Valerie B., Nov. 1, 2022
As more and more Toastmasters clubs are transitioning to hybrid, or even full in-person, meetings, we have raised some discussions of doing likewise. We are Milpitas Toastmasters, after all, and there is some thought to returning to the community that our club has long been a proud part of. However, the makeup of the club has changed significantly over the last two-and-a-half years. Some of our most valued members have moved away, and thanks to this oddly “remote closeness” brought on by technology, we have gained new members who don’t live so close by.
It’s a fine balance for the club. A significant part of practicing public speaking is facing that frozen terror many of us may encounter when standing exposed in front of a physical audience of faces. These faces see our every movement. They know exactly where our notes are. They see how we’re dressed from head to toe. (If you’re one of those who wore polka-dotted PJ pants and bunny slippers to our Zoom meetings, you know who you are!) There’s no escaping, no hiding. There’s no shutting off the camera, no muting the microphone. This is real. And this is what Toastmasters is all about.
And yet, the pandemic has brought its own form of blessings to our club. Not only can we keep up with members and guests who are no longer local to our community, but we can reach a new audience. I remember with fondness all the guests and members who’ve come and gone during my brief time I’ve been a member.
The one possible solution is hybrid. Other clubs have attested to having found success in hybrid meetings, but it does take significant planning and setup. We have to have all the equipment, as well as a stable Wi-Fi connection. This means finding a room to rent that has both and is within the club budget. I’ve attended some other club meetings with the hybrid option, and joining online still seems to be the popular choice even at those clubs. Why brave Bay Area traffic at 6:30 pm each week when you can log in at a moment’s notice from wherever you are, however dressed you are?
If we can find a suitable meeting location, I’m more than happy to give the hybrid option a try. I see significant merit in in-person practice, though I’m not yet ready to say goodbye to our lovely remote members. True, by meeting in-person, we also open our doors to Milpitas locals who may be happy to join a physical club in their proud community. But maybe I just like to hold onto the friends I know.
(This is an ongoing conversation in the club. If you have any input, please feel free to discuss it with the club or by submitting your own blog post here.)
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