Today, Girls Inc. of Omaha received a check for $1,000 from the Optimist Club of Omaha.  Teen members Ciera Hollingsworth and Makayla Bell accompanied Executive Director, Roberta Wilhelm, to the luncheon presentation to accept the check on behalf of Girls Inc. and to speak about their experiences growing up at Girls Inc.  Makayla has been a Girls Inc. member since she was seven and Ciera has been a member since the age of six. 

“It was encouraging to learn about organizations like the Optimists that are working to make the community better than it is.  They were all very nice and caring. My favorite part of The Optimists Creed is ‘To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.'” – Makayla

“I am used to people like the ones at Girls Inc. – mostly women – working to do good things in the community.  I am not used to seeing so many men (and, is it ok for me to say “Caucasian men?”) working to make the community better.  It was good for me to see this.  I liked learning about service organizations and how they help agencies like Girls Inc. I definitely plan to give back to the community like this when I am a professional.  Oh, yeah…and the food was good.  I had two plates!” – Ciera

A poem written for our visit by Optimist Club member Alden Awerkamp:

Girls Are Special

Welcome to our meeting Roberta this day
You care for kids in a very special way

Boys and girls have different needs
Too often our girl is the one who leads

Growing up before they can be a child
Often the landscape a little too wild

Girls Inc. provides a place of good things
Shelters our girls from difficult stings

We love to support for all that you stand
Help our girls get the best from this land

Help them claim the things that are theirs
All at Girls Inc. in all of our prayers.

YOUR OPTIMIST FRIENDS