Summer TLI (which is also known as Club Officer Training) was held yesterday at Westmoreland County Community College. Just as it has been since 2022, the event was hybrid (meaning that it was held online and in-person). The day began at 8am with continental breakfast. I arrived a little after 7:30am and helped with putting name badges together. Actually, it was a team effort from everyone who got there early. After breakfast and the Pledge of Allegiance, our morning program would begin.
We learned from our amazing leaders (including one from my home club) on such topics as: What Our Purpose is, Creating Club Quality, and Building a Healthy Toastmasters Team. One thing I’ll take away from the first presentation is that I think too much. That rings true for me. When I’m out and about, I feel good. When I’m at home, not so much. I also tend to get in my own way. I rely too much on opinions when they doesn’t really matter and thinking too much, which causes me to live in fear and become anxious. Another thingI’ll take away are a quote from former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
From the morning presentations, we went on to our Club Officer Breakouts. I’m serving three positions between two clubs, so it was hard to choose. My loyalty is to both, but I figured that I should attend the session for the position I’m serving in my home club. I’ve attended the Vice President Education session before, but it’s always good to have a refresher. The three acronyms we went over are very important in our Toastmasters journey and they are: MOT (Moments of Truth), CSP (Club Success Plan), and DCP (Distingished Club Program). My takeaways from the sessions are that I will make FreeToastHost, Base Camp, and other tools on the Toastmasters website my friends in the new Toastmasters year.
After lunch, which consisted of picnic food, we our International Speech winner, Don Michel. He gave his contest speech and was looking for more feedback before the convention. Immediate Past District Director Stephanie Scott went over the club success plan. Our table got together and we performed our own Club Success Plan, as if we were our own club. We had a past District Governor on our team as well. This turned out to be a great team-building exercise. We then heard the closing remarks from our dignitaries and the event ended at 2:30pm. The past District Directors/Governors got some pics together and soon after the District 13 Executive Council meeting began.
At home, we had some family up to visit and go swimming since it was so hot and humid outside. Our spread consisted of a taco salad bar, peanut butter squares, and cookies. I soaked up the humidity and visited with my cousins. Our little ones enjoyed themselves and Benny was happy he got to go swimming.
I’m looking forward to my week off and all the plans I have including tomorrow’s Cranberry High Noon visit before I drive up to Slippery Rock University to take in my alma mater. It’ll be nice to visit now that I have a different perspective on things. I have to visit to Indiana in mind as well to check out the Jimmy Stewart Museum. I’ll be shopping at Tanger as well with a Michael Kors bag in mind and heading to Pittsburgh for a Market District run.
Oh, and don’t forget my birthday. All coming up before the month comes to an end.
Stylish 🍒 