Celebrating 100 Years

Media Release: Optimist International celebrates its 100th convention in Ottawa

We are using the theme "Optimist Strong!" to mark the 100^th annual convention of Optimist International, a civic movement dedicated to "Bringing out the best in youth" through the participation of its 70 thousand volunteer members across the world.

WireService.ca Media Release (07/05/2018) Montreal, QC - The annual convention takes place in Ottawa from July 7 to 10^th 2018 at the Shaw Center and brings hundreds of members together from North America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.

We invite the media and the public to see what our volunteers are doing to create enlightened young citizens who will make a positive impact on the future. Optimist International is expanding all over the world, with new clubs recently established in Asia and Africa.

Under President Nick Prillaman, a marketing specialist from Atlanta (Georgia), and International President-Elect Rebecca Mona-Butler (from Des Moines, Iowa), we are also preparing for our centennial celebrations during 2018-2019.

During this convention, there will be a Community Involvement Expo, a host of leadership development workshops and a concurrent youth convention led by young President Mathew Nacev from Burlington in Ontario. We will celebrate the arrival of Miss Canada 2018, Maria Giorlando, a member of the St. Clair Beach Optimist Club and recognized for her exemplary community involvement, as well as guest speaker and athlete Sébastien Sasseville, whose conference will focus on adapting to change.

About Optimist International:

There are approximately 70 thousand Optimist members among some 2,406 independent Optimist clubs. Each year, Optimists undertake 65,000 community service projects that serve six million young people. Optimists also spend 78 million dollars annually in their communities.

For additional information, please contact Jacques Pelland.

Source: Jacques Pelland
Senior Director, Optimist International - Canadian Service Center
514-593-4401, ext. 322
jacques.pelland@optimist.org