Toastmistress Journey - Part 7

I was in Grade 11 and Vice-President of my Toastmistress Club.  I was still learning and still progressing.  One of the best things about the Wednesday evening meetings was that I got to wear "nice" clothes.  No one really wore jeans to meetings, so one day a week, I would wear a skirt or a dress, higher heels, and make-up.  It sounds silly but that was valuable learning.  Walking in heels and wearing make-up that was subtle yet professional were too great lessons.  The role of Vice-President was not that taxing. 

In the early of that year, a new couple moved to Dauphin.  She joined Toastmistress immediately.  She also joined literally every club and organization in Dauphin.  She had been a Toastmistress on the West Coast for many years and also she had been to an International Convention.  We were excited to have her.  And, then we weren't.  She knew everything, according to her.  We had other members join and rejoin after taking a break.  None of them changed the "culture" of our club.  She did.  It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was different.  Just a different tone.  It wasn't just our club.  Other organizations talked of the same phenomenon.  It just didn't seem to be the same supportive environment. 

I won the Speech Contest again that year, making it two years in a row. 

At our final meeting in June, I was installed as President of the Dauphin Toastmistress Club.  My birthday is in October so at the time, I was 16 years old.  The youngest Club President in history of International Toastmistress Clubs. I was featured in the summer issue of the International magazine. 

Shortly after, the organization folded.  I am sure that was just a coincidence. 


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