Simon Parcher, DTM
Autumn Celebration Chair
District 61 held its Autumn Celebration on 2020-10-17 where we recognized our members for major achievements in 2019-2020 and enjoyed quality workshops and keynote presentations. It was an exciting blend of entertainment, education and member recognition.
Over 300 members registered for the event and at any one time there were 200 plus in attendance. Music was played at the beginning of each session to add anticipation and some ambiance. The Toastmaster for the event, Tanya Hall, led a session where members were invited to recognize other members. It was an instant success as many in attendance seized upon the opportunity to praise their fellow Toastmasters.
Several awards and recognitions were received by our members, such as:
- Club Growth Director awards:
Daniel Riendeau
Marie-Andree Lessard
Gina Cook
Davender Gupta
Shiellah Quintos - Program Quality Director awards:
Daniel Pellerin
Rene Legault
Paul Jacobs
Frank Schilder - Longevity awards for long-standing members and clubs
- Awards of the Year
The recipients of the awards of the year are:
- Area Director of the Year – Michel St. Germain
- Division Director of the Year – Amy Campbell
- Toastmaster of the year – Max-Emilien Robichaud
- District Appreciation Award – Anthony Renaud
- District Appreciation Award – Leigh Street
- District Director Award – Amy Campbell
The keynotes were delivered by professional speakers, Gary Mull, who is a Toastmaster and a Past International Director for Region VI, and Chris Ford, a District 61 member and Past International President. Workshops were delivered in English by Oren Weintraub and in French by J.A. Gamache. The English and French workshops were on the same subject, which was how to write a speech in a few minutes. The workshops and the keynote addresses were very popular.
Gary Mull’s enlightening keynote was entitled “Setting Your Sails for Success”. It highlighted the qualities we must all bring to bear in dealing with the challenges of life, and how anyone can turn obstacles into opportunities. Chris Ford’s inspirational keynote was entitled, “Pandemic, Politics, Paranoia and Pessimism: What’s not to Celebrate!?” It reminded us about the things for which we can be grateful for, even during a pandemic. One such thing could be the opportunity to attend the upcoming spring conference!
Spring conference chair, Brigitte Chan gave a lively promo for the conference in both languages. It will be held virtually on 2021-04-16 and 2021-04-17. Don’t miss the speech contests, keynotes and workshops, and the elections at the district council meeting!
In summary, the autumn celebration received many compliments and expressions of appreciation. There was no dinner or dancing, but it was free, and by all accounts, a great success. We hope to see even more members at the Autumn Celebration 2021!