Page 4 - 2016-10

EDITORIAL Publisher

The Common Good Phyllis Harmon, DTM

by Phyllis A. Harmon, DTM Associate Publisher
Editor/Publisher
Brenda Parsons, ACS, ALS
In 1727, Benjamin Franklin formed the Junto, a club of like-
minded artisans and tradesmen who came together for self Senior Editor
improvement. A friend and member of the Junto, Esmond Wright,
noted that self improvement inevitably led to the improvement Phyllis Harmon, DTM
of the city and state. Franklin firmly believed that man must
continue to grow in order to best serve the common good and Associate Editors
his fellow man.
Leanna Lindquist, DTM
While Ben Franklin and Ralph Smedley were separated by a Donna Stark, DTM
couple of centuries, I wonder if Ben didn’t influence Dr. Smedley. Cathy French, DTM
Both their organizations were built on creating environments
where like-minded individuals could continue their educational Layout/Design
pursuits. Both men were community minded, and both believed
that skills learned were best used when serving their fellow man. Phyllis Harmon, DTM
Curtis Low
Which leads me to ask—are you committed to your own self
improvement? If not, why are you in Toastmasters? It seems to me 2016-17 Officers
that being a Toastmaster comes with unspoken responsibilities and
obligations. Certainly, one responsibility would be to maximize District Director
the monies spent to be a member. Since I suspect none of us
are spendthrifts, getting the most bang for our buck seems self Leanna Lindquist, DTM
evident. Don’t you think? Other responsibilities, in my opinion,
would be to prepare appropriately for club roles and step up Program Quality Director
when called upon to serve.
Donna Stark, DTM
Carrying those thoughts a bit further, doesn’t our self
improvement inevitably lead to the improvement of our fellow Club Growth Director
members, club, area, division, and district as Wright noted with
the Junto? It seems to me that if each of us commits to being Cathy French, DTM
extraordinary, to doing our very best as a member, club officer,
and Toastmasters citizen, everyone benefits. Finance Manager

Which leads me down the path of obligation. If our Jill Ward, ACB, ALB
responsibility is to learn and grow through continuous practice,
don’t we have an obligation to our fellow members to encourage Administrative Manager
them to also grow and become the people they were meant to
be? To provide them, through our commitment to ourselves, an Rodger Cook, ACB, ALB
environment where everything is possible?
Public Relations Manager
If you do that, commit to becoming the best you, using the
tools and opportunitites Toastmasters provides, don’t you think Phyllis Harmon, DTM
that—at some point—we can change the world?
Voices! is published monthly by
Think about it, and commit to being extraordinary—not only District 7 Toastmasters. First issue
for yourself but to serve the common good and your fellow man. published August 2014. Submit
articles via email at voices@
d7toastmasters.org

4 Volume 3 Issue 4 - OCTOBER 2016