Optipinion Is Back
Remember the paper newsletter that used to land in your mailbox? It's back and better, living on the website as our club news hub. Announcements, event recaps, everything happening in the club.
Visit the Optipinion
Never Miss a Thing
Every meeting, event, and fundraiser, all on one calendar.
Earn Your Dues
We're changing how dues work, and we're leading the way. Your annual dues are $120. Starting now, you can erase them completely by doing what you came here to do: serve.
Earn 4 service credits and your dues are gone. Here's all it takes:
- Serve on the board: 2 credits
- Attend a dinner meeting: 1 credit
- Serve on an event committee: 1 credit
That's it. Show up, pitch in, and your membership pays for itself. We track everything for you, so your credits pile up automatically.
We're piloting this right here in Gardena, and we're the first to try it. If it works the way we believe it will, we're taking it to Optimist International. You're in the test group for something that could change the organization.
Rather Just Pay?
No problem. Pay your dues online on our Membership page. Scroll to the bottom to the Membership Account checkout and enter your amount. Not sure what you owe? Request your member statement through the Contact Us form on the same page.
This is your club, and it's moving forward. Check the site often, and tell me what you want to see there.
In Optimism,
Justin Carroll,
President,
Gardena Evening Optimist Club
63rd Annual Installation Dinner and Ceremony
At our 63rd Annual Installation Dinner and Ceremony on Sunday, PSWD Governor Carol Morack officiated over the retirement of our 2025-26 Officers and Board of Directors and the Installation of our 2026-27 Officers and Board of Directors. Everyone had a good time and enjoyed the ono buffet dinner at our old favorite Cherrystones Restaurant, hosted by our good friends Leonard and Audrey Kim.
Outgoing President Dave Allen reflected upon the year, highlighting the success of our many programs and events, including the club donating over $7000 to several youth-focused organizations such as the Optimist Youth Home and Family Service, Optimist International Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Boy Scout Troop 683, Japanese Cultural Institute, Optimist Festival of Trees, Nisei Week Foundation, Music Will, Gardena Pantry, and the Playa Vista Optimist Club. Dave also presented the Optimist of the Year award to Ron Shintani for his outstanding work for the club as Bag Man and for securing donations and sponsorships for our Annual Golf Tournament fundraiser over the years. Incoming President and New Members
Incoming president Justin Carroll delivered an energetic acceptance speech and announced changes that will take effect this year, emphasizing participation and involvement, with members earning credits to offset their annual membership dues. Also, Carol Morack inducted two new members, Brad Atwood and Travis Greenfield, who bring new ideas and energy to the club.
Happy 94th Birthday, Burt Nakamura
It was also a very special occasion to celebrate Burt Nakamura's 94th Birthday. Burt is the most senior member of our club, having joined in 1964. Happy Birthday, Burt, and thank you for being a member for 62 years.
In Optimism,
Jim Carroll, Secretary/Treasurer
Kicking Off a New Optimist Year
Kicking off a new Optimist year with our new President, Justin Carroll, visiting Scout Troop 683, a troop the Gardena Evening Optimist Club is proud to sponsor.
It was a great opportunity to spend time with the Scouts, hear about what they're working toward, and see one of the many ways our club's support reaches youth in our community.
A fitting first official visit for our new president and a reminder of what Optimism is all about: being a Friend of Youth.
#GardenaEveningOptimist #FriendOfYouth #Gardena
A Little Optimism for Your Week
A little optimism for your week
This line from the Optimist Creed has guided our club for generations. Curious about us or ready to get involved? Send us a DM. We'd love to meet you.
#OptimistInternational #GardenaCA #CommunityService
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