Annual Tastefest and Reindeer Games Fundraiser a Success…

Clinton Township, MI, November 6, 2009

‘Twas the night of the Reindeer Games and delectable culinary delights – all for a worthy cause - at the Annual Tastefest and Reindeer Games fundraiser sponsored by the Clinton Township Area Optimist Club. On November 6, over 500 guests of the Optimist Club filled The Mirage Banquet and Catering Center in Clinton Township for the event to benefit the Optimist International Foundation's Childhood Cancer Campaign, the local “Kids Kicking Cancer” program, and several local community and youth activities.

Guests enjoyed tastings from local restaurants, caterers, bakeries, and area firefighters, as well as a silent auction, raffles, and Las Vegas style entertainment throughout the evening.  

The main event was the Reindeer Races, Reindeer were sponsored and decorated by area merchants.  Participants placed charitable bets on their favorite steed and cheered as the reindeer raced to the finish line competing to win first place!

Elvis Kelly and Michael Carluccio, known as the Las Vegas Tribute Brothers, donated their time and talent to provide entertainment for the crowd, with the voices and music of some of Las Vegas’ most celebrated stars:  Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Neil Diamond, Paul Anka, and Tom Jones.  

Special guests included Optimist International Vice President Marc Katz, Michigan District Optimist Governor Dorothy Tyler, Assistant Governor Dan Moss and his wife Lou, Past Governor Mike Selzer and his wife Jill, Governor-Elect, Janet Oord, and Clinton Township Area Optimist Club President Marge Howard.

Other distinguished guests included, Macomb County Treasurer Ted Wahby, Prosecutor Eric Smith, Sheriff Mark Hackel, Macomb Daily Marketing Director Myra Kieffer, Vice President of Philanthropy at Henry Ford Macomb, Dana Casson, and the New Detroit Fire Chief James Mack Jr.

The Clinton Township Area Optimist Club continues its commitment in providing support to the needs of Children. Upcoming events include a "Holiday Around the World" party, to be held on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Mount Clemens Regional Medical Center to benefit area children with cancer.  Sponsors are needed for this event and if you can help, please contact Marge Howard, President of the Clinton Township Area Optimist Club at (586) 498-6547 or by e-mai at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For more information about the club and its activities go to:  www.ctoptimist.org

View our photo gallery of event >>

For information on Optimist International go to: www.Optimists.org

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Hundreds of families, many with babies and children, are homeless in Macomb County. Some may find respite in shelters or motels, but some of the babies don't even have cribs to sleep in.

So the Shelby Township Area Optimist Club, the Clinton Township Area Optimist Club, and the Central Macomb Optimist Club collaborated on a project to purchase six cribs and 22 crib mattresses, and donated them to an agency that identifies families who need them.

The Furniture Bank of Southeastern Michigan is an organization that collects new and gently used furniture and distributes items to needy families. There are 50 furniture banks in the United States including those in Warren and Pontiac.

Approved agencies, like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Inc., may make referrals to the bank, said volunteer Brenda Dubiel, a retired social worker with the Michigan Department of Human Services.

"When I was a DHS worker, we had people who were sleeping in garages, or in motels if they were able to afford that. We had one client who had bipolar disorder and a bipolar child and even the shelter they were in could not deal with her because of her mental illness. A church put her up in a motel until we could help her find a place to live.

"A lot of the people we help here at the furniture bank are in domestic violence situations or are in shelters," she said, noting the furniture bank welcomes donations of any household item.

"When we heard what the Optimists were doing we were very excited. We have people who are expecting babies or whose babies have already arrived and they are calling us constantly to see if we have any cribs. We can fulfill a lot of need with this donation," Dubiel said.

Optimist member Lou Moss said there are more than a thousand homeless children enrolled in Macomb County schools.

"They are forced to live in local motels, usually with one room and one bed to offer, no matter how many are in the family, forcing children to sleep on the floor," Moss said. "Worse yet, families are living in their cars because they do not have the resources to pay for a motel room."

Moss said those were some of the reasons that prompted the Optimist move "to add some comfort and dignity to the youngest members of this group."

Moss welcomes inquiries about the Optimist organization at (586) 566-7277 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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