District Website Service Restored

UPDATE:  access to www.amsnwoptimist.org has been restored.  The alternate website link of amsnwoptimist.weebly.com will always be available should the same issue happen again.

At the present time, the District website at www.amsnwoptimist.org is not available due to a problem with our DNS service provider.  The issue has been reported.

The District website is also available at amsnwoptimist.weebly.com.  That website link can be used until the primary website address becomes available again.

We apologize for any inconveniencce this may cause you.

Get More Help

One of the new web service projects that we have embarked on is adding a dynamic support service that can accept support requests, provide knowledge base articles to help Optimists and visitors find information, and that can accept new ideas from website visitors.

Just Added - Get More Help

We have just added a new graphic on the right border of the web page when visiting our District website called "get more help".  If you click on that, you will be introduced to the new online support system that we are implementing.

The website will become greyed out in the background and a new support window will open.  From here you will be able to submit a "Contact support" request, provide feedback, and look at the newest knowledge base articles.

Read Getting More Help to learn more about the new support feature.

Welcome from OI President JC St-Onge

Dear Optimist Leaders,

Good morning to each of you. Today, "WE" are responsible for the LEADERSHIP and DIRECTION of our districts, clubs and members! You have the skills, knowledge and ability to be a GREAT Optimist leader and together we will forge a great team and achieve wonderful results for our clubs and kids!

I believe very strongly that new clubs are the answer to achieving success and meeting the needs of kids and our communities!  Building new clubs is the answer!

New clubs will bring us excitement, enthusiasm, excellence, energy and electricity to power our year to success.

So, in that spirit and to highlight and focus on this important element of our success...

For the first 25-member adult new Optimist club chartered in 2012-2013:  

• The new club's president and his or her partner will receive a President's Cruise in November 2013 (includes airfare and cruise).
• The sponsor club's president and his or her partner will also receive a President's Cruise in November 2013 (includes airfare and cruise).

The sponsor club must finish 2012-13 as a Distinguished Club and the new club must finish the year as an Honor Club.

New clubs are our future.  I urge you to make this your highest priority and top goal this year! The first team that charters a new 25-member adult club in 2012-13, then calls me, wins (charter paperwork must be filed within the same day).  I am looking forward to the first call!

Sincerely,

OI President
"JC" St-Onge

Welcome from Governor Nick Markowsky

Good Fellow Optimists:

I would like to welcome you all to “This Great Year for the AMS&NW”. 2012/2013 will be the best year this district has seen in a long time. To do this we must take stock of our clubs and our district. As you all have heard, our district is shrinking.

To reverse this trend we must go out and build New Young Clubs not only this year, but for the next few years. We have a lot of clubs with the majority of members who are sixty plus in age. My quick evaluation is that if we do not start now or do not bother to build New Young Clubs we will lose up to 25% of our clubs in 5 to 10 years, because we as members are having a hard time attracting young people to join “our” Old Clubs. The ones that we do sign up are around our own age group. As a district we are getting older instead of younger.

Now do not get me wrong, Member retention as well as existing club growth is still important. My Club the High Noon Optimists was started as a new “YOUNG” Club, because the young people did not want to belong to an old club. This still exists today whether we like it or not.

So my final words are go get cracking and find New Young Clubs to build. You go out as a club, Clubs, or complete zones to build clubs collectively if that is what it takes. Do not let the OI recognition part hold you back as a collective group. We need Clubs not recognition for our District to grow.

Soaring to Greater Heights for Children

2012-13 Governor
AMS&NW District 13
Nick A Markowsky

Spooktacular Update 1st Quarter District Meeting

Saskatoon, SK - A Halloween Costume Party will kick the event off at 7:00 PM. on Friday evening Oct. 26, 2012. You are encouraged to enter the competition for “best costume”. You may find a lot of treats and maybe the odd trick. We hope to see you there.

District launches 2012-13 website

Although the 2012-13 District website has been live since October 1st, the final pages and touch-ups have been added.  I invite you to take a tour and discover all of the changes.

We would really appreciate your comments and suggestions on how we can improve your online experience with the District.

You can pass along your suggestions by email, use our new Contact Us form, or drop us a comment on our District Facebook page.

Into the sunset ... 2011-12 Web Services Report

Optimst Gord Welling
Web Services Chair
2009 - 2012

As most of you have heard, I am passing the role of District Web Services Chair to Wendy Skoretz.  We have been working closely for the past two months getting the 2012-13 District website ready.

I just wanted to post my last Web Services Report before handing over the reigns.

I want to thank Past Governors Darryl, Tim and Ted for their trust and support over the past 3 years, it has been a pleasure being part of your respective teams … and finally I appreciate all the kind words from all of you who participated in my workshops.

No more Hotel Rooms after today

1^st Quarter District Board Meeting

Park Town Hotel, Saskatoon Saskatchewan

October 26 and 27, 2012

We recently advised that we were successful in obtaining an extension to our blocked hotel rooms until October 2, 2012. There will be no other rooms available at the hotel after that date.

Please call the toll free hotel number on our reservation form, so you can quote our Optimist hotel reservation number to obtain our reduced rate.

For any information or concern please contact

Brent Dunlop at 306-717-1275 or bdunlop@shaw.ca or

Elmer Hilgers at 306-3737-7321 or ehilgers@shaw.ca

We hope to see you soon