District 84 is Distinguished!!!

By Dee Melvin, DTM, Immediate Past District 84 Governor

The District 84 2013-2014 Leadership Team led the District to Distinguished!!! This is an enviable accomplishment, achieved only once before in the history of District 84.

The Distinguished District Program recognizes those districts that meet Toastmasters International’s goals for growth and educational achievement. The program is also a management tool to help district lead- ers to focus on increasing membership, forming new clubs, and ensuring clubs are meeting the needs of their members. Ultimately, success in the Distinguished District Program is derived from focus on the member. Every district that meets recognition program prerequisites and goals may become a Distinguished, Select Distinguished, or President’s Distinguished District. The program is designed so that earning recognition is based on performance, not district size.

I had a phone call from our International President, George Yen, to congratulate us on being Distinguished. He asked me what I thought made the difference this year. My response was “A team that refused to take no for an answer”. After thinking about it for a while, I realized this statement is not completely true. Although this year’s team worked extremely hard, we have had dedicated leaders every year who worked hard toward the District being Distinguished. This year it seems everything came together perfectly at exactly the right time.

The requirements to be Distinguished are that the District must have three-percent net membership payments growth, three percent net club growth and at least 40 percent of the clubs must be Distinguished or better.  Bringing in club number 183 was an exercise in perseverance.  There were times when I just knew it would not happen, but the team working with the club simply refused to take no for an answer and, at the end of the day, they did it!!!

I cannot tell you how proud I am of this leadership team.  They worked and played hard together.

They supported each other and gave more than I thought was possible.  I can only say “Thank You, Thank You, Thank You”.

Read or download all the articles in the NEW SUNTALKER 2014-2015 Volume 1