Club Growth Director's Address

CLUB GROWTH DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE How are you doing today?

DISTRICT 98

Mine is a family of 4 living in different corners of the world – my parents are based out of the MiddleEast;mybrotherisintheStateswhileIam based out of India. At least once a year my parents come over or I visit them; I have been living away for almost 14 years now, and this has become kind of our ritual in keeping up with the distance.

But, in 2020 the pandemic changed it all – I did not want them to come to India because of the risk of various touch points, while I did not want to travel as I could become an asymptomatic carrier. Then in December, my brother decided to fly down after almost 3 years, so I decided to join him.ItravelledwithaPPEkit,wasdoublemasked and had a sanitizer in my pocket - but after landing, I still did not hug anyone, rather maintained a distance till I got home and had a shower.

The pandemic has impacted all of us in different ways. It is not only affecting people who are sick and die but this isolation is making all of us less ourselves. We all have braced through two waves ofCovid,andweknowthethirdoneisaroundthe corner.Itisokayifyoucouldnothelpanyonefind anICUbedoranoxygencylinderorcheckonyour neighbor, it is not a competition and this is definitely not a test of your love and affection for the people around you – let us not demean people who may have the comfort of home but may not have the comfort of mental peace in thesetimes,itistestingusindifferentways. Iwasservingasthe VPE of my home club when

"Let us not demean people who may have the comfort of home but may not have the comfort of mental peace in these times, it is testing us in different ways.

the first lockdown began, and we thought it would justbeamatterof3weekstoreturntonormalcy;It has already been almost 18 months. Toastmasters did act as a saving grace during this period and meeting some of the members after a gap of several months was nostalgic. My home clubs Mumbai Toastmasters and Toastmasters Club for Mumbai CAs have been more than just another community of toastmasters but more of an extended family that keeps me renewing every term. This I believe is a good time to switch to hybrid meetings and call back the older members to relive the in-person meeting days. What will be

yourreasontorenewthiscycle?

I’ll sign off with just one piece of advice, every time you connect with anyone, ask them ‘How are you doing today?’ before getting on with business as usual.

HardikShah

ClubGrowthDirector

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