"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">PERDIDO BAY --

Optimist Club of Perdido Bay (OCPB) left the

Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi District Convention in Orange Beach

with several prodigious awards including First Place for “Grits and

Bits”, the club’s monthly newsletter. In addition, they brought

home a Community Service Award, Friends of Youth Award, and Honor

Club.

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">These awards

recognize the clubs for their efforts in “Bringing Out the Best in

Kids.” The OCPB club provides a variety of programs for the

community. Programs include essay and oratorical contests,

scholarships, Special Olympics, Ecumenical Food Drive, “Just Say No

to Drugs” Program, Bird Banding Field Trip for kids, turkeys for

the Association for Retarded Citizens Thanksgiving

Dinner.

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"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Also family

Christmas baskets, Christmas gifts to school Special Needs

students, Kids Christmas Breakfast with Santa Claus, hot dog picnic

for third grade students at Elberta Elementary School, Easter Party

with the Easter Bunny, Fishing Rodeo, Law and Order Day to honor

law enforcement officers, Educator of the Year award, and a yearly

Family Health Fair. This year the Health Fair will be held on

Saturday, March 10.

"font-size: 11.0pt;"> 

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In addition,

several members of the club tutor students weekly in math at the

Elberta Elementary and Middle Schools. Some members visit the

school weekly to read to kindergarten and first grade

students.

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"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In order to

fund these programs the club hosts the Annual Mullet Festival on

Labor Day and this year they are beginning a Flag Program, “Streets

of Red, White and Blue”, placing

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> a

flag on properties for Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day,

Labor Day and Veteran’s Day. Cost for this event is $35 per year.

Club members will place a receptacle in the front yard and install

the flag a day or two before the holiday and remove it after the

holiday.

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"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For

information about the Optimist Club of Perdido Bay, contact Bill

Cornell, (251) 962-2855,

"font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" href=

"color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">cornybil@gulftel.com.

The club meets at 8 a.m. every Saturday for breakfast at the

Lillian Community Club. Guests are always welcome.