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Optimist International is an international
service club A service club or service organization is a voluntary nonprofit organization where members meet regularly to perform charitable works either by direct hands-on efforts or by raising money for other organizations. A service club is defined first ...
organization with almost 3,000 clubs and over 80,000 members in more than 20 countries. The international headquarters is located in
St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...
, United States. Optimist International is also the sponsor of Junior Optimist International, designed for elementary school through high school aged youth. Optimist International's motto is "Friend of Youth" and the organization also uses the branding statement "Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves."


Organization

Optimist International is made up of autonomous Optimist Clubs that do work in their communities. Each club raises its own funds and chooses its own service projects to improve the lives of children. Examples of typical projects include sponsoring youth athletic leagues, holding essay and oratorical contests for scholarships, and supporting local schools.


History

The international organization was founded at a convention in
Louisville, Kentucky Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...
, in 1919. It united various local and regional clubs, the first of which had been founded in
Buffalo, New York Buffalo is the list of cities in New York, second-largest city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York (behind only New York City) and the seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It is at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head o ...
, in 1911. At the convention, the ''first official charter'' of the international organization was awarded to the club in Downtown
Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of U.S. state and territorial capitals, state capital and List of U.S. states' largest cities by population, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat, seat of ...
which had been founded in 1916. Several Optimist clubs participated in the June 1917 organization meeting of the
Lions Clubs International The International Association of Lions Clubs, more commonly known as Lions Clubs International, is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1916 in Chicago, Illinois, by Melvin Jones. It is now headquarte ...
held in
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...
. However, the delegates sent by the clubs opted not to join the new organization and withdrew from the meeting.


Organizational philosophy

Optimist International sets out statements of mission, vision and purpose. These summarize its goals to aid and encourage youth development. In 1922, the Optimist Creed was adopted as the official creed of the organization. The Optimist Creed was developed by Christian D. Larson.History of Optimist International
accessed July 2010. It details a number of pledges to which members attempt to adhere.“The Optimist Creed”
Optimist International, Optimist.org ''(Retrieved 2020-11-08.)''


References


External links

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Optimist clubs serve their community

Optimist Club projects from around the world
{{authority control Service organizations based in the United States Organizations based in St. Louis Organizations established in 1919 1919 establishments in Kentucky