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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Scholarship Contests, oh my!


It's true!

Perhaps the easiest projects for an Optimist Club to hold are the communications programs for which Optimist International is known. What are they?

The Scholarship Contests

There are three contests that start at the Optimist Club level that lead students to $2,500 scholarship awards and one can lead to as much as $22,500!

All are outlined in handy club-level planning guides accessible through the links below.

The topic for the 2018-2019 Optimist International Essay Contest is "When All the World’s Problems are Solved, is Optimism Still Necessary?"
Download the entry form.

The topic for the 2018-2019 Optimist International Oratorical World Championships is “Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality?” 
Download the entry form.

The topic for the 2018-2019 Optimist International Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (CCDHH)  is “Is There a Fine Line Between Optimism and Reality?”
Download the entry form.

There is also a program for younger students preparing to enter the Oratorical World Championships called Kids Speak Out. Optimist Clubs may choose the topic for this contest.

New Rules

There are new rules in place regarding the Optimist International Oratorical Contest. The biggest change is that students who have won second or third place scholarships at the District level are now eligible to return to competition. Only students who have placed first at a District level competition are ineligible to participate.
Read all the rules changes here.

In the Pacific Northwest District the following guidelines must be observed:

  • Optimist Clubs must submit their winning essay to the District Chairperson by February 28, 2018
  • There will be no zone contests for the Oratorical or CCDHH. Regional contests will be held for the Oratorical Contest and the CCDHH at the same time.  The dates of the regional contests are Oregon - March 9, 2019; Idaho - March 16, 2019; Washington and Alaska - March 23, 2019; British Columbia - March 30, 2019. 
  • Two contestants from each state in the Oratorical and CCDHH contests will advance to the District competition on April 12, 2019. 
Questions regarding the competitions should be addressed to the lieutenant governor in each zone. 





Thursday, October 18, 2018

Marching with optimism

optimist international michigan marching band
Photo from 1973, Michigan v Illinois, Ann Arbor, MI. 
Many Optimist Club members and their respective Optimist Clubs are thinking about the Centennial. As Optimist International celebrates its first 100 years of service, everyone wants to get in on the party.

We shared this photo on Facebook (post embedded below) today as a Throwback Thursday memory, and wow, has it created some interest, including International President Rebecca Butler Mona who said, "Love this! Definitely worth seeing if it could be done again... anyone know how this was arranged in 1973? #Optimist100 #PromiseYourself"

So we're asking colleagues, friends, and alumni near and far, does your alma mater want to show some Optimist pride? Let us know what it might take to get a college band marching with optimism.

We'd sure love to share a new marching band photo for the Centennial Celebration!






Photo credit: Of Dreams and Deeds

Monday, October 15, 2018

Register today for the First Quarter 2018-2019 PNW Optimist District Meeting

pnw district optimist registration
The first quarter district meeting for the PNW District will be held November 16-18, 2018 at the Clover Island Inn in Kennewick, Washington. We're excited to let you know the registration is now live.

Governor Ben DeRemer welcomes all Optimist Club members and officers to be there as a renewed strategic plan for the PNW District is put to work.  Governor Ben hopes to provide extra support to Optimist Clubs with special attention from an enlarged cadre of lieutenant governors and an increased number of zones. Register today for the meeting so you may learn how your Optimist Club will benefit from the extra attention.

Joining the PNW District at this first meeting will be Tracy Huxley, Certified Optimist International Trainer, and TG Thomas, West Region Vice President-Optimist International. Both will share education and training tips including how the organization will celebrate its first 100 years.

We'll publish the full agenda when it becomes available. For now, here are the links to the minutes from the PNW District Convention:
Executive Committee | District Board Meeting

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Please register online now. 

Or click here to print and mail your registration form: https://goo.gl/sXnbKH.




Thursday, October 11, 2018

Pin one on for new members

Immediate Past Governor Bruce Gilbertson visited the Lebanon Optimist Club today to recognize Michelle Steinhebel for sharing optimism with other members of her community. Michelle has recruited five new members who are now part of the Lebanon Optimist Club and the PNW District- Optimist International.

Recognizing Optimist Clubs and their members is one of the perks of being a district leader and you can tell from Bruce's smile that he is enjoying the moment.

Michelle is currently serving as Vice President of the Lebanon Optimist Club. Thanks, Michelle, for bringing others to our positive way of life.


Thursday, October 4, 2018

Happy Optimist New Year!

Starting your Optimist Club's year off on the right foot means you are thinking of growth, service, and optimism. In Optimist International's Centennial Year, International President Rebecca Butler Mona suggests adding a celebration to your club's plans.

Listen to President Rebecca's first video message here.




Read more about the Centennial Celebration opportunities here.

Plan to join the PNW District - Optimist International at the First Quarter District meeting November 16-17, 2018 in Kennewick, Washington. Registration will open soon.

Monday, October 1, 2018

Promise yourself in 2018-2019

And with a blink of the eye, a new Optimist Club administrative year has begun.

pnwoptimist Sometimes I wonder if the days are getting shorter because September 30 seems to arrive before we've had the chance as an Optimist Club to do all that we want to do. However, the good news is that on October 1, we wake up and do it all over again. Why do we do that? Why do we start our calendar of projects all over again? Because:

  • We make a difference in our communities as we do projects that are needed to make our neighborhoods welcoming places to call home. 
  • We make a difference with youth as we coordinate activities with a special emphasis on those that impact children in a positive way. 
  • We make a difference in our lives and the lives of those around us as we live the way the Optimist Creed inspires us to do. 

Being an Optimist Club member is a way to share optimism with others. For 100 years, Optimist Club members have been looking for the best, working for the best and expecting only the best. As Optimist International's Centennial year begins, we invite you, here in the Pacific Northwest District and around the world to promise yourself to celebrate with us as we invest in the future of Optimist Clubs in the Pacific Northwest.

Thanks to Governor Bruce Gilbertson for his leadership in 2017-2018.

Best wishes to Governor Ben DeRemer for what we imagine will be a fantastic year to come.

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