The Mansfield Noon Optimist Club hosted its annual Adopt-a-Child program on Saturday, Dec. 14, and the event was the last one Char Bottomley will coordinate, though she still plans to participate.
Bottomley has served as chairperson for the Adopt-a-Child program that selects 20 elementary school students each year for a breakfast and visit with Santa and a day of shopping with an Optimist Club member and spouse. The Adopt-a-Child program has been an annual tradition of the organization for the past 33 years and directly involves about half of their membership.
For the past 25 years, Bottomley has been in charge of planning and organizing the days activities.
”I look forward to seeing the looks on the children’s faces as they enjoy the time and attention given to each. The day is all about them and they are made to feel special. That is priceless,” said Bottomley.
According to Bottomley after this year she plans on stepping down from the position of chairperson. She explained, ”I will most certainly still be involved, I love it, I love the children. I will just be delegating more responsibility to other members.”
The day’s activities begin with each participating member and spouse picking up a child they have chosen to adopt and everyone heads to Mansfield Elks Lodge 56 for breakfast. After breakfast, Santa arrives.
Later, it’s off for a day of shopping. Each child is allocated $100 and they are encouraged to choose for themselves clothing, shoes, toys and other items of their choice.
Optimist member Wanda Denman said, ”Char is an awesome lady. In the beginning it was just the $100 for each child and each year she contacts more people who donate such things as books, small toys, jingle bells necklaces for each little girl and the list goes on and on. For the past few years she has made sure that children who have siblings at home also receive a gift. I think Char is a “miracle worker” and an angel, too.”
“I was handed the program around the time I joined the Optimist Club in August of 1991. It has really grown. It has morphed into a lot, different from what it began. I am really grateful to have had a chance to be apart of this. This could not be what it is today without the dedication and support of all of the members and others in the community who contribute as well,” said Bottomley.
Bottomley stated that she looked forward to watching the program continue to grow and hopes to see more people in the community volunteer and contribute to what she feels is an important day in the lives of the young children who participate.
“This is really such a great opportunity not just for the children but for those who volunteer, contribute and participate in any way. The memories that are created for theses children will live with them always,” said Bottomley.
