Page 23 - April 2020

COACHES CORNER

Rolling with the Proverbial Punches

Jim Robison, DTM - Club Coach Coordinator

This Toastmasters year has taken a strange turn. your online club meetings.
Clubs around the world have had to suspend In my home club, Portland Toastmasters, we
regular meetings, and many have moved have continued to have guests attend our now
their clubs online. Even though Toastmasters online meetings every week. Since moving to
International and District 7 have made many online meetings, we did lose one member who
resources available to clubs to support them in could not successfully participate in online
moving to online meetings, I am certain that meetings, but we also added three new members,

some clubs and members will find it difficult to one of whom has only ever visited our club in the
gain what they want in their educational goals online format, and one member returned who
during this time. had left the club because of scheduling conflicts.
Toastmasters International has extended the We cannot wait to get back to our in-person
deadline for Clubs that are working with a Club meetings, but we are also not letting this difficult
Coach to achieve Distinguished Club Status from time interfere with our success.
June 30, 2020 to June 30, 2021 so that the Club
Coach may still gain credit for their service and
apply that credit to the legacy education and

leadership program. This relieves some stress
that many club coaches were feeling at this time,
and opens up the opportunity to help the club
thrive as we move forward.
If your club has not already started holding
online meetings, you should contact your Area
Director for support in doing that. One advantage

of moving meetings online is that you can invite
past members back to your club. Some common
reasons members leave a club:
• Other obligations conflict with the
meeting time
• Moved away
• Need more time with family
All three of these reasons for leaving a club have
changed for most people in recent weeks. This

is a great opportunity to reconnect with those
past members and invite them to participate in

VOICES! | APRIL 2020 23