The Torch – Summer 2021

THE TORCH SUMMER 2021

Dear Junior Optimist stars,

As we have all been working really hard while shooting for the stars of optimism this year, from June 30th to July 2nd, the time had finally arrived to come together and celebrate this year’s hard work and dedication within our communities through JOI. I am proud to say that with your help, even through this difficult year we have accomplished many of our goals and have definitely reached distant galaxies with our combined efforts.

There have been many firsts that I am very proud of. As I strongly believe that communication is key to the success of any organization, we were so happy to meet many of you during our first JOI Officer quarterly meetings, to meet with you and share important information as well and to hear what was going on in your Districts/Clubs and this opened up international communications with JOI clubs from around the globe. Another first this year, with the help of the Rainbow Optimist Club, was the creation of the first ever JOI cookbook which includes recipes from you, our JOI members from around the world! If you haven’t purchased yours yet, it is not too late to do so. Let’s not forget our Star of the Month contest that gave everyone the opportunity to show us what one of their members or Club has accomplished throughout this very different year.

Last but not least, our first ever Hybrid (In-person and Virtual) Annual JOI Convention gave every member the possibility to participate this year more than ever! Although this has been a very different year for everyone, and borders are still closed for many countries, I was very happy to be able to offer the opportunity for our members to get together and interact with one another. With the hard work of my Board of Directors, the JOI Committee members, Amy Keller, Josh Castleberry and everyone who made this convention possible, we were able to bring you a Starry Night Paint Night, a Convention t-shirt Tie-Dye activity, a Movie night, Workshops, Canada Day and Fourth of July presentations, gift baskets and prizes, a Scavenger Hunt, a Talent show and a Stargazing event and so much more... Our main guest Speaker Dr. Jessica Ward-King spoke about how to crush stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness. We also heard from Optimist International President Mark Weinsoff as well as Optimist International President Elect Patsy Garner about the importance of continuing our Optimist journey.

This year marked the first time the Board of Directors organized a Paint night fundraiser (and we had three!). With these activities, we raised almost $2000 for our annual Junior Optimist International service project. The money raised was donated and presented to the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) during our International Convention and will be used to purchase multiple items to help the children and families that are in need of these with their treatments and beyond. Not only were we able to give this amazing donation to CHOA’s Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorder Center, we were also able to accomplish last year's service project that was put on hold due to the pandemic restrictions. Members were asked to bring donations to help fill foster care backpacks and duffle bags. In turn, these bags were presented to the Multi-Agency Alliance for Children which is an organization that serves foster children in the Atlanta area. We are also appreciative to the Optimist International Foundation for donating an additional $1,000 toward our convention service projects!

I am so happy and very proud that you trusted me to lead the JOI organization and gave me the opportunity to represent all of you, dear JOI members as this year's Junior Optimist International President. You truly have shown that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible and I hope you will keep shooting for the stars of optimism,

Your 2020-2021 Junior Optimist International President Sophie-Chanel Bourré THE

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Paint Night

Talent Show and Stargazing

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Service Project

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Tie-Dye

Multi-Agency Alliance for Children Service Project

Guest Speakers

Optimist International President, Mark Weinsoff

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Dr. Jessica Ward-King on the topic of Mental Health

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President’s Banquet

Convention Videos

JOI Bord Intro Video

JOI Past President Video

JOI Board Talent Show

CHOA Video

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Advisor of Excellence Award, Ruby Blair, and Member of Excellence 2020-2021 With the help of a good Advisor, a Junior Optimist Club can really thrive with impact on kids in any given community. Each year we spotlight one individual who has shown great promise in being a superb JOI mentor and present them with the Advisor of Excellence Award. This year we would like to thank Teresa Decio for all the hard work she has put into the organization in the past year. With Teresa’s help, the Hagerty JOI Club was able to give the tools and information to students not involved in the Optimist organization a clear understanding of what it is to be a Junior Optimist. Caleb DeLuca, a past Hagerty JOI Club member, says that Teresa’s style of teaching made every lesson feel captivating, that her positive attitude made her admirable, and even called her one of the most genuine people he has known. All these qualities are ones that make a great leader. We thank Teresa for all of dedication to youth and we look forward to seeing how her impact will continue in the future.

The Ruby Blair Award is one that is very special to the Optimist International Organization as it is named after a former staff member who put a lot of their hard work and effort into making JOI what it is today. This award and scholarship, funded by JOI Club dues, is always presented to a youth member who gives their passion and dedication to making their community a better one to live in. This year we would like to thank Valérie Robert for everything she has done for JOI since she joined her first Club in Grade 6 in Elementary School and participated in numerous projects throughout the years. Having served as Secretary for the Samuel-Genest Junior Optimist Club since Grade 7, Valérie has always been a consistent team player in helping organize and participate in fundraisers and other item-donation events that bring positive change to those who need it. Though she has

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been through a lot in her life, Valérie is known to smile at everyone she encounters and is friendly to all new members of her Club. With a positive attitude like hers, there is no limit to what can be done to make the world a brighter place.

Lastly (but not least!), receiving the Member of Excellence Award is considered a great accomplishment for any Junior Optimist Member. It represents true philanthropic spirit and dedication to the JOI community. This award and scholarship, also funded by JOI Club dues, is a great reminder for each recipient to continue their perseverance into education purposes for future impact. This year we are honored to present this Award to 2020-2021 Junior Optimist International President Sophie-Chanel Bourré.

Sophie has been a trailblazer in what it means to be a leader. When elected President of the Samuel-Genest Junior Optimist Club several years ago, she began organizing several “give back to the community” events with the fellow members of her Club.

Her leadership skills include being enthusiastic, positive, and compassionate – all things we love to see in someone in an influential position. An example of her compassion is ensuring that all new members of her JOI Club are accepted and welcomed to the best of her ability. Sophie Chanel’s fresh ideas and optimistic attitude also gave this year’s Convention a new light, as it was the first ever to be both in-person and virtual. And though Sophie-Chanel could not attend in-person because of Canada’s travel restrictions, she (along with the 2020-2021 JOI Board of Directors) created a fun-filled and inclusive Convention for members both online and in Atlanta. We truly cannot wait to see all the positive change she will bring to others through the Optimist International Organization.

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2021-2022 JOI Board of Directors

MAYA GLUCK President Altamonte Springs, FL

SOPHIE-CHANEL BOURRÉ Immediate Past President Ottawa, Ontario Canada

CHLOÉ-ANGÉLIQUE BOURRÉ Director Ottawa, Ontario Canada

MIRANDA STIDHAM Director Kettering, OH

FATIMA ZAIDI Director Oakville, Ontario

BO ZIMPEL Director Cumming, GA

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DEADLINES the following awards:

Club Project Awards Submit to: 4494 Lindell Boulevard Saint Louis, MO 63108 or Fax: 314-371-6006 or Visit Please contact

to get your stories and project featured in the next issue of The Torch!

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The Star of the Month highlights clubs that are doing wonderful things in their communities! Our Stars of Optimism shine bright as you continue the great work that is accomplished by our organization and by encouraging new members to shoot for the Stars of Optimism with you.

JANUARY STAR OF THE MONTH

DECEMBER STAR OF THE MONTH

JOI Around the World Junior Optimist International Club

JOI Club of JGHS, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

JUNIOROPTIMIST@OPTIMIST.ORG BY THE

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FEBRUARY STAR OF THE MONTH

MARCH STAR OF THE MONTH

Junior Optimist Club of Forest Glade, Windsor Ontario

Junior Optimist Club of Oakville, Oakville Ontario

MAY STAR OF THE MONTH

APRIL STAR OF THE MONTH

Mckenna Weiner, Optimist Club of Colorado Springs

Incarnation Junior Optimist Club, Centerville, Ohio

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The Optimist Creed Promise Yourself

To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N

Donna Priester, Chair donnapriester@hotmail.com

CONNECT WITH J U N I O R O P T I M I S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L !

junioroptimist@optimist.org

Maria Giorlando maria_14_1995@hotmail.com

junioroptimist.org

Mary Lou Abrams mlabrams@cogeco.ca

Twitter: @Junior_Optimist

Nancy Wickham mrsnancywickham@gmail.com Nicole Powell nicolephotography@yahoo.com KimPriebe Kpriebe@rogers.com

Facebook: Junior Optimist International Instagram: @junioroptimist Snapchat: junioroptimist Use the hashtag #junioroptimist when tagging photos or stories on social media.