December 2020
NOTICE Of APPOINTMENT
By Jean-Claude St-Onge
Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation (CCOF)

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Linda Loranger as Executive Director of the CCOF. 

Holding a degree in Law from the Université de Montréal, Ms. Loranger has extensive experience in business law, having advised senior executives of public and non-profit organizations on issues regarding financing, management and communications. 

Her experience with various boards of directors and committees presents her as an indispensable asset for the Foundation. In addition, Ms. Loranger offers the advantage of being familiar with the Optimist movement. She will assume her duties on November 30, 2020. 

Ms. Loranger can be reached by e-mail at [email protected]  

The Board joins me in wishing her every success in her new position. 

Congratulations Ms. Loranger!

Fundraising ideas during pandemic times 

« The Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation through its outsourcing program can join forces with Optimist clubs to apply for federal government grants. »

Optimists clubs' needs are growing, while the means to finance their projects are increasingly limited due to the current pandemic contest. In this regard, the Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation, through its outsourcing program, can collaborate with Optimists clubs in seeking grants from the federal government.  

For example, the Ellice Optimist club in Ontario through the outsourcing program with CCOF received $15,000 from the Farm Credit Canada AgriSpirit Fund for its community sustainability project. This fund will enable the installation of barrier-free doors, wheelchair ramps and new signage at Ellice's Rockstall Hall Community Centre.  

Similarly, the Aylmer Optimist club in Ontario has received a $23,000 grant from the federal government, specifically from the Emergency Community Support Fund, to fund its "Christmas Toys" project. The Aylmer Optimist Club has thus equipped itself with the means to offer a joyful holiday season to underprivileged children in their community. 

The Community Support Emergency Fund was launched on May 19, 2020, by the federal government to help charities and NPOs adapt and expand front-line services to vulnerable populations during COVID-19.  

To find out more about Emergency Community Support Fund, please visit Emergency Community Support Fund
The results of the vote are in...

Over the past year the President of the Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation (CCOF), Rod McKendrick has implemented an innovative club grant program.  

Indeed, in this past year, we have had to iMagine ways to deal with the pandemic. Optimist clubs across Canada from coast to coast responded to the challenge by submitting their project for one of three grants offered by the CCOF.  

In addition, the Foundation also wanted to innovate by involving all of their generous donors in the process of selecting the winners.  

There were 14 innovative projects from Canadian Optimistic Clubs that were to be judged by 498 donors with 2,500 voting rights. It was a most rewarding exercise for the Foundation, the Optimist Clubs and the Canadian Optimist members.  

The detail about the projects submitted, and the results of the vote are available on the Foundation website.    

1st place Grant: $2 500
Optimist Club of Prince Albert, SK, 13110

Project Name: Replace and Add School Playground Equipment
2nd place Grant: $1 500 
Club Optimiste de Ste-Julie, QC, 50789

Project Name: Computer Donations to Ste-Julie's families
3rd place Grant:  $1 000
 
Generation XX Optimist Club, PEI, 45000

Project Name: The Generation We Want Conference
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