Follow Rebecca's year as International President on her official Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Welcome to our March 2019 Leadership Hotline, highlighting recent and upcoming activities for Optimist leaders and Club Members! In this month's video, President Rebecca Butler Mona offers a recap on recent Optimist travels as well as a look ahead toward spring. 

ATTENTION: New Volunteer Waivers
The Board of Directors recently adopted three Volunteer Release Waivers that Clubs should use when utilizing non-member volunteers for Club projects. The Board and Optimist’s legal counsel strongly encourage Clubs to use these waivers as a tool to protect the Club and Optimist International from legal liability should one of these volunteers get hurt, causes harm, or put the Club at risk in some manner. These Waivers can be downloaded from this email and on www.optimist.org under Board of Directors Policies in the Legal section.
Download:

Attention to all Canadian clubs and members, these forms are currently being revised to reflect Canadian jurisdiction. A specific newsletter on this topic will be sent when the files are ready.

Call for Nominations for International Officers
The following individuals are running for International office for this upcoming election. This list may be updated occasionally between now and April 1.

President-Elect Nominee: Mark Weinsoff (PSW)

Vice Presidents-Elect Nominees:
Region 1 Northeast & Great Lakes - Tracy Huxley (SWONT)
Region 2 Southeast – Patrick Prendergast (CAR)
Region 3 Mid-Atlantic – Terry Corle (CAPVA and NCE)
Region 4 Middle America – Theresa Evans (WMO)
Region 5 Great Plains – Terry Gorman (DMM)
Region 6 Southwest – Carol Hodges (STX)
Region 7 West Coast – Pat Thomas (OK)
Region 8 St. Lawrence – Ilze Epners (QS)

Board Director at Large Nominees (listed in alphabetical order)
Luc Dubois (QS)
Sandy Williams (AZ)


Please note that the deadline for self-nominations for President-Elect, At Large Board Director-Elect, and Vice President-Elect is April 1. Qualified candidates who are properly nominated on or before April 1 will also be added to the slate of officers to be placed into nomination for online voting. Continue to check  www.optimist.org  for updates.


Make Valuable Changes With Bylaws Proposals

Please take time to evaluate the Optimist International  bylaws  to ensure they continue to effectively serve the organization. This process allows you and your Club to help shape and improve all of Optimist International. To recommend a revision, your Club must submit a proposed amendment citing the article(s) and section(s) and exact proposed wording change to the articles and sections cited, along with a written rationale in 200 words or less for the change. The Club must submit the proposal on Club letterhead signed by the Club President. The proposal may be emailed and/or faxed to the International Office, but the original Club letter must be received by the International Office for the proposal to be considered. All submitted changes will be brought before the International Convention delegates for vote and possible endorsement.

All proposed change submissions to the bylaws must be received at the International Office by 5:00 p.m. (CT) Monday, April 1. Please mail them to: Dana Thomas, Executive Assistant, Optimist International, 4494 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.
Make Your Club Heard by Proposing Resolutions

The Convention resolutions process can be used for any aspect of the organization not covered in the bylaws. Clubs must submit resolutions by 5:00 p.m. (CT) Tuesday, May 1 to the Resolutions Committee. The committee will choose the strongest resolutions and report them to Convention delegates for debate and vote. Resolutions endorsed by Convention delegates are non-binding and are sent to the International Board of Directors for further consideration and study. Please type resolutions on Club stationery and include your Club name, Club number and Club President's signature. All resolutions should be written in standard resolution format: "Whereas... , Whereas... , Whereas... , Be it resolved that the Board of Directors of Optimist International is asked to consider...." Resolutions should be mailed to: Resolutions Committee, Optimist International, 4494 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108.
Membership Recruitment

DEADLINE ALERT: Fast Start Awards for $100 Convention Registrations
Don’t forget that any Clubs who have built a new adult Club and are net +5 at the end of the 2 nd quarter (March 31 st , 2019) qualify for $100 Convention registrations for ALL CLUB MEMBERS. This is less than half the regular price.

Districts who have built 2 new adult Clubs and are net +15 at the end of the 2 nd quarter (March 31 st , 2019) qualify for $100 Convention registrations for ALL DISTRICT MEMBERS. This is less than half the regular price.

Member Recruitment Calendar
The 2018-19 International Membership Committee is encouraging all Optimist Clubs to participate in “targeted recruitment” each month of this Optimist year. While all Members are valuable; this calendar   will hopefully encourage Clubs to seek new Members in areas that they may have overlooked. March's group to recruit is: Local Business Owners. These individuals can prove invaluable to clubs in a variety of ways, including providing materials or services at a discounted rate. They stand to benefit by having the Club promote their business. A win-win for the Club and the business owner!
Online Officer Registration

As of March 1, Optimist Clubs can register their 2019-2020 officers online. A current officer must login to www.optimist.org and click on “Reports”. Scroll down, and on the right side of the screen, you will see “Club Officer Elect Report,” and click on “Report”. You will be able to select the names of the Club Members who will be filling the leadership roles during the Optimist 2019-2020 year. If you have questions or need assistance, contact Charlotte Baker at Member Services at bakerc@optimist.org .
 
Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation

Congratulations to the 10 lucky Dime-a-Day or more donors who earned a free basic registration to the Optimist International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, or to their own District Convention (max $250).
  • Carter, Joan – Optimist Club of Stoney Creek, ON
  • Lafontaine, Nicole – Club Optimiste de St-Charles de Longueuil, QC
  • Lalande, Gabrielle – Club Optimiste de Drummondville, QC
  • Martin, Gillian – Optimist Club of Riverside ON
  • Mori, Janice – Optimist Club of North Okanagan, BC
  • Normand, Claude – Club Optimiste de St-Hippolyte, QC
  •  Pollock, Earl W. – Optimist Club of Coquitlam-Eve, BC
  • Quesnel, Yvon – Club Optimiste de St-Albert, ON
  • Shorrock, Patricia – Optimist Club of High River, AB
  • Smith, Claire – Optimist Club of Burlington, ON

Your Club may still win a basic registration. Find all the details here .

Other Important Deadlines:
March 31
Upcoming Webinars
The Leadership Development Committee will be having the following webinars over the next few months:
 
March 11                NOW is the Time            Patrick Prendergast/Theresa Tremblay
NOW – New Optimists Welcome! What a great time to have people of like minds join our wonderful movement … 100 years and getting ready for the next 100. This webinar looks at the NOW program and how it can be incorporated in the many Club and District moments and activities that emerge as we spread Optimism. Registration Link is:  https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4715010817398327043
 
April 8        B2B The Difference Between a Job and a Title   Pauline Langelier
Is there really a difference between a job and a title? If so, what is it? Job or Title, what are the implications? To be President of an Optimist Club or even just a Member, is it a job, a title or both?
This is what will be discussed during this webinar. A presentation not to be missed! Registration Link is: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1842145263694164995


Webinars begin at 7 p.m. Central time. If you have any questions, please contact leadership@optimist.org
Don't forget to order your Centennial Coin
The Optimist International Foundation has launched the 100th Anniversary Commemorative Coin to celebrate OI's Centennial. This keepsake coin will be a special addition to any Optimist’s collection. This high-quality memento will be a 1.5-inch bronze coin featuring our Centennial logo, resting in a blue velour box, available for a donation of $100 (USD).

The proceeds from the 100th anniversary coin will be dedicated to help launch a new Optimist International effort: the Childhood Health & Wellness program.

DEADLINE ALERT: Hugh Cranford All-Scholastic Scholarship

The 2019 Hugh Cranford All-Scholastic Team will be two special awards recognizing the academic and community service accomplishments of five junior golfers. Golfers can apply for one or both awards. Golfers selected receive an exemption into the 2019 Optimist Championship, tournament entry (includes golf, hotel accommodations and meals) and a $1,000 scholarship. Applications must be postmarked by April 1, and arrive at the St. Louis headquarters by April 5. Click here for full application information. For more information about the Optimist Junior Golf program, click here .
New Club Building

An International Development Ad Hoc Committee is working on a strategic initiative for future development and needs your help. The committee is asking for you to provide some guidance about where Optimist International could expand beyond North America and the Caribbean. If you have any leads, could you provide the name of the country or countries where you have friends, acquaintances, or business associates. The committee is not asking for contact information but just the name of the country.  This will enable the committee to learn where the most people known to Optimists live and could lead to designating a country as a focus for international development.  All you have to do is send an email to the International Development Ad Hoc Committee at   newclub@optimist.org listing the name of the country or countries where you have connections and thank you for your help.
Junior Optimist International
Are you thinking of joining us in Lousiville?

Please visit www.junioroptimist.org and click on joiCON to see the latest Convention schedule. 


Scholarship Deadlines
This is Scholarship Season! Make sure your District submits winners on time. Here are deadlines for Districts to submit winners to Optimist International:
Essay: April 15, 2019
Oratorical: May 15, 2019
CCDHH: June 15, 2019
Join Us in Louisville!

Meet your Optimist friends in Louisville, Kentucky next summer for the Annual Optimist International Convention and Centennial Celebration, Sunday, June 30 to Wednesday, July 3! Register online at www.optimist.org/convention . Visit here to book your room at the Galt House (Rooms are going quickly!). For questions or more information about the annual convention, contact convention@optimist.org .  
Our Centennial - Let's Celebrate

Each Optimist has a story to tell - it could be how you got involved, why you are still an Optimist, or an inspirational moment you had at an Optimist event. We want to hear your story! Submit an Optimist Story here . Video and written stories will be shared throughout the year on social media.

Centennial merchandise may be purchased at our official suppliers.
Official Optimist International Suppliers

United States and the Caribbean:
Shumsky
Canada:
Ansell's Awards and Specialties
Contact the International Board of Directors 

If you have comments, concerns or suggestions for the International Board of Directors, please send to  board@optimist.org