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Hello fellow Optimist,
It’s spring – the sun is shining, and everything is in bloom. It’s time to say goodbye to the winter blahs, smile and feel the sunshine on our faces.
It’s also time to get ready for our international convention. You will be inspired. You will be entertained. You will be educated. You will have fun, and you will enjoy fellowship with your fellow Optimists!
Have you registered yet? Early bird registration has been extended until May 15, but don’t delay.
Make sure to book your hotel room as soon as possible as well. The room block is going quickly, and the price outside our block is significantly higher. If you try to register and get the message that there are no rooms left in the block, which is sometimes happening, please email Ronda Vaughn at ronda.vaughn@optimist.org.
In addition to lifting our spirits, spring also promises to bring new energy, both to nature and to our organization. May is election month for the Optimist International Board of Directors. If your Club is in good standing and current on all dues, then your Club is eligible to vote for two Board candidates. See the entire slate of candidates on our website.
Your Club President has received an email with a link to our voting platform and can vote on behalf of your Club. If your Club is not in good standing, you still have an opportunity to vote by paying any outstanding dues before the end of May.
As the days grow warmer and longer, it’s a great time of year to just invite someone to a project or program you are passionate about. When your guests see your Club in action, your passion may rub off on them. They may even want to join!
If your Club is struggling to find a signature youth program in your community, reach out to your local elementary school. Through fundraising or donation drives, we can help supply nutrition, school supplies, clothing and personal hygiene products for children in need. For members willing to go through a background check, we can also be reading buddies, math tutors and mentors to these students.
Fellow Optimists, not only can we support the needs of these students, but in doing so we can help develop self-confidence, self-esteem and provide hope.
Finally, let’s use this spring to renew your commitment to the future of our organization and to the future of children in communities throughout the world. Let’s share our love and passion for this organization and offer our friends and associates the benefits of being an Optimist.
Richard M. DeVos said, “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough.”
Together we can offer that positive push, that smile and word of hope!
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