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Friday, September 30, 2016

Thank you for being an Honor Club

pnw optimist district
Another Optimist International administrative year is about to come to a close. Only hours remain to make your Optimist Club an Honor Club. Please do so.

Finish and submit your President's Pride Report. Certify that you have recognized a member of your club or community as an outstanding optimist. Pay your dues, if you haven't already. And finally, add one more new member. Do that last one even if you are already above the required quota.

You see, each year begins fresh on October 1. The only way to recognize the superior work that you have given to your community is to make the Honor Club goal by September 30.

Today is the day that all of that hard work comes to a close. We thank you for your service to your club and community and most of all, we thank you for making the right steps to ensure your Optimist Club will be around many years from now still serving the youth of your community.


Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Is it the end or the beginning?

The end of the Optimist International administrative year also brings us to the beginning of another.

Can you believe, here in the PNW District, the first quarterly meeting is less than 3 weeks away? 

What happens at the first quarter meeting? 
  • The District Board of Directors is installed. That Board consists of all Optimist Club presidents in the District. 
  • The District budget is approved. Who does that? The District Board of Directors. 
  • The District goals are explained and the District Board of Directors helps put the finishing touches on the yearly work plan (some call it the strategic plan). 
  • Leaders and others receive training that will help them in their Optimist Club administrative duties as well as their professional lives. 
  • District committee chairs tell us the deadlines for the Optimist International Essay, Oratorical and CCDHH contests.
  • Fellowship is shared. Nothing is more fun than learning from your peers about the different projects they perform in their Optimist Clubs and discussing similar obstacles that every Optimist Club faces today. Together we craft solutions to take to our local communities and make our Optimist Clubs stronger. 
Staying with tradition, there will be a costume party again this year. Here are the details from 2016-2017 Governor Rick Matkin: 
COSTUME CRAZY
I know many of you are "Costume Crazy". Because of that I recognize first quarter conference would not be first quarter conference without having to come up with a costume. Our meeting is so far from Halloween this year that another theme had to be used. How about our theme? "Live the Creed". So here is how the costume theme is set up. 
The Optimist Creed has a combined 21 words or phrases that are either "traits" of a good Optimist, or are "actions" of a good Optimist. As an example; within the first line our Creed is "so strong". Being so strong is a trait of a good Optimist. That would be one of those 21 possible examples. 
You are to choose one of your personal favorites of those 21 traits or actions and develop a costume that exemplifies that trait or action. If your costume is exceptionally great, you may be called upon to tell the group why that one is your favorite or means so much to you. The judges will determine if you are one of the lucky ones. 
See, I told you it was easy. 
We will be looking forward to a great deal of creativity. 
But wait, there's more!
EARLY FOUNDATION PROJECT
This is your chance to start the new Optimist year off participating in one of the very first projects of the year. The judges of the costume contest will be required to give additional points and consideration to a contestant that works their "Dime a Day" pin into their costume somehow. 
What's a "Dime a Day" pin you may ask? It is a very attractive pin given to you by the OI Foundation and Canadian Children's Optimist Foundation for having donated $36 to the Foundation or one dime per day for this Optimist year. 
Where do I get one? For those of you participating in Canada, you contact Peter Smith. For those in the United States, you contact Rocky Jackson.
Make your reservations now to attend by calling the Clover Island Inn, Kennewick, WA at 509.586.0541. Use the code CGOPTI for the PNW District Optimist room rates and then click here to register and let Governor Rick know that you'll be there.

Photo credit: Andrew Hurley

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Never settle for less


The PNW District woke up this morning in 28th place of all Optimist International Districts.   We can do better than that!

It takes your help to make our District and your Optimist Club as strong as it can be. The minimum effort is called Honor Club and it's not too late to make it. Here are the Honor Club requirements for 2015-2016:
  • Complete at least three service projects a year (submit President's Pride Report)
  • Recognize a Club member or local community individual
  • Award Certification Document
  • Grow Club by net plus 1
  • Be current on District and OI dues

For those Optimist Clubs that want to do a little bit more, the Distinguished Club recognition includes:
  • Meet Honor Club requirements
  • Charter a new Optimist Club OR
  • Add net 15 new members to your Optimist Club

As of today, September 27, 2016, the Optimist Clubs that are in line to be Honor this year are:
  1. SFU, BC +2
  2. Vancouver, BC +3
  3. Vancouver North Shore, BC +1
  4. Meridian, ID +4
  5. McCall, ID +2
  6. Nampa, ID +1
  7. Albany, OR +4
  8. Hillsboro, OR +1
  9. Lebanon, OR (Distinguished) +15
  10. Portland Northeast, OR +2
  11. Portland Peninsula, OR +6 
  12. Roseburg, OR +6
  13. West Tacoma, WA (Distinguished) +1 and new Optimist Club credit
  14. Issaquah, WA +1

There are others out there that are only one or two members away. They are:
  1. Coquitlam, BC -1
  2. Mission, BC - 1
  3. Victoria, BC - 2
  4. Middleton Area, ID -2
  5. Caldwell, ID - 2
  6. Jerome, ID -2
  7. Beaverton, OR -1
  8. Chehalis-Centralia, WA -1
  9. Vancouver, WA - 2
Don't let this opportunity slip away from you to show your community and your members that you are an Optimist Honor Club.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Show your Pride - President's Pride, that is

honor club optimist international

We've already reminded you that it is crunch time - the last few days to accomplish your goals for the 2015-2016 Optimist International administrative year. We hope for most of you that the main goal is to be an Honor Club.

Honor Club is the minimum that any Optimist Club should strive for each year. It ensures that your members are being served by fiscally sound record-keeping and that your community is being served with projects it needs.

The requirements for Honor Club in the 2015-2016 administrative year are:
  • Complete at least three service projects a year (submit President's Pride Report)
  • Recognize a Club member or local community individual
  • Award Certification Document
  • Grow Club by net plus 1
  • Be current on District and OI dues
For those Optimist Clubs that want to do a little bit more, the Distinguished Club recognition includes:
  • Meet Honor Club requirements
  • Charter a new Optimist Club OR
  • Add net 15 new members to your Optimist Club
The purpose of this post is to remind your club to submit its President's Pride Report. 

The President's Pride Report may be found at www.optimistleaders.org and submitted online by the club president. Alternatively, you may download a President's Pride form here and submit it via fax or mail. Be sure to have it done by September 30, 2016!

Friday, September 16, 2016

Calling all 2016-2017 Optimist Club Officers

 Register now at this link. 
Are you about to be installed as the President of your Optimist Club? If that answer is yes -
Congratulations! As of October 1, 2016, you will also be a member of the PNW District-Optimist International Board of Directors.

The District Board of Directors provides counsel to the District Executive Committee to ensure that the clubs are receiving the support they need to thrive and grow in membership and service in their communities. If you don't participate, the District doesn't know what is important to you and it might use your dues money in ways that you wouldn't choose.

That's why you must be at the first quarterly district meeting. Help the District leaders make wise choices to benefit your Optimist Club. Register now at this link. 

Other Optimist Club officers, general members and their guests are welcome and encouraged to attend all meetings with their club president. They'll be inspired by meeting other Optimist Club members from the PNW District including clubs in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia and they'll learn new skills from the District Leadership Development team. There are ideas shared for personal, professional and club growth.

Rick Matkin, Governor 2016-2017, can't wait to see you and to share optimism October 14-15, 2016 at the Clover Island Inn, Kennewick, Washington. Click here for more information.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

A note from Governor Michael



Greetings Pacific NW Optimists,
What is the purpose of Optimist Clubs? We’re bringing out the best in our youth. Who actually does this job? Each and every one of us has the amazing privilege of doing this as members. 
There is a formula for the number of kids served by each member. Is this accurate? Well, in a general, statistical way, it is. In reality, projects are at the core of what our organization does. 
When we add a member, it may divide the hours among more members and make it easier. But, if we’re really lucky, a new member can add amazing facets to the project that previous members had never thought of. A new member might even come up with an incredible new idea for a project. 
Who are these new members? Many of the incentives are aimed at younger people (College and 30 under 30). Another incentive entices people who are already working with kids, like Teaching Staff. 
So, with just a few days left, I’m offering a membership prize. We have a night in the Best Western at Hood River to offer. Whoever gets the most members, from 09/12/2016 to 09/30/2016 wins the prize. In case of a tie, youthful members and Teachers get bonus points. 
Thank you,
Michael Gray
PNW Governor, 2015-16

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Lebanon Optimist Club celebrates the completion of the Academy Gazebo

Today is a relaxing day for the engineer of the Academy Gazebo in Lebanon, Oregon. According to Shawn Turrentine, it will be the first day that one of his first thoughts is not the completion of the Lebanon Optimist Club project because after four years .... drum roll, please ... the Gazebo is completed!

More than 300 community members gathered with the Lebanon Optimist Club and Mayor Paul Aziz for the dedication ceremony on September 13, 2016. There was free cake and lemonade and a classic rock concert from Fate 55. Most of all there was optimism brought to you by the 116 members of the Lebanon Optimist Club.

Governor-elect Bruce Gilbertson, Lt. Governor-elect Fran Bounds, Immediate Past Governor Dick Disney and West Coast Region Vice President Linda Vaught Disney joined the festivies.

Click to watch as the ribbon is cut and the community cheers.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Make llama happy - be an Honor Club

optimist honor club

It's that time of year: crunch time!

Between now and September 30 all Optimist Clubs should be working hard to ensure that they finish as an Honor Club or better.

The Optimist Honor Club is a time-tested method of proving the viability of your Optimist Club today and into the future.

For the 2015-2016 administrative year, the requirements for Honor Club are:
  • Complete at least three service projects a year (submit President's Pride Report)
  • Recognize a Club member or local community individual
  • Award Certification Document
  • Grow Club by net plus 1
  • Be current on District and OI dues
For those Optimist Clubs that want to do a little bit more, the Distinguished Club recognition includes:
  • Meet Honor Club requirements
  • Charter a new Optimist Club OR
  • Add net 15 new members to your Optimist Club
I've heard it said that less than 25% of all Optimist Clubs are Honor Clubs. If  Optimist International is to reach 100,000 members by its 100th anniversary, we must do better than that. Each  Optimist Club and each Optimist Club member must take it upon themselves to complete the minimum requirements. 

Following the trend, 25% of the Optimist Clubs in the PNW District are on track for Honor Club through membership growth at this time. They are:
  1. SFU, BC +2
  2. Vancouver, BC +1
  3. Vancouver-North Shore, BC +1
  4. Meridian, ID +1
  5. McCall, ID +2
  6. Nampa, ID +1
  7. Albany, OR +4
  8. Lebanon, OR (Distinguished) +15
  9. Portland-Northeast, OR +2
  10. Portland-Peninsula, OR +6
  11. Roseburg, OR +6
  12. Issaquah, WA +1
So let's do it. Let's make the llama happy. Make your Optimist Club an HONOR CLUB. 

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Bruce Gilbertson elected to PNW District - Optimist International Governor 2017-2018

Bruce Governor Elect PNW Optimist ClubsThe 2016 PNW District Convention brought a touch of surprise to the assembled Optimist Club members when Bruce Gilbertson, Salem Optimist Club, threw his name into the hat for the position of governor-elect.

You know Bruce - he's friendly, but quiet and always seems to think things through and make wise comments and decisions; but did you know that he was a charter president of the Optimist Club of Laramie, Wyoming before moving to Salem, Oregon where he has served as president of the Salem Optimist Club three times? He's been a lieutenant governor and District supporter because that's what you are supposed to do when you are or have been an Optimist Club president.

On August 27, 2016 Bruce added a new Optimist title to his name when he became Governor-elect of the Pacific Northwest District. Following a thorough supporting nominating speech from Peter Sudduth, President, Roseburg Optimist Club, Bruce raised the confidence of the District with a speech that outlined what he hopes to accomplish as Governor. He said,
"Besides building on what Gov. Rick Matkin gets started I want to:
  1. Find out what we need to do to attract our regular club members to our district meetings so they can get fired up along with their officers.
  2. Focus our efforts on helping our struggling clubs. There is too much invested in them to let them slip away.
  3. Increase our membership and find a meaningful way to get younger people involved so we can continue to serve our kids in the future.
  4. See if there is some way to get a larger number of clubs in the voting process on making changes to our policies, dues, and who will serve them as Governor-elect."
With such goals already defined, the PNW District - Optimist International is in good hands with our new Governor-elect.

Congratulations, once again, to Bruce Gilbertson, PNW District Governor 2017-2018.

Monday, September 5, 2016

In 2016, PNW District Convention brings fun, confusion and surprise

The 2016 PNW District Annual Convention was held at the Pacific Inn, White Rock, British
Columbia, August 25-27, 2016. Approximateley 50 Optimist Club members representing 17 of 46 Optimist Clubs came together for fellowship, education and several governance matters for the good of Optimist Clubs in the District.

optimist clubs pnw district
Dancers at the South Pacific BBQ
In fellowship, Rose Brodie entertained the assembled Optimists with theme-parties throughout the weekend. Friday took us to the South Pacific while Saturday began with play and ended with the Roaring 20s. It was a fun time for all.

In education, Optimist International Representative Marc Katz joined 2016-2017 PNW District Governor Rick Matkin and Leadership Development Chair Lynn Viner to teach incoming club officers about their roles and to begin strategic planning for the lt. governors and committee chairs of the district.

In governance, five policy amendments were considered and accepted. They were:

  • A First -Timer's Incentive was approved that requests the PNW District and respective Optimist Club of the first-timer to pay the registration fees for the first time an Optimist Club member attends a District meeting.
  • The positions of Membership, Club Fitness Advisor and New Club Building are now joined as the Growth Chair. 
  • The signators on the District Bank accounts in US and Canada may now be the Governor, District Secretary/Treasurer and a past governor or district secretary/treasurer appointed by the Governor.
  • Reimbursement requests received more than 30 days after their transaction may now be declined by the District Secretary/Treasurer.
  • The District dues were increased by $5.00 to $23.00. 

Some might say that the real purpose of the District Convention is to elect a Governor-elect. We had success in that endeavor. Candidate Qualifications Chair Dick Disney informed those assembled that following the resignation of candidate Ben DeRemer there remained one candidate on the ballot: Teresa Wallace, Gresham Optimist Club. He called for additional candidates to present themselves and Bruce Gilbertson, Salem Optimist Club, came forward.

Following a bit of voting confusion during the convention business session on Saturday afternoon, Bruce Gilbertson became Governor-elect.

To rectify any voting confusion in the future, Governor Designate Rick Matkin has submitted the following information to be shared with the District:
FIRST EXECUTIVE ACTION
During the District Convention of this last weekend, a slate of new leaders accepted the challenges of your Pacific Northwest District. It didn't take long for certain needs to pop to the forefront. Those member of the new district leadership team wish to push all new information available with reference to those challenges right into view for the members of our district clubs. It is in that commitment as well as the desire of the new officers to assure all members of the responsiveness and transparency of your new district leadership team, that this announcement is made. 
Rick Matkin, your new Governor-Designate, and Bruce Gilbertson, your new Governor-Elect, met briefly Sunday morning following the conclusion of the district convention. After a brief discussion resulting in a totally bilateral acceptance, a new committee has already hit the ground for our new year. Bruce has agreed to chair a policy review committee to begin work immediately on a review of our district policies. This is believed necessary following the spirited conversations surrounding the issue of voting strength of those clubs attending district convention. Mr. Gilbertson suggested he be joined by Annette Smith of the Coquitlam, B.C. Club due to her recent experience as the Parliamentarian for the current administration and the person presiding over the recent voting process at convention. In light of Bruce's desires to have the past Parliamentarian serve in this capacity, Rick Matkin agreed to approach the incoming Parliamentarian, Doug Lincoln of the Twin Falls, Idaho Club to serve in a similar capacity. 
It is with great pleasure to announce this committee has taken shape and appears to have hit the ground running. Both Annette Smith and Doug Lincoln have agreed to accept this committee appointment and pledge their efforts to serve Mr. Gilbertson. The additional positive in their acceptance is the amount of agreement they feel for the need and the energy they bring to the table to address this concern. This is an exciting outcome in light of the usual negative energy surrounding such a committee as being necessary but painful. 
All of these Optimists need to be congratulated and appreciated for their commitment to such an effort. Thanks to them all.
The District exists as an administrative arm of Optimist International and both are invested in our Optimist Clubs' continued to success. Please make plans to attend the next PNW District Meeting today.

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