Page 12 - June 2019

FROM THE DESK

The U Factor

Emilie Taylor, DTM
Program Quality Director

• Our Division and Area Directors
In less than two weeks, the 2018-2019
• Tamsen Corbin, Education Coordinator
Toastmasters year ends. It has been a great
• Leanna Lindquist, Conference Chair
year. We managed change and growth. Many
• Kathleen Tully, Training Coordinator
members took the plunge, chose their path and
• James Wantz, Pathways Coordinator
leveled up in Pathways. I am exhilarated by the
• Phyllis Harmon and Lauralee Norris,
resilience of our members. Many members also
Publicity and Promotion
stepped into the role of Pathways Champions.
• Erik Bergman, Chief Judge
Thank you for stepping up and assisting fellow
• Paul Fanning, Contest Chair
members who needed a hand navigating a new
• PJ Kleffner and Jerry Kleffner, Registration
system.
• Cathy Harris, Hospitality Chair
Congratulations to clubs who became
• And countless volunteers who stepped up
Distinguished, Select, and President’s
at every event.
Distinguished. Thank you all for providing
Let me share this story as a parting gift:
quality clubs that we can be proud of. For many
My husband was a nationally-ranked distance
clubs, there is still time to get to Distinguished,
runner. . . and when I have felt out of breath
or the next level of Distinguished. The deadline
and overwhelmed by working on Toastmasters
is not until the end of June, still time to finish
responsibilities, he has reminded me of
strong. The dashboard shows how close many
something important to pass on. He would say:
are: It may be worth taking a quick inventory
“You have trained steadily since you started, you
of members’ accomplishments to see how close
have practiced and worked out and you are now
the club is. Go for it!
in your biggest race. It can seem long and tiring
I have said this many times recently, “It takes
sometimes and sometimes seem like you may
a village of Toastmasters to raise a Toastmaster.”
not reach your goal.” But as he was told by his
Well, it is also true that it takes a village of
coach, “The difference between a champ and a
Toastmasters to make things happen in our
chump is “U”.” “U makes the difference.”
District. Please allow me the opportunity to
He also said that the difference between
thank several Toastmasters this past year who
winning and being second best is a matter of
made sure our education/training, conference,
finishing strong. Be your best in every training
Toastmasters Leadership Institutes, and contests
day. Training and practicing even when you do
were a success:
not feel like it. When you can say internally that
Thank you to:

12 ONE COMMUNITY