There's a Lot of Life in the Hospitality Suite at District Conference

Becky Miller and Pauline Lesch of Cooke County
Area Toasters, two of the masterminds of the
Hospitality Suite of the Fall 2012 conference.

I had the least important job on the conference committee; I was in charge of the Hospitality Suite. The reason that I say that the job was the least important job is because the Fall Conference would still have been a huge success if there hadn't been a Hospitality Suite. The keynote addresses would have been just as inspirational and the educational sessions would have been equally as informative. The dinners would have been served on time and the beds would have still felt like heaven by the time we collapsed into them at night. Yes, the conference would have carried on without a Hospitality Suite.

However, I spent a lot of time in the Hospitality Suite and what I witnessed was significant. People were rekindling friendships that have been built over several years of conferences and contests. Laughter, baby pictures, and news of friends unable to attend the conference were shared. Men and women sat around tables freely giving advice about how to build clubs, how to maintain enthusiasm and how to bounce back from unforeseen drops in memberships. New and instant friendships were started as seasoned Toastmasters approached “First Timers,” shook their hands, asked how they liked the conference, and told them to be sure and call if they needed help with anything. The President of Toastmasters International, John Lau, sat at a table with both newbies and veteran Toastmasters, exchanging stories and experiences. The Hospitality Suite was a melting pot of personalities, educational levels, cultures, and shared successes and failures.

Kay Kinser, another CCAT member, was on hand
to help run a great hospitality show.

Those who attended the conference but never entered the Hospitality Suite had a wonderful experience this weekend. But from what I observed, those who did spend some time there added a richness and depth to the occasion that simply cannot be generated in planned, formal events. If you are fortunate enough to be able to attend the Spring Conference in May, I hope that you will take the time to visit the Hospitality Suite. Eat a cookie, drink a Coke, and build relationships that may enrich your life forever.

Becky Miller
Cooke County Area Toasters