We love stories about your Optimist Club. Please tell us one and we'll add it to the website.
Click here, email, or post to Facebook. Thank you!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

It's an Honor to be Honor

As we head into the final months of Governor Steve Andersen's administration and toward the beginning of Governor-elect Peter Smith's term of office, one thing remains the same - it's an honor to be Honor. What does that mean? Please read on to learn what being an Honor Club President means to me.

A purple and gold rectangle bears my name on my Optimist Club's banner. I wouldn't want it any other way. Representing a year of dedication and commitment, that symbol set in motion a career in Optimism.

I chose to be president of my Optimist Club even though others had turned down the opportunity. I smiled and said yes when asked to serve because I knew our Optimist Club made a difference in our community. We served kids, we were civic leaders, and we offered hope to those who were less fortunate. We gave of ourselves and in doing so, developed a sense of pride and teamwork. How could anyone decline the opportunity to lead such an admirable cause?

My Optimist Club flourished. We sponsored service projects and fund raisers, we paid our bills and made reports to the district and Optimist International. We recruited new members and never failed to honor the Optimist of the Year with a Life Membership. I began attending district meetings and discovered that what we were doing was not a secret. We were successful because we were following the steps to Honor Club status. We were not alone in our service, but we were among the elite.

It's an honor to be Honor. It truly is. Achieving Honor Club recognition proves an Optimist Club is serving the youth and community to its fullest capacity. It means the club has conducted no less than three service projects, achieved growth in membership and completed their financial and administrative requirements. The reward for doing everything right is the silent pride in knowing the Optimist Honor Club ranks among the top twenty-five percent of all service clubs in the world.

From Honor Club president, I rose to District and International service; but it is always most rewarding to return home, to where it all began. My name, emblazoned on that banner, declares I am first and foremost an Optimist volunteer. I roll up my sleeves and go to work, for it is only at the club level that I can personally touch the life of a child.

This essay was written by Linda Jackson and was first published in the April/May 1998 edition of the Optimist. Please click on the administrative year to discover the current requirements for Honor Club.
2007-2008 or 2008-2009 .

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Optimist Family Fun Days in Abbotsford, BC

The Abbotsford Optimist Club invites you to share the fun of Family Fun Days with a slide show.

Monday, July 14, 2008

Results from the Optimist International Convention

Earlier this month, approximately 1,200 Optimist Club members gathered in Grapevine, Texas for the 2008 International Convention. Nineteen proposals were considered and voted on by delegates from the representative clubs. Read a summary of the actions taken here.

Sunday, July 6, 2008

Make plans now for the PNW Optimist Convention

Newly elected Optimist Club presidents and secretary-treasurers are encouraged to attend the PNW District Optimist Convention on August 14-16 in Chilliwack, British Columbia. According to Governor-elect Peter Smith, this is the best time to get prepared for the year ahead! Register online now.

Training this year will include basics of club operations, delegation and goal setting. New to the agenda will be a module recently introduced at the Optimist International Convention on Public Relations.

We will also be honored to welcome the incoming Optimist International President Don Sievers. Don hails from the Optimist Club of Jackson, Missouri and will be promoting a successful conclusion to the current administrative year and inspiring a great start to the incoming year. He will introduce the theme for 2008-2009, Give me Five for the Kids, as well as the new honor club requirements.

This is also the time of year that we elect our governor-elect for 2009-2010. Linda Jackson has declared her candidacy. Find out more about Linda Jackson and Ron Petersen. Ron will be the district secretary-treasurer if Linda is elected.

Popular Posts