Toastmistress Journey - Part 4

Everything was going well in my Toastmistress journey.  I was still in Grade 9 but my confidence was increasing and there were only a few lingering whispers about me being too young. 

Then, in February, our Secretary suddenly had to quit the club due to personal reasons.  We needed a Secretary pro tem.  This would be elected, however, because this person wouldn't be formally inducted with the rest of the executive, so would be Secretary pro tem for the rest of the year.  I knew that wouldn't be me as there were more experienced Toastmistress members that had not yet begun their Executive journey. 

Before our next meeting, the Chairman of the Nominations Committee informed me that I would be nominated as Secretary. I protested and said I would decline the nomination.  No way did I need that headache.  The Nominations Chair informed me that I would be nominated and the reason was because I was not progressing fast enough in the program. 

Once elected, I felt a little vomit in my mouth.  The secretary was the most difficult job, in my opinion.  Minutes had to be recorded in writing in the official minutes log.  Looking back in the book for several years, I never saw the "minutes approved as read" once.  Always corrected.  And, many corrections.  Usually, very minor corrections such as the Mover of a Motion saying the word "the" should be "a", things last that.  Despite all the "nit-picking", it was never done with malice or any other bad intent.  We were all just trying to grow.  Even though women aren't known are good mentors, there is something about a group of women working together.  It can be very special and very unique. There is something about a group of women that their compassion seems to exponentially increase while in groups.  That is why we need more women in position of power. 

My penmanship is pretty awful as opposed to the Secretary's who came before me.  But, I worked really hard.  I created a template to help me make notes.  I did two or three drafts prior to recording the minutes in the official book.  In my less than half year term, I had an amazing accomplishment.  Not once, but twice, minutes approved as read !! The internal satisfaction meter was off the charts. 

My the end of my first year, I was nominated and elected as Treasurer and got to be Installed by the Council President. It was also our year end celebration at the end of June.  It was a fancy banquet at the Laverendrye Steak House.  It was a really proud moment.  The other members and guests had cocktails with their meal.  I wasn't old enough but I had a Shirley Temple. 

\I couldn't wait for September to start my second year as a Toastmistress.