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Hello fellow Optimists –
As we look back on the 2022-2023 Optimist year, the Choose Optimism year, First Lady Penny and I have so many wonderful memories of visiting Clubs and Districts, meeting wonderful people working on fantastic projects for youth and their communities.
I tried to make it a year of communication – sending a monthly email to all Members, offering my phone number and email address to all Members for them to contact me with their questions and concerns (some did), and traveling to 25 Districts and 35 Clubs to meet and talk to our Members in person. My message was that the future of our organization is in the hands of our Members, and we need all Members to be part of the solution to ensure that the Optimist organization is here to serve youth for decades to come.
Through our programs (and our mission statement), Optimists offer HOPE to so many young people in our communities. And through our programs, such as the new O.W.L.S. program, we help create an environment where our youth can develop confidence and self-esteem.
Many of our Members heard the message and have reacted, resulting in 65 Honor Clubs, 37 Distinguished Clubs, one Honor District and five Distinguished Districts in the 2022-2023 Optimist year. Some Clubs and Districts are not on the Honor/Distinguished list because they may have fallen short on one or two of the requirements listed on the ICD-135 Awards Policy. But that does not mean they are not a successful Club making a huge impact on the youth in their communities.
And so, as we recognize those Clubs and Districts that did complete all of the requirements, I also want to acknowledge the contribution of all of our Members and Clubs to their communities.
Penny and I want to thank and acknowledge all of the Optimists who stepped forward to make a difference in their Club, their community and their District. Thank you for being an Optimist, and thank you for your commitment to make a difference in the lives of the youth in your community.
And congratulations to those reaching Honor/Distinguished status!
Yours in Optimism,
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