Underwood Optimist Club

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Underwood, IA
Underwood Optimist Club

We are volunteer group and member of Optimist International supporting youth in Underwood Community.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:
• Sponsor of Boys Baseball through Western Iowa Boys Baseball League
• Sponsor of Girls Softball through Western Iowa Girls Softball League
• Sponsor of T-Ball Program
• Supporting youth through financial donations for academic and athletic events and achievements
• Partnering with Dollars for Scholars to provide financial assistance to area youth through Scholarship
• Organizer/sponsor for community fundraisers and events such as the annual 4th of July festivities
• Supporter of the MS and HS Junior Optimist Clubs which introduce the importance of volunteerism
• Participate in community service programs

MEMBER INFORMATION:
• Members meet every Saturday at UMBA Hall (7:30am breakfast, 8:00-8:45am meeting)
• Annual membership dues of $108 (Optimist year runs October 1st – September 30th)
• Various guest speakers throughout the year to share the good news of volunteerism, teamwork, and youth successes throughout our communities
• Opportunities for leadership development, networking, and conventions

If you’re interested in becoming a member, or would like to hear more about how the Underwood Optimist Club can help out your organization or event, send us a message!

11/07/2026

🍁🧡 Spreading a Little Thanksgiving Cheer! 🦃

Our Middle School JOI Club members gathered for some hot chocolate, popcorn, and a whole lot of kindness! ☕🍿

Together, they created festive Thanksgiving decorations to help brighten local nursing homes and bring a little extra joy to its residents this holiday season. 🍂❤️

We love seeing our young Optimists making a difference in our community, one thoughtful act at a time!

📸 Photos courtesy of JOI Advisor Stacy Ambrose.

10/27/2026

The Underwood Optimist Club had a great time joining in the Halloween fun at UMBA’s Trunk or Treat event on Sunday night!

We enjoyed seeing so many awesome costumes come by our trunk! We handed out candy to over 750 kids throughout the evening — what an incredible turnout!

Thank you to UMBA for putting together such a fun community event, and thank you to everyone who stopped by to say hello and grab a treat. We love being part of events that bring our community and families together!

We hope everyone has a safe and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 🎃🍭👻

10/25/2026

We had a great meeting Saturday with plenty to celebrate!

👏 We were excited to welcome Kip Sherbondy as the newest member of the Underwood Optimist Club!

Our program featured Jen Fletcher, who shared about her experience participating in the Iowa Leadership program. Thank you, Jen, for taking the time to share your experience with us!

🏆 Club President Dale Robertson presented Alicia Johnson with an award in appreciation for her service as our Club Treasurer last year.

🌟 Barb Robertson also presented Josh Madsen with the “Friend of Optimist” Award in recognition of his support of our club and its mission.

Congratulations to Kip, Alicia, and Josh, and thank you to everyone who continues to help us make a positive difference in our community! 💙💛

10/24/2026

UHS JOI Club members Kendyl, Regan, Brooke, Alicia, Ethan, and Beth (not pictured) helped pick up food donations generously given by the Underwood community for the Backpack Food Program.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who donated! Your generosity helps make a difference in the lives of local children and their families. We are so grateful to live in a community that continues to show up and support one another!

Great job, JOI Club members, for lending a hand! 👏

10/22/2026

🔥 Thank You, Underwood First Responders! 🚒🚑

The Underwood Optimist Club recently stopped by the Underwood First Responders’ regular training meeting to show our appreciation for all they do for our community.

As a small token of our thanks, each volunteer received a $20 gift certificate to the Dew Drop Inn in McClelland.

We are incredibly grateful for the time, dedication, and service these volunteers give to keep our community safe. THANK YOU for all you do! 👏❤️🇺🇸

10/15/2026

🚒 Thank You, McClelland Volunteer Fire & Rescue! ❤️

The Underwood Optimist Club was proud to present gift certificates to the Dew Drop to members of the McClelland Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department as a small token of our appreciation.

We are so grateful for the time, dedication and service these volunteers give to help keep our communities safe. Thank you for all you do! 👏

10/15/2026

🎉 Celebrating 43 Years of Optimism! 💙

The Underwood Optimist Club recently gathered at The Twisted Tail for our 43rd Annual Awards & Installation Banquet!

We were honored to have Governor Joleen Jorgensen share an inspirational message before she and Lt. Governor George Volz installed our 2026–27 club officers.

President Dale Robertson also recognized several members for their service and accomplishments over the past year:

⭐ Optimist of the Year: Marie Evers
⭐ Rookies of the Year: Brian Mann, Skyla Mann & Stephanie Hansen
⭐ Military Service Recognition: Mark Tedesco, Gary Geise & Ron Henderson

Awards were also presented to last year’s club officers in appreciation of their leadership and dedication.

Congratulations to all of our award recipients and our newly installed officers! We’re grateful for everyone who gives their time and talents to make our club—and our community—stronger. Here’s to another great year of bringing out the best in kids, our community and ourselves! 💙👏

10/11/2026

We enjoyed hearing from Wendy Kaupa at yesterday’s Optimist Club meeting as she shared the story behind her newest children’s book, Kane’s Super Cool Stories of Council Bluffs!

This is Wendy’s fourth published children’s book—an accomplishment that started with a simple goal of writing a children’s book someday. During the COVID lockdown in 2020, she began putting that goal into action.

Her first book, Peanut Butter and Jelly, was inspired by the special companionship between her dog and her parents’ dog. Wendy shared how her own experiences and the people (and pets!) around her have continued to inspire the stories she writes.

Thank you, Wendy, for joining us and sharing your journey with our club! 📖💙

Wendy’s books are available for purchase on Amazon.

10/09/2026

🍂 Join us this Saturday morning! 🍂

The Underwood Optimist Club is excited to welcome Wendy Kaupa, a Council Bluffs author and creator of Kane’s Super Cool Stories of Council Bluffs! 📚🐿️

Come enjoy breakfast, fellowship, and hear from Wendy about her book and the stories that inspired it.

📅 Saturday, October 10
⏰ 7:30 AM
📍 UMBA Hall

Guests are always welcome—we’d love to have you join us! 💙

10/06/2026

📚 Dictionaries for Third Graders! 📚

On October 1, the Underwood Optimist Club continued one of our favorite traditions—providing dictionaries to our Underwood third graders!

James Binns, Skyla Larsen, and Dale Robertson visited all three third-grade classes to hand out dictionaries to the students.

We love supporting our students and giving them a resource they can use throughout the school year and for years to come! 💙📖🦅

Address

Underwood, IA
51576

Website

https://clubs.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1289573

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