Welcome to the Breakfast Optimist Club of Kalamazoo – BOCK

Optimist Mission:

By providing hope and a positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in our youth, our communities, and ourselves.

Gatherings:

Club Gatherings are on most Thursday mornings from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, at Mark’s Diner (https://www.marksdinerportage.com), at 677 Romence Road, Portage, MI 49024 (see map below). 

On the fourth Thursday of each month, the gathering starts at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time and is at Jac’s, https://jacscekolaspizza.com/portage/, 7638 South Westnedge Avenue, Portage, Michigan, 49002 (see map below). There is no morning gathering on the fourth Thursday of the month. 

There is no gathering when Kalamazoo or Portage Public Schools are delayed or closed due to weather.

If a Thursday night gathering is cancelled due to weather, the Club President and/or other Board Members will notify BOCK members.

Be a first-time visitor. The club pays for your meal.

Michigan District, Summer Summit, Saturday, August 23, 2025, BOCK Awards:

Michigan District of Optimist International,

Hall of Fame,

Dan Mills

Michigan District, Hall of Fame, August 2025, Dan Mills

Michigan District of Optimist International,

Optimist of the Year,

Lyn Lenox-Bosma

Michigan District, Optimist International, Optimist of the Year, 2025, Lyn Lenox-Bosma

O.W.L.S.

O.W.L.S. = Optimists Working for Learning Success.

Optimist clubs partner with local schools to provide nutrition, clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, tutoring and mentoring to help students survive.

In the Spring of 2024, BOCK started its partnership with Beth Heimann’s 2nd-grade class at Comstock Elementary School. 

April 14 – Board Meeting
April 15 – Volunteer – Power Up
April 16 – Morning Meeting at Mark’s Diner on Romence
April 16 – Trivia Night 
April 23 – Evening Meeting at Jac’s on Westnedge
April 30 – Morning Meeting at Mark’s Diner on Romence
May 5 – Book Club at Main St. Pub on West Main  Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez
May 7 – Morning Meeting at Mark’s Diner on Romence
May 12 – Volunteer – Care Collective
May 12 – Board Meeting
May 14 – Morning Meeting at Mark’s Diner on Romence
May 16 – Volunteer – Girls on the Run, time TBD
May 21 – Morning Meeting at Mark’s Diner on Romence
May 28 – Evening Meeting at Jac’s on Westnedge

The Smile Always Uganda Foundation Optimist Club, assists 2023.
The Rise Optimist Club, Kalamazoo, founded 2022.
Movers and Shakers Optimist Club of Greater Grand Rapids, founded 2020.
Portage Central High School Rise & Shine Optimist Club, founded 2019.

Promise yourself:

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health happiness, and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

 

“Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, you are unlikely to step up and take responsibility for making it so.”―Noam Chomsky

Google Maps, Thursday Gatherings:

Thursday Mornings: Mark’s Diner, 677 Romence Road, Portage, MI 49024.

Thursday Evenings: Jac’s, 7638 South Westnedge Avenue, Portage, MI, 49002.