by Robi Ley, DTM, News Editor

Imagine it; you wrote a speech, delivered a speech, rewrote, redelivered, rinse, repeat. And again. You get an email and the subject line reads: Congratulations! You’re a Region Quarterfinal Winner!

No need to imagine. Hear from our very own Fursey Gotuaco and he can tell you first-hand just how that feels.

Fursey told me “I was overwhelmed!  I was humbled and overjoyed at the same time.  It happened as I was preparing for our Afterburners 34 Charterversary and it completely derailed my thought process.”

Fursey did indeed win at the Region 3 Quarterfinals and now moves on to the Semi-Finals. If (okay when) he wins that, it’s the Finals in the World Championship of Public Speaking. Fursey says he has already been working on his second speech, along with his TOTs – Team of Trainers – and his mentors, Setma Maddox and Laura Stewart.

Fursey is an educator and administrator. He’s a member of Afterburners Toastmasters (can you hear them shout for him?) and has been a presenter at our Summit. A wonderful speaker and presenter, he will represent our District to the rest of the world.

The Semi-Finals schedule is here and more information will be coming from Toastmasters International as time draws closer. (Please note, times listed are GMT time, so make sure you do the conversion.)

Fursey also says thanks to the Afterburners and family and the entire district for supporting him through this journey. We say to him “Thank you for representing us on the world stage. We know you’ll do well, no matter the outcome.”