Distinguished award for Toastmasters fan

When Maggie Jack joined the Katikati Toastmasters Club seven years ago she was shy, timid and afraid to speak.
"It gave me a voice I didn't have," she says.
Maggie recently gained the ultimate Toastmasters goal, the Distinguished Toastmasters Award (DTM), after being totally committed and focused for seven years to achieve the many steps required.
She's also overcome personal hurdles in accomplishing the steps required to get Toastmasters International's highest honour.
Maggie joined the club after a client of her local physiotherapy business would tell her all about it during his visits.
"After Syd Barker got me interested, I joined the Speechcraft course and it was a great place to begin," says Maggie.
"I thought 'this is for me" and continued to work through both tracks in Toastmasters, the communication and the leadership courses, simultaneously," she says. "Before I joined, I couldn't speak anywhere, I would stumble my way through - bluffing."
Many toastmasters achieve only the communication course - but to get a DTM - you have to achieve both.
The communication course has three levels, the competent communicator (10 speeches), the advanced communicator silver (10 speeches plus other acts) and the advanced communicator gold (10 speeches, acts and training fellow members).
The leadership track requires completion of the Competent Leadership Manual (10 projects with a variety of tasks), the advanced leader bronze, the advanced leader silver and the high performance leadership project.
"Initially, you're working on a club level but then on a district level, and you have to sponsor a club."
Maggie has been a Toastmaster District Governor twice, and is currently the vice-president educational for Katikati and Te Puke Toastmaster clubs and is Te Puke's president.
While time-consuming - Maggie has several speeches and activities on the go - she loves it.
"The main aim is to help others achieve - you mentor people."
Maggie has mentored and assisted many toastmasters and clubs to reach their goals.
"You get on committees, speak at loads of public events and become very comfy with the internet," she says. "It is about seeing an opportunity and saying yes. That is how you learn. Then you show what you know to others."
Since Maggie closed her physiotherapy practice, she's been able to live and breath Toastmasters. "It's what I'm passionate about and it's the best personal growth club in the world, plus it doesn't cost a fortune."
Growth in personal confidence is huge. "A couple years ago I'd done something smart and got interviewed by a journalist. I couldn't speak, I couldn't clarify my thoughts. Today I'm not perfect but I'm getting better."
While speaking is important, Maggie says understanding people, being a good listener and communicating are also important Toastmaster values.
"It's the best thing I decided to do. It's given me a voice and helped me overcome a major life obstacle - now I just have to learn to control it."