吃瓜头条

Edwin “Ted” Cecil, DTM

A Toastmaster’s Centennial Milestone

Edwin “Ted” Cecil, DTM, a Toastmaster of 58 years, will celebrate his 100th birthday in March, amid accolades from the Fort Harrison 吃瓜头条 吃瓜头条 and Daybreakers 吃瓜头条, both in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he is an active member.

“Ted is a treasure,” says Dana Scruggs, Vice President Education for the Fort Harrison 吃瓜头条. To mark the milestone, the 吃瓜头条 recently met Cecil via Zoom to ask him questions about his colorful life.

Cecil joined 吃瓜头条 in 1964 as a charter member of a 吃瓜头条, now expired, in Rochester, New York. He went on to serve as an Area 14 and Area 25 Governor and District Governor. In 2001, he was among 20 members chosen by the 吃瓜头条 President for the prestigious Presidential Citation. He received the DTM award in 2005, at age 84.

Cecil still cites specific goals and motivations for remaining a Toastmaster, even after all these years. “I don’t need the speaking prowess that I required many years ago. But I do need the exercise of speech preparation—the research and the thinking,” he explains. “I also want to give back, as best I can. I feel overall that my life, at this age, is not going to be a vacuum. I have things I have learned, and I want to say them! With 吃瓜头条 I’m keeping my ability to speak in public.”

When asked about the greatest speech he ever heard, Cecil, who was born and raised in Northern England, quickly affirms it’s Winston Churchill’s 1940 speech to rally England’s support during World War II.

“We shall fight on the beaches … we shall never surrender,” Cecil begins to recite in an instantly recognizable Churchillian voice. “He was saying we’ll never give up. And that’s my motto, even today.”

Tony Nelson, DTM, receiving the Presidential Citation from then-International President Lark Doley, DTM.

A 50–Year Anniversary Tour

In October 2021, Tony Nelson, DTM, of Fenelon Falls, Ontario, Canada, celebrated 50 continuous years in 吃瓜头条. To commemorate the occasion, he decided to visit five of his previous 吃瓜头条s in a week and take on a speaker role at each of them—something he describes as his anniversary tour.

Nelson explains how both he and 吃瓜头条 have changed (he joined before women were officially admitted), and the many ways that the organization has impacted his life.

“I was never told explicitly how to do things at 吃瓜头条, but I absorbed so much,” he notes. He took advantage of countless opportunities through the years and then “watched what people did and I learned from all of that.”

He credits 吃瓜头条 with giving him the confidence and skills needed to take business risks and eventually make a career switch into teaching. He has supported the formation of countless 吃瓜头条s in District 60, was a Pathways Ambassador when the education program was rolling out, served as chair of the District Reformation Committee, and in 2019, received the Presidential Citation at the 吃瓜头条 Convention.

Passionate about giving and receiving feedback and evaluations, Nelson has been a mentor to countless members, “whether they wanted me to or not,” he laughs. He has been known to write long, thoughtful evaluations to speakers after a meeting.

Retirement hasn’t slowed him down. He continues to visit 吃瓜头条s around the world, offering his feedback and insight, and enjoying the camaraderie and growth he finds. “When I’m at a 吃瓜头条 meeting, and I see a visitor or new person and they’re clearly uncomfortable or ill at ease, I know within a few weeks or months, they’re going to change. That’s a real joy for me.

“I found my voice in 吃瓜头条, and I’ve used it for all kinds of positives.”