Hilliard Optimist Club in need of donations to continue operating

HILLIARD, Ohio (WCMH)–The Hilliard Optimist Club has served on a volunteer basis for more than 60 years. The group efforts to provide affordable youth sports.

Now leaders are asking for the community’s help by donating money for the club to keep serving children.

The club offers tackle and flag football, cheer leading, basketball, lacrosse, and volleyball. Beyond sports, annual essay and oratorical contests are sponsored and the group hosts a Youth Appreciation Dinner each spring. There are also $30,000 dollars in scholarships awarded to seniors within Hilliard every year.

In light of COVID-19, this has been one of the many non-profits that have been hit hard by the pandemic financially. The budget is short $10,000.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get money back this year so we have a big deficit,” said Deryck Richardson, the President of Hilliard Optimist Club.

Th shortfall comes from donations and the money that was invested to fix the historic Scioto Darby Field where a lot of their student-athletes play.

“That’s a once in a lifetime project. So we used our operating expenses to upgrade the field, renovate the field,” he said.

You can get involved by heading to the group’s website here:
https://www.hilliardoptimist.org/Default.aspx?tabid=1340209&fbclid=IwAR0vh77esrAI5C8SBMECOgIlUNwb8nOHwosipyWSe58UHf8Oc0z-qCxiyWo