Sunset Optimist Club-Blue Springs, MO

05/08/2026

The Kids' Fishing Derby sponsored by Sunset Optimist Club-Blue Springs and Blue Springs Parks & Recreation is less than 1 day away! Bring your kids with a fishing pole/rod&reel (we have some worms) up to Rotary Park (600 NW Vesper, Blue Springs) on Saturday morning May 9. The best parking is in the Vesper Hall lot, just East of Vesper Hall (it's bigger) then walk past the playground under construction to the shelter house to register your kids between 8 and 9 am (It's free - this is just to award prizes). Each registered youth gets a free "goody bag" with many treats & info from the Mo Dept of Conservation and stop by the table to pick up your free Lamar's donuts (thanks for providing these for free). Then find your spot to fish from -no poles in the water until 9am please - to fish for the catfish and blue gill that the Optimists hired Raccoon Valley Fish to put in Railroad Lake. The contest is officially over at 11am and hot dogs (with chips & a bottle of water) will probably be ready a little before - we'll announce when we have hot dogs ready. We encourage catch and release but look for a National Honor Society and Robotics volunteer (red hats) to measure the length of each fish you catch. We'll award 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in each of the 2 categories between 11:15 and 11:30 but let us know if you get a STRANGE catch - turtle, trash (hope not), sticks, etc - we have some "oops" prizes for those. While you're there appreciate Blue Springs Parks and Rec for running the fountain, mowing the lawn before you came, providing plenty of trash cans, & providing free restrooms (in the little building by the parking lot by the tennis courts). If little ones need a break, take them over to the playground with on the far West side of the lake.

05/03/2026

Blue Springs Sunset Optimists had a great time with our free jewelry-making booth at the opening day of the Market on Main in Downtown Blue Springs Sat May 2. We also want to do a shout-out to our GREAT National Honor Society volunteers from Blue Springs South High School. You were great help and fun to work with!

05/02/2026

Leadership in Optimist International isn’t about titles,it’s about stepping up, showing up, and lifting others along the way. As a member, you lead by example: empowering youth, strengthening your community, and turning optimism into action. Every project you support and every life you touch is a reflection of leadership that creates real, lasting impact.
Step into leadership. Become an Optimist and start making a difference today by visiting optimist.org

05/02/2026

05/01/2026

Thanks to our cohost Blue Springs Parks & Recreation for the annual Kids Fishing Derby at Rotary Park for sharing this post on their page! We appreciate all they do to help us pull this off every year. Just to clarify, kids younger than 5 are also welcome to fish at this event Sat, May 9 if an adult supervises or helps them. Registration beginning at 8:30am is free at the event, then each child gets a free goody bag. The fishing contest is from 9-11 am.

04/28/2026

Please join Sunset Optimist Club-Blue Springs, MO THIS SATURDAY May 2 from 8am-noon at the First Market on Main of the Season in Downtown Blue Springs in the parking lot at 107 SW Main St - plenty of parking in the lot across 11th St. We'll have a booth where your kids can make jewelry to take home with them for FREE and you'll get a chance to check out the vendor booths at the market! We'll share info about our upcoming May 9 FREE Kids' Fishing Derby, other things we do to help the community, and how you can help too by getting involved with OPTIMISM.

04/01/2026

Thanks to all who came out Sat, March 28 to play games & win prizes at our Optimist booth! We had fun even though it was a little cold. A big shout-out goes to National Honor Society volunteers Alex, Marissa, & Kimmie (shown with Easter Bunny) and to Optimist volunteers Pam Buck and Myrna Mardis.

03/27/2026

Look for the Blue Springs Optimist booth at the Blue Springs Parks & Recreation annual Easter Egg-Stravaganza SATURDAY, March 28 from 10am-noon. We'll have lots of fun free games to win prizes. The event also includes photo ops with the Easter Bunny, an Easter Egg Hunt at 11am, and vendors and food trucks. Dress warm and don't miss this FUN event. Learn more about our upcoming FREE Kids' Fishing Derby on May 9. More info on the Easter EggStravaganza can be found at https://www.bluespringsgov.com/1704/Easter-Egg-Stravaganza

03/03/2026

Join the Blue Springs Optimists at our 39th annual Kids' Fishing Derby Sat, May 9 from 8:30-11:30 am at Rotary Park, 600 NW Vesper. Thanks to our sponsors (Lamar's Donuts, Blue Springs Culvers, Price Chopper North 7 Highway, Price Chopper South 7 Highway - and more to follow) this is an entirely FREE event for kids 14 and under. Register beginning at 8:30 am at the Shelter House to be eligible for prizes and to receive a goody bag of treats from local businesses, Mo Dept of Conservation, and more. Bring a rod/reel & bait & a chair - we'll have some worms. First 100 to arrive receive a free Lamar's donut. We stock Railroad Lake at Rotary Park with large catfish and blue gill - Fishing begins at 9am and ends at 11am with prizes award around 11:30 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd longest fish in EACH category. Kids and parents can get a free hot dog, chips, & bottled water beginning around 10:45am. This event is held RAIN OR SHINE so dress for the weather.

02/25/2026

Here is more info about the award that Blue Springs Sunset Optimists won at the 2nd Quarter WEMO Optimists Conference in Sedalia Feb 20-21. Click on an individual photo to see more.