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Steamboat Springs — Rob McCarthy joined the Optimist Club in Steamboat Springs because his children enjoyed the group's activities.

That was 20 years ago. Now that his children are 21 and 25, he's hoping a new wave of parents and volunteers can start to help out with the dozens of community events the group supports each year.

The Optimist Club is planning a barbecue that starts at 11 a.m. Saturday at the playground near the base of Howelsen Hill. The event will offer burgers, hot dogs and beverages, as well as free Howler Alpine Slide rides to the first 30 children and unlimited $5 rides for everyone else. McCarthy said he's hoping the event will attract new members to the club.

"We're a small club - 14, maybe 15 people now," said McCarthy, who can remember when the club was nearly twice as large. "Our membership is getting older, and we're looking for some young people and young families who want to have fun with their kids and serve the youth of the community."

The Optimist Club is more than a dozen hearty souls who sit around and talk about all things good in the world. In Steamboat, the group sponsors a Teen of the Month and then a Teen of the Year. The group sponsors the Wylie E. Coyote Ski Chase youth cross-country skiing event and the Bike Rodeo and Bike Swap. It has a fishing contest that coincides with Father's Day, a pumpkin painting festival around Halloween, and it even sets up visits from Santa Claus around Christmas.

"It's all about the kids," eight-year member Ron Wendler said. "We want to keep all these events going. We're looking for anyone - parents, retirees or anyone with time on their hands."

Wendler said about the group's roughly 15 members, the burden of running events usually falls on the same half dozen.

He said he's enjoyed his time in the club, but the responsibility can become overwhelming.

Membership doesn't come with many requirements. Dues are $35 every three months, and there are two meetings a month.

"It's a non-pressure group. It's not like we make people show up to every single meeting. They can just come and help out at events, if that's all the time they have," Wendler said. "We're just looking for some new blood.

"The pace of life is so fast these days, sometimes you just have to slow down. And when you do, it feels good to help out and give back to the community."