The Optimist International Global Spotlight was created to improve communication between Optimist International and the Optimist Clubs outside of the United States and Canada.  The newsletter is sent monthly. If you have suggestions for improvements, Club projects, articles for inclusion and/or other information about your Club, contact [email protected]. 
New International Clubs

March was a good month for spreading the mission of Optimist International in the Caribbean. We welcomed the Optimist Club of Southern Trelawny in Jamaica on March 31. Trelawny is a parish on the north side of Jamaica, east of the area of Montego Bay.

The Optimist Club of Southern Trelawney, Jamaica




Two days earlier, the ever-ready Optimist Club of St. Jude's organized with 23 members.The Club is located in the Jamaican capital of Kingston.
The Optimist Club of St. Jude's, Jamaica


                
There is other new Club activity percolating around the globe.  A new Club is expected to form in April in the town of St. Michael in Haiti. It will become the third club in the country. The final preparations are being made to establish the first Optimist Club in Kenya. Work has been underway for a couple of months to bring a Club to the city of Kisumu. It is about 341 kilometers, or 211 miles, northwest of the capital Nairobi.


The International Board of Directors took action in March to help further the cause of international development. It approved the creation of a permanent standing committee that will be charged with helping to take international development to the next level. Members of an ad hoc committee that have been working since October will be the members of the standing committee through the remainder of this fiscal year. The committee has already conducted a survey of the membership to help with this process and is going to concentrate its efforts based on results of the survey.
                
The Optimist year is half over. This should be the time that all of our Clubs in the Africa, Asia, Mexico and South America examine the health of their Optimist Club. Most of our Clubs in the Caribbean have already been contacted. Do you know of people in your area who could become a new member? Are there a few members on the roster who probably should be removed for inactivity? Answering these questions can help maintain the vitality of your Club. This is also a great time of the year to check up on the Club's financial obligation to Optimist International. You are encouraged to review whether your Club may owe dues and if it does, begin to take action now to make payment in the next 60 days. Optimist International will be contacting all of the overseas Clubs.
                

Optimist International Convention

Plans are well underway for the Optimist centennial celebration and International Convention in Louisville, Kentucky June 30-July 3. The annual International Convention promises to be a great event providing an opportunity to reunite with old acquaintances and meet new ones, to participate in the governance of Optimist International and taking part in some of several dozen workshops and seminars. Members from outside North America and the Caribbean who are considering traveling to the United States should begin thinking about securing a VISA to visit the United States. Optimist International can provide supporting documentation for VISA applications. Please contact Director of Strategic Growth, Jim Boyd, [email protected] if you are interested in coming to the Convention.

Potential Leadership Conferences

Optimist leaders in Africa and Nepal participate in monthly conference calls in order to stay abreast of new developments within Optimist International. During the call in December, the idea surfaced for a one-day, online leadership conference. Members have been asked to make topic suggestions for workshops to be provided by Optimist International volunteers and staff that could be addressed at a conference this spring. These topics can be Optimist-related or related to personal growth and leadership development. This space in the newsletter will provide further details about this new effort in the months to come.

Global Spotlight 

Our Global Spotlight this month focuses on the Optimist Club of Parbat, Nepal. It organized in February and didn't waste any time spreading the word about the new Club. 

Charter President Sunita Sharma and Prince Sharma took the new Club Banner to the tallest suspension bridge in Nepal. It's 344 meters or 1,128 feet above the ground. Thanks Sunita and Prince for spreading the message, and thank you for sharing photos with us. 





These are just some of the examples of the great work being done by our Optimist Clubs overseas.  A big thank you to all our Optimist friends in Asia who continue to Bring Out the Best In Children through their efforts in their respective countries.