Ready, set, action!

Optimist Clubs perform 65,000 projects in local communities each year. Which one is your favorite? How is your Optimist Club making a difference?

Optimist International invites you to tell your club's project story in a video with the first annual Reel Optimism campaign. Sponsored by the Optimist International Foundation, your winning entry might be awarded a grant for your Optimist Club. First prize is $1,000; second prize is $500; and third prize is $250. Entries must be received by March 1, 2013. 

 According to the Optimist International website, this is how you enter:

1. Using the creativity of your Club Members and resources in your community to create a short, three minute or under, video answering the question, "What does Optimism mean to you and your Club?"
2. Upload your finished video to YouTube by March 1, 2013. Your video submission must include your Club name and the hashtag #ReelOptimism. Including this hashtag will make it easier for us to find your submission.
3. (To upload a video, you must have a YouTube account. For help uploading a video, click here.)
4. Include a video description and "tags" for your video.
5. After the video is uploaded, email the video link to reeloptimism@optimist.org.

Click here to find out more about the competition.  

Membership incentive continues

Dick Brodie, Membership Chair sends this message today:

Greetings one and all, 

Congratulations to those of you who have recruited new members. We have 32 new ones already! Twin Falls leads the way with 8 new members , followed by Lebanon with six and Middleton with 3. Who will win the trip to Las Vegas in March? You only need to sponsor one new member to get in the draw. Build a new club and you’ll GET lots of chances to Win and get away from old man winter! You still have 35 days left! Remember, new members are our life blood to helping more and more youth. Way to go PNWD!

You asked for it; you got it!

District Essay Chair Karon Yaden was being super-efficient when she asked that Optimist Clubs turn their entries into her by February 10. However, due to a public outcry for more time, she says, "Of course!" 

The new, revised, and more in line with what you have done in the past (and what Optimist International suggests) date is now February 28. Please submit your club winner to her by that time. She says: 

All I can say is I hope you will forgive me for putting a RUSH on your essay contest. RELAX. Please now take your time in the month of February and DO GET the club's winning essay and forms and your club's $35.00 to me by February 28th. Now the rush will be on me. 

I know each of you have and are working hard on your essay contest. They will be successful and very much rewarding. I have had several inquiries. Some I have directed to clubs near the student others will be in the "At Large" group. These students are our future Optimists. Please make contact with the parents. Introduce Optimism and your club and all its activities for youth to the parents. I believe this is a place and opportunity to reach new members.

Thank you, club and club members for holding the essay contest. You have given these students the opportunity to express their thoughts on "How Can I Help My Friends Realize Their Value?," get experience in writing an essay and receiving acknowledgement and reward from your club. 

May I encourage each club that did not hold an essay contest to do so next year. The personal and club gratification is very rewarding.

Karon Yaden
PNW District Essay Chairman
b.yaden@comcast.net

Optimist Clubs, file on time!

Optimist International sent club leaders an Executive Update today that reminded US Optimist Clubs to submit their IRS tax form 990 by February 15. The text follows: 

All US Clubs' Tax Form 990 due by February 15, 2013
Clubs whose annual gross receipts are normally $50,000 or less are required to electronically submit Form 990-N, also known as the e-Postcard, unless they choose to file a complete Form 990 or Form 990-EZ instead. If you do not file your e-Postcard on time, the IRS will send you a reminder notice.

There is no penalty assessment for late filing the e-Postcard, but an organization that fails to file requirede-Postcards (or information returns – Forms 990 or 990-EZ) for three consecutive years will automatically lose its tax-exempt status. The revocation of the organization’s tax-exempt status will not take place until the filing due date of the third year.

How to File
Use this link to file the e-Postcard. If you have trouble accessing the system using that link, you may be able to access the filing site directly by typing or pasting the following address into your Internet browser:http://epostcard.form990.org. When you access the system, you will leave the IRS site and file the e-Postcardwith the IRS through their trusted partner, Urban Institute. The form must be completed and filed electronically. There is no paper form.
Information Needed to File e-Postcard

Completing the e-Postcard requires the eight items listed below:
Employer identification number (EIN), also known as a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN).
Tax year
Legal name and mailing address
Any other names the organization uses
Name and address of a principal officer
Web site address if the organization has one
Confirmation that the organization’s annual gross receipts are $50,000 or less
If applicable, a statement that the organization has terminated or is terminating (going out of business)

Most of the Optimist Clubs in the PNW District qualify to use the e-postcard option. It's easy to do so please, don't risk losing your club's tax exempt status - file on time!

PNW District - Optimist International Essay Contest 2013

The time is drawing near for the completion of your Optimist Club's Essay Contest. Chairperson Karon Yaden recently shared her thoughts via the district bulletin: 

Optimist Essay Contest

"How can I help my friends realize their value"

How is your club doing on the Essay Contest? I am sure your contest is well on the way. You have made your contacts, "Application and a copy of the Official Rules" are in the hands of students, you have set the date for essays to arrive to the Essay Chairman, you have the judges selected and they are anxiously waiting to read the essays.

These students are future OPTIMISTS; let's make this a fun experience for them. Show them your club is here for theYOUTH. They need the Club's encouragement and support.
The DATE that is important for you now is February 10th 28*. Look ahead for all the information and the form that you are to remit with $35.00 to this chairman. PLEASE, PLEASE e-mail me at b.yaden@comcast.net a YES our club is having a contest or NO our club is not having a contest. I would like to save postage! 

What a challenge as Optimists we have to reach the young people and their parents. Do not forget to reach out to the parents and bring them into your club as new members.

Keep up the Optimist work and spirit.
Karon Yaden
PNW District Essay Chairman

Please let Karon know if your club is participating this year.

*Due date was changed by Karon on January 23.

Less talk, more action!

Governor Larry Blackburn says, "To get more out of life, put more into it." As the new year begins, it's time to make plans for how we will reach out to our communities in service.

What plans have you made to personally be involved in causes that make a difference? Do your plans include service in your Optimist Club?

So often we hear about projects or organizations and we think, oh my Optimist Club could do that; but we fail to take the initiative, the first step, and we watch as others do what we only think about. Our challenge to you, PNW Optimist Club members, is to take the first step.

You know that project that you've been thinking about? Set at date, invite your club members to join you, organize, advertise, cooperate, work hard, and you'll be amazed as it all falls into place.

Give more, and you will get more satisfaction. Here's to a life of action!

Salem Optimist Club shows youth appreciation every month

Salem Optimist Club member Frank Masser
and Kelsey Nanneman

The Optimist Club of Salem, Oregon celebrates Youth Appreciation throughout the school year. For January  2013, they will recognize students for for achievement in mathematics and science. 

At their most recent luncheon, club members met and honored Kelsey Nanneman, Senior, Blanchet Catholic High School. Gifted in mathematics, Kelsey completed the courses offered at Blanchet as a sophomore and has been taking courses at Willamette University for two years.  She has also excelled in other courses and is a member of the swim team. 

Kelsey also believes in community service and is involved with "Love Reins," a nonprofit group that provides horse therapy for disabled children. 

After high school, Kelsey hopes to attend Brown or Rice University where she plans to major in biomedical engineering. 

Congratulations, Kelsey, and great job, Salem Optimists. Thank you for making youth recognition an ongoing project. 

See more students at the Salem Optimist Club Facebook page. 

West Region Optimists are Headed to Vegas

For the second time, the geographic regions of Optimist International are hosting parallel district conferences this year. The West Region, made up of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and British Columbia has scheduled its conference for February 15-16, 2013. The event will be held at Circus Circus in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Every Optimist Club member is invited to attend this unique opportunity to meet Optimist International President J.C. St. Onge and to learn from some of Optimist International's most experienced trainers about how to make their Optimist Club more successful. 

Registration is being coordinated by Optimist International for this activity. The agenda will consist of:

Friday evening

• Hospitality Rooms

Saturday

• Recruit Members the Easy Way
• Use the Foundation to Fund Raise
• Tell the World About Your Club Projects
• Finding New Optimists
• Keynote Presentation from J.C. St. Onge
• District Meetings

Click to register for the WOW Conference here. 

Rooms at Circus Circus are $88.00 plus taxes and resort fees. Call 1-866-755-7776 ex 1 and use code CW02WOW to make your reservations. 

Governor Larry and Flo Blackburn will be attending the WOW Conference. Join them!