Third Quarter-Conference
Friday, April 19 and Saturday, April 20
South Sioux City High School
3301 G Street, Please Use Door #12
Join your fellow Optimists and guests as we celebrate our third quarter in the Nebraska District! The two-day agenda and hotel information are below.
The conference on Saturday, April 20 — which includes our district oratorical contest — will be held at South Sioux City High School, 3301 G Street.
Tickets are $75 per person, which includes breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack, and your conference ticket. Registration closes Monday, April 15, 2024.
A limited number of hotel rooms are available at the Cottonwood Inn — until Friday, April 5, 2024 — at a reduced rate of $72 for one bed, and $85 for two beds. To reserve a room, please call the Cottonwood Inn at (402) 494-4114. The hotel is located at 4402 Dakota Road South.
Please note! Items will be collected at the conference for the Blessings Closet.
What is a Blessing Closet?
The Blessing Closet provides essential items to students in South Sioux City Community Schools. Blessing Closets (sometimes referred to as a Care Closet or Cardinal Closet) are located in all 9 school sites. The closet allows the students to "shop" for clothes, shoes and personal care items, at no cost to their families.
What does the Blessing Closet have available for students?
School supplies and backpacks, clothing, shoes, hygiene items, winter hats & gloves/mittens, simple snacks and microwave food items.
What items are needed?
Hygiene items such as: deodorant, soap, shampoo, toothpaste, and toothbrushes.
Food items such as: granola bars, microwave cups
New socks, new underwear, new shoes, new coats, new sweatshirts
Friday, April 19, 2024
4-7pm open house reception in the hospitality room at the Cottonwood Inn, 4402 Dakota Road South
A free taco bar will be available from 5 to 6:30pm; a cash bar will be available from 4 to 7pm
7:30pm Attendees are invited to tour the Freedom Park Museum in South Sioux City. The museum is free to visit, but donations at the door are welcome
Saturday, April 20, 2024
8am Check-in begins, breakfast is served
9am Welcome remarks; Pledge of Allegiance and Optimist Creed by JOI members; overview of the day's agenda, reminder of Blessings Closet donations collected throughout the day (click here to download a PDF of items needed for the Blessings Closet), special intentions for Nebraska Optimists
9:15am Remarks from the South Sioux City Club
9:30am Rachelle Rawson, Finding Optimism Through Adversity
10:15am Break
10:30am Tammy Johnson, Defining Optimism Through Creativity
11:15am Break
11:30am Marty Hogan, Freedom Park Museum
Noon Lunch
1pm Marion Cain, Growing Optimism In Your Own Backyard
1:45pm Break
2pm Oratorical contest + district and club brainstorming/discussion (attendees can select which session to attend)
3pm General business meeting
4pm Adjourn
General Business Meeting Agenda
Third-Quarter Conference
Saturday, April 20, 2024
South Sioux City, Nebraska
● Roll call of Nebraska clubs
● Second-quarter meeting minutes
● Treasurer’s report
● Zone changes for 2024/2025; click here for map of proposed changes
● Zone reports
● Committee reports
● New business
o District Convention: August 16-18; location: TBD
● Adjourn