ALKHOBAR, 31 March 2006 — Last weekend a crowd of more than 700 — Toastmasters with their families and guests — enthusiastically attended the 2006 Conference for Toastmasters International Division F District 79, which was held at Le Gulf Meridien Hotel. The conference chairman was Dr. Mohammed Al-Otaibi working in cooperation with the Division F Governor Abdulrazaq A. Alturki.

According to Al-Otaibi, the conference was convened under the theme, “Leading and Leaving a Lasting Legacy,” to emphasize the importance of leadership and the concept of leaving a positive mark on society during the course of one’s life.

“It goes without saying,” remarked Al-Otaibi, “that high achieving men and women have two common characteristics. They are all leaders and they have a burning desire to leave a legacy. Actually, each of us needs to know that we have contributed to others and that our life has meaning. What we add to others, such as our families and community, is the legacy we leave.”

This year the Toastmasters were pleased to have several special guests including John Kincannon, consul general, US Consulate, Dhahran, Abdul Aziz Al-Khayyal, Senior VP of Refining and Marketing and International Operations, Saudi Aramco, and Dr. Richard P. Sirny of Maaden company. The keynote speaker at the conference was the Toastmasters Immediate Past International President, Ted Corcoran.

“Your Dreams Are Your Possibilities,” was the title of the inspirational speech Corcoran delivered at the conference.

“The secret of success is first to decide what you want to achieve. Second, decide you are willing to pay the price. Third, pay the price,” said Corcoran.

He advised that, “It’s attitude not aptitude that determines your altitude.” Corcoran’s main point was that while it’s never too late for anyone to dream, those dreams will not become reality by wishful thinking.

One person at the event who has certainly shown that dreams can become reality is the Division F Governor. In just a few short years Abdulrazaq Alturki rose from being simply a guest at local Toastmasters meetings to eventually becoming a member and then climbing to the position of Division Governor. With just three months left to serve in his term, Alturki planned great things for this conference.

“While I applaud and appreciate the commendable efforts of the Toastmasters in fostering self-development at the individual level, I believe that this conference will also promote peace and global understanding among the participants,” said Alturki.

The Division F Governor pointed out that months of planning had gone into making the event a success. It took a team of over 50 Toastmasters in areas from Administration to Finance bring the event to fruition.

The conference began with a Banner Parade in which the club president and vice president of education for each club presented the banners of all the Division F Clubs. The banners of some of the more famous clubs such as Arabian Toastmasters, Dammam Toastmasters, Dhahran Toastmasters, Elite Toastmasters, Global Toastmasters, Jubail Toastmasters, Oasis Toastmasters and Sahara Toastmasters received cheers and rowdy applause. The remainder of the two-day event was filled with workshops, contests, dining and entertainment.

The International Speech Contest was arguably the most important of the competitions. The winner of this contest has the opportunity to go all the way to the Toastmasters 75th Annual International Convention to be held in Washington D.C. in August 2006. Last weekend found the eight entrants in the contest each sharing a special gem of personal wisdom with the audience.

Sadia A. Alhejji spoke on the topic, “Appreciate Yourself.” Waleed Y. Al-Awadh presented “Revival of Good Manners.” Helen Yesurathinah asserted that “Happiness is a State of Mind.” Amjad Shadid let the audience have his view of “The Good Old Boys.” “The Hero in Us,” was the theme of Reynaldo Castillo’s talk. R.K. Shikaram focused on “Those Four Men.” And Kaleem Khan was certain, “Positive Thinking Will Get You There.” Once all the speakers’ presentations had been evaluated, it was announced that Rana Safvi who had clearly commented on “My Mother Taught Me” was the winner, followed by Al-Awadh and Shadid.

Winners of the other competitions at the conference were: Evaluation: Jacob Kuriakose; Humorous: Mona Bawazir; and Table Topics: Nazeer Gazaq.

Attendees at the conference were all quite pleased with the organization of the event and the educational value they had derived from their two days at the conference. The workshop by Dr. Daniel Murtedah on “How to Communicate Bad News and Keep Good Relations” was praised for the tactics suggested that could be used both at work and at home. A hilarious time was had by all who attended the workshop on “Having Your Audience in Your Pocket with Humor,” presented by Abdullah Abandi. On a more serious note, Dr. Earl Guile’s workshop on “Global Heath Risks,” was considered timely.

“The magic of the Toastmasters experience is that if you immerse yourself in the many opportunities that our programs offer, you will discover the power that is within you; you will discover your voice,” stated Toastmasters International President Dilip R. Abayasekara, in a message to the conference. “That discovery will then lead to your desire to help other people grow. Find your voice and serve your world.”