December 10, 2021
Dear Club Presidents and District Directors,
Over the past several weeks, World Headquarters has received a growing number of inquiries regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and/or masking requirements. Club officers are seeking guidance on whether vaccination and/or masking requirements can or need to be enforced for clubs to meet in person, and Districts are questioning the need for proof of vaccination and/or masking requirements for attendees to attend District-sponsored events.
Toastmasters International does not have policies regarding a requirement to provide proof of vaccination or to wear a mask to meet in person to attend events. As we have learned, the impact of the virus varies drastically from one place to another. Therefore, it is not feasible to create a policy that would be applicable to members and clubs worldwide.
Instead, we recommend that each club and District adhere to:
- Local governmental restrictions for in-person gatherings.
- Specific requirements set by the venue at which the club meeting or District event is taking place.
We hope that this information will help our clubs and Districts reach a resolution that meets all comfort levels. Please share this with your teams and club officers.
Sincerely,
Club Member Support and District Growth Support Teams
Toastmasters International
www.toastmasters.org
Read the latest Ontario guidance for Indoor & Outdoor events.
Lots of options exist for online meetings; explore and choose the one that’s best for your club
– ZOOM training
Skype
GoToMeeting
Google Hangouts
Microsoft Teams
Webex
Resources to help clubs transition to virtual meetings:
– How to hold online club meetings (webinar)
– D108 – How to Organize Online Mtgs Webinar (blog)
– Mark Bowden – tips from body language expert (video)
We hope this information helps your clubs during this challenging time. Please contact our Club and Member Support team at World Headquarters with questions at clubquality@toastmasters.org.