At the start of August, I attended my first formal club visit (of six total that need to be completed prior to November 30). For the most part, it was a normal meeting, just like any other. I got introduced to several club officers, members, and guests. Of course, I was also responsible for observing the general procedures of the club, such as the meeting structure, how guests are welcomed, and the cultural atmosphere.
Prior to my visit, I already had several communications with the club officers by email. I also met some of them at previous events, such as speech contests and TLIs.
On the day of the visit, I did some extra research. This included reviewing the club website, learning about the history of the club, and checking on its current status (using the data available on the District dashboards).
At the conclusion of the meeting agenda, the club reserved a few minutes for me to speak. I used this time to perform a brief toast-style presentation. I noted some interesting historical features of the club, recognized recent accomplishments, and reaffirmed my goal to support the club however necessary this year. Lastly, I made some key announcements, such as the ongoing Smedley Award* membership drive and the District's request to have all club contests completed by the end of September.
After the meeting, I sent a thank-you note to the club officers and followed up on items we discussed. Furthermore, I invited the club officers to contribute to the Area Director's Club Visit Report. I welcomed them to contribute as much or as little as they desired. I requested that they return their contributions within one week.
Ultimately, it is my responsibility to file the report online. However, there are certain aspects that are not easily observed by an outsider and can be better informed by the club officers. An example would be the names of members who are currently working on education awards and their anticipated completion dates. In a complementary way, there are things that are better informed by a third-party observer, such as a description of the club atmosphere from a guest's perspective. Hence, I find it appropriate to both complete the report myself and invite the club officers to contribute. Moreover, the purpose of the report is to identify how the quality of the club can be improved. Achieving this goal requires support from both the District and club officers.
For my part, I filled out the report fully with my own observations immediately after returning home from the meeting. However, I would wait until after receiving the club officers' input to submit the final report online.
I am looking forward to upcoming club visits, both formal and informal. I have five more clubs to visit on a formal basis before November 30. In addition, we already anticipated more informal visits with this club, such as for their upcoming contests and open house events. Likewise, there should be several opportunities to visit my other Area clubs beyond those meetings required for formal reporting.
*The Smedley Award is an annual membership drive available to all Toastmasters clubs. It entails getting five members to join between August 1 and September 30. Clubs that achieve this feat are recognized with a special ribbon and discount on a future order from the Toastmasters International store.