FIELD NOTES
Pathways Proponent Committee Dr. Gwendolyn Avington, DL1
On July 1, 2020, the door closed on the traditional educational program, and Pathways became the only available option. District 7 leaders understood there would be challenges and chose to be proactive. The Pathways Proponents Committee was formed, and Dr. Gwendolyn Avington appointed as Committee Chair. Gwen, being the true leader that she is, formed a committee of eager volunteers. Together they worked tirelessly to ease District 7 members into Pathways. At the end of the committee work, they acknowledged the work must continue in some form. Starting in July, 2021, Dave Bones, DTM will provide ongoing webinars and assistance for District 7. Look for Pathways webinars beginning in September. The dates/times will be posted on the District 7 calendar. What follows are comments each Committee member shared as the end of their work together. [Editor}
Eldred- Program Quality Director
opportunity to help District membership
Working with Dr. Gwendolyn Avington learn and adopt Pathways. Also, I saw it as an and the Pathways Proponents Committee has opportunity to stretch my own leadership skills. been a joy. When Gwendolyn and I started the The Traditional Manual program had been Pathways Committee, our mission was to make the learning method for over sixty years in Pathways more accessible to all members of Toastmasters and now the educational program clubs in District 7. Gwendolyn and her Pathways would be replaced by a digital education Committee embraced my vision and worked program called Pathways. The challenge for tirelessly to become a team of Pathways gurus so Eldred, myself, and the committee was to our one guru James Wantz could move on to other determine how to help all District 7 members roles. Our Pathways committee empowered have access to Pathways’ training, particularly clubs to embrace Pathways, to get more people the fundamentals of navigating this new active in Pathways, and to earn educational educational program online. We used several awards in Pathways. Thanks to Dr. Gwendolyn strategies to achieve this goal (i.e., monthly and her team, our key Pathways metrics of Pathways’ webinars, Pathways’ presentations Pathways adoption and achievement improved, in various clubs, One-on-Ones with members, so I consider our mission accomplished.
TLI Pathways presentations). Additionally, the creation of the Trio-pardy game with emphasis
Dr. Gwendolyn Avington- Pathways Proponents Chair
on Pathways for the conference, was a way to grow and learn while having fun. We grew as
Working with Eldred Brown and all the a team, as Toastmasters, and most importantly division Pathways Proponents has been my we gave it our all to serve as Pathways’ liaisons privilege. When I was asked to fill the position throughout the District. of District 7’s Pathways Chair, I saw it as an
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ONE COMMUNITY
