A most optimistic welcome to all of you District Leaders and Marketing Chairs from your Optimist International Marketing Department!

We are extremely excited and can’t wait to tell you about all the wonderful things we’ve been working on since our last newsletter! As the 2022-2023 year winds down, the Marketing Team is hard at work adding additional branding and marketing tools for your use in promoting our great organization at every level.

• As of Oct. 1, 2023, all Districts must follow the official Optimist International Branding Guidelines. The Marketing Department has been working to assist the 2023-2024 Regional Vice Presidents and their District Governors in the steps they need to take to comply with the official branding guidelines. The team has reviewed District theme banners, pins, websites, and other branding materials, and in some cases assisted the Districts in revising or developing a new design. We are here to support and assist your Districts and Clubs in learning to speak with one voice. It’s not hard, it just takes practice. Remember, the marketing department is your go-to place if you have questions or concerns or need assistance with branding compliance efforts. Help is just a telephone call, email, or text message away.

• At the International Convention in Arlington, Virginia, President Bob McFadyen introduced O.W.L.S. (Optimist Working for Learning Success), as a pilot for a new Optimist International signature program. This program was developed from his vision of the Partners in Education program to focus on Optimist Clubs partnering with local schools to provide an array of services such as nutrition, clothing, school supplies, hygiene products, tutoring, and mentoring to help students in their respective communities grow and thrive. Including the objective to provide Clubs with an identity that will help them attract new members who want to improve their community.

• To promote this program, the Marketing Department has developed a series of flyers and ads for District Marketing and Member Engagement Chairs to use in promoting this program to their Clubs and Districts. A link to these promotional materials is available below. Clubs interested in helping to develop the program or launching a pilot project can complete an interest form here.

• Earlier this year, the marketing department created a series of promotional materials to assist Districts in promoting the Optimist International Essay and Oratorical scholarship programs. During the last quarter, the team developed similar materials for the Communications Contest for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. These materials include flyers, ads, and social media templates that can be downloaded from the Dropbox files linked below.

• In an effort to illustrate the importance of the Club Pride Report and generate more timely Club submissions, the Marketing Department developed a series of flyers and ads focused on how this report is used by Optimist International for tracking our Clubs' service activities, determining future programming, and securing grants and sponsorships. You can find these materials in the Dropbox files linked below.

• With the beginning of the new Optimist year, President-Designate Tracy Huxley will launch her C.A.R.E. (Celebrate, Address, Recognize, and Excel) program, which has been designed to cultivate strong, long-lasting relationships with our valued members and ensure their continued satisfaction and engagement within their local Optimist Clubs. The program focuses on proactively identifying and addressing the needs and expectations of our members and enhancing the value of their Club and

volunteer experience.

• The Marketing Department has designed a series of promotional flyer and ads, as well as social media templates, to promote this program. Each promotional piece highlights one of the four elements of the plan. Click on the Dropbox link provided and you’ll be given access to these materials.

• After two years of research and hard work, the marketing department is pleased to announce the completion of the Optimist International Public Relations Handbook. A sister publication to the Optimist International Branding Guidelines, this document is packed full of ideas on how to develop a successful public relations and marketing campaign. It has tips on how to approach the media, recommendations on how to run successful social media campaigns, how to work with designers, how to achieve impactful page layouts, and choose fonts. It also has samples of public service announcements, elevator speeches, and much, much more. Combined with our branding guidelines this document becomes a powerful tool in assisting our Districts and Clubs expand and promote the Optimist brand.

• The marketing department is now responsible for Optimist International’s podcast, “Choose Optimism,” directed by marketing committee member Theresa Jarratt and host Shane Neuman. To increase awareness and solicit participants to be interviewed and featured on the podcast, the marketing department has generated a series of promotional flyers and ads to showcase and promote this important marketing tool. To hear the latest podcast or tell us your Optimist story, contact us at communications@optimist.org or marketing@optimist.org.

The 2022-2023 marketing and communications team’s year is fast coming to a close. On Oct. 1, 2023, a new marketing team will take our place. This being the last newsletter for the 2022-2023, year I would be remiss if I did not recognize the wonderful team that I had the privilege to lead.

When President Bob McFadyen asked me if I would be his Marketing and Communications Committee Chairperson, I told him I would take on this challenge on with one condition – he appointed an outstanding committee to work with me. And did he ever! I cannot say enough about these wonderful individuals whose dedication, creativity, and gung-ho work ethic made this team a great success. We began working together at the beginning of August of last year, and we have been meeting weekly ever since. Our goal has been to provide an array of marketing tools in the form of flyers and ads, social media templates, and other materials for Optimist International, our Districts, Clubs, and Members to use in promoting the Optimist brand, its programs, and the benefits of becoming involved in Optimism.

I extend a most grateful and heartfelt thank you to team members Lorin Richter (designer extraordinaire), Diane Siefkes (a creative writer and idea person who crafted our words, giving them impact and clarity), Sandra Doyle (our champion and guru of positivity), Theresa Jarratt (designer, dynamo of creativity, and podcast director), Mike Defiore (our voice of reason who kept us grounded and focused), Rose Medley (our Caribbean team member who challenged us to think globally and outside our comfort zone), OIF President Debra Merritt (who provided numerous insights and ideas into the marketing needs of our Districts, Clubs, and Members), and Alain Prive (OFC liaison who brought the French Canadian perspective and willingness to share ideas to our team’s efforts).

Finally, a huge thank you to the true leaders of our team Senior Director of Marketing, Communications, and Meeting Services, Ronda Vaughn, and Creative Director Jason Cook. They guided us, challenged us, encouraged us, praised us, and made us feel we were a real valuable part of their marketing team. They were a pleasure to work with!

Never forget you are part of the Optimist International marketing Team. Together we will help our Districts and Clubs tell the Optimist Story and continue to expand our brand.

As the next marketing team takes the baton, let’s keep moving forward in our efforts to speak with one voice and expand the Optimist brand. Thank you for your encouragement and support. 

All the best,

2022-2023 Marketing and Communications Committee Chair and

Past International President, H. Nick Prillaman

Quotes of Positivity

“Optimism isn’t a belief that things will automatically get better; it’s a conviction that we can make things better.”

— Melinda Gates

“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the tangible, and achieves the impossible.”

— Winston Churchill

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence”

— Helen Keller

“It makes a big difference in your life when you stay positive.”

— Ellen DeGeneres

“Nothing can dim the light which shines from within.”

— Maya Angelou

“Optimism inspires, energizes, and brings out our best. It points the mind toward possibilities and helps us think creatively past problems.”

— Price Pritchett

“No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.”

— Aesop

“Never regret a day in your life: good days give happiness, bad days give experience, worst days give lessons, and best days give memories.”

— Unknown

Official Optimist International, District, Club, and promotional logos are available for download in both high-resolution and low-resolution formats. Go to the logos page and click on the logo you want. A new window will appear with the logo in it. Right-click on the logo and choose "Save as" or "Save image as" to save the file to your computer.

It’s What You Scatter 

Contributed by Past International President H. Nick Prillaman, Jr.

This is a story a good friend of mine shared with me many years ago. It’s one of my favorites. To me, it demonstrates what we Optimists do daily.

A woman was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes... She noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

She paid for her potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. She was a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, she couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to her.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.' 

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home ?' Asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmm mmm, the only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home ?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackley but almost.'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble,’ Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help the lady. With a smile, she said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

The lady left the store smiling to herself, impressed with this man. A short time later she moved away, but she never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Finally, she had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community she’d moved away from and while she was there learned that Mr. Miller, the store owner, had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing her friends wanted to go, she agreed to accompany them.

Upon arrival at the mortuary, they fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort they could. Ahead of them in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits, and white shirts...all very professional-looking.

They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her, and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

When the lady’s and her friend’s turn came to meet Mrs. Miller, she told her who she was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told her about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took the lady’s hand and led her to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, when Jim could not change his mind about the color or size, they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.'

With loving gentleness, she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles – A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself ... An unexpected phone call from an old friend ... Green stoplights on your way to work ... The fastest line at the grocery store ... A good sing-along song on the radio ... Your keys are found right where you left them. Remember, it’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you’ve lived!