The Optimist Club of Tampa was originally chartered on June 28, 1926.
It was the second Optimist Club in Florida (following the Optimist Club of St.
Petersburg, which was chartered March 22, 1924).
The great depression following the stock market crash in 1929 took its
toll on many organizations, including our Club, and we ceased operating for a
few years during that time. On October 23, 1935, The Optimist Club of
Tampa was rechartered, and has been in continuous operation since that time.
Originally the membership was all male, as were all the other civic
service clubs, but the by-laws were amended (in the 1960s?) to include women.
Membership peaked in the late 1950s at about 125 members, but has since declined
(as is true of most civic organizations).
The Club’s Wednesday Noon luncheon meetings were held for 26 years at the
Floridan Hotel until it closed in the early 1960s. Subsequent meeting
locations included the Hillsborough Hotel, the Commerce Club, a Day’s Inn Hotel,
Holiday Inn Central Hotel, and a few restaurants (all in or near downtown
Tampa). Since 1988 the meeting place has been at the Riverwalk Hotel
(currently a Sheraton).
Using “Optimist Prams”, small boats suitable for learning to sail, which
were designed by Optimists in Clearwater, Florida, our Club operated a youth
sailing club in the 1940s and early 1950s. The sailing club operated from
a landside base near Ballast Point. Because we did not have a member close
by to oversee the security of the facility, the property and operation of the
youth sailing club were eventually turned over to the Tampa Yacht & Country
Club, which had a nearby facility.
In the 1950s the Club provided uniforms for all the teams in a boys
softball league operated by the Tampa Recreation Department. This
benefitted several hundred boys each year. We outfitted a Woodworking
Shop for the West Tampa Boys & Girls Club, and an Auto Repair shop for another
Boys & Girls Club. We have frequently provided financial help to the Boys
& Girls Clubs, the YMCA, and other youth-serving organizations, for various
activities and occasions.
Before the advent of the University of South Florida, our Club provided a scholarship at
the University of Tampa for a worthy and needy student. For many years we
participated in the Optimist International Youth Oratorical Contest (for boys & girls
under age 16), leading to scholarships for the District winners.
For several years the Club maintained a 40 acre “Youth Wilderness Camp”
(off S.R.580 between Tampa & Oldsmar) and made it available, without charge, to
supervised youth groups so that they could introduce boys & girls to the wonders
of nature. The camp had a meeting hall, toilet & shower facilities, sleeping
lodges, an athletic field, and nature trails. It was used both for day
trips and overnight camping. Occasionally our Club took groups of
disadvantaged kids to the camp on day trips, and on some occasions also used the
camp for Optimist Club social functions. The camp was closed after the
maintenance of it became an overload on the active members. It is now a high
school.
Helping the Salvation Army with the Christmas bell-ringing has been a Club
tradition which extends back beyond the memory of any living members, perhaps to
as early as 1935.
Since 1973, the club has held an annual benefit Quarter Horse Show as its
primary fund-raising activity, to provide funds for its service
projects. In early May the horse show is held at the Florida State Fair Grounds
Equestrian Facility.