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Saturday, April 26, 2014

Where will you be on May 17, 2014?

Speaking of deadlines: The 3rd Quarter Meeting for the PNW District - Optimist International will be here before you know it!


On May 16-17, 2014, Optimist Club members will gather at the Quality Suites Renaissance Inn in Keizer, Oregon. The program is packed full of inspiration for at this meeting, we hear from students as they compete in the District Finals of the Optimist International Oratorical Contest and the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. The official topic is "How my passions impact the world." We'll hear just what gets these outstanding students fired-up and what they plan to do about it.

Another feature of the 3rd Quarter Meeting is the election of Lt. Governors for the next administrative year. Dick Disney, Governor 2014-15, will ask for ratification of a new zone alignment structure and the corresponding officers will be elected. Show your support for the PNW District by attending this important meeting. Register online now. 

Make your lodging reservations:

Renaissance Inn
5188 Wittenberg Ln NE
Keizer, OR 97303
Reservations: 503.390.4733
Rooms: $79 includes breakfast

Download the program here.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Early-bird registration for the Optimist International Convention ends soon

It's a popular saying, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas," but I sure hope that it isn't always true. As Optimist Clubs gather this year for the 96th annual Optimist International Convention, members will share stories, gather ideas and gain momentum to do even more to serve their communities when they return home. That's why it's important that what happens in Vegas be spread far and wide.

There is only 6 days left to register at the early-bird discount rate. Click here for all news and information about registration and lodging.  The Optimist International Convention will be held at Caesar's Palace, July 10-12, 2014.

In addition to helping make important decisions about the governance of the organization, registrants will have the opportunity to attend the President's Ball, Old-Timer's Breakfast and the host-area Hospitality Luncheon, among many other traditional activities.

Special to this convention are the keynote presentation with Jack Canfield, popular author of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series and Austin Gatus, an inspirational musician with a message of hope for cancer patients. There will be impressionists, jugglers, magicians and more to entertain the Optimists gathered in the original convention town. Click here to visit the Optimist International Convention on Facebook and stay up-to-date with all the happenings.

Don't wait, PNW Optimist Club members! It's not that often that Optimist International visits the West Coast Region for its convention. It's the closest one to our district for the next three or four years. It's a great opportunity to find out what an Optimist International Convention is all about. Register now! 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club celebrates April Pools Day

Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club members
At the indoor Bike Rodeo

Easter signifies that the seasons have changed and the warm weather makes us want to get outside and play. Of course, April showers sometimes interferes with our best-laid plans, but if you're an Optimist Club, you don't let a little thing like rain get you down. You adapt!

And that is exactly what the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club did. On April 19, the day of their publicized and anticipated April Pools Day and Bike Rodeo, the rain moved the celebration indoors at Thorbeckes FitLife Aquatic Center.
Girls Bike Winner!

According to the Centralia-Chehalis Optimist Club, the day was a big success. "One heck of a good time was had by all," claims its Facebook page. For the Bike Rodeo, over 60 kids enjoyed an indoor imaginary bike ride and were tested on their safe biking skills. The club also gave away 2 children's bikes in a raffle.

For April Pools, the kids went swimming, played in a float boat, finished a coloring contest and visited with officers from the police and fire departments.
Boys Bike Winner!

The Optimist Club and Thorbeckes worked together to ensure the children had a great time and the smiles demonstrated to the community just how fun it is to belong to this great group of caring adults.

Visit the Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club on Facebook for more pictures.

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Lebanon Optimists reach out to the community

As I've mentioned here before, the Optimist Club of Lebanon, Oregon is growing. Members say that the reason for their growth is that they are truly optimistic. At its meetings, members share good news and encourage each other to personal and professional success.

I'm sure that reason is true, but there is a little more to it and this post that I found on its Facebook page today demonstrated how they are reaching out to the community and sparking interest in their club. Today, they are at the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce Biz Expo. They are explaining their projects, describing how they benefit the community and sharing that optimism that makes an Optimist Club the best choice for volunteering that there is.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Nominations Open for the Roy Proctor Lifetime Achievement Award

From Annette Smith 

The Roy Proctor Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an Optimist or Optimists for lifetime service to the Pacific Northwest District. This award recognizes individuals who have given outstanding and ongoing service to the District. It is not intended for the hundreds of outstanding Optimists who serve their clubs and communities but do not participate at the district level. The award is intended to honour a living individual, or individuals, rather than to be a memorial award.

Award recipients must meet all three of the following criteria:
  1. Having given at least 10 years of service to the District, which does NOT need to include having served as a district officer; AND 
  2. Having built a new club or having consistently brought in new members over his Optimist career or having served as District Foundation Representative; AND 
  3. Having provided inspiration and motivation to fellow Optimists.
A selection committee comprised of previous Roy Proctor Award winners meets annually at the Third Quarter District Meeting to choose the recipient(s), whose award(s) will be presented at the District Convention. The selection committee chooses from nominees submitted by Pacific Northwest District Optimists.

Nominations for the Roy Proctor Award are now open. All nominations must be received by May 1, 2014. Send written nominations describing how the nominee meets the foregoing criteria to Annette Smith (annettesmith@shaw.ca) on or before May 1.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

In Boise, the greatest thing about being an optimist is not football

The Boise Noon Optimist Club is well known for its football program. It's not as widely known that its members also provide a support system to the Mountain States Tumor Institute (MSTI) at St. Luke's Children's Hospital where they meet needs as requested by the nurses and social workers for the children being treated for life-threatening illnesses and their families. One such need is a summer picnic. In her thoughts about what the greatest thing about being an optimist is, Dyan Graybeal recalls her first MSTI picnic.

Sue Oliver, Dyan Graybeal and friends
Sue and Dyan were co-presidents
of the Boise Noon Optimist Club
Photo courtesy of Walt Callahan
The first day we had a picnic for St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital MSTI, the child life specialists, nurses and doctors had an opportunity to mingle and not serve and lead games. The Boise Noon Optimist Club was there to provide food and serve, lead games and crafts an d provide assistance. The families got to meet and greet, play and visit. It was heartwarming to us all. That was 2007 and we still do it today.

        ~Dyan Graybeal, Boise Noon Optimist Club

Sunday, April 6, 2014

What's the greatest thing about being an optimist?

Recently, we collected thoughts from some Idaho Optimist Club members about what the greatest thing about being an Optimist was to them. Today's thought comes from Robin Stanhope, Twin Falls Optimist Club.

Always one to make others smile,
Robin photobombs her friends
Julie and Sarah Stadelman.
Photo courtesy of Traci Hine Brandebourg
I enjoy the fellowship and activities we do in the community. Most important is the smile of the child when you give them a coat to wear or gloves for their tiny cold hands or a gift at a Christmas party with Santa and they have never had Christmas before. But best of all is the hug and thank you from parents of the child for making them smile – which they don’t see much.                               
~Robin Stanhope, Twin Falls Optimist Club



Find more thoughts at Reel Optimism: What is the greatest thing about being an optimist? 

And share your thoughts here.  Tell us what you think the greatest thing about being an optimist is.

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