The Optimist International Global Spotlight was created to provide another means of communication between Optimist International and the Optimist Clubs outside of the United States and Canada.  The newsletter will be sent monthly. If you have suggestions for improvements, Club projects, articles for inclusion and/or other information about your Club, contact communications@optimist.org. 
2016 was a very good year for International Development.  A lead cultivated from the Optimist Junior Golf Tournament led to the organization of the Optimist Club of Bangkok, Thailand in May.  

A few weeks later on the other side of the world, the Optimist Club in Casablanca, Morocco came into existence.  

The connection between Optimist International and west Africa continued to grow just a few months later when more than two dozen people became Members of the Optimist Club in Dakar, Senegal. 

The neighboring country of Mali chartered their own Optimist Club earlier this month with 19 Members was born.


But the expansion of Optimist International in Africa is far from over.  There are two to three new Clubs expected in Ghana within the next few months and two of the three are being sponsored by Clubs in the United States.  The Optimist Club of Lagos, Nigeria will soon organize and a second request for a Club in the is being pursued.  Kenya is also being pursued after a lead developed there from a Club in the North Florida District. 

In 2017, there will be efforts to bring Optimist International to places like Japan, India, Australia, Costa Rica, Chile and the United Arab Emirates.  Contact the New Club Building Department newclub@optimist.org if you have connections in another country and would like to learn more about what it takes to bring Optimist International to their part of the world.
Optimist Club of Anguilla Brings Christmas Cheer 
The Global Spotlight this month features the British West Indies where 41 Optimists make up the Optimist Club of Anguilla. On December 20, the Club visited all the senior citizen homes on the island. 

"This special event brought insurmountable joy to the hearts and souls of the seniors and staff of the care centers," said Club Secretary Kenvis Gumbs. "Each center received a care package in the form of a huge basket filled to capacity. It was a collective effort of the Optimist Club and local businesses. In addition to these gifts, the centers also received large Christmas cards that were hand crafted by the Junior Optimist Clubs on the island and their supervisors."

In 2017, the Optimists of Anguilla are planning to conduct an island wide teacher appreciation campaign.