Experience Optimism Newsletter

Experience Optimism and build your community through service.

Volume 1 ● Issue 2 ● February 15, 2008

Share your mission. Chances are you are not alone in your mission to serve your community. Optimist, Kiwanis, Rotary and Lions are just some of the better known service clubs; but others, including local church groups, non-profit associations and task forces put together by government entities are all striving to make our communities more livable. Do you know who the other players in your community are? Do they know about your club and the core values that drive your work? Have you explored areas where your missions complement each other so that you can accomplish more?

Mission statements capture the essence of a body of work and help communicate the strengths of your group to others. However, the core values of an organization may not be as easily identifiable and sometimes get left behind as we strive to do more. Here’s a three point checklist to help you stay true to your values as you inspire others to participate in your cause:

1. Reacquaint yourself with the purposes that inspired your club to be formed.

      Purposes of an Optimist Club

• To 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 accord and friendship among all people;
• To aid and encourage the development of youth, in the belief that the giving of one’s self in service to others will advance the well-being of humankind, community life and the world.

2. Evaluate your club projects. Has one project taken over the identity of your club? Or has your club taken on too many projects in an attempt to be all things to all people? Let your core values determine your plan of work, not your projects. You will find you have more participation from diverse populations when your projects reflect your purposes.

3. Provide a service to others. It is often said that money makes the world go around; however a truly successful club is judged on the service they provide their community, not the size of their budget. Make service to your community your top priority and allow the rest to fall into place.

Find money to support community building projects. One of the purposes of Experience Optimism is to help you find resources to conduct your work. Here are a few grant opportunities that we found this month.

• Finish Line funds community-based programs addressing active lifestyle and team building skills . http://www.finishline.com/store/youthfoundation/guidelines.jsp
• Burton Snowboards and Girl Overboard author Justina Chen Headley, in partnership with Youth Venture, are co-sponsoring the Go Overboard Challenge Grant to find the best youth-led ideas to change the world. http://genv.net/en-us/burton
• The Northwest Health Foundation seeks to partner with communities in Oregon and southwest Washington to help advance their efforts to improve opportunities for healthy nutrition and regular physical activity. http://www.nwhf.org/apply/obesity.php
• The U.S. Bancorp Foundation seeks to build strong partnerships in communities with a U.S. Bank office by supporting nonprofit organizations that improve the educational and economic opportunities of low- and moderate-income individuals and families. Support is also provided for programs that enhance the cultural and artistic life of communities. Nonprofit organizations located in company communities in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming are eligible to apply. Application deadlines vary by location. Visit the website listed here to access grant guidelines and state contact information. U.S. Bank Community Relations

Grant makers often require their recipients be US IRS 501 (c) (3) entities. The Optimist International Pass Through grant program may be able to help clubs who have not yet met that standard.  In Canada, click here.

Does your club have its own mission statement? Tell us how your mission statement allows you to do more in your community and Experience Optimism will share your story with others. Please include your club name and location and write to: Experience Optimism.

© 2008 newoptimistclub.com, a project of Research Idaho

Linda Jackson, Editor