Greater than their circumstances, they persevere through pressure and pains.
The ever-resourceful stalwarts of Florida Toastmasters are proving that no societal challenges can stand in the way of their progress. ‘Trust the magic of new beginnings’ was the theme of their June 15 virtual meeting that marked a ceremonial handing over of the club’s annual executorship. Florida Toastmasters were graced by the presence of Area S2 Director, Lesogo Nhlapo who would oversee the prestigious occasion.
Those vacating their positions included President Tim Knights, Vice President of Education Mandy Gobisang, and Ntombi Phaledi, Vice President of Membership. Mandy and Ntombi also stepped down as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively. Quality leadership is never left idle and despite official titles, preservation of Toastmasters traditions is a team effort.
Taking the helm for the ‘new beginnings’ is none other than Mandy herself, as the new Florida Toastmasters President. She will be assisted by Tebogo Legodi as Vice President of Education, and Motlagomang Tlago Ramalepa as Vice President of Membership. Additionally, Denisse Torcida and Molefi Molao with take up the Secretary and Treasurer roles.
Not all positions are receiving a shuffle, as Matthew Knights keeps his Sergeant at Arms position while Gail Hemming continues her promotion of the Toastmasters message as Vice President of Public Relations. “Toastmasters is an investment in your career. You can improve your value by 50% just by learning communication and public speaking skills. It’s a low-cost, low-risk investment that yields extraordinary returns,” Gail said.
This year also marks what is essentially a century of specific achievements as the club celebrated ten successive years of accomplishing all ten of their ten annual goals. “It has been confirmed that no other club in the Southern Africa district has achieved this status. We put a lot of thought into how we would achieve our goals. Planning started early in the year, we identified people who wanted to achieve their educational goals for the year, they agreed, and as planned they succeeded,” added Gail.
Never ones to rest on their laurels, ever grander goals will be set to push the boundaries of excellence set by those who have come before them. “Toastmasters after all, is a laboratory of life with a very supportive audience,” said Gail. Through team work, identifying important issues and shared interests, the club where ‘your success is our goal’ will continue to raise their glasses well into the future.
