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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Planning a year of service for your Optimist Club

This is my favorite time of year. I know it's hot and summer is almost over as is the current administrative year for Optimist Clubs, but what makes this time of year more special than others is the opportunity for everyone in your Optimist Club to work together.

As you prepare for a big finish to 2009-2010 and ready for the transition of officers on October 1, there should be two teams working together to make one big, happy service club. Current officers are interested in adding members, recognizing supporters, celebrating success and most important of all ensuring continuity of the great work that has been accomplished. Incoming officers are busy making plans and getting ready to lead. Incoming and outgoing officers need to be communicating so that the transition is smooth, processes are improved and projects are carried forward that need to be carried forward.

All clubs have a different way of doing this. Some allow the Club president to make all committee appointments. Others request volunteers and some even have lifetime appointments as committee chairs. All work, to some extent, but I have to tell you that I prefer a more purposeful planning process.

I think that the Roseburg Optimist Club has a great approach. The Board of Directors looks at all of the programs for the year and identifies what they want to tackle in the coming year. Then they take their suggestions to a regular Club meeting and ask the members what events interest them.  With support of the Board and members secure, then and only then, they circulate a list to have people sign up to be chairpersons.

This process provides them a written annual calendar of events and a Work Plan to guide their efforts.  Click here to take a look at the Roseburg Optimist Club 2010/2011 Coming Events and let us know if you like what you see.  Thanks to Rheanna Mosier for sharing with us.

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