Fellow Toastmasters,

Many men join Club 1600 because of its rich history. This Club has a proven record for producing men that are forward thinking and progressive. Since our inception in 1968, this Club has assisted in the professional and personal growth of many great men who have become effective leaders in our nation. Through history, this Club has made budding leaders blossom and established leaders better. Today, the philosophy of the Program remains unchanged. I believe in the philosophy of the ‘1600 Man’. The 1600 Man is an honourable man; a man of substance; one that children look up to, men want to emulate. He has embraced the Toastmasters Program and studied the lessons taught by our leaders. Your President and executives are committed to producing more 1600 Men through teach the ideals craved out by rich legacy of The First Bahamas Branch.

Life is filled with instances where individuals are often misunderstood because of their inability to communicate effectively. Our aim is to bridge the gap of misunderstanding through effective communication. Further to this, our vision is to develop, refine and enhance the art of communication through the Toastmasters Program. As students of this school of communication, my challenge to you is to encourage more individuals to realize the need for effective communication and become actively involved in the Toastmasters program.

I believe that we determine our own destiny and the effort that we place on improving our leadership and communication skills are directly related to the level of success we achieve. The Toastmasters Program sets guidelines and provides educational material that affords us the opportunity to practice leadership and communication in a controlled and positive learning environment. If the old adage of ‘Practice makes perfect’ holds true, then we as Toastmasters have a higher probability to succeed than non-Toastmasters, especially when we apply ourselves accordingly. Toastmasters Club 1600 is the flagship club in the Bahamas. The leadership training of the First Bahamas Branch is evident through the many distinguished gentleman that have passed through the halls of our organization and are now successful in society.

Under the theme, ‘Leadership…the Goal, Communication…the Bridge, Toastmasters…the Pathway to success, your new executive team has sort to elevate the Club’s Leadership and Communication practices and lead this Club along the Pathway to Success.

Regards,

Chato R. Outten

President