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Excellence, performance, and camaraderie – are key adjectives that describe the Afterburners Toastmasters Club. Chartered on March 1, 1986, Afterburners has taken care of business for more than 36 years. Originally, a corporate club and one of 33 clubs at General Dynamics, Afterburners survived layoffs at the company and converted to community club status in 1991.
Club President, Phillip Silas, DTM, attributes the club’s longevity and success to its unwavering focus on the growth of each member. The club philosophy is reflected in the phrase “when a member achieves, the club achieves.” The club banner sags under the weight of the multitude of award ribbons earned by the club.
Afterburners also believe in giving back to the community. The club partners with the Tarrant County government and conducts Youth Leadership programs twice annually for children of county employees. In return, the county provides free meeting space to the club – a win-win partnership for the club and community.
An Afterburners' meeting is the epitome of organization. All meeting roles were filled and each role player was fully prepared. Meetings are “textbook” starting with a warm welcome for visitors before the meeting. Printed agendas and ballots were provided to each attendee. In addition, a one-page write-up was provided at the meeting I attended on the “Afterburner of the Month.” December’s awardee was Evan Escher. The write-up included insights into the honoree’s background and hobbies among other interesting facts.
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D25 INFORMATION 
