Latin Leaders - Toastmasters Club #583774

Now I have wireless access at the club, I can post this blog during our meeting. Today is our Spanish only meeting so I do not have much participation except to start and finish the meeting. Today is Lourdes’ first time as a Toastmaster and it appears she has been well coached because she is doing great for her first time. We have three speakers scheduled so this will be a full meeting.   We have a new member and a few guests. This is great. I announced that our annual Christmas party will be on December 20 this month at the El Ranchito Restaurant. Our committee is still planning that party so there will be more details to follow.

We did it!

Our last meeting was spectacular.  We installed our new officers, Fernando finished his 10th speech and achieved a CC award, and three new members joined.  Congratulations to Fernando Gonzalez for your well deserved CC, and welcome to new members Victor Tinoco and Angelica Valladares, and welcome back our beloved Beatriz Camacho, CC.

Also congratulations to all the members of Latin Leaders.  We are now a Distinguished Club.  What does that mean for us?  Bragging rights really.  We will receive a nice ribbon from Toastmasters International for our banner, but mostly we will be known in the District as a Distinguished Club.  This let’s everyone know that our club officers are responsible and reliable people, and that our members are dedicated to achieving their educational goals. People should know that when they join a Distinguished Club like Latin Leaders, they are joining a club that is serious about improving the lives of its members with quality communication and leadership training.

Does this mean we are done?  Not at all.  We are starting a new year on July 1 with a new goal to become President’s Distinguished.  And we have a few new members that we are responsible for mentoring and helping them to achieve their personal goals.  I expect to see at least 4 members reaching their Competent Communicator goal this year, and at least two members reaching their Advanced Communicator goal.  Personally I plan to accomplish my fifth Competent Communicator award, a second Advanced Bronze award, another Advanced Leader Bronze and Silver awards, and two High Performance Leadership projects this year.  I know that’s a lot of work but I am not afraid of hard work.

I would like every member of this club to have a personal goal this year (to be completed by June 20, 2012), tell me what your personal goal is, and I will do my best to help you achieve that goal, and more.  With the help of everyone in the club, I think you will discover how easy it was to achieve.

Now that we are Distinguished, with only two weeks left in this Toastmaster year, I think it’s time to celebrate.  I owe Fernando a beer for completing his CC.  You are all welcome to join us after the meeting next week at El Ranchito, have a beer, margarita, or whatever you prefer to celebrate with.  Use this opportunity to get to know some of the members a little better, socialize, and discuss your ideas for the coming year.  I know I will certainly enjoy your company.  Salute!

Congratulations and welcome to our new officers. It is that time of the year that we elect new officers for the executive team. This team is responsible for keeping this club distinguished and ensuring our members are getting the best education we can give. The officer that have been elected are:

• President - Daniel Cossack
• VP Education - Michelle Alba-Lim
• VP Membership - Fernando Gonzales
• VP Public Relations - Santiago Gutierrez
• Secretary - Todd Swain
• Treasurer - Liz Allen
• Sgt At Arms - Open

Last Saturday we had the great fortune of being invited to have a booth at the Conferencia Empresarios Latinos 2011 held at the Elks Lodge here in Santa Ana.  I arrived early and set up and great thanks to Michelle Alba-Lim and Cristy Ponce for coming in and helping me out.  I couldn’t not have done it without your help.  We were well received by so many there and had a nice chance to meet many entrepreneurs and business persons in the Latino community.  We hope to see many who stopped by our booth visiting our next meeting.  One of the highlights of the event was attending the leadership workshop presented by our former member Seth Sherwood-Flores.  Seth is a pillar in the Latino community and it’s always a pleasure to see him.  Seth is the founder of Family Reading, Inc., a bilingual speaker, author, and family entertainer.