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2015-2016 Odessa City Guide
Page 42
Service Organizations
Odessa Outreach is a 501(c)(3) public charity created
to receive funds which are then distributed to nonprofit
organizations serving Odessa, Bates City and Mayview. Odessa
Outreach relies entirely on the generosity of the community
to help meet the needs of the local nonprofits which make a
positive difference in the lives of youth, seniors and families
in the community.
Each donation received is distributed among several
groups and therefore, gives donors the ability to help many
organizations through their gift.
All-volunteer board plans several activities throughout
the year to raise funds including a July 4 duck race. Other
events include a “salute to veterans” window in May, bunco, a
September softball tournament and decorating the community
Christmas tree during the holiday season.
Organization has a $25,000 annual fundraising goal. Board
hears pleas for funding from eligible organizations the second
Thursday in January.
Groups which have received funding are area 4-H clubs, Boy
Scouts, Girl Scouts, Odessa Senior Center, Odessa Community
Service Center, Partners for Odessa Parks & Recreation, Odessa
Community Day Care, House of Hope, Project Graduation and
Odessa branch of Trails Regional Library.
Residents are encouraged to participate in fundraising events
and to send donations to Odessa Outreach, PO Box 40, Odessa,
MO 64076. In addition, those who contribute to the United Way
through salary deduction may designate Odessa Outreach as the
receiving organization. All donations to Odessa Outreach are tax-
deductible.
Odessa Outreach
Annual Odessa Outreach duck race fundraiser.
Odessa Rotary Club, chartered in 1988, was the first club
in this international organization to be chartered with women,
one of whom is still a member.
Club observed its 25th anniversary in April, 2013.
Present membership is 27. Club meets for lunch at noon the
first Thursday of the month at Bates City Bar-B-Que and all
other Thursdays at Down Home Cafe.
More than 150 students have benefited from scholarships
given each year to Odessa High School graduates and to
students continuing their education at Missouri colleges and
universities. An endowment fund of more than $125,000 is used
to provide four $1000 scholarships to high school graduates and
additional funding for qualified applicants who are continuing
their education.
In addition to support of Polio Plus, a Rotary International
project to eradicate polio worldwide, the club sponsors an
OHS student to attend Boys State, sponsors and organizes
the annual Puddle Jumper Days parade, donates to the Senior
Center, BackSnack program, Shoes for Orphan Souls, Odessa
R-7 holiday project and recently provided dental care for Odessa
R-7 students in need through a program with a local dentist.
Rotary Club also has assisted in plans for a free health clinic.
Two Students of the Month are honored from Odessa High
School during the school year.
Judy Stiles is club president.
Odessa Rotary
Odessa Optimist Club was chartered in September of 1974 with
41 members, two of whom are still members. There presently are 22
members. Optimists meet at 6:45 a.m. the secondThursday at Down
Home Cafe and at 7 p.m., the fourth Thursday at the conference
room at the Parks and Recreation office.
Sarah Williams is the current president.
Club sponsors events for youth in the community including the
Optimist train, bicycle drag races at Puddle Jumper Days, youth
wrestling, scholarship for an Odessa High School graduate, Project
Grad, AAU track meets, swim parties, sponsorship of a student to
the Missouri Leadership Seminar, assisting the speech and drama
department at Odessa High School with a competition event and
sponsoring soccer, t-ball and basketball teams through Parks and
Recreation Department.
Odessa Optimists