Aim high—Toastmasters
“Set your goals as high as possible, shoot for . the moon,” is the message of the Toastmasters International’s world president, Mr Eric Stuhlmueller, of Canada. If you miss? “That doesn’t really matter,” says Mr Stuhlmueller. “For even if you miss you will still land among the stars.” Mr Stuhlmueller was addressing the national convention of Toastmasters in Christchurch yesterday. His advice was aimed at everybody present, including the Mayor-of Christchurch (Mr Hamish Hay). “If you want to become successful as an individual, you have to associate yourself with successful people,” Mr Stuhlmuellar said, “You have to learn to work as a team.”
The convention was addressed in turn by the Christchurch chairman (Mr Denis Lucas), the district governor (Mr D. Coomey) and Mr Hay. Mr Stuhlmueller was introduced as a German immigrant to Canada. When he arrived in his new country, in 1962, he could not speak a word of English. Mr Stuhlmueller took up the story. “When I first applied to join Toastmasters, they told me to go to night school to learn English first. At night school, they advised me to join Toastmasters as quickly as possible, . .” By 1972, the Toastmasters’ district of Manitoba, with a Mr Stuhlmueller as governor, was presented with an award as the outstanding district in the whole international organisation.
Toastmasters had given a shy young man the courage to shoot for the moon. When he became international president, he set a new theme for his organisation — “Your opportunity: belong, participate, succeed.”
“I believe that theme because it has been proved to me many, many times,” Mr Stuhlmueller said. “You all have the opportunity to belong to an organisation with a history of producing strong, confident leaders. If you belong to Toastmasters and participate, then as individuals you will succeed.” Mr Stuhlmueller presented a special medallion of Iris organisation to Mr Hay, and hoped it would be “prominently displayed.”
The convention will continue until Sunday.
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Bibliographic details
Press, 9 May 1980, Page 4
Word Count
323Aim high—Toastmasters Press, 9 May 1980, Page 4
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