A First Time for Everything

New Officers

Martina Chambliss (R), Carolina Little (C), and Beth Prasek (L)

Secretary Treasurer, V.P. of Education, and President 

                                            

    

This past Saturday, my fellow officers and I attended the District 56 Division L Toastmaster Leadership Institute (TLI) Training in The Woodlands. While our club is not in Division L (we are actually in Division M Area 34) , we were made to feel welcomed and became very involved in the officer training.

From our training, we learned a lot about our roles and how to help our club grow and stay fresh. While we were there, we realized that our club falls in line with most clubs and like every club, the officers need to step up to help make their clubs successful.  From many of the ideas that were generated, one for public relations stood out; put your club out there on every free and accessible media available. Immediately, my thoughts turned to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Blogger, sites I use almost daily. Of course, what an effective way to not only promote our club but to keep it fresh and help keep our members updated in a fun and user-friendly way. Many of us are already familiar with Facebook and YouTube. Why not get our club in on the action?

Welcome to the new face of M-I SWACO Mudslingers. Now, instead of getting deluged with Nobody emails, you can keep in the loop with our new blog, Twitter feed, YouTube videos, and Facebook status updates. These sites will be able to be accessed every "changing of the guard" for the V.P. of Public Relations or V.P. of Education to maintain. They are very user-friendly and access can be changed easily without affecting the site name or domain. Also, guest bloggers will be encouraged for our Blogger site. In other words, members who want to contribute will be able to do so and the President may want to give his or her addresses using the jazzed up forum. Members are also encouraged to participate in YouTube presentations, including posting any speech requested. Our FreeToastHost site will still be maintained and updated, but information will not be channeled through it unless it has to do with updating the roster, agenda, and making meeting changes, including last minute notices.

As the V.P. of Education, I hope to post simple and easy to follow educational moments, club business updates, including upcoming contests, events, member accomplishments, welcome new members, highlight existing members, and Toastmaster Tidbits on our Blogger site regularly. As Toastmasters, we know there is a first time for everything. A first time to conquer a fear.  A first time to speak in front of our peers. A first time to conduct a role. A first time to update our club with the times.

So here we are, my fellow Mudslingers Toastmasters.  Hello, social media! To start us off, here is an interesting trailer for the upcoming documentary film about TI public speaking, Speak.