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Club History & General Information

OPTIMIST CLUB OF MOORE GENERAL INFORMATION

CLUB NAME:

The official name of our club is “The Optimist Club of Moore Incorporated.”

FOUNDED IN 1967

CLUB INCORPORATION

Our club was incorporated on May 27, 1974 to protect our members from personal financial liability when involved in club activities.

The fact that we are incorporated means that we need to conduct our business according to the government rules imposed on corporations.

Some of these rules include:

  • Head office must be in Ward 1 of St. Clair Township (formerly Moore Township, Ontario.
  • All operations must be carried on without the purpose of gain of its members
  • Members, no fewer than three, must be 18 years of age and have a clean vulnerable sector police check
  • 25% of directors must be Canadian citizen
  • If the corporation is dissolved, and after all debts are paid, any remaining property and funds must be disposed of to a charitable organization in Ontario
  • No director shall be paid for their duties, but they may be paid reasonable expenses incurred in their performance of duties
  • Incorporation information must be updated with the government yearly and as changes are made
  • Funds raised for a specific purpose, must be used only for that purpose
  • Proper accounting records must be kept
  • A register of the club members and directors must be kept
  • A quorum at meetings is set as the majority of the directors, or no less than two-fifths.
  • Meetings minutes must indicate who was present at the meeting
  • Meeting minutes and procedures must be followed including, recording the making and seconding of motions, and recording those in favour and those against when voting.
  • Income tax must be filed for the club each year

INSURANCE

Optimist International provides our club with liability insurance.

The insurance covers such things as listed below, but also depends on actual facts at the time.

Some liability protection for the serving of liquor. Better coverage if the liquor is served as a host at no charge.

Medical payment coverage for negligent injury at an Optimist Club Event.

Legal liability resulting from negligence of the Optimist Club, at Optimist club sponsored events, subject to exclusions.

Outside venders are not covered by the policy.

Optimist owned property is not covered.

CLUB DUES

Optimist International and The Southwestern Ontario District require the payment of membership dues.

These dues are paid by our club on a quarterly basis to Optimist International and forwarded to our District.

Our club collects membership dues from each of its members on a yearly basis.  Currently our membership fee is $50.00 per member per year.

None of the dues collected by our club remain in our club accounts.

The Optimist International and District dues we pay at this time are approximately $74.00 per member per year.  The difference is being subsidized by the club from fundraising events.     The intent is to try and keep membership dues low to keep it affordable to belong to the club.

Dues paid to Optimist International are used to support the programs that are run by International, and to provide Optimist clubs with the all-important insurance policy.

District dues support district activities and programs.

BOARD of DIRECTORS

Board of Directors consists of:

President, Past President, First Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and ix Directors.

A Second Vice President may also be elected.

Election of the Board is normally held at the April dinner meeting each year.

The Secretary and Treasurer are appointed by the President and may, or may not be, voting members of the Board.  Directors are elected for a two year term, with one half of them being turned over each year to provide continuity.

MEETINGS

Our club year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30

The Optimist Club of Moore holds two regular meetings each month between September and June.  Typically no meetings are held in July and August unless they are called for special reasons.

The Dinner Meeting is held the second Monday of each month.

This meeting normally starts at 6:30 pm with a social time, and the meeting starts at 7:00pm.

Meals may be catered by vendors, prepared by Optimist members, or pot luck.

Meal price is dependent on the cost of providing the meal and is advertised to Members in advance.

Guest speakers are often invited to Dinner Meetings.

The Board Meeting is held the fourth Monday of each month.

Members of the board of directors meet to discuss the business of the club and to vote on new business as necessary.

All club members are welcome to attend Board Meetings and give input, but only elected board members may vote on a motion.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS TREE

Operation Christmas Tree is a Christmas seasonal food and toy hamper program helping out less fortunate families in St. Clair Township Ward 1.

.On a five-year basis, the Optimist Club of Moore selects a President to operate the Operation Christmas Tree program.  Because this program is operated as a registered charity, it is managed as a separate entity from the Optimist Club with its own President and Board of Directors

BANK ACCOUNTS

At present, the Optimist Club of Moore maintains three separate bank accounts and one investment account.

General Account is used for:

  • Collection and payment of member dues.
  • Purchase of office supplies, stamps, badges, etc.
  • Collection and payment of dinner meeting costs.
  • Collection of funds from fund- raising activities.
  • Member Convention Expenses as per our club policy.
  • Donations to events and organizations we support.
  • Funds collected and expensed for the Corunna Santa Claus Parade as a separate item in the account.

Cash Calendar Account is used to pay for our club’s youth activities and for donations to charities and groups as decided by the cash calendar committee and approved by the Board of Directors.

For example: Oratorical contest, Easter In The Park, Pumpkin Fest, Craft Days, Family Day, Etc.

BINGO Account collects the money made by our club working BINGO games.

All money spent from this account requires approval from the City of Sarnia, and the account it closely monitored by the city in adherence to our lottery licence.

Withdrawals must be payable to organizations or groups.  No funds from this account can be paid to an individual.

This fund is also used to support our club activities and support other groups through donations.

Investment Account The interest earned on this account is used to provide a scholarship payment of $500.00 to a Great Lakes High School graduate from St. Clair Township each year since 1993. If the interest is less than $500.00, the balance needed to bring it to $500, comes from the general account. This account is not used for any other purpose.

Funds in this account were donated by Bob McGee who was an Optimist member.  The club has topped up this fund as well.  It currently has approximately $16,000.00 in it.

OPTIMIST CLUB POLICY AND BYLAWS

The Optimist Club of Moore has a Club Policy/Bylaws which specifies how our club operates and executes its business.

The Club Policy is reviewed and updated on a yearly basis by the Board of Directors.

All club members are entitled to see this document and comment on its content, a copy is available from the Club Secretary.

Examples of what the club policy contents:

  • Frequency of meetings
  • When cards and flowers are sent to members
  • Who are considered to be members of the club
  • Requirements for becoming a new club member
  • Setting of membership dues
  • What club Officers there shall be, when and how election of board members should occur
  • Who has signing authority for bank accounts and what accounts we keep
  • The use of money from fund raising activities
  • Use and consumption of alcohol
  • Financial record keeping and auditing procedures
  • Attendance and expenses related to District and International meetings and conventions
  • Board approved Club activities
  • Remembrance Day donations and attendance
  • Bob McGee Scholarship Fund
  • Operation Christmas Tree

WEB SITES & SOCIAL MEDIA

Optimist Club of Moore:  www.mooreoptimist.com

Optimist Club of Moore Corunna Santa Claus Parade:   www.corunnasantaclausparade.com

Operation Christmas Tree:  www.operationchristmastree.ca

Optimist International www.optimist.org  for member resources and club information

Facebook:  Optimist Club of Moore

CURRENT EVENTS

  • The Bob McGee Scholarship: Fall
  • Junior Optimist Club: Bi-weekly
  • Easter in the Park: Sunday before Easter
  • Pumpkin Fest: Sunday before Halloween
  • Moore Optimist Bonspiel: January
  • BINGO Fundraiser: throughout the year
  • Corunna Santa Parade: fourth Saturday in November
  • Operation Christmas Tree: Nov. – Dec.
  • Bicycle Rodeo: June

POTENTIAL EVENTS

  • Oratorical contest
  • Essay contest
  • Junior Golf Tournament
  • Respect for Law Event
  • Youth Appreciation Dinner
  • Tri-Star Sport Competition
  • Youth Related Event, Activities and Fundraisers created by our Club
  • Social events for club members
  • Craft days

SUPPORTED GOUPS

  • Minor Hockey
  • HOBY Youth Leadership Foundation
  • District Oratorical Contest
  • Girl Guides of Canada
  • Royal Canadian Legion
  • Corunna Food Banks, through Operation Christmas Tree
  • Children’s Optimist Foundation
  • Conductive Education Trust Fund (a special rehabilitation program to help children with disabilities
  • Children’s Health and Wellness programs like Bravery Beads and Pediatric Pillowcases
  • Moore Museum

ZONE DINNER MEETINGS

Each Optimist Club in our Zone (Zone 6) hosts a Zone dinner meeting each year.

The district Lieutenant Governor attends these meetings and calls on a representative from each club to give a report from their club.

All members of an Optimist club are welcome to attend these meetings.

The Optimist Club of Moore hosts the Zone 6 dinner meeting each year at our June dinner meeting.

CONVENTIONS

District Conventions are held quarterly and The Optimist International Convention is held annually to provide educational and training opportunities for our Members.

These gatherings are intended for Optimist Clubs to share ideas, learn policies and procedures and interface with local and international Optimists

As per the Optimist Club of Moore Policy, some of the cost involved for our members to attend conventions is reimbursed by our club.

OPTIMIST CREED

The creed is recited at every meeting and it’s the mantra each Club Member is expected to live by.

The Optimist International website www.optimist.org is full of information about Optimist Clubs, programs, learning opportunities and educational materials.