SHARING MY TOASTMASTER’S STORY (Part III)

SHARING MY TOASTMASTER’S STORY (Part III)

By, Sherri Raftery, DTM

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience

in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the

thing you think you cannot do”.

Eleanor Roosevelt

POPPING THE QUESTION!

It was January 2006 during a Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) Training of Toastmaster Club Officers and the 2005-2006 Lt. Governor of Marketing, Bo Bennett, DTM took me into another room and “POPPED THE QUESTION”!

Not that question (!)…but a question that I was not thinking of even asking myself…Bo and I sat next to one another on a table and he said “Sherri what do you think about being nominated for the 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing”? I will always recall my response “Me…Bo…Do you think I (that is a Capital I) could do it…?” as I smiled (actually I couldn’t stop smiling!). Bo also plugged this “District Opportunities” leadership position with “...they’ll send you on trips to trainings and conferences…OK I liked the sound of that… Then Bo went on… “The District reimburses you some of your mileage….”

OK – keep talking – then I looked at him and smiled more and said “WOW…this…EXCEEDS MY EXPECTATIONS…” to which Bo replied – “That could be your District Governor Theme”…(Now isn’t that like Bo, the creator of the Free ToastHost for the entire Toastmasters International World and Igroops to think big - bigger than I did!

BTW – if your Toastmasters Club doesn’t have a Free Toasthost website yet – this link will help you set up one! http://www.freetoasthost.com/

And if you haven’t joined the Public Speaking Igroops yet - you just may love the benefits too! Use my affliate link! http://www.onlinegroupaffiliates.com/igroops/affiliates

I took Bo up on his challenge and I “Tapped into Toastmasters” and accepted the nominated by Bo for the 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing. I interviewed with the D31 nominating committee, was officially nominated as the 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing!

Finally...at the District 31 Spring 2007 Conference Business Meeting I was elected as the 2007-2008 Lt. Governor of Marketing (LGM) – third ranking seat in District 31! And another District Governor, Cherylle Garnes, DTM’s challenged me (us) with another theme to “TAKE THE NEXT STEP”!

HINT - If YOU want to improve YOUR public speaking skills - "TAKE THE NEXT STEP" and STEP UP up to leadership roles!!

In June 2007, the D31 Leadership Trip – or "LEADING LADIES” – as we call ourselves, District Governor, Cherylle Garnes, DTM and Lt. Governor of Education & Training, Ariela Marshall, DTM went off to train at the Region Vii Conference in Philadelphia, along with outgoing District Governor, Deb Cartier. I met other District Officers, especially Lt. Governor’s of Marketing from eight other Districts. I was now moving beyond District 31 into the Region and now have some amazing friends within Regional Vii – which includes eight other Districts 18, 27, 31, 36, 38, 45, 46, 53 (soon to be nine districts when District 46 Splits).

At the D31 2007 Hail and Farewell Dinner, the Deb Cartier, DTM thanked me for "TAPPING INTO TOASTMASTERS" and presented me with the 2006-2007 “Area Governor of the Year” Award! YA BOOO!

Sharing My Toastmasters Story (Part IV) to follow....

Respectfully Submitted By,

Sherri Raftery, DTM

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FACTS

AWARD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Award

An award is something given to a person or a group of people to recognize excellence in a certain field; a certificate of excellence. Awards are often signified by trophies, titles, certificates, commemorative plaques, medals, badges, pins or ribbons.

An award may carry a monetary prize given to the recipient, e.g., the Nobel Prize for contributions to society, or the Pulitzer Prize for literary achievements. An award may also simply be a public acknowledgment of excellence, without any tangible token or prize.