Akron Breakfast Optimist Club - Summit County, OH

05/07/2026

05/07/2026

What an absolutely incredible and inspiring morning at the Akron Breakfast Optimist Club as we proudly honored Officer James Hadbavny with our “Respect for Law” Award! The room was filled with appreciation and admiration as we celebrated someone who is making a truly life-changing impact on the students, staff, and families at NIHF STEM Middle School.

It was especially meaningful to have Officer Hadbavny’s family, fellow officers, and the STEM Middle School Principal there to share in this special recognition. Sgt. White delivered an outstanding and heartfelt speech that gave everyone in attendance a deeper understanding of just how much Officer Hadbavny means to the school community. We learned that his role goes far beyond keeping the school safe—he is a mentor, encourager, role model, and trusted friend to so many students during some of the most important years of their lives.

Every single day, Officer Hadbavny helps guide and support students, participates in school activities, builds meaningful relationships with the kids, and helps create a positive environment where students feel safe, valued, and encouraged to succeed. The love and respect Officer Hadbavny has for the students and them for him, is undeniable and it was clear to everyone in the room that he is an irreplaceable part of their school family.

This morning was such a beautiful reminder of the positive difference law enforcement officers can make in our communities, especially when they invest their hearts into the next generation the way Officer Hadbavny does. We are beyond thankful for his dedication, service, leadership, and compassion. Congratulations again on this very well-deserved honor!

The Akron Breakfast Optimist Club is so proud to recognize individuals like Officer Hadbavny, who embody service, leadership, and optimism in our community!

04/16/2026

🌞✨ This Morning at the Akron Breakfast Optimist Club ✨🌞

The Akron Breakfast Optimist Club was honored to welcome an inspiring guest speaker, columnist Sandy Engle, a retired school psychologist, who delivered a powerful message on how “You Can Make a Difference.”

Sandy’s passion for environmental stewardship beamed through as she educated our members on the benefits of organic growing and its positive impact on our world. She also shared her involvement in organizing a spring event dedicated to promoting the health and wellness of farmers and gardeners—an initiative designed to instill hope and provide practical solutions through education on organic farming.🌱

She spoke candidly about her personal experiences with the effects of conventional pesticides, while expressing empathy and appreciation for the hardworking farmers who sustain our communities. Her thoughtful perspective encouraged meaningful reflection among our members.

Throughout her presentation, Sandy shared several inspiring quotes, including one by the late renowned conservationist, Jane Goodall, whose incredible life and legacy continue to inspire people around the world! Jane Goodall dedicated her life to protecting our planet and empowering young people to take action—reminding us all that even the smallest efforts can create meaningful change.

Sandy’s words served as a powerful reminder that each of us has the ability to create positive change—an idea that aligns perfectly with the Optimist mission of bringing out the best in kids. By inspiring young people to care for the environment and their communities, we help cultivate a brighter future for generations to come.💙

We also appreciate Sandy’s dedication to local journalism. She is a columnist for The Portager, a locally owned newspaper serving Portage County. Supporting local news helps keep our communities informed, connected, and strong!

Thank you, Sandy, for an enlightening and impactful program!

04/03/2026

🌷What a Beautiful Thursday Morning Together!

Thank you to everyone who joined us yesterday at The New Era Restaurant—it was truly a wonderful and meaningful meeting!

A very special thank you to our own Colleen Campbell for leading us through such a heartfelt and inspiring moment. She shared a beautiful passage from the Bible along with a thoughtful message that perfectly captured the spirit of Holy Week and the season of renewal. 💛

Colleen also added a fun and festive touch by bringing candy for everyone and hosting a raffle for a gorgeous Easter flower basket arrangement—congratulations to our Ohio District Governor, Debbie Walsh, on winning! 🌸🐣

Colleen, thank you for making the morning so special. Your message and generosity were truly appreciated by all!

We’re so grateful for our amazing group and the time we get to spend together. If you’ve been thinking about joining us, we’d love to welcome you at an upcoming meeting!

04/01/2026

🌷✨ Join Us This Thursday! ✨🌷

Invite a guest and start your morning with us this Thursday, April 2nd at 7:30 AM at The New Era Restaurant!

In honor of Holy Week, we’re excited to feature our very own Colleen Campbell, who will be sharing a special, heartfelt meditation she found especially meaningful for this sacred season. You won’t want to miss this beautiful moment of reflection as we celebrate Easter, Holy Week, and the arrival of Spring—alongside Passover (April 1–9 this year).

💛 Great breakfast
💛 Inspiring message
💛 Even better company

🌱 Last Call!
And how can you best celebrate Spring? By turning in your Graf Gift Card orders to Amy at this week’s meeting. This is absolutely the last day to turn in checks and orders for Graf Growers gift cards. This is a big fundraiser for our club so please do your part!

We can’t wait to see you there!

03/18/2026

What a whirlwind trip. I accompanied Governor Debbie Walsh on one of her adventures to visit Ohio Optimist Clubs.
This trip, we visited The Dor-Wood Optimists and the Centerville Noon Club.
On Monday, the Dor-Wood Club hosted their annual Tri-Star Pass, Shoot and Dribble Contest.
Tom Kendo, Optimist International President, was also in attendance at this fun event.
On Tuesday, we attended the Centerville Noon Clubs 58th Anniversary celebration. Five Past Presidents from each era gave an amusing account of their reigns as President of the Club.
Debbie and I were excited to see many familiar faces, and met many new members. The food, venue, and program were all excellent!

03/06/2026

Youth Opportunity Strategist Denico Buckley-Knight participated in "Read to Me Day" with Akron Public Schools and United Way of Summit & Medina today 📚 Denico had the opportunity to read "I Promise" by Akron's own LeBron James to a group of students at David Hill Community Learning Center to help encourage a love of reading and literacy!

03/06/2026

03/05/2026

This morning at our Akron Breakfast Optimist Club meeting, we had the pleasure of hearing the winning essay from Alexandra Panzner of Copley High School!

Alexandra truly nailed this year’s topic: “How My Acts of Service Help Me Understand What My Community Means to Me.”

In her essay, Alexandra shared her experience volunteering with the Appalachia Service Project. While helping repair the home of a family who generously care for three children and several stray animals despite having very little, she discovered how powerful small acts of kindness can be. By the end of the week, what began as feelings of sadness turned into inspiration as she witnessed the family’s gratitude, resilience, and ability to find joy in simple moments.

Club member, Rich Buchanan, had the honor of presenting Alexandra with a $100 gift card for winning our local club essay contest. She will now go on to compete at the District level, where first place winners receive a plaque and a $2,500 college scholarship. We wish her the very best of luck as she continues in the competition! 🌟

We were also honored this morning to receive a Certificate of Appreciation from past Ohio District Governor Terry Schalant, recognizing the continued service and impact of our club in the community.

Congratulations again to Alexandra, and thank you for reminding us all of the power of service and optimism! 💙

Interested in joining us? The Akron Breakfast Optimist Club meets on the first and third Thursday of each month. Our next meeting is March 19th at 7:30am at the New Era Restaurant. We’d love to have you join us! Come check out a meeting and see what Optimism in action looks like in our community!!

02/06/2026