Daily News

Steve Lanning Selected as Toastmaster of the Year by District Leadership

SPRINGFIELD — Toastmasters International announced that Steve Lanning was selected as Toastmaster of the Year by district leadership during its annual officer meeting. Lanning is the current president of Toastmasters of Downtown Springfield, and the outgoing Division F director for District 53 of Toastmasters International.

This annual award goes to the District 53 Toastmaster who has demonstrated year-long dedication to, and leadership within, District 53; committed to assisting other members in making their own progress; and upheld the core values of Toastmasters International: integrity, respect, service, and excellence.

Lanning is a six-year Toastmasters member who earned the Distinguished Toastmaster Award, the organization’s highest award, in 2019. He also earned seven educational awards in the just-ended club year. Lanning stepped down as Division F director on July 1 to assume the role of Area F63 director for the next club year.

“I love what I do, and my efforts are appreciated by both the members and the leadership,” Lanning said when asked why he volunteers so much. “My true calling would have been as a teacher, but I wasn’t ready for that until I joined Toastmasters.”

Toastmasters is a program designed to help members throughout the world develop communication and leadership skills in any setting with any group. Toastmasters of Downtown Springfield currently meets online through Zoom, and welcomes guests to check out a meeting. Visit 6081.toastmastersclubs.org for the Zoom link and more information. When on-site meetings are ultimately held, the location is Cambridge College at Tower Square in downtown Springfield.