As I celebrate a big Toastmasters anniversary this week at my meeting, it’s time to look back. Here are some of the highlights from my journey since I joined.
It was the night of June 1, 2011 and I was officially in the last month of my 20’s. Fresh off of a quarter-life crisis that began just after I graduated from Slippery Rock, I still had aspirations of going post-bac. I attended this thing called “Greensburg Toastmasters” and from the beginning, I was hooked.
Filling out the application and paying by check, I was officially a member. At the next meeting two weeks later, I gave my ice breaker speech. I even became an officer one month into my Toastmasters journey. It would still be a while before I signed up for other roles like Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, and General Evaluator. Those would come with time.
I completed ten speeches within a year and achieved my Competent Communicator award. How much things have changed since that first night.
Toastmasters has gone from designations like CC and ACB to paths and levels. It took me some time to get used to the new way of doing speeches after I earned my Distinguished Toastmaster award in 2019. Fitting that just a few months later, we would be getting used to another new normal.
The COVID-19 pandemic definitely changed things for the entire world, and Toastmasters was no exception to the rule. For me, it also put things into perspective as I would soon transition in other parts of my life. It took me time to get used to Pathways, as well as attending meetings on this online platform called Zoom. Having a laptop and a webcam has made life easier for me while I’m online. There’s no substitute for in-person meetings and fellowship, though.
My previous work experience at WIS involved a lot of travel to other parts of the area. It also gave me leverage when it came to visiting other clubs. One of those clubs is on my radar next week when I will be enjoying my week off. It’s a club that I’ve visited many times in the past dating back to 2016.
My visits to the Cranberry High Noon Toastmasters club have taken place at different locations over the years. From Pella Windows to the Cranberry Township Municipal Building and now the Dutilh United Methodist Church, each experience has been memorable. One of those experiences was the multiple Tastemasters meetings during the holidays when I sampled different foods. I was also in attendance for the club’s tenth anniversary celebration in June 2023.
I’m sure that I’ll make some new memories when I visit next Monday at High Noon.
Stylish 🍒 