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

Welcome! I look forward to serving you as your Optimist Governor during the coming year and hope we can accomplish some great things together.

Please join me in thanking Immediate Past Governor Russ Zeeb for his leadership in the past year and for his continued involvement with Nebraska Optimists. Thank you Russ!

The District Leadership Team for the coming year recently held a District Leadership Retreat at Mahoney State Park. While there, we did a SWOT Analysis where we looked at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of the Nebraska Optimist Organization and our membership.

Here are some of the strengths that we listed:

• OPTIMIST CREED – The Optimist Creed is a beautiful and energizing document that encourages a positive, fulfilling,caring, and meaningful life. If we can live the Creed, we will be more happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise.

• OPTIMIST NAME – At a time when the news media plays on all of the negative events that occur, our Optimist name stands tall for a more positive, happier, and forward looking attitude and perspective. I would much rather be an Optimist than a pessimist, wouldn’t you?

• DIVERSE MEMBERS — Our members consist of all ages, colors, sexes, occupations, and wealth statuses. This diversity creates strength and promotes understanding even as we continue to work towards furthering that ideal.

• STRONG LEADERS – Our members are willing and able to step forward to take prominent leadership roles in our Clubs, District, and Communities. This enables our organization to make an impact on our Youth and our Society as a whole.

• ACTIVITIES – It is truly amazing the number of Youth and Community Serving Projects in which Optimist Clubs across the State are involved. This provides meaningful benefits in the development of our youth and communities. By participating in these activities, our members grow personally while serving.

• KNOWLEDGE – Our diverse and experienced membership contains a wealth of knowledge. That knowledge translates into well run projects, new ideas, new challenges, and new opportunities. In addition, a variety of speakers will add to the wealth of knowledge already possessed, enabling us to grow as people and keep us plugged into our communities.

• WORK TOGETHER – We work together to solve problems in our local communities, but also team up with other Optimist Clubs to fight Childhood Cancer, conduct Academic Decathlon Competitions, provide Scholarships through Oratorical, Essay, and CCDH competitions. As a result, we are able to accomplish a lot more than would be possible individually.

• RICH HISTORY – We have a rich history with the Lincoln Club reaching their 86th year milestone and Omaha turning 78 years young this Optimist year. My own Club, Omaha Breakfast celebrates its 50th year in December. More importantly, every Club in the Nebraska District can boast of a rich history of providing service to Youth and Community.

• RESILIENCY – The rich history has required resiliency because everything has not always gone as planned. Never the less, our members have stepped forward and performed admirably in tough times as well as good. Hence, we look forward to a bright future.

• DEFINED/SHARED PURPOSE – We are the “Friend of Youth”. Whether we are conducting an Athletic Program, Academic Decathlon, Childhood Cancer Fundraiser, Oratorical Contest, or Halloween Party, we strive to “Bring out the Best in Kids”! That is our Defined/Shared Purpose!

• FLEXIBILITY – While we have shared purpose, we can also be flexible. A new member may see a need, make a proposal, and have it adopted by the Club. In short, we are not obligated to run a specified curricu- lum of activities. We can develop our own. This permits us to respond to the changing needs in the commu- nity and in society.

• FELLOWSHIP – A by-product of these activities, shared purpose, etc. is great fellowship. Some of my best friendships were developed working on projects, participating in social activities, our weekly meetings, and getting to know my fellow Optimists. I look forward to our times together. Also, while we do not advertise it like the “Tips Club” that meets across the hall from my Club’s meetings, friendships developed often lead to business relationships as well social relationships.

• FUN – The fellowship, the camaraderie, the social events, the working for a common purpose can simply be FUN! And that is one of our most important reasons for being!

• PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE – We develop Optimism as a Philosophy of Life. When you combine the Optimist Creed, a Positive Mental Attitude, Service to Youth and Community, Fun and Fellowship, it makes for well rounded citizens. Researchers tell us that an Optimistic Philosophy of Life can improve our Health as well as Quality of Life. What more could you ask?

We continued some of these discussions at the District Conference in North Platte on October 14 -15th.

~ Dick

Welcome!  I look forward to serving you as your Optimist Governor during the coming year and hope we can accomplish some great things together. 

Please join me in thanking Immediate Past Governor Russ Zeeb for his leadership in the past year and for his continued involvement with Nebraska Optimists.   Thank you Russ!

The District Leadership Team for the coming year recently held a District Leadership Retreat at Mahoney State Park.  While there, we did a SWOT Analysis where we looked at Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of the Nebraska Optimist Organization and our membership.    Here are some of the strengths that we listed:

·         OPTIMIST CREED – The Optimist Creed is a beautiful and energizing document that encourages a positive, fulfilling, caring, and meaningful life.  If we can live the Creed, we will be more happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise.

·         OPTIMIST NAME – At a time when the news media plays on all of the negative events that occur, our Optimist name stands tall for a more positive, happier, and forward looking attitude and perspective.  I would much rather be an Optimist than a pessimist, wouldn’t you?

·         DIVERSE MEMBERS — Our members consist of all ages, colors, sexes, occupations, and wealth statuses.  This diversity creates strength and promotes understanding even as we continue to work towards furthering that ideal. 

·         STRONG LEADERS – Our members are willing and able to step forward to take prominent leadership roles in our Clubs, District, and Communities.  This enables our organization to make an impact on our Youth and our Society as a whole.

·         ACTIVITIES – It is truly amazing the number of Youth and Community Serving Projects in which Optimist Clubs across the State are involved.  This provides meaningful benefits in the development of our youth and communities.  By participating in these activities, our members grow personally while serving.

·         KNOWLEDGE – Our diverse and experienced membership contains a wealth of knowledge.  That knowledge translates into well run projects, new ideas, new challenges, and new opportunities.  In addition, a variety of speakers will add to the wealth of knowledge already possessed, enabling us to grow as people and keep us plugged into our communities.  

·         WORK TOGETHER – We work together to solve problems in our local communities, but also team up with other Optimist Clubs to fight Childhood Cancer, conduct Academic Decathlon Competitions, provide Scholarships through Oratorical, Essay, and CCDH competitions.  As a result, we are able to accomplish a lot more than would be possible individually.

·         RICH HISTORY – We have a rich history with the Lincoln Club reaching their 86^th year milestone and Omaha turning 78 years young this Optimist year.  My own Club, Omaha Breakfast celebrates its 50^th year in December.  More importantly, every Club in the Nebraska District can boast of a rich history of providing service to Youth and Community.

·         RESILIENCY – The rich history has required resiliency because everything has not always gone as planned.  Never the less, our members have stepped forward and performed admirably in tough times as well as good.  Hence, we look forward to a bright future.

·         DEFINED/SHARED PURPOSE – We are the “Friend of Youth”.  Whether we are conducting an Athletic Program, Academic Decathlon, Childhood Cancer Fundraiser, Oratorical Contest, or Halloween Party, we strive to “Bring out the Best in Kids”!  That is our Defined/Shared Purpose!

·         FLEXIBILITY – While we have shared purpose, we can also be flexible.  A new member may see a need, make a proposal, and have it adopted by the Club.  In short, we are not obligated to run a specified curriculum of activities.  We can develop our own.  This permits us to respond to the changing needs in the community and in society. 

·         FELLOWSHIP – A by-product of these activities, shared purpose, etc. is great fellowship.  Some of my best friendships were developed working on projects, participating in social activities, our weekly meetings, and getting to know my fellow Optimists.  I look forward to our times together.  Also, while we do not advertise it like the “Tips Club” that meets across the hall from my Club’s meetings, friendships developed often lead to business relationships as well social relationships.

·         FUN – The fellowship, the camaraderie, the social events, the working for a common purpose can simply be FUN!  And that is one of our most important reasons for being!

·         PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE – We develop Optimism as a Philosophy of Life.  When you combine the Optimist Creed, a Positive Mental Attitude, Service to Youth and Community, Fun and Fellowship, it makes for well rounded citizens. Researchers tell us that an Optimistic Philosophy of Life can improve our Health as well as Quality of Life.  What more could you ask?

We will continue some of these discussions at the District Conference in North Platte on October 14 -15^th.   I hope you will join us, participate in learning experiences, help govern the District, and offer your suggestions on how we can Build on our Strengths, Work on our Weaknesses (unfortunately, we have a few), Capitalize on our Opportunities, and Minimize our Threats in the coming year.   We welcome your involvement and input.

In addition, we will be conducting some breakout sessions for new Club Officers, New Growth Ideas, Ways to Add Fun to Your Activities, and much more.  Plus, it is always good to find out what the Club down the road is doing.