COVID-19 has turned the usual upside down, but our club was well prepared to operate in a totally virtual world.
Traditionally, Toastmasters clubs meet in person. Before COVID-19, there were less than two dozen clubs worldwide charted as Online Clubs – with 100% virtual meetings.
However, there has been a provision for conventional clubs to include online attendance. Clearwater Renaissance Speakers was one of the few clubs to adventure into the “hybrid” meeting format.
Several years ago, our club went hybrid. It’s a bit easier said than done. There are all the logistics to work out… internet access, cameras, microphones. Per Toastmasters International guidelines, the meeting experience must be a completely two-way street. Conventional meeting attendees must be able to see and hear all virtual attendees and vice versa.
When COVID-19 stormed through the world, our club was in a great position to rally. Without missing a scheduled meeting, we leapt into the new virtual normal. We already had our Zoom account and with just a few keystrokes, we were in business.
It’s been a great adventure. Of course, we have had our share of children running and playing in the background… Dogs trying their voice in Table Topics… Bandwidth challenges…
One of the best experiences has been that we have had guests from around the world. Every club has its own ambiance and sharing the cross-cultural Toastmasters experience has really helped us up our game. The infusion of new ideas and meeting nuances has made our new normal and incredibly fun normal.
Clearwater Renaissance Speakers can truly say that COVID-19 brought something positive to our club’s table.
Going forward, we will eventually get back to in person meetings, but don’t look to see this club dropping away from online attendance. “Hybrid” meetings are our normal.
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