Noon Optimist Club of Western Des Moines

11/04/2026

So proud of our SALT JOI Club Vice President Clara Smit! In addition to her leadership in Junior Optimist International, Clara is involved in many student activities at Des Moines Christian Schools and is on stage this weekend in their production of “Sarah Plain and Tall!” Others from SALT JOI are also in the cast and crew — Congrats to all, and “break a leg!” Iowa District JOI Club

Cast member and Head of Costuming Clara Smit (’27) shares how this year’s student-led production gives cast members creative freedom over set design, props, costuming, makeup, and hair. Read more from Clara and purchase tickets at dmcs.org/drama.

Opening day is tomorrow! There are three shows to choose from:
🎭 November 5 at 6:30 p.m.
🎭 November 7 at 11:00 a.m.
🎭 November 7 at 4:00 p.m.

Join us at the DMC Performance Hall and watch students' God-given creativity come to life!

11/02/2026

Thanks to this group of Junior Optimists for blessing 6
children with Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes! SALT JOI Club thoughtfully selected and purchased gifts to pack boxes for boys and girls in all 3 age groups (age 2-4, 5-9, 10-14), and they added a personal note as well. The boxes will be given to Des Moines Christian Schools. Our Optimist Club made a donation to cover the shipping and tracking of the 6 shoeboxes so we can find out where they go around the world. We hope these shoeboxes bring smiles to the kids who receive them! ❤

11/01/2026

Happy Halloweenie! Our Optimist Club hosted our 3rd “Halloweenie Cookout” serving free hot dogs with all the trimmings, plus chips and bottled water in the neighborhood of Hillside Elementary (WDMCS). We’ve partnered with Hillside since 2014 and recently expanded our Junior Optimist International (JOI) Club to the entire 3rd grade. Thanks to Tom and Janet Lloyd for hosting our event at their nearby home and cooking 300+ hot dogs! With help from Denise Harlan and Rebecca Butler Mona, we had the hot dogs in buns and wrapped in foil in roaster pans ready for Trick-or-Treaters and kept busy all night serving families! We gave out over 275 hot dogs and took the rest to West Des Moines Police Department for officers to enjoy during night shift. Thanks to everyone who stopped by on this beautiful Halloween evening! Iowa District Optimist

10/29/2026

If you love pawsitive vibes and feeling good, Optimism is your answer! There's nothing better than fellowship, working among your community members and having a positive impact on youth. Message us here and join us for an upcoming project or event!

10/28/2026

We’re so proud of our Optimist Club member Dr. Diana Quillin O'Leary! Congratulations, Diana, and thanks for sharing your passion and expertise with others!

Dr. Diana O’Leary, assistant professor of education at Grand View University, recently presented at the annual fall conference of the Iowa Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM).

In her session, “Experiential Mathematics for People and the Planet,” O’Leary shared mathematical modeling, simulations and collaborative problem-solving activities that connect classroom learning to real-world questions and scientific inquiry.

Well done!

10/28/2026

Inspiring night at Meals from the Heartland as our Optimist Club and SALT JOI Club provided about half the volunteer staffing and helped pack 192 boxes (216 meals in each) for 41,472 meals! Goal for this year is 23.5 million meals. Last week, teaming up with the World Food Prize, Meals from the Heartland set a new Guinness World Record for the most hunger relief meals packed in one hour at nearly 1 million meals! 990,684 to be exact — wow! 😉 Iowa District JOI Club Junior Optimist International Iowa District Optimist

10/26/2026

On an absolutely gorgeous Sunday afternoon, our SALT JOI Club hosted a “1950s Diner” theme to greet an estimated 1,000 children and their families at Lutheran Church of Hope’s “Trunk or Treat” event! We had fun costumes, colorful decorations, balloons and a photo opportunity (which was a huge hit!). Thanks to Optimist Club President Melissa and Jerry Sanders for donating tons of candy, toys and stickers, and to the Mona family for their van and support of Junior Optimists. Fun to see so many families and very creative costumes! We had a great time and so did the kids! Iowa District JOI Club Junior Optimist International Iowa District Optimist Optimist International

10/21/2026

What an amazing and important accomplishment, packing meals to feed almost a million people in just one hour! Next Tuesday, October 27, we will be packing at Meals from the Heartland at 6-8pm. Message us here if you’d like to join our team!

10/20/2026

We delivered 30 Birthday Party Bags today to WayPoint Resources assembled by our SALT JOI Club to bless families served by WayPoint’s food pantry. Each festive gift bag contains what a family needs to put on a party for their child: cake mix, frosting, 9x13 pan, birthday candles, birthday plates and napkins, plastic silverware, balloons, table cloth, and happy birthday banner. We hope the kids and families enjoy a special celebration! 🎉 Iowa District JOI Club Junior Optimist International Iowa District Optimist

10/20/2026

Thank you to Gale Brubaker, Executive Director of the West Des Moines Historical Society, for being our featured speaker for today’s Optimist Club meeting. Gale shared many interesting facts and stories of James Jordan and his family, and the important role Jordan played as a pioneer and political leader in Iowa and “Chief Conductor” for the “Underground Railroad” helping to guide enslaved people to freedom. A cattle farmer who settled in Iowa the year we became a state (1846), Jordan helped bring a railroad stop to Des Moines in the late 1880s, which led to the original name “Valley Junction” for our city (changed to West Des Moines in 1938). Jordan served in the Iowa Senate and Iowa House, and helped relocate the State Capitol to Des Moines. The Jordan House has been on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1973 and offers extensive programming. We are so fortunate to have this amazing Iowa history and the opportunity to learn about it in our community! Check out Jordan House Museum and West Des Moines Historical Society — and plan a visit! See photos here for brochures and QR codes to arrange a tour! Iowa District Optimist Optimist International