3 minute read
Members Corner
@toastmastersd47 MEMBERS CORNER
WHY SAY YES! A young boy of eight was comforted by the staff at the Boys & Girls Club when his mother was in the hospital in a coma. At the age of seventeen, he told his story of that time when he was so scared his mother would never return home. A girl of sixteen shared her fear, depression and PTSD created by the abuse from her father, and she recounted how the staff of her Boys & Girls club allowed her to open-up and trust them on the journey to a healthy mindset. These stories were part of a Youth of the Year competition.
When you are asked to serve, will you?
As the Controller of a large private company; I was asked if I would serve on the board at a nearby Boys & Girls Club. I did not hesitate at all. Within a few meetings I learned of the Youth of the Year Program. I immediately saw an opportunity for our Toastmaster members to be mentors for each of the seven club candidates in the preparation and presentation of the 3-minute required speech in the county competition.
This mentorship initiative started 8 years ago, and many toastmasters have served as mentors for these teens. My husband Distinguished Toastmaster George Strasdas and I have each mentored seven candidates in Palm Beach County. After moving to St. Lucie County, last year I worked with the St. Lucie County winner before her competition in state. This current year, I was blessed to work with the four St. Lucie County candidates before their competition Tuesday February 15TH. In that competition I am thrilled to say the candidate who most embraced this mentorship was named St. Lucie County Youth of the Year.
I never imagined saying YES would lead me to this opportunity to mentor teens to learn their voice, to organize and express their thoughts, to present in front of an audience and on the zoom venue. I know these sessions with the young adults were impactful, but I feel that my life has changed. Changed that I know many teens I would never have met, changed as I learned of their struggles and their aspirations for their future; and changed because my heart was touched with their trust in me to assist in their story.
If asked, would you say YES?
SUBMITTED BY: BARBARA B. STRASDAS, DTM
@toastmastersd47 MEMBERS CORNER
More than 15,000 runners (half of the usual number) competed in the 20th running of the Life Time Miami Marathon and Half on Sunday February 6, 2022. The event which is known to attract runners from over 200 countries was staged as a virtual only race in 2021. It was one of the first marathon races in 2022 to give participants the options of competing in-person or virtually. Among the "in-person" half marathon runners were two Toastmasters of District 47, Distinguished Toastmasters Tony Longley, PDG, PID and Shantelle Moxey, Past Division Director. Longley was waiting near the finish line to chair on his Bahamas Roadmasters team mates when he spotted fellow Toastmaster Moxey who had just crossed the line. The two congratulated each other then got together for a photo shoot. Pictured are Longley and Moxey sporting their Miami Half Marathon finishers' medals. These avid road-runners are both scheduled to compete next in the Publix Ft. Lauderdale A1A Half Marathon on February 20th. Just imagine the exciting speech topics that could be generated from their experiences. Congratulations Toastmasters Longley and Moxey from the District Executive Committee!
@toastmastersd47 MEMBERS CORNER
MATT KINSEY, DTM PRESIDENT ELECT, TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL AND 2012-2013 DISTRICT 47 DIRECTOR
Achieving Club Excellence: A candid conversation about achieving excellence in clubs
District 47's very own Matt Kinsey, DTM, International President and past District 47 Director joined a panel of leaders to discuss what club excellence looks like in our current environment and share strategies to help your club add members. Hear strategies, tips and tricks, and collaborate with fellow officers on how we can build back stronger!
Check out the recording below or at the link https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Video-Library/achieving-clubexcellence
For more webinars from Toastmasters International, visit www.toastmasters.org/webinars
