WINUM DISTRICT

OPTIMIST INTERNATIONAL

2012-2013

"HELPING OPTIMISTS GROW"

Greetings Fellow Optimists

My theme for this next year is "Helping Optimists Grow" or HOG for short.  You can see from my logo that I'm not talking about the two-wheeler that I ride.  Optimists International President J.C. Saint Onge's theme is "For the Future"  These two fit right together and drive home the point that we have to start "Helping Optimists Grow" – "For the Future" so we as Optimists can continue "Bringing out the Best in Kids" for years to come!!!

So how do we "Help Optimists Grow"?  First as a person, we need to grow in service to our fellow man.  Second, as an Optimist, through better service to our clubs. Third as a club, we need to better serve the kids of our community.  Forth as an International Organization, we must continue to serve kids all over the world. But not just for today but "For the Future".

We have way too many clubs and people who think this is the way we have always done it and it works just fine for us.  What happens when these people are gone? Who is going to be taking care of the kids in the future? We need to be out there recruiting new people into our clubs and into the Greatest Service Organization in the World.  How about we go one step further and build a new club? It doesn't have to be right in your town, it can be in the next town over or it can be anywhere you know somebody that thinks like you do, and wants to do something for the kids of their community.  Let us serve kids now and "For the Future".

My second goal this year is to increase the donations from WINUM to the Childhood Cancer Campaign (CCC). This is where the HOG comes in; I'm doing this by putting pink piggy banks out at all the District functions this next year.  If you would like one for this next year, to help your giving, talk to your Lt. Governor about getting one. Let's really show those kids we care. Let's really show all of Optimism how much WINUM cares.

I want to leave you with one last thought and that is to plan to attend one or more of our Quarterly Conferences and the Annual Convention.  We have training for all levels of service, for club officers and Optimists who just want to know how to better serve the kids of their community.  Hope to see you there or at one of your events during the year.

John R. Leonhard

Governor

WINUM District