COLE BAY:--- St. Maarten and Anguilla Toastmasters held their 2014 Installation Ceremony of Area Governors and Club Officers at the Carl's Unique Inn on Sunday June 29th, 2014. It was a splendid afternoon where Toastmasters of the two territories shared in the opening of another Toastmasters' year. Toastmaster Amanda Vital-Bedminister was the jovial Mistress of Ceremonies for the afternoon and guided the audience smoothly through the event. Toastmaster Edith Shillingford gave the invocation and Toastmaster Marie Gittens gave a sweet rendition of the St. Maarten Song.
The floor was then opened to the outgoing Presidents of the Clubs for Area 23, now Area 26: Georges Richardson, Philipsburg Toastmasters Club, Linette Gibs, Suoaliga Corporate Toastmasters Club and Ingrid Holaman, Disciples Toastmasters Club. The outgoing Presidents for Area 24, now Area 27: Wade Richardson, Anguilla Toastmasters Club, Vernicia Brooks, Sint Martin Evolution Toastmasters Club and Arliene Chittick, SXM Achievers Toastmasters Club. Each president expressed their gratitude, thanks and appreciation to their respective Executive Board Members and the Toastmasters community at large for their learned experiences and triumphs as part of the District 81 Caribbean Toastmasters. With their respective Board members, the Presidents were then relieved of their duties by Immediate Past District Governor for District 81, Distinguished Toastmaster Rolande Tobias.
The highlight of the afternoon occurred when all 7 members of the 2014/2015 Executive Boards of each Club were inducted. Each platform ( Sargent of Arms, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice President of Public Relations, Vice President of Membership and Vice President of Education) recited their pledge to carry out their roles within their clubs wholeheartedly alongside their Presidents: Juan Richardson, Philipsburg Toastmasters Club, Brenda Maynard, Suoaliga Corporate Toastmasters Club, Linda Moise-Flanders, Disciples Toastmasters Club, Genefa Fedee, Anguilla Toastmasters Club, Claudia January, Evolution Toastmasters Club and Kathia Magdeleine, SXM Achievers Toastmasters Club. Then in Toastmaster's fashion, each member was individually pinned by the incoming District Governor for District 81, Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Valerie Brazier.
DTM Brazier was also the keynote speaker for the evening. She opened with the well-known Mother Goose Nursery rhyme of 'Jack and Jill', and highlighted the necessity of the club Presidents to have a goal in mind, to be steadfast on their feet in order to avoid falling down and have their Executive Board members tumbling after them.
The outgoing Area Governors for Areas 23 and 24, Toastmaster Sinatra Rouse and Toastmaster Malcolm Jacques respectively, also addressed the audience. The reveled in the great experiences their posts as Area Governors allowed them. The incoming Area Governors for Areas 26 and 27, Toastmaster Donna Wilson-Morrison and Toastmaster Arliene Chittick respectively were allowed a few words as they too were newly installed for the 2014/2015 year. The both cited that they had big shoes to fill and intend on stretching those shoes and will give their utmost to ensure the success of both territories once again.
The afternoon ended on high note with congratulatory remarks being extended to all newly installed Club Executive Board members and Area Governors.
The Toastmasters year begins on the first of July and ends on the 30th of June each year.
Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. For more information feel free to visit www.caribbeantoastmasters.com and www.toastmastersinternational.org.
