A quarterly resource to help promote and strengthen our Clubs.

GOVERNORS’ QUARTERLYFALL 2019

in this issue | Fall 20193 Governor’s Team Messages District Governor · Ben DeRemer JOI Governor · Sam Noren Governor-Elect · Eddie Solorzano Governor-in-Training · Victor Islas

7 Optimist International Youth Contests 2019-2020

8 NOW Meetings Can Build Your Club · Chilliwack, British Columbia

9 Using Your Inner Superhero with ‘The 4 E’s’

10 Club Matching Grant Program · Roseburg. Oregon

11 DistrictMap&2019-2020DistrictOfficers

12 2020 District Convention · Vernon, British Columbia

Mission StatementBy providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our communities and ourselves.

Vision StatementOptimist International will be recognized worldwide as the first volunteer organization that values all children and helps them develop to their full potential.

Purposes of Optimist InternationalTo develop optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed; To promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs; To inspire respect for the law; To promote patriotism and work for international agreement and friendship among all people; To aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world.

Purpose of Optimist DistrictsThe sole purpose of the District shall be to function as an administrative division of Optimist International in furtherance of the purposes of Optimist International, Bylaws, and Policies as established by the International Board of Directors. The District shall provide service and support to Clubs for the purpose of enhancing growth, participation, administration, and youth service.

Club Story Submission DeadlinesWinter 2020 December 31st

Spring 2020 March 31st

Summer 2020 June 30th

International ConventionSchaumburg, IllinoisJune 28-July 1, 2020

District ConventionVernon, British ColumbiaSeptember 24-27, 2020

Governors’ Quarterly Ben DeRemer Editor in chief Becky Holm Editor Aaron Longo Editor Lucas Myers Art director Andre Giacalone Managing editor Fred Webber Contributor Lyle Miller Contributor

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Photo: Using Your Inner Superhero with ‘The 4E’s’ from page 9, pictured from left to right: Sam Noren, JOI Governor; Chris Wadsworth, Optimist Club of Oregon City; Roger Whitaker, President of Optimist Club of Beaverton; Roger Hampton, Lt. Governor of Zone 7.

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Hello Fellow OptimistMy name is Edward Solorzano, your Governor Elect for 2019 to 2020. Please call me Eddie as all my friends do.Here is a little about me. I was born in Ecuador and moved to New York with my par- ents in 1970 where I grew up. After graduat- ing from High School, I entered the US Army for the next 4 years. Upon exiting the service I went back to New York, then Florida and last to California Where I met my wife Darla, while she was on leave from the Army. We were married in 1986. We moved to Florida and lived there for 9 years near my family. In 1994 we relocated to Idaho after visiting in 1992. We fell in love with the area and Darla also has family in Boise. My hobbies and favorite pastimes are getting together every summer with our extended family in the mountains where we park our RV for the summer. We enjoy recreating on the lake and trail riding our ATV’s and in the winter months, we like to snowmobile.And now let me see.....I have been a member of the Meridian Optimist Club since October 2009. I have the honor of serving as club president for four terms and in the District I have served as Lt. Governor once before and now this term 2019 to 2020.I remember going to my first District meeting 10 years ago, it was an awesome experience. The people I met were so motivated to make sure I had a good time and that I met everyone and new of the good works their clubs did.Today the meetings are less than that and the attendance is poor. I would like to find a way to get us back there 10 years ago when the attendance was over a 100 and the meeting was actually a celebration of the accomplishments of the clubs and their volunteers.I accepted the opportunity to run for Governor because I believe in what the Optimist stand for and to keep the District moving forward. With your help we can continue to grow our membership and build new clubs, while continuously improving our District. I will be relying on all of you to offer your thoughts and suggestions to help me reach my goals. We can be great again together.Until we meet I wish you all a successful year and look forward to see-ing you in October at the next District meeting.Yours trulyEddie Solorzano

Volume 1, Issue 1 3 Pacific Northwest District

Hello Everyone!

My name is Ben DeRemer and I am your Governor for the 2019-2020 Optimist year in the Pacific Northwest Optimist District. For those of you who do not know we have the largest District in all of Optimist International, encompassing the areas of Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah.

Welcome to the first edition of the Governors’ Quarterly magazine. This magazine is being created as a resource for Clubs within our District to share their stories and Optimism. Clubs will have the opportunity to submit stories about their projects and Optimistic stories within their communities. Be sure to see the Club Story Submission Deadline on the inside cover. The deadline to submit stories for the Winter 2020 edition of the Governors’ Quarterly is on Tuesday, December 31st to OptimistFeedback@gmail.com. Members on the Governor’s Team will also be sending in updates, stories, and other submissions throughout the year.

My theme for the year is “Betting on a Better Tomorrow, By Serving the Youth of Today”. Our youth today represent the future for tomorrow, and the best way that we can invest in our future is by bringing out the best in our youth. We can do this much more effectively with more volunteers and Members in the District. With that in mind I have set a new goal for the District. In the last three years, we have only added roughly 300 new Members, so I have set a goal to add 300 new Members for the 2019-2020 Optimist year. There are six main types of Clubs that I will be focusing on building for this year as well, with a goal of building 12 new Optimist Clubs. We will be focusing on building Traditional Clubs, College Clubs, Single-Focus Clubs, Clubs within a Club, Special Needs Clubs, and Junior Optimist (JOI) Clubs.

I look forward to working with everyone throughout the year.

Yours in Optimism,

Ben DeRemer2018-2020 District GovernorPacific Northwest Optimist District #32

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Hey Everyone!

My name is Sam Noren and I am the Junior Optimist International (JOI) Governor for the Pacific Northwest Optimist District for 2019-2020. I am a Junior at Alta High School where I am passionate about being involved in school organizations and sports such as lacrosse and snowboarding. When I can’t be on the slopes I spend my time working in one of my favorite places, the gym.

In my time associated with the JOI program, I competed in the Optimist Oratorical Scholarship contest, and I attended the 2019 Junior Optimist International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

I strive for: personal growth, building a core group of challenging like minded driven friends, and helping in areas of need. I enjoy embodying motivation and I look forward to building a stronger community of individuals who work together toward the spread of optimism with a passion to make a positive difference for others.

This year as the JOI Governor, I will be striving for immense growth throughout our District, both in new Club building and JOI activities. My goal is to at least double our JOI programs in the District and to establish a foundation for our new JOI District.

Yours in Optimism,

Sam Noren2019-2020 JOI District Governor

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Hello Fellow Optimist

My name is Edward Solorzano, your Governor Elect for 2019 to 2020. Please call me Eddie as all my friends do.

Here is a little about me. I was born in Ecuador and moved to New York with my parents in 1970 where I grew up. After graduating from High School, I entered the US Army for the next 4 years. Upon exiting the service I went back to New York, then Florida and last to California Where I met my wife Darla, while she was on leave from the Army. We were married in 1986. We moved to Florida and lived there for 9 years near my family. In 1994 we relocated to Idaho after visiting in 1992. We fell in love with the area and Darla also has family in Boise.

My hobbies and favorite pastimes are getting together every summer with our extended family in the mountains where we park our RV for the summer. We enjoy recreating on the lake and trail riding our ATV’s and in the winter months, we like to snowmobile.

And now let me see.....I have been a member of the Meridian Optimist Club since October 2009. I have the honor of serving as club president for four terms and in the District I have served as Lt. Governor once before and now this term 2019 to 2020.

I remember going to my first District meeting 10 years ago, it was an awesome experience. The people I met were so motivated to make sure I had a good time and that I met everyone and new of the good works their clubs did.

Today the meetings are less than that and the attendance is poor. I would like to find a way to get us back there 10 years ago when the attendance was over a 100 and the meeting was actually a celebration of the accomplishments of the clubs and their volunteers.

I accepted the opportunity to run for Governor because I believe in what the Optimist stand for and to keep the District moving forward. With your help we can continue to grow our membership and build new clubs, while continuously improving our District. I will be relying on all of you to offer your thoughts and suggestions to help me reach my goals. We can be great again together.

Until we meet, I wish you all a successful year and look forward to seeing you at District meetings throughout the year.

Yours truly,

Eddie Solorzano2019-2020 Governor-Elect 5Volume 1, Issue 1 Pacific Northwest District

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Hello Fellow OptimistMy name is Edward Solorzano, your Governor Elect for 2019 to 2020. Please call me Eddie as all my friends do.Here is a little about me. I was born in Ecuador and moved to New York with my parents in 1970 where I grew up. After graduating from High School, I entered the US Army for the next 4 years. Upon exiting the service I went back to New York, then Florida and last to California Where I met my wife Darla, while she was on leave from the Army. We were married in 1986. We moved to Florida and lived there for 9 years near my family. In 1994 we relocated to Ida-ho after visiting in 1992. We fell in love with the area and Darla also has family in Boise. My hobbies and favorite pastimes are getting together every summer with our extended family in the mountains where we park our RV for the summer. We enjoy recreating on the lake and trail riding our ATV’s and in the winter months, we like to snowmobile.And now let me see.....I have been a member of the Meridian Optimist Club since October 2009. I have the honor of serving as club president for four terms and in the District I have served as Lt. Governor once before and now this term 2019 to 2020.I remember going to my first District meeting 10 years ago, it was an awesome experience. The people I met were so motivated to make sure I had a good time and that I met everyone and new of the good works their clubs did.Today the meetings are less than that and the attendance is poor. I would like to find a way to get us back there 10 years ago when the attendance was over a 100 and the meeting was actually a celebration of the accomplishments of the clubs and their volunteers.I accepted the opportunity to run for Governor because I believe in what the Optimist stand for and to keep the District moving forward. With your help we can continue to grow our membership and build new clubs, while continuously improving our District. I will be relying on all of you to offer your thoughts and suggestions to help me reach my goals. We can be great again together.Until we meet I wish you all a successful year and look forward to see-ing you in October at the next District meeting.Yours trulyEddie Solorzano

Welcome Everyone!

My name is Victor Islas, and I am your Governor-in-Training for the 2019-2020 Optimist year. This is a new position that was created by the District last year during the District Convention. Typically Optimist Districts vote on a Governor-elect to serve for one year before they become the Governor for an optimist District. In order to give individuals more time to prepare their teams and plan meetings further in advance, our District voted to approve a Governor-in-Training position to precede that of Governor-elect. This way an individual has two years to prepare for their term instead of the usual one year.

This also means that I will serve as Governor for the Pacific Northwest Optimist District during the 2021-2022 Optimist year, which also just happens to the 100th Anniversary for the Pacific Northwest District.

To give a little bit of background about myself, I am from Middleton, Idaho and I am a member of the Optimist Club of Middleton-Area. I have been a member since 2012 and I have served as a Club President for 5 years. I am very active within my community and help run our monthly Bingo Night for our Club. You can often find me playing Frisbee golf on the course that our Optimist Club built. Outside of Optimists, I have the privilege of serving as the Chief of Operations for Middleton Fire Department, and I am a die-hard Boise State Football fan.

I look forward to stepping into this new role and I cannot wait to meet Optimist members from all over our District.

Yours in Optimism,

Victor Islas2019-2020 Governor-in-Training

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ORATORICAL CONTESTBeginning in 1928, the Oratorical Contest has become the longest-running program of Optimist International. The contest is designed

for young people to gain experience in public speaking and provide them with an opportunity to compete for multiple college

scholarships with a pre-assigned topic.

Pacific Northwest District Scholarships:First Place: $2,500 · Second Place: $1,500 · Third Place: $1,000

with a chance to win up to $22,500 at theWorld Championships level

Topic:Just iMagine* a Worldwithout Boundaries

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OPTIMIST INTERNATIONALYOUTH CONTESTS 2019-2020

ESSAY CONTESTThe Essay Contest is sponsored by Optimist International to give young people the opportunity to write about their own opinions

regarding the world in which they live. The approach can encompass a young person’s personal experience, the experience of their country

or a more historical perspective. In addition to developing skills for written expression, participants also have the opportunity to win a

college scholarship!

Pacific Northwest District$2,500 First Place Scholarship

COMMUNICATION CONTEST FOR THE DE AF & HARD OF HE ARING

This contest offers an opportunity for students who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing to present their thoughts in the community, gaining skills, which can only come from signing or speaking to a large audience. Patterned after the Optimist Oratorical Contest, the contest offers youth the chance to compete in speech or sign language with the

chance to win a college scholarship.

Pacific Northwest District$2,500 First Place Scholarship for ASL (Signing)

KIDS SPE AK OUT!SPEECH CONTEST

All young people can compete in the Optimist Oratorical Contest. The “Kids Speak Out” contest

is a “pre-Oratorical” program that provides a more equitable competition for younger speakers.

Topic:Just iMagine* a Worldwithout Boundaries

Official rules for all contests can be found at www.optimist.org/scholarships

Topic:Is Optimism the Key to Achievingthe Dreams you iMagine*?

* “iMagine” represents the organization’s theme for 2019-2020 and it is written as shown for branding purposes. It does not replace the linguistic interpretation, intent, or spelling of the word “imagine or Imagine”. As such, contestants are free to use the correct spelling for any contest or communications without penalty.

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NOW Meetings Can Build Your ClubSubmitted by Fred Webber · President, Optimist Club of Chilliwack, British Columbia

NOW. New Optimists Wanted. We all strive to attract new members to our Clubs and NOW meetings are the best way to accomplish this. Like many other Clubs the Optimist Club of Chilliwack has suffered from a shrinking membership, so we decided to organize a NOW meeting to spread the Optimist message, engage new members, and have some fun doing it.

The planning was a group effort among our existing membership. Once a consensus was reached regarding the venue, agenda, and date, the duties were delegated with an effort to include everyone. With a plan in place and duties assigned, the organization and implementation went smoothly.

Our meeting included good food, up beat music, informative Optimist International videos, a wonderful guest speaker and lots of fun. And at the end of the evening, five new members had joined our Club.

I’m sure many of you have unique ideas on how to make your NOW meetings effective and engaging. After the success of our initial meeting we decided to do it again the following month. Our guest list grew even larger, our guest speaker was amazing, and interest in our Club is growing. I believe our future will rely upon us spreading the Optimist message to our community. Bringing out the best in children, in their communities and in themselves.

I have compiled a list of 15 “Best Practices” for NOW meetings based on what worked for us.

1. Makeitateameffort;assignjobstoeveryone.2. Invite guests, greet them at the door, and have name tags for them3. Have door prizes for the guests4. Conductbusinessatthebusinessmeeting;makeNOWmeetingsengaging

and fun5. Hand out nicely printed copies of The Creed6. Make the agenda interesting, not boring7. Arrange for a good speaker program8. Award a thank you gift to the speaker9. Ensure there are lots of membership forms available10. Encourage all the guests to sign in with their name and contact info11. Follow up with the guests to thank them for coming12. Provide good food and beverage13. Start the night with upbeat music to set the mood14.AlwaysfindthetimetoexplaintheOptimistmessage15. Answer questions

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Good Day Optimists!

On Saturday, at our Fall Conference, as part of our opening General Session, we heard from Jermaine Harris, “Using Your Inner Superhero with ‘The 4 E’s.’”

After we had a chance to digest his message (and our lunch) we took some time to debrief his message on the 4 E’s: Exciting Future; Engagement; Empowerment; Exe-cution. Our conference attendees learned how to “jigsaw” the four E’s into the four component parts at four of the tables. We then dug in on coming up with a definition of our own for each table’s “E” and then three different “visuals” for each E, or three things that we could see at our clubs that demonstrate those “E’s.”

Once we took the opportunity to get those thoughts down on paper, we took part in a gallery walk where conference attendees were able to view the work of all other groups and give feedback on great ideas and also offer additional ideas.

When we finished our gallery walk, attendees said that they felt validated in the posi-tivity of their ideas and activities of their local clubs. They also reported that they had received new ideas that they could bring back to their home clubs and implement easily and quickly.

I am so thankful to be a part of such an amazing group of Optimists who are com-mitted to Bringing Out the Best In Kids by investing in positive relationships with each other!

Using Your Inner Superhero with ‘The 4 E’s’Submitted by Aaron Longo · District Secretary

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Club Grants: Bags for Foster KidsSubmitted by Lyle Miller · Optimist Club of Roseburg, Oregon

Tips for Club Grant Program

• Each year, both the OIF and CCOF award dozens of grants worth up to $500 in the US and $1,000 in Canada.

• Click the Club Resources tab on the websites and look for Club Grants (*note that some applications may not be out until January).

• Download the form, fill it out, and submit prior to the March deadline.• This is a simple application as far as grants go. If you have a new program in

mind and need some financial help to get it going, then this is a great way to get some seed money.

• There is no limit on the number of grants a Club can apply for and receive. A Club in Texas has received grants for four year and they are very active in applying for more.

Each year the Canadian Children’s Optimist Foundation (CCOF) and the Optimist International Foundation (OIF) give out dozens of grants to local Clubs. The OIF awards $500 matching grants for NEW projects by Optimist Clubs in the US, whereas the CCOF awards $1,000 grants to Optimist Clubs in Canada for projects that benefit Canadian children.

This last year our Roseburg Optimist Club partnered with the Department of Human Services to put together duffel bags for children who are in the foster care and child services programs. We gave each child a stuffed animal, fleece blanket, and toiletries (based on a boy or girl), as well as some games, puzzles, and reading material. This project benefited children ages 13-17, and without the help of the matching grant our Club would not have been able to offer it in our community.

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= Traditional Club= Single-Focused/Sports Club= College Club=Junior Optimist (JOI) Club

Club Zone BreakdownZone 1 – FairbanksZone 2 – Victoria and Evening VictoriaZone 3 – Vancouver-North Shore, Coquitlam-Eve, and Jr. CurlingZone 4 – Mission, Chilliwack, and North OkanaganZone 5 – Tacoma-West, Share-a-Smile, Chehalis-Centralia, Issaquah, and VancouverZone 6 – Portland-Northeast, Portland-Peninsula, Gresham, and Oregon CityZone 7 – Beaverton, Hillsboro, and SalemZone 8 – Albany, Lebanon, and NewportZone 9 – Roseburg and Grants PassZone 10 – Middleton Area, Caldwell, and MeridianZone 11 – La Grande, Nampa, Horseshoe Bend, and BoiseZone 12 – Twin Falls and JeromeZone 13 – Salt Lake CityZone 14 – Simon Fraser University and Gresham Scouters

2019-2020DistrictOfficers Lieutenant Governors Andre Giacalone Zone 1 Barry Scott Zone 2 Silvia Kuntze Zone 3 Chelsea Christensen Zone 4 Monique Connors Zone 5 Esther Hunt Zone 6 Roger Hampton Zone 7 Heather McDaniel Zone 8 Peter Sudduth Zone 9 Eddie Solorzano Zone 10 Audrey Billingsley Zone 11 Robin Stanhope Zone 12 Joey Fisher Zone 13 Brad Thompson Zone 14

Governor’s Team Ben DeRemer Governor Aaron Longo Secretary Damon Gerton Treasurer Eddie Solorzano Governor-Elect Victor Islas Governor-in-Training Sam Noren JOI Governor

Directors Garrett Peterson Governance Rene Schiller Finance Joey Fisher Growth Aaron Codiga Youth Programs Andre Giacalone Marketing Cathy Cena Meetings

SAVE THE DATE!2020 PACIFIC NORTHWEST OPTIMIST DISTRICT

C O N V E N T I O NSeptember 24-27, 2020 · Vernon, British Columbia

The Optimist CreedPromise 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 thegreater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give everyliving creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that youhave 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