PHILIPSBURG:--- In commemoration of Toastmasters International's 98th anniversary, Division I of District 81 recognized Distinguished Toastmasters (DTM) Rolande Tobias, Valerie Brazier & Brenda Maynard for their contributions as District Directors of District 81, Caribbean toastmasters. The event was held at the Government Administration Building on Saturday evening in celebration of Toastmasters International Day. Division I comprises all clubs on St. Maarten, St. Martin, Statia & Martinique, and DTM Cheryl York is the Division Director.
District Directors oversee all clubs in the territories of the Caribbean. Serving in the function for a period of one year, District Directors apply effective communication and leadership skills to lead their respective district teams to achieve excellence in fulfilling Toastmaster's tagline of where leaders are made. Members achieve individual goals as they hone their communication and leadership skills, while all levels from Area to Division to District achieve set goals based on member achievements.
DTM Rolande Tobias served as District 81 Director from 2012-2013 and brought the District to number 7 in the world out of 89 districts. DTM Valerie Brazier served as District 81 Director from 2014-2015 and brought the District to number 5 in the world out of 97 districts, while DTM Brenda Maynard served as District 81 Director from 2020-2021 and brought the district to number 3 in the world out of 124 Districts. All three Directors brought the District to the highest ranking of President & Smedley Distinguished District during their tenure; a feat that very few districts in the world have been able to achieve. As one of the smallest territories in District 81, St Maarten is proud to have produced three of the top performing District Directors across the Caribbean; stated Division Director Cheryl York, who oversaw the coordination of Saturday evening’s very successful event. Tobias, Brazier, and Maynard have served as trailblazers placing St Maarten firmly on the Toastmasters International worldwide map. As a result of their achievements, toastmasters’ membership has grown in St. Maarten with prominent members including two former Prime Ministers; Sarah Wescot-Williams and Leona Romeo also have been members of the organization; DTM Cheryl York stated. DTM Tobias also received an award as the longest-serving active Toastmaster in St Maarten with over 23 years of active membership.
Recognition is a very important aspect of the Toastmasters program in addition to the communication and leadership skills development and was central at the meeting with clubs, areas, and divisions in District 81 also receiving awards for the achievements during the past Toastmasters year.
Toastmasters is the world’s leading Communication and Leadership organization with over 280.000 members in 14.700 clubs across 144 countries in the world.
