Message from the Governor
May 2012
Are you ready for Milwaukee? Only 13 are registered for the district so far, and that currently includes just one Lt. Governor! Please register now to get the early bird rates! The district will have a hospitality room at the main hotel, so you will have a place to hang out between exciting events. Remember there is excellent training available for newly elected officers. To learn more about the international convention, ask International Convention chairman T. R. Cook, or visit the Convention page on the OI website:http://www.optimist.org/e/member/convention1.cfm
The 3rd quarter district meeting in Richmond was a success! And two $2,500 scholarships were awarded to the winners of the Oratorical contest. Thanks, Chairman Dave Griffiths and his helpers for a stellar job! It went smoothly!
I personally finished the district meeting weekend with a talk on Optimism at the regional HOBY seminar Sunday at JMU. There were about 500 people in the audience (wow). It is amazing what HOBY does to instill leadership in rising high school juniors. Founded in 1958, HOBY’s mission is to inspire and develop our global community of youth and volunteers to a life dedicated to leadership, service and innovation. HOBY programs are conducted annually throughout the United States, serving local and international high school students. Please visit www.HOBY.org to learn more.
We have just a little over 4 months left in our year to make a difference and Build for the Kids. As of May, we have 37 clubs and are up by just 2 members for the year! Zones 5, 7 and 8 have dropped a lot of members without adding enough new members to cover those losses, but the other zones are doing better. I challenge everyone to just ask one person to join by the end of this month. All it takes is to just ask. Just this week our district has slipped from 7th place to 9th place internationally. Other districts are building clubs and adding members. I know we can do it too. Lt. Governor Chuck is working on a new club at the Greensprings retirement community, and Lt. Governor Mark is working on a new club in Suffolk. Please help them in any way you can.
I plan to visit the Caroline County Optimist Club in zone 8 for their big NOW bash in June (it is a cook-out on a Saturday). Norfolk Wards Corner also plans a similar NOW event that same Saturday to celebrate their 25th year! Congratulations Norfolk-Wards Corner on 25 years of service to the kids in your community! And I will be visiting Zone 6 for another big event in June.
Please drive safely and have a fun summer during your vacation travel. I will see many of you during the summer, especially at the International Convention in July. I hope also to see everyone at the District Convention in Virginia Beach during September 7, 8 and 9. For more information, please visitwww.optimistcapva.org.
Thanks for all you do, and remember to Build for the Kids, 100% and Then Some!
Governor Tom
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Welcome
Optimist Clubs are dedicated to "Bringing Out the Best in Kids" and do their part through community service projects. Since each Club is autonomous and run by members in their community, Optimists have the unique flexibility to serve the youth of their area in any way they see fit. Optimist Clubs see a need in their community and react to it.
Optimists strive to live up to their name and maintain an upbeat attitude, which they try to pass along to the children they serve. The words of The Optimist Creed are well known to Optimist volunteers and beyond. The creed gives volunteers a focus for personal improvement as they work to better the world around them.
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The Optimist Creed
Promise Yourself ... To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. -
The Optimist Mission
By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in kids.
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The Optimist Vision
Optimist International will be recognized worldwide as the premier volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential.
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Become an Optimist
Do you want to get more involved in your community? As an Optimist Member, you will be welcomed into a Club of individual citizens who share a desire to "Bring Out the Best in Kids." We organize and participate in hands-on, interactive projects for kids. These projects range from Oratorical Contests to Youth Appreciation activities. As an Optimist Member, not only will you be connected to your local community, you'll also boast affiliation with about 87,000 Optimists around the world.
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Optimist Friends
Explore the volunteer opportunities to help “Bring Out the Best in Kids” by becoming a Friend of Optimists. Helping kids has rarely been more important than today in a world where we are disconnected from each other and engaged with our interactive technology. Being a Friend of Optimists helps support the organization's diligent efforts to reach out to kids. Receive special e-mails and The Optimist magazine. Volunteer when you want. So what do you think? Will you be a friend?
Latest News
Optimist Club Sponsors of CCDHH Contestants
I would like to share with you this photo taken last Friday, February 17, 2012 at the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School auditorium on the Gallaudet University campus in Washington, D.C.
This was the site of a joint Optimist Club CCDHH to qualify contestants for the 2012 CapVA District CCDHH to be held in conjunction with the 2nd Q District meeting at the Holiday Inn-Monticello in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday afternoon, February 25. The contestants from left to right in the photo with their sponsoring Optimist Clubs are, Eliyas Assefa ( Alexandria Sunrise), Mauricio Orozco (Washington-National Capital), Niqua Gray ( Alexandria Noonday), Kenneth Garcia (TBD), Ariella Zfati (Springfield Evening), Noah Richards (Central Fairfax), Taode Ogden (Alexandria Sunrise) and Alysa Biega (Alexandria Noonday). Sponsoring Optimist Clubs are responsible for the $2
5 entry fee for each contestant and lunches associated with their contestant up to four at $15 per lunch. I will be providing more accurate lunch numbers once I receive them from the Kendall School. Also we are still lacking a sponsor for Kenneth Garcia who was a late addition. We look forward to having these special young people with us on Saturday as they compete for the two $2500 scholarships which will be awarded to the winners in the Primary(ages 7-12) and Secondary(ages 13-18) brackets. Thanks for all that your Optimist Clubs and you do to support this important program.
Steve Toth, Chairman
CapVA District CCDHH Committee
Optimist.org
Optimist.org is the world headquarters site. It has information on a larger scale and contact information for clubs throughout the world.
OIFoundation.org
Seeking, receiving and managing funds and real personal property for the benefit of Optimist International and its Member Clubs in its charitable, literary and educational activities.
OptimistSupply.com
Optimistsupply.com is the new official supplier for OI materials.