Submitted to The Dominion Post
Toastmasters International announced that its Morgantown club, Mountaineer Toastmasters Club #8538 (mountaineer.toastmastersclubs.org), earned Select Distinguished Club status for the 2019-20 year.
“The Mountaineer Toastmasters Club provides a positive and supportive environment where members have the opportunity to overcome their fear of public speaking and sharpen presentation, communication and leadership skills,” John Barnes, club president, said.
“Our club is a wonderfully diverse group, with members originating from as far away as India, Pakistan, British Columbia, South America, as well as neighboring states. I am proud of the fact that we all have worked hard, have a common bond and achieved recognition. Every club member should be proud of this achievement.”
This marks the club’s first honor since 2015-16, and its 10th honor since 2003. It is the second time (2008-09) the club has earned select distinguished honors.
The Mountaineer Toastmasters’ Club officers for the past year were John Barnes, financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual (president), Laurie Johnson, canine and feline behavior consultant (vice president for education), Ben Schueler, physical education teacher at Suncrest Elementary School (vice president for membership), Janet Fraser, WVU teaching assistant professor of management information systems (secretary/treasurer), Mike Montoro, WVU director of football communications (vice president for public relations) and Jayaram Subramanian, WVU doctoral student in electrical engineering (sergeant at arms).
To be considered for select distinguished honors, a club has to complete seven or eight of its 10 club goals. Areas of consideration include education, membership, officer leadership training and administrative duties.
The Mountaineer Toastmasters’ Club education goals achieved this past year included a competent communicator award (Barnes), an advanced communicator bronze (Lois Coakley), visionary communication level 1 (Fraser), leadership development level 1 (Schueler), dynamic leadership level 1 (Subramanian) and persuasive influence level 4 (Johnson). The club also added a number of new members, had at least four club officers trained in both the fall and spring sessions and was efficient with its membership dues paid on time.
Chartered in 1991, Mountaineer Toastmasters Club No. 8538 is in District 13, including the areas of western Pennsylvania, western Maryland and northwestern West Virginia.
There are 15 members and it’s the only club in northern West Virginia and western Maryland that continued to hold meetings, via zoom video, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
The club has been meeting online on the first and third Thursday of each month. Normally, the Mountaineer Toastmasters’ Club meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. at the WVU Evansdale Campus, Evansdale Library, Room 228. For more information about the club, visit mountaineer.toastmastersclubs.org.
Toastmasters International is a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.
