Occasionally someone will email me a story or a picture to let me know of a great project their Optimist Club is performing in their community, but most often I get my ideas from participating in chat rooms, listserves and now the most popular "chatroom" of all, Facebook.
However, hearing a snippet of a story is not enough. After I hear or read about something interesting, I research the story. I visit the Optimist Club's website, read any newspaper articles I can find and if needed, I email people to confirm what I have learned.
Often what we talk about online is repetitive. To overcome that obstacle, I have also set up Google alerts to help me identify new projects, new clubs, new ideas and even twists to the old stories. That's why in a non-scientific study, I can tell you that Optimist Clubs get the most press for:
- Fundraising efforts
- Respect for Law programs
- Optimist Oratorical Contest
- Making donations to others
- Sports programs
- Youth Appreciation Week or Student of the Month programs
Of course there is sometimes a downside to my plan. It can be labor intensive to find all of these stories; but the reward is knowing that more Optimist Clubs are being recognized for the programs and positive activities they do in their community. That is why I make myself available for Optimist Clubs who want to expand their online presence and engage with their community and other Optimist Club and service club leaders. Send me a message to find out more.
Also, please send me your stories. I want to hear from your Optimist Club today.
