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Friday, February 3, 2017

How did you celebrate #OptimistDay?

Yesterday, February 2, 2017, was #OptimistDay. Optimist Club members from around the world celebrated on Facebook and other social media sites. However, there did not seem to be much participation from Optimist Clubs in the Pacific Northwest. A couple of posts and a share or two was it. That's too bad. It was an easy project to conduct and it demonstrated unity with a larger group.

I cite a few reasons for the weak participation:
  1. Since the only way that one heard about #OptimistDay was through social media, only those who avidly follow social media knew about it. There wasn't enough lead time to write about it in club bulletins or talk about it at an Optimist Club meeting.
  2. Optimist Club members wear Optimist Club apparel all the time, when they participate in a project, attend a meeting, among other times.  Wearing their apparel on one particular day seems routine. 
  3. Not everyone likes to take a selfie. Not everyone likes to share their photos. The average age of an Optimist Club member is no where near the millennial category where photo sharing is the norm. 
So how do we fix this problem for #OptimistDay 2018? 
  1. Keep the same date -  February 2 - and start advertising it now in print as well as social media. It's a widely accepted statistic that one has to hear or read about something seven times or more before they take action.
  2. Use a hook for the apparel-based theme. Maybe everyone should wear purple or gold or something to help set off the Optimist International logo. 
  3. Use the photos from those members who did participate this year to encourage other members to take pictures and share them next year. The photo didn't really have to be taken on February 2. The impact was in the share.
I also believe that Optimist International should set a goal and purpose. Perhaps aim for 1,000 photos or shares as a way to show the fellowship of an Optimist Club. That idea might benefit from some refinement, but it's a start.

Now let's do it! Show your Optimist pride on #OptimistDay 2018 and throughout the year. 


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