I want to take this opportunity to talk about what it means to start a new toastmasters club, what I perceive to be our legacy and our goals for the coming year.

First of all I believe that being a part of a new toastmasters club, being a charter member, is an exceptional thing. Those of us that are members of UCS Toastmasters have not only made a commitment to help ourselves but also to help many more of our fellow employees in the years to come.

And what are these benefits? Through my year and a half long association with Toastmasters, I have experienced a lot of growth and I have watched my fellow club members achieve goals that they had previously thought were impossible. One of our members ran for city council this spring. One of my dear friends competed in the district speech contest. One even began a community radio station.

I also believe that benefits of Toastmasters membership goes beyond public speaking and extends to every facet of communication between people. And as we all know, effective communication is the cornerstone to success in whatever we seek to achieve.

How did this club begin? This club began as a New Years resolution. (It is the only one that I've ever been able to keep.) I wanted to do more for people but my options were limited. I was too busy already with a full-time job and two small kids at home. Then I thought of Toastmasters. I made a few phone calls and soon found myself talking to my friend and fellow club member, Peggy Richardson. She was very enthusiastic. And even though she wasn't feeling well, she came to UCS and led a demonstration meeting. She set us on the path to becoming a club. After that meeting she went to the doctor and began a series of tests which led to a diagnosis of terminal cancer.

She has been gone over three months now. She was, of course, never able to visit us again and there have been many times that I've missed her guidance. I've wanted to see her face in the room while I was at the podium as an inexperienced president. But she was not there. Or so I thought until one day I looked around the room and into the eager, supportive, giving faces of my fellow members. This club has turned into something extraordinary. You are all exceptional but I think that we are just a little more exceptional because we were touched by Peggy. I believe that her spirit is still with us.

I also want to offer special thanks to Kevin Sears. He picked up where Peggy left off and mentored us into existence. We do appreciate his efforts.

That is our history, that is our legacy. But what about our future? We have undertaken a commitment to improve ourselves. In this regard, I would like each of our members to set a goal of delivering five manual speeches in the next year and to actively participate in other meeting roles as often as possible.

By being a member of Toastmasters, we also have made a commitment to be supportive. This means more than just being a good listener and offering constructive criticism in meetings; It also means that we must try to make every one of our daily encounters a positive and meaningful experience. We must learn to break down the walls between ourselves and others and build bridges of love and understanding.

Now setting all these lofty goals doesn't mean that we can't have fun. In fact, I want us to always make an extra effort to make our meetings to be an oasis of delight during our work week.

And I want every one of you to become the best that you can be. I want you to reach for your dreams. And I want our Toastmasters club to provide you with the skills that you need to do it. As your club president, I will do everything in my power to provide an environment that is conducive to this growth.

So you see, even though we haven't been in existence long, we do have a powerful legacy. We are a strong group full of dynamic members who have made a commitment to themselves and to each other. We have a creative officer corp who are concerned and enthusiastic. I see for us a bright future in which we all work together to grow and improve the lives of ourselves and everyone around us.