“We don’t need a lot of time for a little while, but instead a little of your time for a long while.”

— Beckie Thomson, president of the Alpena Optimist Club

In Saturday’s edition of The News, reporter Steve Schulwitz brought us the story of several area service clubs who are struggling to recruit new members as many of their longstanding volunteers retire from service.

Beckie Thomson’s Optimist Club, for example, once counted membership numbering into the 90s. Today, it has 35 members on its roster, 15 of whom are active.

While it’s not all bad news (the Rotary Club is actually growing and the Lions Club is holding steady), the Kiwanis and Sports Boosters clubs are, like the Optimist Club, fighting for fresh blood.

All of those are important organizations that raise money for and commit time to worthy causes around town, helping children and families, the blind, and others, along with other projects that benefit the community at large and economic development (think the Rotary’s splash park at Starlite Beach).

We would encourage you to look into joining a club. As Thomson said, it’s not a lot of time for a short while. It’s a little time for a long while.

And every minute you give is guaranteed to make someone’s life a little better.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)