Here is an easy way for clubs make a big impact on a child’s life.

 I am continuing as the District HOBY chair for 2010. HOBY's mission is to develop leadership skills in high school sophomores who have already demonstrated potential. The seminars prepare them to become effective, ethical leaders in their school, workplace community and in the home. The students who are able to attend because of donations from Optimists and others have the opportunity to meet internationally prominent business and community leaders, engage in meaningful question and answer sessions, and participate in leadership building activities and a community service project, among other events during the weekend. 

 HOBY asks each school to select an outstanding 10th grader. The school is responsible for a $150 registration fee. Room, board and seminar materials total $175 per student for this outstanding HOBY experience. The cost is so low because all HOBY seminars are organized and run entirely by local volunteers. Students are responsible for the $175 and many may not be able to afford it that is why Optimist club donations are so important. Just $175 enables a worthy 10th grader to have a great experience which may otherwise be denied to him or her. HOBY is a Virginia District project and we all need to participate.

There has been some confusion regarding the registration fee ($150) and seminar sponsorship ($175). Both HOBY International and HOBY Virginia emphasize to schools and groups that donating organizations should focus on seminar sponsorships. A club can certainly pay a school’s registration fee as well as the seminar fee but it is not necessary. It is not required that a club pays the full $175 so if your club can not afford to fund the full seminar any donation is welcomed.

  I am appealing to you to encourage your club to contribute to help Virginia youth. Ask your club to sponsor a student. It is important that the sponsorship donation is mailed to HOBY Virginia so that the money will be used for a Virginia student. Clubs can also request that donations be applied to a student at a specific school but it is not necessary. HOBY will take care of assigning your donation to a Virginia student. The attached form lists the full scholarship only but the $175 can be crossed out and a club can write in any amount.

 Virginia HOBY has a record of only 5 Optimist clubs in the VA district that made donations in 2009. My goal as HOBY chair is to get all the clubs to make a donation in 2010. March 31st is the deadline for getting the club name in the printed program and all the Capital-Virginia District clubs should be listed.

 One important note to remember is that all seminar money must be mailed to the Virginia HOBY treasurer and all registration fee ($150) money must be mailed to the HOBY office in Los Angeles. If your club mails seminar money to Los Angeles the club name will not be given to the Virginia office and thus the club will not appear in the printed program. Remember your seminar donation must be received by March 31^st. I belong to the Greater Richmond club with a small membership but every year we fund 1 or 2 full $175 sponsorships and I hope you will too. What could be easier!

 Diane Day

12/15/09

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Last modified: 06/25/10.