Thank You, D25!

Bonne Stroman and Dean Lampman

A fantastic year is almost over. All of us in D25 (especially me) have much to be grateful for as we try to finish strong. Here are some things we can be proud of — with my acknowledgement of and thanks to the leaders and teams who made it happen: 

Education and Training
We trained and motivated hundreds of club officers at Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) sessions. Thank you, District Training Chair Kathy Brewer, and all your trainers and helpers, for your valuable work.  Thanks, also, to every officer who attended a TLI and applied lessons learned. 

We also trained 30 Area Governors who supported club officers in pursuing Distinguished Club Program goals. Thank you, AGs, for doing your critical work. Thank you, Division Governors Steven Timmons, Cindy Jones, Jamie Pickering, Gary Lee Webb, Robi Ley, and Bonnie Crawford, for helping our AGs fulfill their potential and being the great servant leaders I thought you’d be.

We gave hundreds of speakers a chance to compete in area, division and district speech contests. Thank you, Chief Judge Larry Harmon, Assistant Chief Judge Jill Morrison, and Contest Quality Chair Felicia Christian for coordinating those massive efforts. Thanks, also, to all judges, helpers and contestants.

We conducted two conferences offering inspiring keynotes, compelling education sessions and contests, an evening to honor Distinguished Toastmaster Award recipients, and chances to make friends and have fun. Thank you, Fall Conference Chair Chuck Mencke, Spring Conference Chair Greg Pick, and everyone who first helped us Get on Board, then got us Riding the Wave. 

We began to explore a revitalized education program, which will be the largest overhaul in Toastmasters International (TI) history. Thank you, Chief Ambassador Susan Gardner, your team, and everyone in D25, for your information, guidance and patience as we prepare for this new, still evolving program.

Cindy Hinckley and Marylee Mims

Marylee Mims served with distinction and grace as Lt. Governor, Education and Training (LGET). Thanks,  Marylee, for all your support. It’s been wonderful and you’ll be a terrific District Governor.

Marketing and Public Relations

Cindy Hinckley handled the district’s most difficult job. The attributes that helped her succeed as Lt. Governor, Marketing –chief among them knowledge, experience, energy, passion and persistence – will serve her well as LGET. Thank you, Cindy, for your tremendous dedication and leadership. Thanks, also to Cindy’s team, including Club Extension Chair Mike Sheridan, DCP and Alignment Chair Mike Kinser, Club Support Chair Dan Chisum, Outreach Chair Sonia Leza. New Club Sponsor/Mentor Chair Becky Solley, and everyone who joined more than a dozen demo teams. 

Bob Marion and Michael Sheridan

Throughout the year, we kept members informed of upcoming events and chronicled our achievements through the district blog and Website, as well as via club Websites and social media sites. Thank you, District Public Relations Officer Jodie Sanders, News Editor Sandra Price, Photographer Mark Novak, Webmaster Diana Patton, and Website Editor David Leake, for promoting the district and its clubs and keeping our online information useful, timely and complete. Here, D25 remains a model district. 

David Leake and Diana Patton

 Finance, Administration and Other Areas
In all our other activities, D25 operated with great service to members, discipline, and professionalism, and in compliance with TI policies and procedures. 

Overseeing our budget and finances (and making a big part of my job easy), were District Treasurer Diana Patton and Auditor Terry Mencke.  I thank them both for their expertise, efficiency and accuracy.

I also thank District Secretary Amelinda Salas, Awards Chair Mary Walker, Sergeant-at-Arms John Bergs, Parliamentarian Leonard Malley, Protocol and Policy Chair Louise Faircloth, Youth Leadership Chair Dewayne Washington, Speakers Bureau Chair Lauren Midgley, Credentials Chair David McCallister, Statistician Jennifer Dodd, and (last but not least), Immediate Past District Governor and Nominations Chair Bonne Stroman. To all those fine folks — and many other individual members I would mention if space considerations allowed it — I say thank you for your superior service and also your friendship. 

In Conclusion

Fellow Toastmasters, we fulfilled our mission: to build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence. No matter where our final numbers put us, we can take pride that we’ve upheld D25’s high performance standards.  Thank you! Please keep Looking Forward and Giving Back!

Submitted By
Dean Lampman, DTM
District 25 Governor 2013-2014