Local woman earns Toastmaster honor

JOHN DAY – Athena Moline, a John Day resident and founder of the local Toastmasters club, recently received the District Toastmaster of the Year Award.

The district includes clubs in Eastern Washington, Northeastern Oregon and Northern Idaho.

Moline participated in Toastmasters speaking clubs in San Diego, Calif., and Bend before moving to John Day in January 2004, when she discovered that the nearest club was 127 miles away in Pendleton. She decided John Day needed its own Toastmasters club.

With the assistance of the Pendleton group, a demonstraton meeting was held in September 2004. With hard work and promotion, the Rising Stars Toastmasters of John Day amassed the 20 members needed to charter a club on June 8, 2005.

“When I first came to John Day, most people never even heard of Toastmasters,” she said. “Today most of the people in our community know the exceptional quality of our communication and leadership programs. We have a very dedicated and enthusiastic membership.”

She said it was a great honor to receive the district award, since “there are so many talented people in the district.”

In June, Moline will have completed the requirements for the Distinguished Toastmasters Award, the highest recognition in the international organization.

She currently is area governor for the Eastern Oregon clubs in John Day, Hermiston and Pendleton, with plans to establish clubs in La Grande and Baker City.

The Rising Stars club meets the first and third Thursdays of the month at 6:30 a.m. in the Cornerstone Coffeehouse at 139 Dayton St. Visitors are welcome to attend.

The club also will hold a speech contest at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at the coffeehouse. Four speakers will talk for five to seven minutes each, and there will be refreshments.