Bloganuary Day 29.

Dear World,

A few years ago, I joined the membership of an international volunteer organisation known as Optimist International (OI). Since I’m in the Caribbean, I identify closely with the Optimist International Caribbean District (OICD). The focus is bringing the best out in youth all while developing its membership.

OI has roots in quite a number of countries and regions worldwide. Each country and region adapts the fundamentals of the movement to suit the needs of the youth on the ground and it is the most heart warming thing.

Constant in all regions are development activities and competitions for the youth. These include an oratorical contest, essay contest, communication contest for the deaf and hard of hearing. It is to be noted that these are scholarship based programmes that help participating youth to fund aspects of their educational pursuits.

Though I haven’t been hands on in my volunteerism through the organisation for the past 3 or so years – where I can, I donate the resource of funds to the execution of projects that actually benefit the youth.

I am one of many. So, to say that I change the world or positively impact the world by myself as part of Optimist International would be a gross injustice to what we believe. It’s a collective effort.

We call ourselves Optimists and we try live by the tenets of the Optimist Creed which were extrapolated from Christian D. Larson’s ‘Promise Yourself’.

I wrote about Optimism in 2013 as a young writer. I wrote about the first tenet which says, Promise Yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Check it out and please forgive the juvenile writing. 😅

I encourage you to volunteer for a great cause in your neck of the woods. It doesn’t have to through an Optimist club. Positively impact someone’s life in any way that you can.

I’ll close with the Optimist Creed.

Signed with love,

The Suburban Girl JA