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. "


=========================================

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.

Oratorical Regional District Contests

Alberta
April 27 - Calary
Saskatchewan
May 11 - Moose Jaw
Montana and Northern Wyoming
April 20 - Billings

Oratorical Contest Information Update

The District Oratorical Chair is Shirley Green, her email contact information on the District Contact Cards is incorrect. Shirley's contact information is (406) 655-9650 Res. Shirley's email is greenesh@gmail.com

Optimist International Oratorical Contest

Topic: "Why My Voice is Important"

Who: Students under the age of 19 who have not yet graduated from high school or the equivalent and who are educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.

How To Enter: Interested students submit a speech on the pre-assigned topic to their local Optimist Club. To find out the contact in your area, please e-mail the Programs Department at programs@optimist.org.

When:
The District Contest is held during the 3rd Quarter District Convention in Billing MT. May 18, 2013 at 10:30 am
Our District hold Regional Events before the District Contest for each Province or State such as: Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana, and Northern Wyoming.

Regional Contests

From Donna Timmerman, Billings MT

• Montana Regional Oratorical Contest
  
• April 20 at 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
  
• "Lillis Center on the St. John's Lutheran Ministries Campus"
  
• 2429 Mission Way (corner of Shiloh and Poly). Billings MT
  
• Look for the building with a cross on the top (chapel). We will be on the lower level (use the lower parking Lot).
  

Oratorical Contest Quick Links

• Contest Application(Rules Pad)
• Club Planning Guide
• District Planning Guide
• Kids Speak Out

Students
The deadline to enter is determined by the sponsoring Optimist Club. All Club-level contests are typically held by late March.

Clubs and Districts
The District deadline to submit winners to Optimist International is June 15, 2013. Optimist International does not set Club/Zone/Regional deadlines.


For an application with contest rules, click here.

The Optimist Oratorical Contest gives youngsters the chance to speak to the world. More than $150,000 in college scholarships funded by the Optimist International Foundations is awarded annually from this program.

First conducted in 1928, this is the second most popular Optimist International Program. Nearly 2,000 clubs participate in this program each year. The winners at the Club level receive medallions and Zone winners receive a plaque. Districts have the opportunity to provide two $2,500 scholarships or a first place scholarship of $2,500, a second place scholarship of $1,500, and a third place scholarship of $1,000.

Information for Optimist Members planning the contest:
All Members can now view and conveniently print planning pages for any International Program from your home computer. Click here to view the 2012-2013 Club Oratorical Contest Planning Guide. Click here to view the 2012-2013 District Oratorical Contest Planning Pages. Click here for information about the Kids Speak Out contest. To view the planning pages for any of the International Programs and Community Activities, please visit the forms and publications page.

Oratorical Contest Package - A Program Package for the contest is available by clicking here. Clubs can find useful materials to help them get started with the scholarship contest.

Support merchandise for this program can be ordered through Optimist Supply for US and Caribbean Clubs and from OptiPromo for Canadian Clubs. Contact information for both supply companies can be found here.

For additional information, please contact the Optimist International Programs Department by e-mail at programs@optimist.org, or call (800) 500-8130.
Certificates of Participation
If your Club or District is sponsoring a contest, certificates of participation can be presented to all contestants.
Certificate for Club level
Certificate for District level

Publicize the Oratorical Contest
Optimist International has developed a series of news releases that Clubs and Districts can use in connection with their participation in international programs. Below are sample news releases that Clubs and Districts can use to promote the Oratorical Contest. Please note that the .doc version enables users to type their information into fields*, while the .pdf files are for viewing only.

Oratorical Contest - Prior to event (.doc)
Oratorical Contest - Prior to event (.pdf)
Oratorical Contest - After event (.doc)
Oratorical Contest - After event (.pdf)

New Club Building

WOW, this should be a great incentive to start that New Club Building that your Club has been contemplating. Remember that you can be a Distinguished President or an Outstanding Lt.-Gov. by being active in building that new Club. The rules for the incentive are: New Club Building Incentive • The Sponsor Club that builds a new club in the 3rd Quarter (April 1 to June 30), shall receive a dues credit for their club (the Sponsor Club) for $150.* • If the new club is built at 25 members, or reaches 25 members within 30 days of chartering, the Sponsor Club will receive an additional $250 dues credit.* • Total dues credit for building a 25-member (or greater) club is $400. *Credit will be issued once the follow-up program has been submitted. *Friends of Optimists (FOOs) may not be included in the original charter group, but may be added once the new Club has been chartered to achieve 25 members (or more). Need help to get started, Call me or Governor Nick and we will find someone close to you who can assist. Need to get started now to make the June 30th deadline. Lets do it NOW and "Bring out the Best in Kids" in that new community. YIO Glen Kreller, District NCB Chairman

Clubs ... Sponsor a Local Youth to the District Oratorical Contest

Has your club started preparations for running a local Oratorical Contest?  Why not?

Please consider running a club competition and sponsoring a winner to compete in the Zone, Regional and District Speak-offs.

Topic:  "Why My Voice is Important"

Who: Students  under the age of 19 who have not yet graduated from high school or the equivalent and who are educated in the United States, Canada or the Caribbean.

When:  Speak-Off Contests Competitors will participate in a series of "Speak-off Contests" with the finalists moving forward to participate in the next highest level speak-off. These speak-off contests are scheduled so that the finalists will compete in a District Speak-Off:

• Club Speak-off: This is the entry level contest were one or several clubs will conduct a community-level speak-off contest to select one male and female finalist per club to compete at a Zone speak-off.
• Zone Speak-off: The club finalists will compete in a multi-community competition to select a male and female finalist to move forward to compete in a Regional speak-off.
• Regional Speak-off: The zone finalists will compete in a province or state level competition to select a male and female finalist to move forward to compete in the District speak-off.
• District Speak-off: The District Speak-off between the Regional finalists will be held in Calgary, Alberta during the 3rd Quarter District Conference in Billings, MT during the 17-18 May 2013 weekend.

How:  Contact Shirley Green (the District Oratorical Competition Chair) for more details.  Clubs can find all of the details, instructions, forms and planning guides on the Optimist International Oratorical Contest webpage.