The Senoia Optimist Club, “Friend of Youth”, will host its spring barbecue on Saturday, March 19 at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Senoia. The lodge is located at 19 Main Street – between Hollberg’s Furniture and Senoia Coffee & Café.
The barbecue will start at 11 a.m. and end at 2 p.m. or until the club sells out – whichever comes first. Pre-sale orders can be made with any member of the Senoia Optimist Club – especially for those customers who will be unable to make it to the barbecue on the 19th. Prices will continue to be unchanged: Gallon of Stew = $25; Quart of Stew = $7.50; Pound of BBQ pork = $9; and a Plate with beverage = $7.
Richard Thompson of Newnan will prepare the food for the Senoia Optimists’ fund raiser. Thompson operated the barbecue concession at the 2010 Powers Festival, replacing the food service previously provided by Johnny Brown’s Catering in Hogansville. He has been associated with SonRise Baptist in Newnan, and they have been a crowd pleaser at the “Taste of Newnan” and other events. Richard is now in the process of opening “Papa’s Smokehouse” restaurant at 1329 Bullsboro Drive in Newnan.
“Mr. Thompson provided the food for our fall barbecue last year, and we really had a lot of compliments on the quantity and quality of what he served,” said Optimist President Hal Sewell. “We sold out of basically everything even though he brought extra amounts. We hope our spring barbecue will be just as successful.” Co-Chairs for the Optimist Club’s barbecue are Ralph and Jane Hutchinson Arnold.
Funds from the barbecue on March 19 will be used by the Senoia club to help with its many service projects that reach out to the local youth and to the community. Included among the club’s activities are two high school scholarships, Youth Fingerprinting, Respect for Law, Youth Appreciation, the Georgia Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch, the Senoia Area Blood Drives, the Optimist Oratorical contest, and the Optimist Essay contest.
The Optimist Club of Senoia is part of an international organization whose motto is “Friend of Youth”. Meeting the needs of young people in communities worldwide, Optimist Clubs have been “Bringing Out the Best in Kids” since 1919. Optimist Clubs conduct positive service projects aimed at providing a helping hand to youth.
To learn more about Optimist International, visit the organization’s website at www.optimist.org. If you would like more information regarding the Senoia Optimist Club, please visit the club’s website at www.senoiaoptimistclub.org. Guests are welcomed at the club’s meetings that are scheduled at 6 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month in the meeting room at Maguire’s Restaurant in downtown Senoia. In place of its regular meeting at Maguire’s on Mar. 17, the club is scheduled to host its annual Oratorical Contest at the Senior Citizens’ Center at 300 Howard Road in Senoia. The time for this event is 6:30 p.m., and the public is invited. If you are interested in attending a meeting, please call club President Hal Sewell at 770-599-6097 or contact any other member of the Senoia club.
Nerine Smith Barnette (far right) is shown with Optimist Tony Bell (in Optimist apron) as she receives her food at last October’s Senoia Optimist Club barbecue. Richard Thompson (2nd from left) will again be serving his delicious food assisted by his team along with the Senoia Optimist Club members. Food will be served at the Senoia Masonic Lodge at 19 Main Street between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
