Dear Optimists,
As we enter the second month of the fourth quarter, there is so much to celebrate—and still so much to do!
First and foremost, thank you. Thank you to the incredible district leaders who have worked alongside me throughout this year, supporting their zones and clubs. Your time, your energy, your ideas, and your commitment have made a difference, and I want you to know that your work is valued and deeply appreciated.
And to our club leaders and members—thank you for everything you have done for children this year.
Some of our clubs have been serving their communities and leading programs for 70 years. Think about that for a moment. Seventy years of children being encouraged, inspired, recognized, and given opportunities because Optimists cared enough to make a difference.
Other clubs are trying something completely new. They are taking chances, creating new initiatives, and finding new ways to reach children and families in their communities.
Different clubs. Different programs. Different approaches.
But at the heart of it all is the same purpose:
We are Optimists. We are here for the children. We are here to make a difference. That is who we are. That is what we are about.
And we have so much more to celebrate!
Our eight Junior Optimist clubs bring us so much JOY! These young people are choosing projects that support their communities and then completing them with enthusiasm and excellence. We should be incredibly proud of what they are accomplishing—and equally proud of what they are learning through their Optimist experience.
They are learning what it means to serve. They are learning leadership. They are learning that when you see a need, you can be part of the solution.
We are helping to build the Optimists of tomorrow.
But as much as we have accomplished, we are not finished yet.
Optimist International President Tom Kendo and President Designate Michael Goldman have challenged us to finish the year at 0 or plus.
Many of our clubs have already done it. In fact, 18 clubs have accomplished that goal! Congratulations!
We have 12 clubs that have not reached it yet—but there is still time.
And even when we lose a club, there can be good news. We are losing another New Jersey club, Sunrise-Freehold, but some of those members are joining Howell, a club less than nine miles away. That is what Optimism looks like. We may face challenges, but we look for solutions. We find a way to keep serving.
This year, we also offered a District Incentive Program to encourage our clubs to keep moving forward. Congratulations to our first three quarterly winners:
First Quarter: Phil Haddad, Boyertown and Don Hickman, Zone 6 Lt. Governor
Second Quarter: John Aliano , Howell and Scott Piehero, Zone 1 Lt. Governor
Third Quarter: Maxcine Collier , Lower Montco and Judith Odom, Zone 4 Lt. Governor
And there is still one more quarter to finish!
Our fourth-quarter winners will be honored at the first-quarter 2026 meeting with free registration. So keep going. Keep asking. Keep recruiting. You could be our next winners!
We are also trying new ways to tell our Optimist story.
Lorin Richter created 25 social media clips for Facebook designed to help attract new members. We have also created open-ended questions that can start conversations and invite people to learn more by contacting a local club.
And Optimist International has offered a Social Media Blitz Grant of up to $250 to help clubs use Facebook advertising to reach potential members. As of Monday, September 3rd at our Governor’s meeting, there was still $5,000 available for the 25-26 Optimist year.
If your club is interested in applying, please let me know. I would be happy to send you the information.
We have accomplished so much this year.
But now comes the most important part:
We need to finish strong.
We want Sue Grimm Mattox , 2026-2027 Governor Designate, to begin her year with our district at 0 or plus.
And that brings me back to a slogan from years ago:
JUST ASK.
How many times do we really Just Ask?
Could we ask one more person?
Could we ask someone who has volunteered at one of our events?
Could we ask a parent whose child has benefited from one of our programs?
Could we ask a teacher, a coach, a business owner, a friend, a neighbor, or a former member?
Could we simply tell someone:
“You should come see what we do.”
Sometimes we make membership complicated.
Maybe it doesn't have to be.
Just Ask.
We have a goal of 73 more members by September 30th.
Seventy-three might sound like a big number.
But we have 33 clubs.
That means a little more than two new members per club.
Two people.
Two conversations.
Two invitations.
And if we add some new clubs along the way, that makes the goal even more achievable.
So I am asking each of you to think about one person you can ask.
Then think of another.
And Just Ask.
Because every new member is more than a name on a roster.
A new member is another person who can mentor a child.
Another person who can volunteer at a project.
Another person who can raise money for a scholarship.
Another person who can encourage a young person who needs someone to believe in them.
Another person who can help carry the mission of Optimism forward.
And maybe—just maybe—that new member will still be serving children 70 years from now.
That is the impact we can have.
That is why this matters.
That is why we cannot give up.
Together, I believe we can finish this year strong.