Season Greetings from Governor Glen

Governor Glen extends wishes for the holidays to fellow Optimists, family and friends.

Download Governor Glen's Holiday Message

2013-14 2nd Quarter District Conference Invitation

You are invited to the 2nd Quarter District Conference for 2013-14 scheduled for February 21-22, 2014 in Wolf Point, Montana. Enjoy the hospitality of the Wolf Point Optimist Club and take the opportunity to meet with the District Team led by our Governor, Glen Kreller.

Early Registration Deadline: February 1, 2014
Hotels: 

• Homestead Inn - 101 Highway 2 E, Wolf Point, MT. ~ Call (406) 653-1300 or 1-800-231-0986 for reservations.
• Sherman Motor Inn - 200 E. main, Wolf Point, MT. ~  Call (406) 653-1300 or 1-800-952-1100 for reservations.

Agenda:  Conference Agenda and Workshop Schedule - TBA
Theme: Come prepared to pay tribute to the monkeys (Monkees) on Friday night!!

How to Register:  Just complete a Registration Form and book your room before they are all reserved!
Programs:  Kids and Companions programs to be announced

Submitted by Opt Ruth Boysun, Wolf Point Optimist Club

First Quarter Board Update from Gov Glen

A great big Thank You to the Optimists of the great AMSNW District that attended the First Quarter Board meeting in Edmonton this past weekend.  About 104 Optimists and companions registered for the meeting to make it a resounding SUCCESS.

The fellowship and enthusiasm shown at this meeting gives me confidence that we will soon be serving more youth in our communities and in some new communities in the next couple of months.

Regional Vice-President Jim Boyd was with us from Des Moines, Iowa and was very impressed with our District Pride.  He arrived one day early to help us with any New Club Building we had going on.  As there was a request from High Prairie, AB through Optimist International, I took him to High Prairie to meet a future Optimist and formulate the plan to charter a Club.  He now has an idea the distances we drive in our District for meetings and New Club building.

Plan on joining us at the Second Quarter Board meeting in Wolf Point, MT on February 21st and 22nd, 2014.  Registration forms and Hotel rates will be posted on our website shortly.  I look forward to meeting both new Optimists and Optimist friends at this next meeting.

Lets Promise to reach out to more youth and make tomorrows leaders better than todays.

"I Promise"
Governor Glen

Optimist International Leadership Summits

Beginning in January of 2014, Optimist International will be hosting a series of one-day training events at 16 locations across the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. These Leadership Summits will provide quality training while remaining both geographically and financially accessible to a vast majority of Optimist Members. The registration fee for each of the summits is only $25.

Topics:

• What Makes a Good Club Meeting?
• Secrets to a Dynamic Club
• Mentoring a Member and Retention
• Social Media
• Community Needs Assessment
• Club Marketing and Publicity
• Developing Future Leaders
• And many more!

Dates and Locations:

Check the schedule below to find the Leadership Summit near you!

• May 3, 2014 - Denver, Colorado
• June 7, 2014 - Regina, Saskatchewan
• June 14, 2014 - Portland, Oregon 

Registration:

Download the 2013 Leadership Summit Registration form to register by mail or fax. Online registration will be available soon.

Source:  Optimist Leaders Hotline for October 2013 

Message from the President

Welcome to the 2013-14 Optimist year! October means a new year and a new start for Optimists, but the children we serve didn't notice any stop or start. This is the time to evaluate and fine-tune what we do best. Are you concerned that your Club needs some help to carry out projects and fundraisers to benefit the youth in your community? Would you like to possibly win some money to help fund those youth activities? Well, now you have that chance. The 2013-14 incentives can put your Club's name into eight quarterly draws, one per Region for a $250 Youth Activities Grant.

New Members mean extra hands to lighten the workload. Make a stronger resource of working Members by putting together a prospect list. Get those prospective names from your current Members and charge your Club's Membership Chair to do the talking. Remember success breeds success. If you want to be successful, it is your responsibility to make it happen, so start now.

Watch for news about the new Leadership Summits coming to a location near you in the second or third quarter of 2013-14. Be proactive, not reactive. There is no time like the present to take the first step towards being the best leader you can be.

What's your MO?

President Ron

Source:  Optimist Leaders Hotline for October 2013

2013-14 Scholarship Contest Topics Announced

The topics for the 2013-14 Optimist International Scholarship competitions have been announced:

Essay

"How Dreams Lead to Success"

Oratorical & CCDHH

"How My Passions Impact the World"

Clubs are free to run a club-level competition to select winners to move on to the applicable Zone, Regional and District level competitions. Clubs can award monetary awards of up to $500 per winner for some of those competitions.

Additional information is available at the following online information pages:

Essay Competition  ~  Oratorical (Public Speaking) Competition
Communication Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Garnering interest in Oratorical competitions has been difficult in recent years so clubs may want to consider approaching elementary schools (grades 5 & 6) to start a "Kids Speak Out" program or club.

Clubs should visit our Programs Resources web page and click on the logo for the competition that they want to host to access the latest OI information for that competition.

Meet the District team for 2013-14

Governor Glen Kreller (St. Albert) is pleased to announce the following appointments to the District Team for  2013-14.

There are some changes that we have introduced into the team this year that includes the splitting North-East Montana clubs from Zone 8 to form a new Zone 10.  The Essay & Oratorical Competition Chair positions have been combined and the Lt Governor for Zone 5 will also chair the CCDHH competition.  I want to thank all those Optimists who stepped forward to volunteer with the District Team in addition to their club duties.

Introducing the District Executive Team

The District Executive Team is responsible for running an effective District that fosters growth in membership and clubs, delivers fantastic youth projects and programs, and delivers services that support the Zone Lieutenant-Governors, and Clubs.  We are pleased to introduce the District Executive for 2013-14:

Governor – Glen Kreller (St. Albert)
District Secretary-Treasurer – Wendy Skoretz (Border City-Lloydminster)
2014-15 Governor-Elect – Dan Pedersen (Great Falls-Uptown)
International Ambassador – Nick Markowsky (Prince Aldert)
Candidate Qualifications – Ted Huber (Bozeman Breakfast)

Lieutenant Governors

Zone 1 Lt Gov - James Rehm (Great Falls-Uptown)
Zone 2 Lt Gov - Roger Gravaard (Billings-Heights)
Zone 3 Lt Gov - Les Trevor (Red Deer)
Zone 4 Lt Gov - Roger Gravaard (Billings-Heights)
Zone 5 Lt Gov - Patti Welling (St. Albert)
Zone 6 Lt Gov - Time Bell (Airdrie)
Zone 7 Lt Gov - Allyson Wall (Prince Albert)
Zone 8 Lt Gov - Jim McWilliams (Regina-Downtowners)
Zone 9 Lt Gov - Dennis Hodgins (Duval)
Zone 10 Lt Gov - Ruth Boysun (Wolf Point)

Meet the District Growth Team

The District Growth Team is responsible for fostering a significant growth in District membership by assisting fellow Optimists to recruit new members and build new adult and JOOI clubs, and by enhancing the knowledge and skills of Optimist leaders and members.  We are pleased to introduce the District Growth Team for 2013-14: 

Leadership Development Chair – Edie McInnes (Blackfalds)
Membership Chair – Nathan Kondrat (Red Deer-Waskasoo)
New Club Building Chair – Gary Cross (Regina-Downtowners)
JOOI Chair – Sue Bridgeford (Great Falls-Uptown)
Personal Growth (PGI) Chair – Jeff Barnhart (Great Falls-Uptown) 

Meet the District Youth Programs Team

The District Youth Programs Team is responsible for running the District Scholarship Contests, and supporting clubs with running other OI sanctioned youth programs.  We are pleased to introduce the District Growth Team for 2013-14: 

Childhood Cancer Campaign – Dan Petersen (Great Falls-Uptown)
CCDHH Competition Chair – Patti Welling (St. Albert)
Essay/Oratorical Competition Chair – Dick Mastel (Medicine Hat)
Junior Golf Chair – Jay Strever (Billings-Heights Business)
Juvenile Curling Chair – Mike Di Nicola (Calgary) 

Meet the District Services Team

The District Services Team is responsible for providing services that support the District Team, Zone Lieutenant-Governors, and Clubs.  We are pleased to introduce the District Services Team for  2013-14: 

 

Achievement, Awards & Protocol – Lloyd Pethick (Friendly City-Moose Jaw)
District Convention Chair – Lyle Merriam (Regina-Downtowners)
District Foundation Rep – Doug Kirby (Billings-Breakfast)

Supplies (Canada) – Brian Wallace (Edmonton Dinner)
Supplies (US) – Loran Salsbury (Magic City-Billings)
District Web Services – Gord Welling (St. Albert Breakfast) 

New JOOI Incentives from the International President

 Growth is important in all areas of the organization, including JOOI! There are some exciting new incentives to encourage the building new JOOI Clubs. Take this opportunity to give the youth in your community the chance to make new friends, develop leadership skills, learn the importance of community service and have fun!

All new JOOI Clubs chartered in the 2013-2014 year will be entered into a quarterly draw for a $250 grant towards one of their Club activities. There will be one draw per quarter and only Clubs built in that quarter will qualify for the draw.

Source:  Optimist Leader Hotline for October 2013

For more information on JOOI Clubs, visit "Clubs 4 Kids" on our District website.  If you are interested in building a JOOI club, please contact your Zone Lt Governor or the District JOOI Chair, Opt Sue Bridgeford.

Welcome everyone to a new year of Optimism

My friends and fellow Optimists.

Welcome everyone to a new year of Optimism.

First, let me be one of the first to congratulate "Distinguished" Immediate Past Governor Nick and his Team on a successful year of Optimism. His positive membership and building of 2 new Clubs has allowed more youth in our District to be served by Optimism. We look forward to keeping this momentum during our year.

As some of you are aware, it is my passion for our organization that keeps me involved with my Club and with this great District. I developed the theme "I Promise" to indicate that I will be working hard this year as your Governor to make this District stronger and serving more youth (the leaders of tomorrow). As
such I have a personal Oath;

"As an Optimist, I promise to make
the AMSNW District better tomorrow than it is today"

I would ask each of you to share with me my passion, my fellowship and in your own way my theme or oath. By doing this, I know that we will be serving many more youth in this District on September 30, 2014.

Welcome to the 2013-2014 year "I Promise"

Glen Kreller,
Governor 2013-2014
gkreller@shaw.ca
(780) 916-8687

"My Optimism" ... an open letter to fellow Optimists

My friends, one and all,

Every member is an Optimist because of a feeling they get when they affect the lives of young people. Whether it is at the club or the district or international level, each of us moves forward with one unified goal in mind; make our community and our world a better place for our children to live in.

How we portray our optimism varies for each of us. Some of us strive to be a part of the decision making process. While others are happy with witnessing the smiles on the faces of the young people we serve. It is important that every club and district of Optimist International recognizes that the involvement of our members must be filled with personal enjoyment. It must be entertaining and it must capture the underlining need of our members to feel that they make a difference.

In 2013 -2014 it is my wish that every club and district recognize that our children are served by active members. All members place their involvement in club and district meetings and activities on their social priority list. If we satisfy their desire for fun and enjoyment we move higher up on their personal list. We need to find out what makes our members happy and make it happen. The answer may be different for every club but the results will return big rewards in more working members and new leadership.

We can no longer lose members without a proactive plan to replace them first. For what ever reason, even the smallest of deletions has a major effect on the ability of this organization to continue to support its endeavors. Every club must understand the fact that we are all Optimist International. We are all a voice that makes a difference in our communities and our districts. It is time to raise that voice so that it echoes from club to club, village to village, city to city. Build Optimism to a stature that everyone wants to be apart of. That is my “MO” (My Optimism). Put a smile on a child and love in your heart.

Only you can make the difference.

Yours in Optimism,

Ron Huxley
2013-2014 President Optimist International

District Meetings Announced for 2013-14 Year

The District meets on a quarterly basis to conduct business and run training workshops.  Meetings for 2013-14 are confirmed as:

• Edmonton, AB, 18-19 October 2013
• Wolf Point, MT, 21-22 February 2014
• Medicine Hat, AB, 2-3 May 2014
• Regina, SK, 7-9 August 2014

You can always find the latest summary of information and links to the registration forms at the top right of the District "OptiNews" Blog.

Registration forms and the Agenda for the 1st Quarter District Conference are now available.  We have a complete line-up of training workshops.

2013-14 1st Quarter District Conference Invitation

You are invited to the 1st Quarter District Conference for 2013-14 scheduled for October 18-19, 2013 in Edmonton, Alberta. Enjoy the hospitality of the Alberta Capital Region Optimist Clubs and take the opportunity to meet with the District Team led by our Incoming Governor, Glen Kreller.

Early Registration Deadline: September 30, 2013
Hotel:  Quality Inn West Harvest, 17083 Stoney Plain Road NW, Edmonton, AB. ~ Call (780) 484-8000 or 1-800-661-6993 for reservations.
Agenda:  Conference Agenda and Workshop Schedule
Theme: To be announced.

How to Register: Both a "Kids & Companions Program" are available so you can bring the entire family. Just complete a Registration Form and book your room before they are all reserved!

Submitted by Opt Keivin Wallace, Edmonton Dinner Optimist Club

Rowan House Emergency Women's Shelter Needs Our Help

Hello AMS & NW,

Can your club meet the Bozeman Breakfast Optimist Club challenge? High River Optimists can! The Regina Downtowners can!

The Bozeman Breakfast Club responded to the terrible news in June of flooding in High River by asking if they could help through the local Optimist Club. The High River Club has elected to direct its assistance to the Rowan House Emergency Women’s Shelter and suggests that other clubs do the same. Cheques can be made payable to “Rowan House” (a registered charity that can issue charitable donation receipts for Individuals).

Some background:

• The mission of Rowan House is to provide crisis intervention, long-term support and education for those affected by family violence in rural communities. in southern Alberta.
• The floods of June made their lower level unusable and forced evacuation of residents.
• Two months later, they have their security system operational and have reconfigured the main floor to permit limited acceptance of clients, but still do not have use of the basement which housed facilities for child care, counselling and staff work area.
• www.rowanhouse.ca has more details.
• Most of the businesses in the core of downtown stand vacant, awaiting the drying process to complete and for assessments of the viability of the building structures.

What have Optimists done so far?

• The Bozeman Breakfast Optimist Club sent a cheque for $1,000 and issued a challenge to other clubs to match them.
• The Optimist Club of High River gave a cheque for $1,000.
• The Regina Downtowners committed a minimum of $1,000.
• The District Convention in Great Falls raised $1,010 by contributing fine pot contents and passing the hat!
• Jim McWilliams wrote a personal cheque.

If you or your club are in a position to help, you can send cheques directly to Rowan House (Box 5121, High River, AB T1V 1M3) or you could send them to me and I will deliver them (Duane Kelly, Box 34 Site 1 RR1, Millarville, AB T0L 1K0). Either way, if you could drop me a note, I will keep track of totals.

Originally submitted by:  Duane Kelly - charter member of the Optimist Club of High River

Announcing the Dreamland Optimist Club of Birch Hills, SK

We are pleased to announce the chartering of the "Dreamland Optimist Club" in Birch Hills, Saskatchewan.

All AMS&NW Optimists are invited to attend and participate in the Club Charter celebrations, September 7th, 2013:

Welcome Social:  5:30 pm at the Flute & Fiddle Heritage Dance Hall, Main Street, Birch Hills.
Supper:  7:00 pm at the Birch Hills Civic Centre
After Social:  9:00 pm at the Flute & Fiddle Heritage Dance Hall, Main Street, with local entertainment. There will be a Silent Auction and 50/50 draw.

Please download and submit a completed registration form by August 28th.

Submitted by Zone 7 Lt Gov Vince Parker

Now is the time to start working on your CPA

Hi everyone again. 

 

Please try and get a CPA submission done up for your club. This is a fun way to reflect on a important or fun community service project, youth activity or fundraiser from the current 2012-13 Optimist year.  CPA also helps down the road if your club would like to try the event again then all the information in one spot for someone else to follow.

 

The CPA submissions must be burned to CD and mailed directly to Optimist International for judging.

In the International competition, three award winners will be chosen – Best Film (for video clip entries), Best Writing in a CPA Entry (for .pdf file entries) and the Best Youth Activity.

The Best Youth Activity award will be presented to a Club that exemplifies the mission and vision of Optimist International through its service to youth. The project should be unique and innovative, meet a need of today’s young people, have an impact on the youth involved and have universal appeal, regardless of geography. All youth activity projects in both the Best Film and Best Writing in a CPA Entry category are eligible for this special award; fundraising projects will not be eligible.

International winners will receive a $500 check for their Club to utilize as they see fit. The winning projects will be featured in The Optimist magazine and on the Optimist website.

Winners will be encouraged to attend the International Convention, where their project can be showcased in the Bragger’s Hall.

You can learn more about preparing a CPA from our Optimist Academy tutorial "The Rules Have Changed ... the new CPA" which includes links to the forms needed for your CPA submission and the contest rules.

Submitted by Opt Edna Coulter, District Activities Chair
Our thanks go to Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net for sharing their digital photo with us.

District Essay Contest Winner Announced

The District Essay Contest is an Optimist International Scholarship Program and based on our District's response on this program I believe this is our most paramount project.  All regions of our District participated and we received a total of 18 Essay entries.  Many Clubs held local level contests and one club reported the upwards of 60 entries.  This is terrific news.  That means an approximate average of 500 Essays were written within in our District.  

I am pleased to announce that Ian Chang of Calgary is the District winner of the $2,500 scholarship.  The trophy presentation was made at the Calgary Dinner Club meeting on May 21st.

Now is the time to make contact with local schools to determine interest in running a local Essay Writing Contest for the youth in your community.  Refer to the Optimist International Essay Contest web page for information from this year as you plan for the 2013-14 contest.  The topic should be announced in late September / early October.

Submitted by Opt Brian Wallace, District Essay Contest Chair

Life in the Online World

Many agencies, schools run Internet Safety for younger kids.  However we have a group of kids, younger teens that are being over looked.  Optimist International has a program for these kids called "Life in the Online World". 

Part of the program includes a presentation that was recently filmed at the OI office using Octagon members.  As summer approaches and kids idle time increases I encourage all Optimists to operate the Internet Safety programs.

 Statistics show that 99% of all teens have access to the internet and 94% of students admitted to being cyber bullied and did not tell an adult. The importance of protecting the children in your community is a major undertaking and Optimists Clubs can play a vital role. In order to receive a packet, Clubs must complete the request form. One complimentary packet is available to each Club by request.

After completing the form, please mail it to:
Optimist International
Attn: Programs
4494 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108

You can also fax the form to (314) 735-4125.

Submitted by Opt Brian Wallace, District Internet Safety Chair

2013 Annual District Convention Invitation

You are invited to the 2013 Annual District Convention scheduled for August 22-24, 2013 in Great Falls, Montana.

Enjoy the hospitality of the Great Falls Optimist Clubs and take the opportunity to meet with the District Team led by our Governor, Nick Markowsky.

Early Registration Deadline: August 9, 2013

Hotel:  Holiday Inn & Conference Center, 400 10th Ave S, Great Falls, MT. ~ Call (406) 727-7200 for reservations.

Themes & Activities:

* Fishing Derby / Duck Race (Thursday evening)
* 70's Garb for Best Dressed Contests (Friday evening)
* Golf (Saturday afternoon)
* Governor's banquet (Saturday evening)

Agenda: 2013 Annual District Convention Agenda (coming soon)

Training:  Workshop Schedule (coming soon)

How to Register: Both a "Kids & Companion Programs" are available so you can bring the entire family. Just complete a Registration Form and book your room before they are all reserved!

Submitted by Opt Dan Petersen, Great Falls Uptown Optimist Club

AMS&NW is on the plus side ... WOW

Hello Everyone:

First of all I would like to “Congratulate” you all for helping to make our district move into the plus side. This is the first time in quite a while that we are at this stage this time of the year. Please give yourselves and all of members your club a hearty pat on the back and keep up with the good work.

We are #5 this week on the leader board and to think that the increase is due solely with Member retention as well as new Members being brought in to all of our clubs. Wait until all of the clubs that we have on the go come in. Wow and double Wow. This district is on the way up. It really is nice to see the upward climb rather than the downward decline. Once again “Congratulations.”

See you all in Billings

Soaring to Greater Heights for Children

Governor AMS&NW District 13

Nick A Markowsky

462-23 Street East

Prince Albert, SK

S6V 1P8

Ph 764-6199

Fax 764-9149

nmarkowsky [at] sasktel.net

2013 Optimist International Convention News - May 2013

Fellow Optimists

The Optimist International Convention is less than two months away and the excitement is building. The convention includes a wide variety of workshops and entertainment and is a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with Optimists from years past and make new friends. We hope to see you there!

95th Optimist International Convention

(Cincinnati, Ohio)

Club Officer Election Reports

Hello Everyone:

his memo is going out to everyone. I know that a good number of the clubs have done their elections and submitted the results.

This is just a reminder to have your elections and results completed and submitted to Optimist International by May 20, 2013. This information that you submit helps our incoming Governor get his district information before his term begins. 

Our new Optimist Academy website even has a tutorial on submitting a COER using optimistleaders.org:

Submit your COER in Optimist leaders.org

The last number of years we as a district have let this slip and in turn the incoming governor has to try and get this information at the last minute sometimes without much success thus leading to missed information being sent out to the new executives of the clubs for the new year.

Thank you for your attention to this timely and pressing matter.

See you all in Billings

Soaring to Greater Heights for Children

Governor AMS&NW District 13

Nick A Markowsky

462-23 Street East

Prince Albert, SK

S6V 1P8

Ph 764-6199

Fax 764-9149

nmarkowsky [at] sasktel.net

Remembering Bill Cummer

It is with a great deal of sadness that we announce the passing of Optimist Bill Cummer on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Denise Dolph and her family at this time.  Denise provided us with these words:

You may have heard already that my Dad, Bill Cummer, passed away peacefully at home on May 7 after a brief illness. The funeral service will be Friday, May 17 at 10:30 at Lakeview United Church. There will be a visitation (no open casket) Thursday, May 16 in the evening at McInnis and Holloway on Elbow Drive. The obituary will be out tomorrow in the National Post and I think tomorrow and 3 other days next week in the Calgary Herald. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Optimist Club William J. Cummer Scholarship. Details of locations and donation instructions are in the obituary.

I would appreciate it if you would forward this to your club members and other Optimists.

He will be missed by all who knew him!

Bill served 50+ years with the Optimist Club of Calgary and is fondly remembered for being a dedicated volunteer whose contributions have touched generations of youth throughout Calgary.  His passion and dedication were recently honoured by his fellow club members the last time that they hosted AMS&NW District members to a conference in Calgary.  Many of us have enjoyed and will treasure the company and fellowship that Bill always shared with every Optimist he met.

Credits:  Photo -  www.legacy.com

AMS&NW Optimist Journal Launched

We are now publishing a weekly online newspaper that brings together Optimist news and stories that may be of interest to you and your friends.  You can find it in quite a few places:

Learn more in our Web Services announcement "Did you know we published a newspaper".

• Look for a new tab at the top of the OptiNews Blog ... do you see it?
• As a dedicated page on our District website.
• And at Paper.li where it is actually hosted.

We publish a new edition every Monday at 9 am (Mountain US & Canada). Please subscribe to get a regular notice of each new edition.

Early Registration is May 3, 2013 for the next AMS&NW District Conference

Invitation & Registration Details: Register before May 3, 2013 for early registration prices of $90/$70/$40 Member/Companion/Child, otherwise add $10 per member/companion at the door.

Just complete a Registration Form and book your room before they are all reserved!

Conference Agenda: 

Alberta – Montana – Saskatchewan – Northern Wyoming Optimist District 

Third Quarter Conference 

May 17 - 18, 2013

Friday, May 17, 2013
4:00 – 8:00 PM Registration
5:00 PM Executive Meeting
7:00 - Fun Night (What a night it will be????)

Saturday, May 8, 2013
8:00 AM: Meeting called to order by Zone 6 by Lt. Gov
- Presentation of Flags and National Anthems
- Civic Welcoming Address
- Introduction of Governor
- Appointment of Parliamentarian
- Appointment of Sergeant at Arms
- Introduction of Past Governors
- Introduction of TEAM OPTIMIST
– Lt. Governors and Committee Chairs
- Introduction of First Timers
8:30 AM:  Lt Governors Reports /First Timers Orientation –Roger Lesofski
9:15 AM:  Committee Presentations – Juvenile Curling, Junior Golf, Childhood Cancer Campaign, Youth Clubs, Membership, New Club Building
10:00 AM:  Break
10:15 AM: Oratorical Contest – Shirley Green
Noon Luncheon
- “Building for the Future”
- Optimist International Foundation Awards – DFR- Doug Kirby
- Announcement of Essay Winner with Video – Brian Wallace
- Announcement of Oratorical Winners – Shirley Green
1:15-2:05 PM:  Workshop Sessions – Locations to be announced
- PGI – Jeff Barnhart
- Childhood Cancer Campaign – Edie McInnis
-Youth Clubs – Glen Kreller
- Building a non-traditional optimist Club—Don Morrison
2:10-3:00 PM:  Workshop Sessions
-Membership (are you really recruiting) – Jeff Barnhart
- New Club Building ( Let the new clubs begin) - Glenn Kreller
- Internet Safety - Brian Wallace
3:15 PM:  Meeting Resumes
- District Secretary - Approve minutes of previous meeting and financial report
- LET’S GO to Cincinnati – International Ambassador & Past Gov Ted Huber
- LET’S GO to the AMS&NW Convention in Great Falls - Dan Peterson
- Closing Remarks Optimist Creed
4:00 PM: Club Presidents’ Meeting
6:00 PM:  LET’S GO SOCIALIZE
7:00 PM:  Governor’s Dinner - Governor Nick Markowsky

Soaring to Greater Heights for Children
 Governor AMS&NW District 13
Nick A Markowsky
462-23 Street East Prince Albert, SK S6V 1P8
Ph 306-764-6199 Fax 306-764-9149
nmarkowsky@sasktel.net

Alberta Jr Curling Teams at the O.I. U18 Curling Championships

A pair of Okotokians slid its way into international acclaim with a podium finish at the world’s marquee Juvenile curling event.

Team Alberta, featuring Okotoks’ Kyler Kleibrink and Christian Sprinkhuysen, brought home the bronze medal at the Optimist International U18 Curling Championships, March 31 in Surrey/Langley B.C.

“I’m very impressed with how we did and it feels really great to have the bronze medal actually,” said Sprinkhuysen, the team’s lead. “I’d say there’s no other experience like it.”

The Alberta curlers had a dream start to the event by picking up three straight victories over Pennsylvania, Prince Edward Island and Minnesota to take a stranglehold on playoff positioning in Pool B.

“We won our first game and momentum kept building up and we won our next game, then our next game,” Sprinkhuysen said. “We were feeling really great.”

Team Alberta, composed of Nanton-skip Jeremy Harty, Kleibrink at third, Brooks’ Jeremy Burnett at second and Sprinkhuysen at lead, hit its first road-block in a 7-6 loss in an extra end to Ontario on March 30.

“In the extra end both teams were playing well and it just came down to the final couple shots,” Kleibrink said. “We were just off by an inch so they won the game.”

They would recover from the opening loss quickly, picking up a convincing 6-0 win over Quebec in the round-robin finale.

With a record of 4-1, Team Alberta advanced to a semifinal showdown with Manitoba, an undefeated rink heading into the contest and eventual gold medalists.

Manitoba grabbed an early 5-0 lead through three ends, and despite a valiant comeback the Alberta curlers simply ran out of rocks and lost 7-4.

“We were looking at a lot of yellows, but we had a shot and we played it, but the rock picked,” Kleibrink said of the crucial three-point third end for Manitoba. “When it picked we tapped them in for three and after they got up on us they were a great hitting team and we didn’t have a chance of coming back.”

A chance at redemption came in the form of a bronze medal game draw against Team Japan, where the Alberta curlers edged their opponents by the narrowest of margins in a 4-3 thriller.

“We pulled our socks together and really came out strong in the bronze medal game,” Kleibrink said. “Japan they were amazing (at draws) so we just had to keep them hitting.”

The bronze medal from the 12-team tournament was not a bad way to cap off a Juvenile career for the curling foursome, who will now move up to the Junior ranks.

“It was awesome,” Kleibrink said. “Most of all though, it didn’t really matter where we placed. It was just a great experience for all of us.”

95th Optimist International Convention July 4-6, 2013 Cincinnati, Ohio

95th Optimist International Convention July 4-6, 2013 Cincinnati, Ohio The International Convention events will take place at the: Duke Energy Convention Center 525 Elm Street Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 When it comes to convenience, a lot of cities talk the talk, but they just can’t walk the walk. Well in Cincinnati USA, you can walk just about everywhere. In fact, Prevention Magazine recently ranked Cincinnati as one of the Top 10 Most Walkable Cities in the United States. There are countless restaurants, clubs, music venues and shopping stores within a two-minute walk from your hotel and Fountain Square.  This compact, easy-to-navigate footprint lets attendees readily explore the city and find their inner energy before, between and after events.

Registration
Online registration is now open!
Cincinnati Registration Form
For Members who prefer to print off a form to submit by mail or fax. To download the registration form, click here.

Look who's registered for Cincinnati!

Look Before You Book
Before you book your travel and housing, please consider arriving early or staying late to experience everything that Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky have to offer.  You may want to catch a Cincinnati Reds baseball game, visit the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, discover the wonders of an underwater world at the Newport Aquarium, tour the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center or experience the thrill of Kings Island Amusement & Waterpark.  Your International Convention Committee is also working hard to coordinate a Saturday Charity Chili Cook-Off/Tailgate Party. 

For more information check out the link below, to O.I. website on the convention.
http://www.optimist.org/e/Member/convention1.cfm

Saskatchewan Teams in the Optimist International U-18 Championships

2 teams that represented Saskatchewan at the 2013 Optimist International U-18 Curling Championship in Surrey and Langley BC.
Attached are photos.

The rosters are:

 Girls who won Bronze.
Skip   - Kristen Streifel
3rd     - Haylee Jameson
2nd    - Courtney Orsen
Lead   - Karlee Korchinski
Coach - Tracy Streifel

Boys who won 5th
Skip   - Chad Lang
3rd     - Anthony Neufeld
2nd    - Nicklas Neufeld
Lead   - Brett Lang
Coach - Jim Wilson

Oratorical Rules District and Optimist International

  "Minimum Number of Participants
Combined gender Zone, Regional and District contests must have no fewer than three participants. Separate gender Zone, Regional and District contests must have no less than six participants (three boys and three girls).
In cases where the minimum number of 3 contestants at the
Zone or Regional contest cannot be met, there are two options:
A. Send winners directly to the next level of the contest. If your Zone or Regional competition has at least 3 contestants of one gender, you can hold the contest for that gender and send the winner on to the next level. Again, if there are less than 3 contestants for either gender, please forward them to the next level of competition. "


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ARTICLE VI: DISTRICT CONTESTS

Page 11

District Oratorical Contests

(Accounts 140, 370)

a)The District shall conduct both a boys and girls’ Oratorical Contest each year. The District Finals will be held at the time of the Third Quarter District Conference.

b)  Pursuant to the policies of Optimist International all phases of the District Contests shall be conducted in strict compliance with the International Contest rules.

c) A committee of three (3) members from Clubs in the city where the District Contest is to be held may be appointed by the District Chair to assist in selection of facilities, equipment,

judges, etc. and other details pertinent to the conduct of the contests.

d) Each zone winner shall advance to the state/provincial contest, known as the Regional Contest, to determine the boy and girl winners who will represent that state/province at the

District Contest. Zone and Regional contests are to be conducted under the supervision of, and coordinated by, the District Oratorical Chair, with the responsibility for the actual

conduct of Zone and Regional Contests assigned to the Lieutenant Governors.  The responsibility for running the Regional contests shall be rotated annually among the

Lieutenant Governors in that region.

e) An entry fee of Forty Dollars ($40.00) per contestant, payable in advance to the Alberta - Montana -Saskatchewan and Northern Wyoming District, shall be paid by all Clubs

sponsoring a contestant in the Zone contests. The costs of all transportation, food, and lodging, while at or en route to or from Zone and Regional contests, shall be the

responsibility of the sponsoring Clubs.

f) The costs of food and lodging while en route to and from the District Contest shall be the responsibility of the sponsoring Clubs. Clubs sponsoring contestants at the District

Oratorical Contest shall be reimbursed for mileage at the rate established under Section VIII [under Section VII the mileage is 10 cents per mile for U.S.A., and 10 cents per kilometer for Canada]. Cost of food and housing for contestants, while at the District Oratorical Contest,

shall be the responsibility of the District Administration.

g) The runners up at the Regional Contests shall be presented with the official Optimist  International trophy designated as District Finalist. The winners of the Regional Contests

shall compete in the District Oratorical contest Finals and shall receive the appropriate District Finalist or District Winner Trophy at that contest. (which is at the time of the Third Quarter District Conference)

h)The costs of all District Trophies, Zone certificates and frames, and all authorized receipts and expenditures, shall be budgeted and audited under Accounts 140 and 370. All such

12 items shall be supervised by the District Contest Chair and accountable to the District Secretary-Treasurer who shall make all purchases and expenditures, and record all

revenues and expenses.

i) It shall be the responsibility of the District Oratorical Chair to submit the required materials and information on the contest winners to International Office within Thirty (30) days

following the contest. The presentation of the official scholarship award provided by Optimist International shall be made by the Governor at the District Convention when

possible.