Mr. John Lewis (founding member and past Toastmaster in good standing) and Deputy Governor, Mr. David Archer Jr. were both granted Honourary Membership into the Tortola Toastmasters Club of the BVI, on Friday, 26th March, at 5pm at Seven at the Pier in Road Town. They were conferred this honour for their continued support and alignment to Toastmasters’ purpose and overall educational goals in the areas of communication and leadership.
The afternoon opened with our Treasurer, Toastmaster Weslene Walters, gracing the occasion with an opening prayer to commemorate this historic moment and our President, Toastmaster Portia Stout welcoming the Honourees, Toastmasters and guests. This occasion was history in the making as it was the first time in the history of the Tortola Toastmaster’s Club, that such an honour was bestowed and we could not have been any more delighted to have both these gentlemen be the first to receive such an honour.
We heard what it meant to be an Honourary Member in the Toastmasters’ Club from our Secretary, Toastmaster Patricia Blaize-Adams as she stated that, although as Honourary Members, they are not required to pay dues, will not have any voting rights within the club or hold any office, this honour allows them to continue to attend any of our regular meetings or events to inform, inspire, motivate and encourage the leadership mindset and growth of our Toastmasters.
Vice President Education, Toastmaster Melony James introduced our Honourees and expressed how their individual qualities exemplified the mission and core values of Toastmasters. This was followed by the pinning of each recipient by President Portia Stout as she reiterated, “this is indeed an historic and auspicious occasion”.
The highlight of the afternoon was the honourees’ responses as they shared their gratitude and sentiments. “It’s good to be recognized and it’s good to be loved and I am pleased to be recognized as one who contributes, not only to the Toastmasters Club but to this community as a whole”, were the words of Honouree Mr. Lewis, who is well known for being a tower and a beacon to the Club. Deputy Governor, Mr. David Archer Jr., a master communicator, followed. After testing the general knowledge of Toastmasters about the Club spoke about hope asking, “so what does hope look like and what does Toastmasters’ embody?” He answered stating, “not just the ability to speak publicly but the ability to inspire, provide hope, show confidence and create new and amazing leaders”.
The mission of Toastmasters is to provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth. The Toastmasters International motto is “Where Leaders are Made” and these were stated by our Sergeant At Arms, Toastmaster Hector Cruz Jr. as he recited the mission of Toastmasters.
The event ended with our Vice President Membership, Toastmaster Linda Maglorie giving the Vote of Thanks.
The honour of becoming an Honourary Member of the Tortola Toastmasters Club can be conferred upon persons from within the community who aligns with our Toastmasters’ educational goals and purpose or any past Toastmaster in good standing, who is no longer able to attend meetings on a regular basis but who commits to the leadership growth of Toastmasters.
The Tortola Toastmasters Club meets every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Tuesday of the month at 6 pm via ZOOM. Due to the current pandemic protocols, the club is currently not having face to face general meetings as members are committed to staying safe as we all navigate through this new normal.
The 2020/2021 Executive Committee includes:
President Portia Sylvester-Stout
Vice President Education Melony C James
Vice President Membership Linda Alexander-Magloire
Vice President Public Relations Sharona A Pickering
Secretary Patricia Blaize-Adams
Treasurer Weslene Walters
Sergeant at Arms Hector A Cruz Jr.
Immediate Past President Ernald George
About Toastmasters International
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders. Headquartered in Englewood, Colo., the organization’s membership exceeds 364,000 in more than 16,200 clubs in 145 countries. Since 1924, Toastmasters International has helped people from diverse backgrounds become more confident speakers, communicators and leaders. For information about local Toastmasters clubs, please visit www.toastmasters.org. Follow @Toastmasters on Twitter.