Earning Honor Club status means that an Optimist Club is doing all that it can do to make sure that it is relevant to its community and that it will continue to perform service projects long after the current members are there to perform them. In business lingo, we might call it a succession plan; an operational plan that allows the business to be handed over from one generation to the next.
The requirements for Honor Club are very basic:
- Complete at least three service projects a year (submit President's Pride Report)
- Recognize a Club member or local community individual
- Grow Club by net plus 1
- Be current on District and OI dues
The Honor Club requirements have changed a little over the years. Clubs once had to end with a net five members, among other things; but now the simplified plan should propel everyone to succeed. Noting that the steps didn't seem all that challenging, members of a new Optimist Club asked International President Ken Garner what they needed to do to be the best, the #1 Optimist Club in all of Optimist International. And International President Ken responded by creating a new program for 2014-2015: Optimist Club of the Year.
The Optimist Club of the Year award will be presented annually to the most outstanding club in each region based on the following criteria:
- Service Clubs sponsored by the Club: 30 points
- Member Development Programs a year: 25 points
- Club Growth and Increased Community Awareness Campaigns: 25 points
- Increased Volunteer Member Base: 10 points
- New Community Efforts: 10 points
The regional superstars will be entered in the Overall Optimist Club of the Year contest. Find out more about how your club can enter and earn prizes that include convention registration, airline tickets, and more at this link: Optimist Club of the Year.