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We're on the Final Campaign for Honor Club
How time flies! We have 27 days left to complete our path to Honor Club with 100% Honor Club status!! To date, the PNW District has the following clubs ready to complete the last step to Honor Club - the President's Pride report:
Zone 1 BC
Abbotsford +12 (Need only 3 more for Distinguished!)
Vancouver North Shore +1
Zone 2 ID
Middleton Area +10 (Need only 5 more for Distinguished!)
Twin Falls +6
Caldwell +2
Jerome +2
Nampa +1
Zone 3 OR
Lebanon +40 (Distinguished!)
Gresham +5
Portland NE +2
Oregon City +1
Newport-Yaquina Bay +1
Zone 4 WA
Chehalis-Centralia +5
Fairbanks +2
Vancouver, WA +2
West Tacoma +1
Issaquah +1
CONTINUING THE ASSAULT ON HONOR CLUB
Seventeen of the District's 45 Optimist Clubs - 38% - have only paperwork to do to complete the goal of 100% Honor Clubs. It is not too late for every club in this District to meet their goal, and for the following clubs at 0, -1, -2, or -3 in membership, it is especially in reach:
Zone 1 BC Zone 2 ID Zone 3 OR Zone 4 WA
Junior Intnl. Boise -2 Albany -2 Auburn 0
Curling 0 Emmett 0 Beaverton 0
SFU -1 Meridian - 1 LaGrande 0
Burnaby -2 Mountain Home 0 Hillsboro 0
Chilliwack -3 Elmore County -2 Portland-
Coquitlam -3 Peninsula -2
Vancouver BC 0 Salem 0
Victoria -2 Dutch Bros 0
When this happens, 80% of PNW Optimist Clubs will be Honor Club. The Lebanon Optimist Club has enlisted 54 new recruits this year, with 10 in August alone. If Lebanon can do this, adding 3 to 7 new members in your club should be a simple task.
Is 100% Honor Club within reach? It is not impossible. With extra effort from Mission, Horseshoe Bend, McCall, Tri-Cities and Mason County, we could be the first District in Optimist International to achieve this distinction. Let's do it. Let's get 'er done.
Thank you, PNW Optimists. You are the REAL
F R I - E N D of Y O U T H,
Dick Disney
PNW Governor 2014-15
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Lebanon Optimists meet the Honor Club goal...and then some
On August 27, Governor Dick traveled to Lebanon, Oregon to help celebrate 100 members in the Lebanon Optimist Club. Reaching the century mark is a milestone for any club, but what makes this so special is to do so, the Lebanon Optimists have added 54 members this year and currently stand at net +40. They were prompted to action by Heather and Jim McDaniel (first and second row left). Jim, club president many years ago, shared his dream with President Rachel Kittson-Maqatish and other club members and everyone went to work to make it happen. Also benefitting from the growth surge is the community's skateboard park. Jim and Heather gave the Lebanon Skate Park $25,000 in celebration of the Lebanon Optimist Club's membership growth.
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A convention recap
At the 2015 Convention, the PNW District - Optimist International chose its next governor-elect. Serving the District in 2016-2017 will be Rick Matkin, Caldwell Optimist Club member and current Lt. Governor in Zone 2. Please join us in congratulating Rick.
Governor-designate Michael Gray was assisted by none other than Optimist International President Ken Garner for the leadership training of incoming officers for 2015-2016. According to Michael, the training was stellar. Others gave the sessions their highest praise as well.
Of key interest was President Ken's inspirational reminder that in order to add members to our clubs and to reach 100,000 members by the 100th anniversary of Optimist International, we must start with WHY. WHY are you an Optimist Club member? What is your story of WHY you belong and WHY you keep coming back? 
We also had a little fun when luncheon emcee Ben Deremer, President, Gresham Optimist Club, played some Boy Scout shenanigans on President Ken.
First lady Patsy Garner was also called on for motivation. In her address she said, "We join Optimist Clubs because we want to extend our family." Yes, that's one reason for sure.
The Convention was well served by members of the West Tacoma Optimist Club. Through their contributions of time and talent, our registration table was well-staffed, our hospitality room was welcoming and our old-timer's breakfast was entertaining. Plus, the convention was opened by a new project of the West Tacoma Optimist Club as the Sea Scouts proudly presented the US and Canadian colors. Thank you to all.
Now, down to business. The Board of Directors was asked to look at several revisions to the policies. While there were a number of changes due to the revisions to correct grammar and make the document gender neutral, in all there were only four areas to be considered:
- Reduce the District dues by $2.00 to $16.00 US.
- Establish fair and equal guidelines for funding the Oratorical and CCDHH Contests.
- Following Optimist International financial policies, require all monies collected or reimbursed by the District to be converted to the US dollar exchange rate as published at www.optimistleaders.org.
- Establish a publication and notification deadline for future revisions to the District Policies.
Only the last two were passed.
Following discussion about whether the governor was the correct person to be the point of contact for the scholarship contests, a motion to table was made and passed. The motion that was made indicated that the representatives needed time to discuss these matters with the other members of their club. While that might be seen as a valid reason by some, especially those who were not represented by their presidents, the motion stopped any further discussion from taking place and prevented representatives from learning why the Oratorical and CCDHH Contest rules as written are neither fair nor equal to the Optimist Clubs in the District or the contestants themselves.
Should the assembly have heard the discussion about the scholarship contests, the motion to decrease District dues would likely have passed. Both matters will be taken up again at the 1st Quarter Meeting, Hood River, October 9-10, 2015. Until that time, the convention stands in recess.
Review the policies as revised and tabled at this link. |
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Registration is now open for the 1st Quarter Meeting
Being an Optimist Club member has a circular feeling at times. We start, go-go-go, and then start again. To kick off the 2015-2016 PNW District - Optimist International year, Michael Gray, Governor 2015-2016 invites you to Hood River, Oregon for fun, learning and optimism.
October 9-10, 2015
Hood River Inn
1108 E. Marina Way
Hood River, OR 970131
1-800-828-7873
Registration cutoff date is September 20, 2015.
Register now at this link.
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PNW Optimist Clubs are busy!
In Idaho, football is underway for the Optimist Clubs of Boise Noon, Emmett, Horseshoe Bend, Mountain Home and Nampa. A big kick for the players is to play on the blue turf at Boise State University during the Optimist Youth Football Jamboree.
The Gresham Optimist Club recently hosted Hamburgers, Hot Dogs and Horses with the Explorer Post  686. This event includes members of the Explorer Post, Optimist Club and public for an afternoon of horseplay.
The Chehalis-Centralia Optimist Club will host its major fundraiser on September 12, 2015. You can join them for the 4th Annual Motorcycle Ride and Silent Auction.
What is your Optimist Club doing?
Send us a message and tell us all about it so that we can share your Optimist Club story with the world. Share your newsletter or club bulletinwith us and we'll do the writing for you!
You can also share your stories on the PNW District Optimist Facebook page. We'd love to hear from you!
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