Message from Governor Granville

My Fellow Optimists of our Beloved Caribbean District:

Welcome to the Golden Year.

“And just what is this thing called Optimism? Optimism is that inherent and unquenchable faith within a man (you may also insert woman) that leaves no room for doubt about the future. True Optimism also demands an eager willingness to work hard and effectively toward the ultimate goal.”

“With Optimism a man, a community or a nation can accomplish that which seemed impossible. Without it the struggle is lost before it begins.”

The quotation is from our own, Of Dreams and Deeds, by Gordon S. “Bish” Thompson.

That is how I began the charge I delivered to the Optimists of Zone Five at their Presentation Ceremony which I attended at the kind invitation of their One Love Past Lieutenant Governor Heather Ambersley (who along with the Zone will be Distinguished by the way).

A précis of that presentation I give to you, Fellow Optimists as my first message as Governor.

With our Optimism we in the Caribbean District have accomplished much to be proud of. We have done outstanding work to help the young people of our communities, which of course is the chief reason for our existence. We have been the number one District in Optimist International on more than one occasion.

But now in this 2007-2008 Optimist Year, we have attained the zenith, improbable as it might have seemed to many of us, after a mere 27 years in the fold of the 88-year-old Optimist International, we have produced the first president of the organization to come from outside of the North American continent.

It means is that we are at the commencement of the biggest moment in time for Caribbean Optimists. Over the next 12 months, for the first time, Optimism is looking to one of us to provide the leadership for the international movement.

We expect that all of the Districts that he must guide will all be working to make it a great year. But one of those districts owes him something special.

Fellow Optimists that District is us. When people see International Theodore Winston Golding they see the Caribbean District and when they see the Caribbean District, they see President Theo.

We therefore owe it ourselves and to President Theo to be the Best that we have ever been in providing service to the young people of our Region in all the other areas of our Optimism.

Our guiding light will shine from the Fifth Tenet of the Optimist Creed, “To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.”


Accordingly, the theme that we have chosen for our District this year is: The Golden Year…Journeying for the Best. It is the charge to us in the year of President Theo to give peak performance at club level, at Zone level and at District level.

In addition, our District theme complements the OI theme chosen by President Theo which is Optimists Bring Out the Best in Children.

I would like to say thanks to every Optimist from South America (Suriname) up through the Southern and Eastern Caribbean to the Northern Caribbean who has worked hard, made sacrifices and will do even more so for the sake of our children and the movement. Our appreciation for our members must constantly be manifested.

To the district officers, presidents and chairs of the Golden Year, I say special welcome. I can only promise you hard work and more hard work.

To Immediate Past Governor Sonia Anderson and her One Love Team, I say congratulations for the tremendous effort you have put in. We felt the Love - and hard work is usually rewarded.

I am encouraged and strengthened by all the support and advice that persons have already extended to me. I will need all of us to be in this together if we are to deliver and I promise you most sincerely that I will do all that is within my capabilities to produce the Best.

Fellow Optimists, I implore you to Celebrate as we keep the Love flowing into The Golden Year…Journeying for the Best, demonstrating to the world that Optimists Bring Out the Best in Children.

BEST regards,
Governor Granville