Message from the First Lady

Both Ken and I feel blessed and honored to have this opportunity to serve with you in Bringing out the BEST in our Kids, ourselves and our communities.  Our personal goal for this year is to become healthier physically, mentally and spiritually than we are today - to be the BEST we can be in every aspect of our lives.  

We encourage you to join us on this journey so that we can grow as individuals, Clubs and as an organization. Improving our health and the health of our Clubs will help us serve more children and ensure a lasting legacy of Optimism.

The start of a new year is a great time to give yourself and your Club a health check-up. Take time to consider the following questions:

• Are there areas in your life that need a boost? 
• Does your physical well-being need a lift? 
• Are the projects conducted by your Optimist Club helping kids in your community get up and get moving?

Stay tuned to future issues of The Optimist magazine and The Hotline newsletter for more details. Follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page for updates and tips.

 

Yours in Optimism,

Patsy Garner

Originally published in "Hotline" the Optimist International Leadership Publication, October 2014

OI President Ken Garner Declares War ... Learn More

Optimist International President Ken Garner Declares War ... Learn more!

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

"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

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