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communication awards filling a binder on my and the baby attired in a new diaper.
book shelf. No, I am not sobbing, lamenting, or I have not been a career Toastmaster member.
loudly proclaiming “why, why, why?” I may be I put all my efforts into other programs and
a Neanderthal, but I know when change needs community service organizations for years
to happen, and advanced enough on the human while ignoring Toastmasters. I even attended
ladder of evolution to see a future just as bright a Rotary club that met in the same restaurant
in the coming years. as a Toastmasters Club in San Diego. (Why
Yes, I will confess that I may grouse a little—. would anyone want to meet weekly to toast
that I may have in 2018, at the onset of the “new” each other? Little did I know!) My experience
Pathways program, gone kicking and screaming began in 2005 (thank you Miss Whitman!)
(just a little). I will look back fondly (sigh) on with a club was trying form. We met weekly
the progress and success in my personal and for about three months, trying to get twenty
professional development I learned through members. The manuals we used then were far
Toastmasters in the “legacy” program. We knew different than the ones just phased out. When
from the inception of Pathways that this day we received our membership pins and charter
would come. member certificates, the Toastmasters logo was
Change has been one of the key elements not the same as we use today. My Competent
of the Toastmasters curriculum from the early Communicator Award certificate had the same
days when Dr. Ralph C. Smedley founded the two crossed gavels/world/T logo in gold on it.
program. It has been a constantly evolving opus Names of awards, requirements, and advanced
since the first meeting of businessmen wanted manuals have all been revised at least once in
to improve their communication skills. The key my experience as a Toastmaster. I even survived
element has not changed one iota—to be better the Governor to Director position name change!
communicators, better leaders and to assist Let us get down to brass tacks! What is/are
bettering others. Nope. Sorry. The baby has not the reason(s) for you being in Toastmasters?
been thrown out with the bath water. The water Take some time in the few short days until
has been freshened up, charged with new vitality we begin our new program year of 2020-2021
VOICES! | JUNE 2020 27
