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Optimist International Update

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:04:17 -0400

MAKING PLANS FOR THE YEAR TO COME
It’s election time for Optimist Clubs all over, as Clubs decide who will be their President in the year ahead. According to Article VIII of the Standard Club Bylaws, a Club should elect its President no later than April 30, 2008. This Member will serve as President from October 1, 2008, through September 30, 2009.

After the Club elects its President for the 2008-2009 Optimist year, the Member’s name should be turned in to the International Office. At this time, Optimist International will also need to know who has been appointed as Club Secretary and Treasurer (or Secretary/Treasurer).

The Club Officer-Elect Report can be filled out online by the current Club President, Secretary or Treasurer on the Optimist Leaders website at www.optimistleaders.org. The form can also be filled out manually by going to the Optimist website at www.optimist.org, looking under “Members” and clicking on “Forms and Publications.”

MULTIPLE COPIES OF THE MAGAZINE
Is your household getting multiple copies of the magazine? Would you prefer to just receive one copy of each issue of The Optimist? Optimists are entitled to their magazines, but households with more than one Optimist or Optimists in more than one Club might be receiving more magazines than they know what to do with! One suggestion is to find someone in the local community to pass extra copies along to. You can see if the local library branch is interested, or contact a doctor, dentist, hair salon or any business that has a waiting area to see if they would welcome the magazine. This is just one more way to get the word out about Optimist International!

If you have exhausted your resources and prefer to receive just one copy, please contact the magazine by sending an e-mail to magazine@optimist.org or calling (800) 500-8130, ext. 228. Include your mailing address and the names of those Optimists in your household who receive the magazine and indicate who should receive the single copy. Names cannot be combined on the mailing label, so please just select one name. Thank you!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.” – Zig Ziglar

Bragger's Hall - International Convention

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:59:48 -0400

Then come share your project with other Optimist Members and Clubs at the 2008 International Convention! Optimist International will be sponsoring the 2nd Annual Bragger’s Hall in Grapevine, Texas.

Each participating Club will be assigned a table to display information and materials about their project. Show off pictures, brochures, handouts, a CPA entry, anything that relates to the activity. Clubs will be responsible for transporting their own materials to and from the convention and Bragger’s Hall session.

Date: Friday July 4th, 2008

Time: 9:00 –10:15 and 10:30-11:45 – Clubs may sign up for either session (a representative must be present during the entire designated session)

Where: 2008 International Convention, Room TBA

Why: to share ideas and to brag (just a little) about your great project!

Help Send Kids to Camp Boggy Creek

Wed, 9 Apr 2008 12:31:40 -0400

Hello Optimists,

As promised, the Camp Boggy Creek message is below for you to send to your Optimist listing via email. It would be wonderful if you could include this on your Web page and next newsletter. As we prepare for our first week of summer camp on June 10 -- for kids with cancer anything you and the Optimist Clubs can do to help us with awareness is greatly appreciated.

Included in the text below is the contact information for Lisa Gutierrez, who will serve as the point of contact for any Optimist Club.

Let me know if you have any questions. Thank you so much.
June

June Clark
President/Executive Director
Camp Boggy Creek
30500 Brantley Branch Rd.
Eustis, Fl 32736
352- 483-0589 FAX
352- 483-4200, ext. 656
www.BoggyCreek.org

Do you remember what it was like just being a carefree kid at camp: fishing, swimming, arts & crafts, horseback riding all day long? Typically, chronically ill children cannot participate in these fun, childhood experiences but at Camp Boggy Creek, they can and at no cost to the children or their families. Located in Eustis, Camp Boggy Creek is the only multi-disease therapeutic camp program in Florida that provides medically supervised recreational activities for children ages 7-16 with chronic and life threatening illnesses for exclusive camping sessions with others facing the same condition.

Since no child or family pays, we rely on the generous support of individuals, corporations and organizations to sponsor children and/or their families to attend camp. We offer 2 summer sessions for children with cancer and 3 family retreat weekends for families that have a child with cancer. Your club can give one of these brave kids a week of laughter for $2,632 the cost to send a child to summer Cancer Camp. Or give a family a weekend respite during Cancer Family Retreat for $1,916.

To learn more about how you can get involved contact Lisa Gutierrez, Director of Partnerships, at 352- 483- 4200 ext.648 or e-mail lgutierrez@boggycreek.org. Schedule a Boggy Creek representative to speak at your next club meeting or better yet, take the club to camp for a tour youll never forget! For volunteer opportunities, a needs list and more check out www.boggycreek.org.

2008 3rd Quarter NFDOI Conference Orlando

Fri, 4 Apr 2008 13:42:12 -0400

From April 4th through 6th 2008, the North Florida District of Optimist International held its 3rd Quarter Conference in Orlando, Florida. Among the highlights of the Conference were: the attendance of our Optimist International President Theo Golding, training for marketing Optimist Clubs, Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI) Conference and swearing in of Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI) Officers, Optimist International Junior Golf Championships (OIJGC) winner Micah Jacobsen, District Oratorical Contest, Zone Lt. Governor elections, Eminent Benefactor awards presented to Julio and Sue Giavinco for their lifetime contributions of more than $10,000 to the Optimist Foundation, and fun and fellowship in the hospitality rooms.

Click here for more 3Q Conference Photos

Traveling Gavel Downtown Club @ RJOC

Wed, 2 Apr 2008 14:07:49 -0400

Eleven members of the Downtown Optimist Club visited the Raymond James Optimist Club meeting at the Raymond James Financial headquarters building in St. Petersburg, FL to Steal the Traveling Gavel on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008.

Rick Rutan of the Breakfast Club started the tradition back in 1991 to encourage club members to visit other Optimist Clubs. Since then, the Traveling Gavel has changed hands more than 70 times.

Photos can be seen here: Traveling Gavel Downtown Club @ RJOC

3rd Quarter Zone 9 meeting

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:32:07 -0400

Our 3rd Quarter Zone meeting was held on Monday, March 31, 2008 at 6PM at PoFolks at 2001 34th St. North . All Optimists are welcome! Please this invitation on to your members.

PoFolks
2001 34th St. North
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-327-8090

Here is my agenda so far! If you want to add something to the agenda, just let me know. I'll send out an update later if necessary.

Recent Events
Jim Ridings has graciously agreed to serve as Zone 9 Lt. Gov. for 2008-2009 THANKS, JIM!
Zone Oratorical Contest - 3/15/2007
Downtown Club's Easter Egg Hunt - 3/22/2007
Regional Oratorical Contest Zones 6,7,8,9 - 3/29/2007

Upcoming Events

First Friday - RJOC - Indy race weekend

3rd Quarter Conference    - April 4th-6th in Orlando
    We are at the International Drive Holiday Inn. Call the hotel at 1-407-351-3500 for your North Florida District reservations NOW.
    JOOI Conference
    District Oratorical Contest
    Zone 8 needs help with hospitality events

RJOC Ronald McDonald House - April 7th

Club Officer and Director Elections - Don't forget your Club Officer Election Reports!

Sunset Club's - Optimist Fun Night - Saturday, April 19, 2008

Raymond James Community Fair on April 30th

Sunset Club - Poker Run - May 31st

International Convention - Grapevine, TX - July 3-6

Downtown Optimist Easter Egg Hunt @ Lealman Park

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:16:43 -0400

Fellow Optimists,

It's time for the annual Lealman Easter Egg Hunt! The Downtown Optimist Club spearheaded this great activity to provide a fun filled day for the children of St. Petersburg. Other Zone 9 Optimist Clubs providing support were the Breakfast Optimist Club, Gulfport Optimist Club, Raymond James Optimist Club, St. Petersburg Optimist Club, and the Sunset Optimist Club.

Date: Saturday, March 22nd 2007
Time: 8:30-10:00 set up, 10:00-noon event
Location: Lealman Park, corner of 54th Avenue and 38th Street North, St. Pete.

There were 300-400 people in attendance for this fun event. There were approximately 200 children present as well as parents, fellow Optimists and our supporters. We divided the children into 4 age groups: 1-3, 4-7, 8-10, 11 and older. We also divided the park into 4 areas with eggs hidden better as we moved up in the age groups. The weather was great, the rain held off and it was a beautiful day. Everyone seemed to be really enjoying themselves.

Many more photos can be seen here: Lealman Easter 2008

Yours in Optimism,

David W. Dawley