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Thursday, May 31, 2018

31 days of optimism

Here in the Pacific Northwest and all around the globe, the #beanoptimistchallenge has brought 31 days of Optimist Club projects and positivity to the forefront. Some from our district that we enjoyed the most are included in the following video.

The clubs and their projects highlighted in this video include:

  • Hillsboro Optimist Club - Bicycle Safety
  • West Tacoma Optimist Club - TriStar Basketball
  • Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club - Historical Bike Ride
  • Jerome Optimist Club - Special Needs Fishing Derby
  • West Tacoma Optimist Club - Optimist International Oratorical Contest




There are so many more projects that our clubs do each and every day to bring out the best in youth, community and themselves. We thank you for your service in making the world a better place to live and we invite you to tell us your story. Please send a note and a picture and let us know what is happening in your Optimist Club.

It may be Day 31 of the #beanoptimistchallenge, but let's not allow it to be the final day of celebrating our service. Stay optimistic!


Saturday, May 26, 2018

Rocking a great time with the Jerome Optimist Club

Every day, Optimist Clubs perform amazing projects with an emphasis on activities that help children be the best they can be. This was especially true for the Jerome, Idaho Optimist Club on May 7, 2018, at one of its favorite programs, the Special Needs Fishing Derby.

Co-chairperson of the event, Sheri Mitchell, shared the following photos and this message:
"The Jerome Optimist Club is so lucky to have had beautiful weather and sunshine for its annual Special Needs Fishing Derby. The JOC has joined the Martin Farms Family for 40 years with the Special Needs Fishing Derby. We are so lucky that the Jerome School District still allows us to open our hearts and fish for lots of fun. We had over 150 students, plus their teachers, aids and parents, as well as, 9 Optimist Members, 23 Jerome High School Students and 41 other community volunteers. We rocked at a great time!!!"


Thanks to Sheri for sharing the #OptimistsinAction story with us and many thanks to the Jerome Optimist Club and participating community members for making a special day for some special children.

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Share optimism by sharing your Optimist Club projects

The #beanoptimistchallenge continues through May 31, 2018, and the PNW Optimist Clubs website is playing along. We are highlighting some of the projects that Optimist Clubs do in their communities. Today we look at the Beaverton Optimist Club, the North Okanagan Optimist Club, and the Middleton Area Optimist Club.

The Beaverton Optimist Club has been providing community service with roadside clean-up for many years. This year it added some extra hands with some youthful volunteers.


In Vernon, BC, the North Okanagan Optimist Club sponsors a huge, community-wide Unplug and Play Week. One of the objectives is to help children and families find the outdoors again. In this picture, a muse leads a group of children on a musical adventure.


The Middleton Area Optimist Club partners with the Middleton Rural Fire District to host its fundraising bingo nights, among other things. In return, the club helps the Fire District with its events like raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. At bingo, they make a muscle for the brave individuals affected by this disease.


Please click on the photos to enlarge.

Please share a photo and story - a few lines will do - about the projects that your Optimist Club performs in your community so we can celebrate your successes with you. Thanks for all that you do as an Optimist Club member.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Vote for #ReelOptimism



Do you see the smiling faces in the photo?

That's Coralee Lord Holmes and Nancy Guitar of the Chilliwack Optimist Club and they are smiling because they are living the Optimist Creed.

They are also smiling because they are finalists in the Optimist International #ReelOptimism contest.

We're pretty excited for them and encourage you to vote for them - every day - between now and May 31.

Here's how you do it:

  • Go to this link:    http://www.optimist.org/ReelOptimism
  • Scroll down until you see the smiley faces
  • Hover over their picture and the "vote" option will appear
  • VOTE
  • Return every day to cast your vote for the Chilliwack Optimist Club
Coralee says, "You can vote once per day, per IP address, which means you can vote once at home, vote again at work, vote again at the library..... wherever. Please vote! Every day until the end of May!"

The award is $1,500 US and the Chilliwack Optimist Club has dedicated its award to its newest project, bringing the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.

Won't you share optimism and help them achieve their dream? Just vote.  

Thank you. 


Sunday, May 13, 2018

PNW Optimist Clubs will increase to 12 zones

ben deremer pnw optimist clubs
The Third Quarter Meeting of the PNW District-Optimist International was held May 11-12, 2018 in Vancouver, Washington. Twelve past governors and about twenty clubs were on hand for the realignment of zones and the election of lieutenant governors for the 2018-2019 administrative year. Governor-elect Ben DeRemer shared with the group more of the strategic plan that he has been working on, explaining that there are six pillars that he hopes to strengthen during the coming year:
  1. Governance
  2. Growth
  3. Finance
  4. Marketing
  5. Technology
  6. Meetings
In order to provide more hands-on service to Optimist Clubs, the assembled group approved increasing the number of zones and lieutenant governors from 6 to 12. Caucuses were held for the election of lieutenant governors, but without a large representation of club members, the process was delayed. Ben will follow-up in the next weeks to fill the new opportunities created for service in the district.

Ben also explained that he had discovered there are portions of British Columbia that are not included in any existing district boundary. He achieved approval to petition the Optimist International Board of Directors to include these areas in the PNW District. He further explained that Utah, with only one Optimist Club in Salt Lake City, would benefit from outreach from surrounding Optimist Clubs. Tentative approval was given to reach out Optimist International and the Pacific Central District to include this area in the PNW District pending concurrence from the easternmost clubs of Twin Falls and Jerome.

But before any of that administrative stuff could happen, we heard from some of the best and brightest students in the Pacific Northwest during the PNW District-Optimist International Oratorical Contest finals. The topic was "Where are my roots of Optimism" and the winners were:
  • 1st place and $2,500 scholarship - Asha Mior, Vancouver, BC Optimist Club
  • 2nd place and $1,500 scholarship - Richard Chen, Coquitlam, BC Optimist Club
  • 3rd place and $1,000 scholarship - Madison Stephens, West Tacoma Optimist Club



Asha will now move forward to the Optimist International World Championships being held in St. Louis and online, June 28-29, 2018.

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all participants. You were remarkable!

We also send a big thank-you to Governor Bruce and Judy Gilbertson and Secretary-Treasurer Mary White for the planning and execution of a successful event.

Our next gathering will be the PNW District Convention, August 10-11-12, 2018, Lebanon, Oregon. The Lebanon Optimist Club is looking forward to hosting a big group - save the date and make your plans now! 



Saturday, May 12, 2018

Create a path to leadership

It's the second Saturday of May (already!) and that means it is time for a new membership
recruitment and retention tip.

Membership retention and recruitment tip #57: Create a path to leadership.

We know this to be true - some people prefer to follow, some people want to lead, and all people like to be heard. In your Optimist Club, you must create space for the different levels of interest shown by your members and be aware, interests will likely change as engagement or disengagement occurs. 

If one person is always the committee chair of the club’s biggest event, always doing things his/her way, that leaves little room for new ideas to grow. Not only does the club suffer from the lack of new ideas, members become disillusioned and leave.

The same is true for club officers. If the president and secretary-treasurer continually repeat in their roles, they create a perception that others are not needed. When people are not needed, what do they do? More often than not, they leave. 

It is up to current leaders to find and recruit their replacements so that the organization at the club level and beyond does not become stale from the lack of fresh, enthusiastic, new people, dreams, and goals. 

Great leaders are always training their replacement so that, in addition to fresh energy, they can provide continuity on the initiatives already begun that will move the organization forward. An organization like Optimist International relies on the quality of leadership that begins at the club level and is nurtured at the district level. It is more important today than ever before that succession planning begin. As individuals, we may not be here forever, but with planning, the organizations we love will thrive well into the future. 



Thursday, May 10, 2018

We are thankful to be a part of your community

#beanoptimistchallenge

The authors of pnwdistrictoptimist.com are participating in the 31-day #beanoptimistchallenge coordinated by Optimist International.

In the first 10 days, the topics have included gratitude, enthusiasm, and leadership, among other things, some of the most important qualities of an optimist. We thought we'd share a few of the photos here.

We encourage you to watch for more photos as the month progresses.

#beanoptimistchallenge

#beanoptimistchallenge





Saturday, May 5, 2018

Teen songwriters recognized in Chilliwack

The Optimist Club of Chilliwack held its second annual Teen Songwriting competition on April 6,
2018, at the Vineyard, Chilliwack, BC.

According to a club spokesperson, it was a very successful event with ten students competing.  The results are:

  • Third Prize and $250 - Cadence Sherwood from Rosedale Traditional School
  • Second Prize and $500 - Riley Zacharias and his band from Rosedale Traditional School
  • First Prize and $1000 - Kristina Bosch from Unity Christian School

As part of the first place prize package, Kristina will also receive a recording session with Tractor Grease Studio.

chilliwack pnw district optimist clubs

Thanks to the Chilliwack Optimist Club for sharing the news.


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