Page 18 - November 2020 Voices

I WAS THINKING . . .
What’s Your Club’s Culture?
Emilie Taylor, DTM - Immediate Past District Director
Thanksgiving is just right around the corner.
It’s been a cultural or holiday tradition in the
United States since the feast was held in autumn
of 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag
Native Americans.
I didn’t grow up celebrating Thanksgiving. I
was born in the Philippines and came here at the
age of 20. I still remember my first Thanksgiving
dinner at the home of my then graduate adviser.
I didn’t know what to expect. Now, after living
here for more than 30 years, I look forward to
eating turkey and the whole shebang on the
4th Thursday of every November. That’s the
beauty of a cultural tradition. You know what
the expectations are,
While thinking about Thanksgiving, I cannot
help but think about what we do in our Clubs. Do
we have a unique club culture in our Clubs? What
traditions do we practice every year? Are these
cultural practices or traditions beneficial to our
members or a hindrance
to personal growth?
18 ONE COMMUNITY
I cannot emphasize the importance of Club
culture. What we do in Toastmaster Clubs affects
our members and visitors. In this age of Covid-19
and online meetings, developing a good Club
culture is even more important. Developing a
good Club culture doesn’t happen in a vacuum.
It needs nurturing with plenty of attention and
reflection. It needs Club officers and members
willing to take the time to do reflections. Luckily
for us, Toastmasters has provided us with the
Moments of Truth program. If you don’t know
about the Moments of Truth, please Google it.
You can use your cell phone for that now.
When I think about a culture of Club
excellence, I think about the Babble-On Club.
This Club has been around since 2004 and has
been a President’s Distinguished Club every
year since 2005. The Club has a practice of using
March 31st as their target goal for becoming
President’s Distinguished. It is a unifying and
gratifying experience for
everyone! More than the