Do You Get Paid For That?

I am the newly appointed Area E3 Governor for Toastmasters in District 35. I have to say, I am honored to be entrusted with a role that requires me to be the "go to" person for six clubs! Not only am I honored, I am excited!

Before I get to far on my personal feelings there, I want to share the answer to one of the first questions I was asked after learning that I was nominated and appointed, "Do you get paid for that?" Simply put, no. At least, that's what some people would say. I wish that weren't the answer I gave at that moment because it really isn't true. In fact, it is far from truth! The answer is a resounding, "YES!" However, for the time being, I do not collect any personal financial benefit. That is what was being asked of me. Yet, I need to share the reasons why I love this volunteer job.

First and foremost, as Area Governor, I am able to help the six clubs I oversee. That means, if there are any troubles, I step in and help to the best of my ability. If there are things I don't know, I have people above me to reach out to. At the same time, I am a resource contact. If someone is looking to go further with their Toastmaster experience or if clubs are looking for ideas, I can help them. How can each club better itself? How can I help them reach their goals?  How can they grow? There is such a vast array of information that fits right here, that I get excited thinking about the possibilities!

Secondly, serving and helping others helps me to feel good. Have you ever experienced the joy that sweeps across a person's face when they were struggling and suddenly a light is turned on? Perhaps it isn't even so much a struggle, but a lapse in understanding. Oh. My. Goodness. The joy found in helping people in ways that can help them grow is phenomenal! Simply calling the clubs to set up visits was fun! They were happy to hear they had someone to help them. Perhaps volunteering is an all-around natural anti-depressant. I find joy in helping. Other's find joy in knowing they have someone to help them. Win-win!

As if anti-depressant isn't enough, I feel good about myself when I help other people. This is where it gets slightly tricky because I know I need to be careful to set up boundaries. When people like me tend to say, "Yes," other people like to ask them to do things. I know I need to set time aside for my family and me. I've learned a lot about setting those boundaries in the past few years. Now that I know my boundaries (or at least a rough estimate thereof), I can serve with a full sense of self-confidence. Ka-ching!

Much like any other job, learning comes along with time in service. Because I am newer than others in the club and because I want to do the best job possible, I have spent hour upon hour reading all that I can to learn about various programs, dates, and resources that are available to all of us. It is my pleasure to learn all I can to provide a good service. Yet, at the same time, I am learning valuable skills that can be used in many places in life. Volunteering could help me to advance my career. Not only do I get to learn through service, but also through reading, networking, and watching video clips. All of that time and effort could really help me out in many different areas of life - whether that be at home, at work, or in the community. Ka-pow!

And to bring this to a near close - can you imagine the networking opportunities that exist as a direct result of working with 6 clubs from Marquette, MI down to DePere, WI? That, in and of itself, is hundreds of people! When you factor in the meetings that I will have outside of those six groups, the number increases exponentially! Those meetings will be with people throughout the state of WI who hold higher leadership levels than I do. Combined, there is a lot of opportunity! Ba-da-boom!

If you haven't sensed it already, I view volunteerism as a great way to have fun and the perfect place to learn. Already, Toastmasters has provided me with some really fantastic friends. I am thrilled to get to know some of the other Toastmasters. While having fun, I will gain a sense of fulfillment as I am able to pursue my passions with some great supporters.

What do you think? How do you view volunteerism? After reading what I had to say, do you agree that volunteers (in most, if not all volunteer agencies) really do get paid even if it isn't in the financial realm? It wouldn't be right if I didn't close this writing before asking... "Would any of you like to attend a Toastmasters Club with me?" There are several meetings in the area that we could plan to go to and I'd love to have you as my guest!!!

Grateful for Sacrificial Love

I just had a fantastic weekend away. I attending the District 35 Toastmasters Conference in Neenah, WI. Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. As any endeavor we set out to do, Toastmasters is what you put into it. I have been blessed to find a club full of determined members. In the past year, I have watched my club members grow in their speaking and leadership skills exponentially.

I was pleasantly surprised to see Don Ritter called to the stage to present the target speech for the Evaluation Contest. His speech was an outstanding message about sacrificial love. He carried us through a gamut of emotion - from laughter to crying. Don went through to the semi-finals in a quest to win the World Champion of Public Speaking. Over 25,000 people compete for this title annually. Don was in the top 86. This would have been his speech for the final round of competition. It was a gem.

Katie Thiel was one of the contestants in the Evaluation Contest. The state level contest was Friday night. She came in 2nd! Without excellent speech evaluations, we wouldn't improve like we do. What a great example Katie is for us!

Two of my club members were session presenters: Jim Hanson shared how storytelling can be applied to make any message stick. Forget all the data heavy presentations that bore us all to death! Angela Brandenburg told us about her journey to a dream. She inspired us to move forward in our achieving our dreams. Both of these sessions were standing room only. In fact, some people had to either skip the session or find another to attend because the sessions were too full!

Behind the scenes, there were several people who worked diligently so that everything flowed practically flawless. I don't dare list all the names, lest I forget one. Katie Thiel and Julie Ritzman were recognized at the banquet for all of their hard work. These ladies are first year members of the group, jumping in with both feet, chairing registration and finances. They were simply amazing. Not only that, we had record attendance this year!

These are only a few of the people from my club that participated. There are several others who sacrificed in various ways to help with the conference. We work as a team, continually encouraging one another. The end result is exactly what Don Ritter talked about in a club sense - sacrificial love. We have all learned the benefit of Toastmasters. Not all of us want to be speakers or leaders in the typical sense of the word. We have members at all levels, which is a beautiful thing. Some of our members simply want to be comfortable around other people! Some of our members aspire to lead. And others long to speak as a profession.

Toastmasters, as I know it, is full of love and joy. It has been and continues to build my self-confidence. I am a new person because of my time with the clubs. I have a dream and a passion. I know I can follow it. If I fall on my face in the midst of it all, I know that I can dust myself off and try again. In the meantime, I will continue to grow as I chase my dreams.

We would love to meet you if you are interested in some fun self-improvement. All you have to do is ask and I will share all of the info you need. I hope you consider coming with me to a meeting.