Ilze Epners has been a member of Optimist International for 34 years, a non-profit organization that supports the development of youth through various projects and initiatives.
She started Brome-Missisquoi’s Yamaska Valley Optimist Club and restarted clubs in Cowansville and Bromont.
Last year, Epners took on a new initiative and formed Junior Optimist Clubs in three local schools, Knowlton Academy, Heroes Memorial, and Massey-Vanier High School, to give youth the opportunity to get involved in their communities.
After a successful first year, the Junior Optimist Clubs are getting set to relaunch this month and Epners is looking for others to get involved.
“I think that every club’s (adult Optimist Clubs) responsibility should be to mentor kids, to teach them about volunteerism, how to become a volunteer, and how to give back to their community,” said Epners. “I saw that as a big need in the communities so that’s why I started the clubs.”
The Junior Optimist Clubs are open to Grades 5-6, secondary one and secondary two. Guided by Epners, the youth learn important life skills and they work together to decide exactly what initiatives they want to carry out in their communities.
“We do a lot of team building, we do a lot of leadership skills, a lot of communication skills, organizational skills, time management. Any activity that we do incorporates those things because they can use them in their every day life, and certainly later on,” Epners explained.
Epners noted that the experience made a noticeable difference in the lives of the students that participated last year.
“The parents saw the difference in that the kids gained self confidence, organizational skills. Last year in Knowlton, the group wanted to do a fundraising bake sale to support girls in Afghanistan,” recounted Epners. “(…) They did the publicity, they set up the sale, they set up petty cash, and they did it all themselves.”
Speaking on the importance of volunteerism, Epners said that people don’t get involved as much as they used.
“The kids don’t have role models of being volunteers and our communities survive because of volunteers. Every year, finding volunteers to do things is more and more difficult,” she noted “(…) By working with the kids, we are teaching them the pleasure that one can get from by being a volunteer, how to be a volunteer, and giving them the self confidence to become leaders.”
While she works with students at Knowlton Academy, Heroes Memorial, and Massey-Vanier High School in particular, Epners said that Junior Optimist Clubs could be formed in other parts of the Townships, but she needs the community’s help.
“It’s such a joy to work with them (students) every week. They bring so much pleasure to the person that is working with them, to see how they grow, to see how the mature, and gain self confidence. (…) Step up to the plate and come and help,” emphasized Epners.
Updates on the Junior Optimists Clubs can be found on Facebook pages Knowlton.Com, Lac-Brome.Com, Cowansville.Com, and Branché sur Bromont.
For students that attend Knowlton Academy, Heroes Memorial and Massey-Vanier High School, a letter is sent home to all parents once the clubs are up and running.
Listen to the full interview below: