The Wider World in Toastmasters — My Excellent Venture Outside Our Club

As I finish my year as President of Afterburners, I am also finishing a year of doing another Toastmasters opportunity — that of District News Editor. Last spring, Diana Patton (then the Lt. Governor Education and Training), called to ask if I was interested in the Newsletter Editor job. I took a deep breath and said "If the newsletter is still going to be a 30-page PDF file that comes out once a month, then no, I am not interested. I think that kind of newsletter is obsolete."

She said "No, we want to do something completely different, and we want you to help us decide what that will be." That sounded too good to pass up. "Okay, I'll do it."

My experience in starting the Afterburners "Burning News" was quite helpful. I quickly learned how to use Constant Contact, the web-based email platform the District was already using. As the District officers talked about how they wanted to communicate with the members, we developed the concepts of Hot Topics, Action NOW, and the D25 News blog so we could reach people in quick and flexible ways.

Sometimes it was a lot of work but I learned about the workings of the District and our clubs, and met many new people. The really marvelous part of the experience was being a pioneer. I blazed a trail for future News Editors, essentially inventing my own job as the year went on. It's been an opportunity I am so glad I didn't miss.

Jodie Sanders