Aero Achievers Toastmasters Wichita, Kansas

6/24/20

 

My husband says Toastmasters is a Life Long Learning Laboratory. He just adores alliteration.  But when I think of a group of people who has taken that laboratory literally, it would be Aero Achievers.  They are a group that really wants to learn and grow individually and as a club.  In every action, in every word spoken, the members seemed to pick up on new ways to improve their club.

 

At first, I didn’t think we would be able to get to Kansas like poor Dorothy stuck in Oz. One club in Kansas we contacted is not having any virtual meetings anymore; they have gone back to having meetings in person. Two clubs did not respond to emails to attend their club. But finally we hit the jackpot with Aero Achievers.  And the jackpot it was!  They embody what a Toastmasters club should be in professionalism, in adaptability, in friendliness and organization.  

Although they only have 11 members, they have 15 educational awards. 15!  I mean these members are really working the program, which is evidenced when they had three speakers and three evaluators with so many roles not filled at this meeting.  Poor Vickie, club president doubled and tripled up on the roles of speaker, general evaluator, evaluator, and ah counter due to last minute crises of members not being able to attend.  I probably would have cancelled the third speaker and third evaluator to spread the roles around.  But I have to hand it to them.  They handled it with ease and Vickie and others navigated the roles seamlessly.

 

Before the meeting began, Dale responded to Steve’s email and asked if we would be willing to serve in roles.  We, of course, said we would help in any way they needed.  Steve served as one of the speakers and I was an evaluator…for VICKIE!  There were 11 people that attended the meeting and five were visitors.  The meeting did start late due to technical difficulties.  Zoom kept kicking us out of the meeting or not letting us in. Vickie said maybe its because their club has a shared account within her division.  With all the positives about Zoom, this may be something that needs to be explored.

 

One difference I saw in this club is that they not only vote for Best Speaker, Best Evaluator and Best Table Topics response, but they also vote on Best Facilitator, which would be between the Toastmaster of the Day, Table Topics Master and General Evaluator.  I have never seen a club vote on Best Facilitator, but I guess it stands to reason these people might want to be recognized too.  They make a big deal out of giving people awards. In their physical club they have a traveling trophy and at the end of the year they recognize whoever has been voted THE BEST  the most times  through the year and I assume gets further recognition.

 

All in all, I think Steve and I lucked out that we couldn’t visit the other Kansas clubs, otherwise we wouldn’t have found such a jewel.  Definitely a club worth going back to if we get the time.  It’s also a club I would recommend others to visit.  Maybe help their membership numbers but most importantly you will be entering a life long learning laboratory.  You will be the one learning and growing at this club.