On behalf of the Georgia District of Optimist International, we would like to announce Harry Hackett, III as the “Big John Ware” Optimist of the Year for 2012-2013. Harry is a member of the Atlanta and Smyrna Optimist Clubs. The Atlanta Club was the first Club founded in Georgia back in 1939. This club was in danger of becoming one of our lost Optimist Clubs, but during the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 Optimist years, Harry saw the importance of making the Atlanta Club strong once again. He truly believes in “Bringing Out The Best In Kids”! He started by meeting with their last two members and encouraged them to hold an Oratorical Contest. Since then they have had two in a row. He developed a soccer clinic in collaboration with the neighborhood YMCA/Headstart unit. They found two more members through those efforts.
As quoted by his nominator “Harry has single-handedly increased our membership from 2 to 8 at the end of last fiscal year and from 8 to 16 this year. If we are able to continue our streak and double up in the next fiscal year, we’ll be a going club again!”
Harry, we truly commend your efforts to the growth of Optimism in Georgia. Thanks for a Job Well Done!