80 Years

 This past week, I attended a celebration of a Toastmasters club that has existed for 80 years!  I was so happy to see our club members, District leaders, and guests from other nearby clubs join us in the celebration.  We had many people attending in person and a few online.

What keeps a Toastmasters club going for 80 years?  I can't answer that definitively, but based on my experience with this club, it seems to come down to members wanting to spend time together.  With this particular club, the majority of members attend every week, and even those who cannot attend weekly attend more often than not.  I love seeing my friends and fellow Toastmasters when I attend the meetings of this club, and from watching videos shared at the 80th anniversary party, it seems that past members felt the same.

All Toastmasters clubs offer an opportunity to grow skills.  The ones that last seem to offer more than that:  a welcoming environment, a community of encouraging individuals, friendship throughout the learning experience.  I hope that this Toastmasters club, and many others, will continue with this feeling of community and friendship for 80+ years to come.

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