May is here, which means it is Optimists in Action Month! I encourage each Optimist this month to make the world a better place by bringing out the best in their community.

Each Club has an opportunity to hold a unique service project or administer a community-wide activity to encourage Optimism. The projects and activities are endless and should be tailored to fit your community's needs. It is each Club's responsibility to stay active and to make a difference.

I challenge you as an individual, and as a Club, to take ACTION this month by completing the following:

• View, share and vote for videos featured in the 2015 Reel Optimism Contest
• Plan, prepare and perform an activity that demonstrates your Optimism
• Promote your project throughout your community to increase awareness
• Celebrate the success of the event by sharing it:
  • Posting Pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. using #OptimistsInAction
  • Share your appreciation at Club meetings or gatherings
  • Invite friends and family members to volunteer to discover their own Optimism.

For Optimists in Action Month, First Lady Patsy and I will be volunteering at the Tribute Golf Course. Over 100 junior golfers will be competing for the chance to golf at Palm Beach Gardens in July for the Optimist International Junior Golf Championships.  Where will we find you? 

I am anxious to see all the magical and life changing projects our 70,000+ Optimist Members complete within the month of May. Think of how much more of an impact we will make in May 2019 with over 100,000 volunteer Members acting together to bring out the best in youth, their communities and each other!

Ken Garner

Optimists believe that the best way to make a difference is through action - positive action. Throughout the month of May, Optimist Clubs will create a widespread spirit of unity bringing together Optimist Members and other community volunteers for a variety of local-based activities, fundraisers and special events to celebrate Optimists in Action Month. 

Take photos and videos and share your Club's program on social media by tagging #OptimistsInAction. Send Optimists in Action Month success stories to [email protected] for consideration for future print and digital publications.

The Tri-Star program has been updated to include the following sports:

• lacrosse
• curling
• golf 

The program enables your Club to run one or several successful sports skills contests efficiently and with as little manpower as possible. If you Club currently participates in the Tri-Star program or is interested in participating, plan on attending the workshop at the International Convention in July! 

For additional information, check out the Tri-Star Planning Guide.

Optimist International has partnered with Survey & Ballot Systems (SBS) to administer the 2015 International officer election.  To assure your Club's election specific broadcast email arrives safely in your inbox on June 1, simply add the following email address as an approved sender: [email protected]

Your Club's dues must be paid in full prior to being allowed to vote. Voting starts on June 1 and continues through June 30 at 5:00 p.m. CDT. 

If you have questions, call 314-371-6000 or email [email protected]. 

Congratulations to the finalist of the third annual Reel Optimism video contest! Now that the finalists have been determined, it's time to vote.  

Please encourage all Members and Clubs in your District to visit www.optimist.org/ReelOptimism through May 15 to submit their votes.  Votes are counted based on how many Facebook "likes" and Twitter "tweets" a video receives, so make sure to share on your personal, Club and District social media channels accompanied with the hashtag #ReelOptimism. 

Winning Clubs in each category will receive a $500 Club grant and THE BEST overall award winner (from all adult and youth submissions) will win the $1000 Grand Prize!  

The winning videos will also be shown at this summer's International Convention in New Orleans.   VIEW, SHARE and VOTE now!

Available for a limited time only, the Community Impact Bundle is a way for your Club to honor and recognize the difference-makers in your community who share the same values as your Club. 

For only $300, this bundled package includes six (6) Friend Memberships. For more information, including the Community Impact Bundle Activation Form, click here.

The International Board of Directors has voted to change the age requirements for the Oratorical and Essay contests beginning October 1, 2015. Please keep in mind the below changes for your Club and District contests:

• Essay and Oratorical Eligibility: The contest is open to all students under the age of 18  as of October 1 of the current Optimist International Contest Year (October 1 - September 30) 
• Essay Eligibility: U.S. students attending school on a military installation outside the United States are eligible to enter in their last home of record.  The District Chair will receive all entries from students living on U.S. military installations and send them to a Club in the city the student last resided in.  If no Club is available, the District Chair will hold an at-large contest for these students.  An At-Large student may not have competed in an Optimist International or District contest in the same year.  Students residing in non-Districted areas where there are no Optimist Clubs must affiliate with current existing Districts.

*Membership numbers as of Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Have you planned your trip to New Orleans for the 97th Annual Convention?  Join fellow Optimists from around the world for training, fellowship and fun! 

Convention will be held Thursday, July 9 through Saturday, July 11 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. 

For all Convention related information, such as hotel reservations, tentative agenda, travel discounts, and entertainment highlights, click here. Continue to check the Convention site for updates, including the workshop listing with descriptions!

The Crescent Circus

Saturday, July 11, 7-8:30am

Morgan Tsu-Raun and Nathan Kepner began working together as The Crescent Circus in 2009.  While Morgan started as a hula hoop performer and Nathan as a magician, when the two joined forces their performances grew to become a fusion of acrobatics, a variety of juggling arts and physical comedy.  Beginning their work together as street performers in New Orleans, the duo quickly moved from the streets to stages across the country. Some of their most notable achievements have included being named "World Champion of Stage Magic" at the World Magic Seminar, performing at The Magic Circle in London and appearing on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.  Now Nathan and Morgan regularly entertain for corporate events, colleges and festivals throughout the United States.

Sponsoring an Optimist Youth Club is one of the most gratifying experiences as Optimists, because by doing so, we are spreading our positive attitudes and our desire for community service to future generations. The JOOI Board of Directors and the JOOI International Committee are encouraging Clubs to reach out and support Optimist Youth Clubs in their community.

Supporting Optimist Youth Clubs may be as simple as a recognition night, inviting Youth Members to your meeting, or simply attending their meetings to show appreciation.  Yet the best gift to our young people is to provide financial assistance for the 2015 JOOI International Convention in New Orleans this July. The JOOI Convention includes unique and exciting motivational events, meaningful projects, an opportunity to meet and network with Optimist Youth Members, and extremely helpful workshops to create leaders in your community.

For more information on assisting Optimist Youth Clubs in your community, contact Don Brose, JOOI International Committee Chairperson, via email at [email protected] or Amy Keller, Director of JOOI, via email at [email protected].

OptiClub version 5.10.03 is ready! You can download the update here.  This must be installed in same folder as version 5.00 or later. If you've not installed OptiClub and would like to try it OR your version is prior to 5.00, click here to download the installation file for version 5.10.  Installation instructions are also available there. You may be required to re-register your copy of OptiClub. But, if your Club has paid for OptiClub once, you'll not have to pay again. 

If you have questions or suggestions to improve OptiClub, contact Don Keating via email at [email protected].