Give Your Spouse the Gift of Optimism
The word is out about a great new membership offer called Spousal Membership. If your spouse is not yet an Optimist, this is a perfect time to ask him or her to join your Club! Applications for Spousal Membership will be accepted starting on Valentine's Day this year (February 14, 2007) and will run through February 14, 2008. During this time, Spousal Members will receive half off their quarterly dues billing (through January 2008 billing) and the processing fee for joining will be waived! The sooner they join, the more they save. Some restrictions apply, so for more details about how you and your spouse can spend more quality time together, please check out the Spousal Membership Application.

It's Love
Optimist International President Ronnie Dunn, First Gentleman Wayne and JOOI President Nick Jensen welcomed the new year aboard the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade float. With a theme of "It's Love," the float featured other riders as well, including youth sponsored by several Optimist Clubs and Districts.

A 501(c)(3) Update for U.S. Clubs
We are making progress with respect to Optimist International’s application for group exemption under Section 501(c)(3). The IRS agent reviewing our application is reviewing documents submitted by in excess of 1,000 Clubs. The goal is to try to bring closure to the process in the first quarter of 2007, but to do so we need all Clubs that have not yet submitted information to Optimist International’s central office to do so as soon as possible. If you have not submitted information about your Club, we ask that you complete the Member Club Declaration at your earliest convenience and return it to Tom Owen or Samantha Paddock at the International Office. If you know that you have submitted incomplete information or you hear from us in the near future requesting some additional information, please respond as soon as possible, so we can bring this project to completion.

To check whether your Club has submitted the necessary information, please go to the Optimist Leaders website. On the right side of the screen, click "Reports." On the next screen, type in your District's two-digit number and click on the word "Submit." Look for the report titled "Club Status (501c3, COER, College Club)." Click on this report. On the report's screen, there will be a column that says "501c3 2nd." If there is an X in this column for your Club, your Club has already filled out and sent in the Member Club Declaration. If there is not an X, please fill out the information and submit it as soon as possible.

We appreciate your patience in this matter. Optimist International is likely the largest organization that has ever converted on a group-wide basis to Section 501(c)(3) status, so the process has moved much slower than we would have liked.

Optimist International Announces Annual Awards
The awards have been announced for accomplishments at the Club, Zone, District and International levels for the 2005-2006 year. To view this year's Awards Hotline, please click here.

Attention Traveling Optimists!
Do you ever travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central America and South America? Please note that as of January 23, 2007, travelers will need passports when traveling by air to and from the United States and the other locations listed above. This includes traveling to the 2007 Convention in Montreal!

As of June 1, 2009, the requirement will extend to those traveling by land and sea.

To apply for a passport, you can find a printable application form at the following link:
http://foia.state.gov/FORMS/Passport/ds0011.pdf

To complete a form online and then print it out, visit the link below:
https://pptform2.state.gov/DS11/MainDS11.aspx

Tips for Applying for a Passport

1. Apply at your earliest convenience
2. You will need two recent photos. You can get your photos done at a post office that has a camera for this purpose or at Walgreens for a fee of approximately $8. You can get this done at AAA for free if you are a member (after applying, your photos will be returned to you with your passport)
3. You will need a photo ID and certified birth certificate (your birth certificate will be returned to you with your passport)
4. Do not sign the application until you get to the post office
5. Make sure you check your passport for accuracy when received

Additional Passport Information
For general information, click here.
To find a passport acceptance facility near you, click here.

Don’t Keep Your Club A Secret Any Longer
Now you have three opportunities to let the community know your Club is Bringing Out the Best in Kids.

1. “I Am an Optimist”: A new 7-minute DVD that lets people in the community and potential new Members know what Optimists are all about. It gives a concise overview of what Optimist Clubs do and includes testimonials from several Optimists about what they get out of being a Member.
2. Radio Public Service Announcements: An audio CD with more than 20 pre-recorded, professionally done public service announcements (PSAs) that your Club can take to a local radio station. Some of the PSAs are designed to have local Club information added.
3. Optimist Road Sign: Let visitors to your community know there’s an Optimist Club in town by erecting an Optimist road sign. Any Club* that purchases one of the large road signs through Shumsky or the Canadian Service Centre will be reimbursed for the cost by sending a picture of the erected sign along with the receipt.
*One road sign per Club; Clubs that participated in the road sign special in 2005-2006 are not eligible.

To order either the DVD or the radio PSAs, please contact the email address: communications@optimist.org.

To be reimbursed for the road sign purchase, send the photo and receipt to: Senior Director of Member Services, 4494 Lindell Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108 (in Canada, send to: Canadian Service Centre, 4559, boul. Metropolitain est, St-Leonard, QC H1R 1Z4).

The Optimist Creed Calendar
Everyone loves The Optimist Creed, and now Optimist Clubs have the opportunity to share the Creed and raise money for their Club at the same time through the Optimist Creed Calendar. The full-color calendar features pictures of youth with the tenets of the Creed highlighting each month. The 15-month calendar (October 2006 through December 2007) also features optimistic quotes and important dates for the Optimist year.

Optimist Clubs and Members can purchase calendars at the price of $4.75 (US) each (minimum order of 60 calendars). The suggested selling price is $8 each. Order your Club's supply by downloading the order form or sending an e-mail to thomasd@optimist.org.

Friend of Optimists
Is there anyone in your community who would like to become a Friend of Optimists? The newest membership class was designed to meet the needs of individuals who want to show support for Optimist International but either do not live in an area where there is an Optimist Club or do not have the time to fully commit to joining a Club. A Friend of Optimists has all the rights and privileges of a regular Optimist Member with the exception of voting at the International and District Conventions. Upon joining, a Friend of Optimists receives a membership card, four issues of The Optimist and a frameable copy of The Optimist Creed, as well as a cling-on Friend of Optimists decal.

A Friend of Optimists recruited by your Club will also count toward your Club's membership numbers for the year, meaning more growth for your Optimist Club.

For more information about Friend of Optimists, visit the Friend of Optimists page of the website.

The Optimist Mentoring Program
Retention is a key ingredient to Club growth, and Optimist International has introduced a new Optimist Mentoring Program to help Clubs keep their newest Members involved. Check out the materials available online for the Optimist Mentoring Program.

Support the Optimist Childhood Cancer Research Campaign
Finding a cure for childhood cancer could become a reality with the support of Optimists everywhere. The Optimist organization has pledged more than $900,000 to fund a research fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in the name of Optimist International. This research will concentrate on finding a vaccine that may someday prevent childhood cancers.

Your help is still needed if Optimists are going to find a cure for childhood cancer. More information about the Childhood Cancer Campaign is available on this website, by calling the International Office at (800) 500-8130, ext. 261, or by e-mail at ccc@optimist.org.

Optimist International Credit Card
Members of Optimist International can support the organization with every purchase they make. Optimists in the United States and Canada can now apply for a WorldPoints credit card bearing the Optimist International name! Not only does the credit card promote the good name of Optimist International, but fees from the card’s use go back to the organization to help in “Bringing Out the Best in Kids.” For information or an application, see the appropriate link below.
Canada
United States