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. 
"Hi. I would love to know more/join the Optimist International. I live in Melbourne, Australia and haven't noticed on your website if you have any Clubs here. Could you send me more information or would I have to begin a Club here? Many thanks, your's is a positive vision strategy!"  - Maribel Steel, Australia
 
The International Development train continues to roll on in January with the opening of a new project down under. The request from Maribel is the third one in the past 12 months from Australia. Other efforts are underway to create an Optimist presence outside Sydney in the town of Lithgow and we are continuing to pursue efforts on the Gold Coast just south of Brisbane. If you know of friends or family in Australia who may be interested in Optimist International, contact newclub@optimist.org.
Six Optimist Clubs in Ghana
Echo Hills Optimist Club of Accra

New Club development is alive and well in Ghana. The Echo Hills Optimist Club of Accra organized on December 30. The World Peace Optimist Club of Philadelphia and the Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania Optimist Club sponsored the Club. It will work closely with the Echoing Hills Village that provides outreach to people who are homeless or have a disability. 

An organizational meeting is scheduled in February for the Optimist Club of Accra.  The new Club is the work of Ana Maclean, who attended the 98th Annual Optimist International Convention in Quebec City last summer. The Tema District Optimist Club in Ghana is assisting with the development effort. 
Optimist Club Provides Medical Supplies to Schools

The Tema District Optimist Club in Ghana recently met the needs of their local youth by donating medical supplies to area schools. Tema District President Emanuel Kofi Dogbe says the Club became aware of the need for medical supplies at local schools after visiting one of them in 2016.  

"We learned that sometimes children would get sick at school and there was not much the school could do, but send the children home," said Dogbe.  "Now, through the cooperation of a drug store chain and a design company, the Optimists were able to provide 10 medical kits to ten schools that will help more than 100 children."