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Jane and Mark Thomas
as I can be to my four Area Directors and the number of other personal endeavors and social
Clubs they serve. My vision is one of growth in skills that can be learned and shared through the
Clubs and their individual members. I am also association and interaction with Club members
realistic. From my Area Director experience, I themselves. Some examples I have seen from
know that I will probably not succeed in every Clubs I am familiar with include: learning to
Club or even in every Area, but I also know that I share Tall Tales for the entertainment of others,
CAN help because Toastmasters has prepared me learning to prepare award winning bakery
with the knowledge and skills to do so. If there items, how to overcome grief from personal
is some problem that I am unfamiliar with, I loss, what to do and where to go if you want to
have the resources and District 7 officers to help. try snowshoeing, and many others. I now have
One goal I have this year is to seek out and an interest in cave exploring and want to be a
encourage others to share their knowledge and part of efforts to save the bat population from
enthusiasm for Toastmasters by serving beyond disease caused by poor caving practices All this
the Club level. I have met many individuals who and more from speeches and contests shared at
have skills and experience far beyond mine that Toastmasters.
don’t see themselves as Area or Division Director Sometimes what is shared through speeches,
material. I want them to know that any level of friendships and mentoring is more esoteric and
success is still success and maybe, just maybe, expands a person’s creativity and imagination.
I can convince them to share their unique After all, everything man-made that you see
attributes and experience in the service of others around you started out as a thought in someone’s
in Toastmasters. Everyone has something they mind. The only limits to what can be shared and
have knowledge of or become proficient in that learned are those placed there by yourself. Make
can improve and enrich the lives of others. a difference in someone else’s life and you will
While Toastmasters focuses on communication also have made a difference in your own.
and leadership skills, there are an unlimited
VOICES! | SEPTEMBER 2022 9
