Notes After a Toastmaster Contest Experience (more of those online now in the 2020s) Regular meetings too, many online to visit!

Looking at The Berkshire Eagle Tuesday, Nov. 29th (a good friend's birthday so Happy 59th most dedicated petcare sitter I know whose helped hundreds over the decades!) I learned of 1Berkshire Entrepreneurs Networking (BEN may be what one group was called or maybe this one is similar...) They were offering an open house at CATA, Community Access to The Arts and it was held at their spectacular space at 420 Stockbridge Rd in Great Barrington MA. I saw a former Toastmaster friend who works at SBA in MA along with others, helping a few hundred people get their businesses up and running. In the span of a half hour many of us chatted about what we did and ties to the area.

One fellow had young twins and was impressed with the artwork from CATA that was part of an event held at the Courthouse up the road. Another was part of Clowns Without Borders (yes, those Clowns and a bit of good medicine like that also does not have borders for their care.  I told her about the Project Troubadour efforts  by Louise Lindenmeyer of CT  and that she's still doing a lot for the folks of Haiti, with a new outreach I believe (and donations go a long way to such efforts!) I was lucky to hear her perform with The Joint Chiefs recently too so good vibes!

Back to the amazing venue and offerings of CATA and the networking supported in various venues by 1Berkshire of MA. I hope we can learn more of such efforts along with Community Foundations and online help for getting donations for non-profits run in part through umbrella organizations such as the Berkshire Taconic Foundation and The Community Foundation of Torrington CT. I learned a bit more about Network for Good which helps non-profits keep track of donors and so hopefully more people can feel supported in their missions with the right tech and more (google for info.)

So that kind of networking was a reminder about how people can interact and give an 'elevator speech or 30 second or minute summary of who they are and what they do or who they serve." Toastmasters.org can be a big plus to learn more ways to be comfortable at such events (and nice refreshments provided by the Pittsfield Cooperative Bank this time around were a treat!) Here's a note I wrote from a contest over a decade ago and the overall sense of team that can happen especially with about 20 active members in a Toastmasters meeting and contest..

.Overall a small group and a larger one can carry the energy nicely in having events 'be a success.' People exchanged cards and contact info. That often happens when a people are part of a shared community or network. Hope everyone can find time to list the people they want to keep in touch with from basics like family and friends (and addresses and numbers and emails can help one hone in on more details. Some people good at tech can do that for a group but it's okay to write a list and pin it to a bulletin board too and think positively of those working together.

Thanks to all who have kept such school, faith group, community and civic groups going over the years in person and now online (or with hybrid meetings.) Rotary.org was joining forces with Toastmasters.org and many more people are filling in the gaps of socializing and coaching each other with programs and collaborative efforts! All good stuff and over the years, asking for support, guiding people into meaningful connections can really benefit many more than a few. More like a garden or forest of friends, the value is manifold and can lead to better options for many in an area.

Even though this club disbanded, people are still local and can keep in touch online from time to time. So more 'efforts to promote visiting and keeping in touch' could also be a new venture for each area. I am hoping to keep up with the Toastmasters program now that I have more time and treasure the efforts people make to run the club and participate and visit along the way as well in many such ventures! It all adds up to making life that much more amazing, even if surprises and such come up...That's some rich learning and life experience!

With the long view, I have felt that every such kind of club should offer one 'just for women' and one 'just for men' (and yes for those who identify as such, and maybe over a few age groups too, at 5 year increments through age 30 and then through the decades, to help focus on some common concerns and have other more open joint meetings as people may like, even if pacing the monthy meetings informally as one for males, one for females and the next month, for males then for all, the next for females and then for all, etc.

There could be outreach for people of a particular ethnic background and one for younger people too, again, females and males separately and then at joint meetings as people choose (and again with responsible adults overseeing matters and the practical supervision of such meetings, including having guidelines for transporation approved of by the parents or adults in charge. That would be helpful for any event youth attend, and even if on bicycles or walking from a school or other program to another one so that safety is kept in mind and rules are clear and followed by all rather than changed without adults permission or people getting into dangerous situations in cars or about town or in an area where there is water or other questionable safety areas.) Again while the focus of speaking or sharing activities may be well-intended keeping a clear sense of accountability, safety and health (even for pets if weather is hot for instance) can all be reviewed with widespread Common Sense Planning and Game Rules for Life, Sports, Outings and Socializing, and Living!

Even each meeting could have a time for people to 'check in with their gender group' and have a half hour to share freely for a minute or two, do table topics or give a talk as may make sense and then have a shared half hour for speeches people want to present to the wider audience and have feedback etc. That may sound 'discriminating' but given the overall sense of imbalance in the world it would be worth trying for many groups and areas to address such widespread issues (racism, abuse, safety, relationship and other legal matters) and concerns in practical ways. Online meetings could easily be set up to accommodate such groups (but again a high degree of trust would be needed among members that others not intended to be there are not present in the background and that things are not being recorded without permission, etc.)