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Summer 2014 • 17

Wayne, Nebraska. “I enjoyed the event and learned new things to beneft my Club. I’ll use the information on how to make meetings more interactive,” Jessica said.

Other training topics included fundraising, Member engagement, new Club building and opportunities in leadership.

President Ron gave a heartfelt talk about his life and the importance of the organization to him. He emphasized that Clubs must have a recruitment plan. Clubs should build recruitment lists to aid those Members who bring in new Optimists. Clubs are here for a reason and that is to serve the children of our communities. Ron encouraged everyone to build an MO - the reason we do what we do.

What Does Your Club Do?

The fnal topic covered at the Summit was marketing, which is important for all Clubs. In order to grow and provide more service, Clubs must increase their visibility within their community. Members should have an elevator speech that explains what their Club does. This

speech should serve as an introduction and be short and to the point.

When asked about social media, only a few Members in attendance did not have Facebook pages. Clubs should utilize resources like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. These are great ways to connect with potential Members age 35 and under. The best part is they are all free.

The media is looking for positive news to cover, but Clubs must let them know about the projects and fundraisers they are conducting. Invite a Member of the media to attend a meeting or join the Club. This creates a positive correlation for that person and Optimism, which could result in increased promotion of Club activities.

It was recommended that Members contact local college students about updating their Club websites. Students often receive college credit for this type of community work. In appreciation for their efforts, the Club could sponsor them as a college Member. The website is improved and attracts new Members, which benefts the Club. The

college student will likely attend Club meetings because there will be people for them to network with and they may invite friends. This results in the Club having lowered the average age of their Members and increased membership.

In Closing….

“I will leave here today having learned new things, met new people and made new friends,” Bob Floyd, Member of the International New Club Building Committee said.

The Optimist Leadership Summits have met and exceeded the goals set by International President Ron. Members are reenergized and excited about Optimism. Summit attendees are sharing the information they learned with their Club and others. The average number of attendees at the Summits is 65 Members. By the completion of the final Summit in June, it is estimated that as many people will have attended the Summits as an International Convention. The result will be more smiles on the faces of more children.

OPTIMISTS

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