- Giving Thanks: I gave thanks to all of my clubs, their leaders, and their members. They welcomed me on visits and encouraged others to participate in many events beyond the club level during the year.
- DCP Status: I noted that my clubs were already approaching or exceeding distinguished status for the year. I created a table showing each club's name, DCP goals met to date, and number of members, so they could all see where they stand at this point in time. I praised their performance to date, despite the fact that some may not reach Distinguished status this year. Indeed, they all had noteworthy member educational progress and completed their club administrative duties, but a couple might fall short of the minimum required number of members by the June 30 deadline.
- Club Officer Lists: I reminded the club leaders to set their next board off on the right foot by entering their newly elected officers into Club Central by the June 30 deadline. Along with on-time membership payments, this awards one DCP point for the next Toastmasters year.
- Final Note: In my final words, I spoke of the importance of club leaders passing their wisdom and encouragement onto their newly elected officers. Good knowledge and mentorship from experienced club members can make all the difference in the officer experience. Lastly, I cautioned the clubs about the impending Pathways program mandate. This upcoming year would be the last they can cling to the traditional program. Meanwhile, all members worldwide will be operating solely in Pathways by July 2020. Of course, anyone who joined a club since May 2018 has been in Pathways (with varying degrees of support, especially from clubs who resisted change) with no option to utilize the traditional program. My advice to all was to embrace Pathways.
The June Area Newsletter
In the final Area newsletter for the 2018-2019 Toastmasters year, I highlighted these items: