Page 50 - May 2020
P. 50
ONLINE CONNECTIONS
The Silver Lining Behind the Covid-19 Cloud
Michelle Alba-Lim, DTM
In mid-March, Toastmasters International issued those that did. Toastmasters were Zooming all
a directive suspending all in-person Toastmasters over the world. A guest at one of my clubs shared
meetings and events, from club level all the way that in the last month, she’s been to nearly 80
to District level. clubs in 30 countries!
Most of the 16,500+ Toastmasters clubs After participating in a mock online
around the world were caught unprepared. Some Evaluation Contest hosted by Global Trainers
clubs decided not to meet until after the Covid-19 Online, District 7 leadership voted to carry
social distancing. Sadly, some clubs even decided on with the Evaluation and International
to close down. Similarly, some districts canceled Speech contests. The online contests went well,
their contests and conferences. Some planned prompting Daniel Flood (a Division A member)
to hold only their annual business meetings to comment that the online format made it so
(required by Toastmasters International) and much easier for members to attend meetings
nothing else. and contests. Daniel used to drive for nearly five
For a while, it seemed like Covid-19 had hours to attend events in person.
vanquished Toastmasters spirit. Then an Prior to the District contests, all D7 Divisions
interesting phenomenon started happening. but Division A held their contests online. Unlike
Clubs began to test the waters with online in-person contests, it was relatively easy to find
attendance. judges, ballot counters, and other support team
As more went online, members of clubs that members. I served as Chief Judge at one Division
did not meet online started checking around for contest in the morning, then at another Division
an hour later. This would have been close to
50 ONE COMMUNITY
