Proud to Be District 53!
Greetings, Fellow Toastmasters: Welcome to the greatest Toastmasters year ever! Our District theme for this year is "Proud to be District 53!" I'm proud of our District and all that we have accomplished and continue to accomplish. In the past year:
- We were a Distinguished District (#15 out of 72 districts worldwide).
- The District 53 newsletter, Yankee Activator, was designated a "Top 10 District Bulletin."
- We grew to 86 clubs.
- Our members completed record numbers of CTMs and ATMs.
- We held two outstanding conferences and many successful contests and productive club meetings.
Sandy Gordon, DTM
We have had many such great years in District 53 and this year will be no exception.
Our success as a District depends, ultimately, on the success of every member of the District. We will have a great year as a District, if every club continues to strive toward his or her personal educational goal. It all depends on each of us.
What can you do? Remember "Focus, Follow Through and File!" When we "Focus," we develop a vision -- for ourselves, for our club, for our District. Our "vision" is a picture of what we would like to achieve or become. Based on our "vision" we set goals.
The best goals are: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound. Or SMART.
On what will you "focus!" What is your "vision"! What are your "goals"! How will you "follow through" so that you can "file"!
I hope that every member of the District will take some time to set an individual educational goal. A goal of CTM, ATM, ATM bronze, ATM silver, or DTM.
Set an estimated time of achievement. What accomplishments have you already completed, and what do you need to accomplish to achieve your goal! How will you find opportunities? Enlist help from your club's VP Education. They can provide both opportunities and encouragement. Remember, they are on your team. Talk to your fellow members, too, about your goals and theirs, exchange commitments and encouragement.
My vision for our District is that every member will belong to a dynamic club that encourages growth and development of all its members.
My membership vision is a "20/20 Vision." The first "20" means that every club will quickly add new members to reach 20, and if it's already above 20, will add at least 20 percent to its membership this year. The second "20" means that every club will have at least 20 members on June 30, 1995 and will, therefore, be eligible to receive a ribbon as a Select Distinguished or Distinguished club.
My educational vision is that every member will focus on an education goal, will follow through, and will file the completion of that goal before June 30, 1995.
My overall vision for the District is that we will have the most successful year ever, both by our own standards and by the objective measurements used to compare Districts worldwide.
If every member will "focus, follow through, and file' and every club will strive to grow by meeting the needs of its members and by holding dynamic meetings, then, as a District, we will truly have the best year ever and we all will feel "Proud to Be District 53!"
Sandy Gordon, DTM
1994 - 1995 District 53 Governor
Written May 1994 and presented at the District 53 Spring Conference.