Overview:
After serving a year as vice president and then president elect, David Bean steps into presidency of the Optimist Club with a vision of promoting volunteerism and support for Coronado.
David Bean said his dedication to volunteering runs in the family. One might say it wasn’t learned but runs in his blood.
“My interest in that club really goes back to when I was a kid because my parents were big into volunteering in the community,” Bean said about his interest in the Optimist Club of Coronado. “And so I sort of absorbed that from them.”
And it’s been a life of service. After retiring from 26 years in the Navy and working in the private sector, he still keeps busy in leadership positions, including this new one.
As president, he said he plans to bring greater visibility to the club and continue their work of supporting kids’ sports.
The Optimist Club is a volunteer organization that invests funding and support to bring up the next generation of kids.
The club follows the Optimist Creed which states several tenets: “to promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; to inspire respect for the law; to promote patriotism and work for international accord and friendship among all people; to aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world.”
“It really is the guiding light for the club,” Bean said.
The club in Coronado accomplishes those goals through a few different events and programs. They support more than 50 youth service projects, such as the annual track program at the middle school and scholarships. They host a variety of fundraising projects, including a pickleball tournament each year. And, they often support the Boy and Girl Scouts on special projects.
While these goals continue to be ambitious, the club’s journey hasn’t come without challenges. Bean said COVID-19 made a dent in their organization.
“Many social and nonprofit organizations suffered a bit from membership loss,” Bean said. “A lot of the members [in the Optimist Club], in fact, passed away, from the original group. For a variety of reasons, they were not getting back filled by the same number of people. My principal goal, for the next year, is to enhance and grow our membership, and I think one of the best ways to do that is to be visible in the community.”
The club was recently at a volunteer open house fair at Spreckels Center on Oct. 10, engaging with the community and neighborhood. They’ve partnered with other involved groups, like the Rotary Club to support Coronado and the surrounding neighborhoods.
“One thing we’re doing almost immediately is piggybacking with Rotary Club. They form an important part of the community as well,” Bean said. “Later this month, we’re doing a food drive and I’ll be delivering food to the food pantry down in IB. As a community effort, pairing up with them is one way.”
Bean said investment in the local community, especially the youth, is needed.
“The need is absolutely there, especially now,” Bean said. “There’s a lot in the press about budget concerns for the school, right? Most of that focus is on academic programs, but it has a ripple effect with a lot of these other ancillary programs.”
That’s where Bean said the club comes in. But more than money, he said the club is also set on spreading a message about the impact of volunteering on both the volunteer and the community.
“It’s the knowledge that we are making a difference in the community and seeing that with the different groups, organizations and kids who come to the meetings and explain to us how our donations have made a difference in their lives.”
To learn more about the Optimist Club of Coronado or become a member, visit https://optimistclubofcoronado.org/
