Update Your Club Roster!


We want to keep our Members updated on board activities and the many volunteer and educational opportunities available to them. It's our goal to build a global community by reaching every Optimist worldwide, but we need our Clubs' help to do that.


Nearly 60 percent of our Members don't receive our emails because we don't have accurate email addresses for them, and nearly 1,000 Optimists don't receive their Optimist magazine because we don't have their current mailing addresses.


Please update your Club rosters and help us share the good news of Optimist with everyone we possibly can!


To update your Club roster online, simply follow along with one of these guides from the Optimist Institute:


 

Optimist - Summer 2023




Optimist is published by Optimist International, 4494 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri, a non-profit and incorporated association of Optimist Clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Managing Editor: Cheryl Brenn; Editor: J. Ryne Danielson; Designer: Jason Cook

 

You Are Invited!


Local Club members are invited to attend a special flag-raising ceremony for Optimist International's incoming president Sept. 29. at 10 a.m. outside our headquarters at 4494 Lindell Blvd.


Lunch will be provided, so we need an accurate headcount so that we order enough food for everyone. Please RSVP here by Friday, Sept. 22, and be sure to indicate whether you have any food allergies.

 

Club Pride Reports


Sept. 30 is the deadline for Club Pride Reports. Click here to submit yours!

 

Introducing O.W.L.S.


O.W.L.S. (Optimists Working for Learning Success) is a new signature program introduced by Optimist International President Bob McFayden at the 2023 International Convention and just approved by the Board of Directors as a pilot program. Through O.W.L.S., Optimist Clubs will partner with local schools or classrooms to provide nutrition, clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, tutoring, and mentoring to help students thrive. 

 

O.W.L.S. will replace and build upon the Partners in Education program and will provide a focus for Clubs searching for an identity and attract new members hoping to improve their communities.  


Many Optimist Clubs already work closely with their local schools. For a great example, look no further than two Clubs located in Cumming, Georgia, that built a relationship with their local school superintendent, Dr. Jeff Bearden.


Bearden has written a letter that you can share will your local schools to jumpstart your own partnership.

 

Clubs interested in helping to develop the program or launching a pilot project can fill out an interest form here. 

 

Don't forget your passport!


Are you planning to attend the international convention next year in Niagara Falls, Canada? If so, you might need to apply for or renew your passport.


If you already have a passport, make sure it doesn’t expire in 2024. Generally, if the expiration date is within six months of your travel date, customs officials won’t accept it.


If your passport was issued before your 16th birthday, more than 15 years ago, reported stolen or issued in a previous name, you won’t be able to renew it and should instead apply for a new passport in person. Check the U.S. passports website if you're not sure.


The renewal form (DS-82) can be found here.


If you are eligible to renew your passport, you will need a photo, your most recent passport and a check for the fees. Make sure your photo complies with the specified guidelines. If you need your passport quickly, you can request expedited service for an additional fee.


If you don’t have a passport yet, or if you are not eligible to renew by mail, you will need to make an appointment at a passport acceptance facility, such as a post office or library.


The application form (DS-11) can be filled out ahead of time and is located here.


Remember to renew or apply for your passport as soon as possible, since the process can take up to 14 weeks. We hope to see you at the convention!

 

Update Your Club's Bylaws


Starting Oct. 1, every Club will be required to update their bylaws. We will not be able to accept paper copies, so Clubs will need to use the Optimist Leaders online portal to submit their updates.


You can view a module on how to update your Club's bylaws on the Optimist Institute website. Simply choose "Quick Reference Guides" on the lefthand side, scroll down to the third row of modules, and click "View" for the "Changing Club Bylaws Online" module.


Still confused? An upcoming webinar scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 4, will walk you through it.

 

Upcoming Webinars:


Get to Know the New Club Bylaws Webinar

presented by the 2023-2024 Governance Committee

6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 4

Register here

 

C.A.R.E. Program Q&A

presented by the 2023-2024 Member Engagement Committee

7 p.m., Monday, Oct. 9

Register here