Season’s Greetings to Nebraska Optimists!

I hope you had a fulfilling Thanksgiving and are looking forward to a joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

As I travel the District and read your Newsletters, I find that many of you are truly in the Christmas Spirit. I see Optimists ringing bells for Salvation Army Kettles, providing toys for disadvantaged youth, food for the hungry, and joyful parties for your fellow Optimists. I am truly amazed at the breadth of projects and activities in which you are involved.

By the way, I mentioned reading your Newsletters, but am not receiving them all. Please add me, the District Bulletin Editor, and your Lt. Governor to your Club’s Newsletter mailings if you have not done so. My email address is RWRaasch@cox.net and the editor’s is nebulletineditor@gmail.com. That way, you can keep us informed and we can spotlight your many activities.

I am thrilled by your membership accomplishments. We continue to rank in the top ten in all of Optimist International. Blair’s twelve new members jumped in and are helping make their Christmas Toy Project a big success. Wayne continues to excel and is up by ten new members net. Both Wayne and Blair can become Distinguished Clubs by adding another five and maintaining their current roster. This year, a Club can become distinguished by either adding 15 members net from their October 1st start date or by building a new club and adding one member net. Of course, they still have to do youth projects – which Blair and Wayne certainly do – and pay bills on time – which they do! Distinguished is a Club’s highest honor. Congratulations to the Blair and Wayne Clubs for their great start. They appear to be well on their way to becoming distinguished! I bet your Club could challenge them if you made it one of your objectives.

Occasionally, I hear a Club Leader say that he/she does not care about honors and awards. Yet, that same person will be unhappy when his/her favorite football team fails to score, when the team fails to win enough games, and when this year’s recruiting class fails to live up to his/her high standards. He/she knows that winning games in the next few years is dependent upon the recruits this year and next. So too, our Clubs are dependent upon the volunteers, i.e. team members, we recruit and maintain this year. Our scoreboards are not measured by touchdowns, but by the youth we serve and the team members we bring on board to serve our youth. Honor and Distinguished Club Status is our scoreboard for acknowledging a winning game plan. In a football game, there is a winner and a loser. Fortunately, there does not have to be a loser in the Optimist game. Every Club can be a winner and achieve Honor and Distinguished status. Why not make it a part of your game plan?

We are putting together an outstanding program for the second quarter conference on February 3rd and 4th at the York Country Club. Of course, we will be honoring last year’s achievements along with a lot of good things happening this year. You will have an opportunity to attend a variety of workshops, meet fellow Optimists and discuss what other Clubs around the state are doing.

We have invited Essie Johnson, an outstanding Optimist from Knoxville, TN. She is really humorous, a certified trainer, a past OI Vice President, an extraordinary New Club Builder, and a neat person. She will add a lot to the conference. When I first met her earlier this year, I introduced myself and shook her hand. She looked me in the eye and said, “Hi! My name’s Essie – E, Suga, Suga, I, E — Essie Johnson!” Needless to say, I did not quickly forget her name.

Get it on your calendar, register, and plan to attend. We look forward to seeing you in York February 4th.

In the meantime, please have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Do spend time with your family and friends. Make it a Holiday you will not forget!

Dick Raasch