by Joyce Trimble, Summit Manager
I was born and raised in Tyler, Texas …. within a few years our family moved to Mexia and Nacogdoches where our dad worked in construction. My sister and I grew up pampered by an uncle, aunt, and grandmother. We “helped” pick watermelons on the family farm which consisted mostly of finding a good one, eating out the ripe middle, and turning it over for the birds to devour. We learned to drive a stick shift before our legs could reach the pedals ~~ they were controlled by our uncle. Driving came in handy when we drove the tractors. We didn’t just go for an overnight visit, we stayed Friday – Sunday night. Playing 42 on Saturday was the highlight of the visit. Judy and I recently inherited the entire farm that our grandparents purchased in 1910. I don’t have to “Travel by Map” to go for a visit but I do “Dare To Dream” of having a family getaway on my portion for the family to enjoy. Returning to live there is no longer realistic, just a dream.
I studied to become a Della Reese to some lucky Perry Mason. That didn’t materialize but I did find Carl Trimble during my first year at Tyler Junior College and as they say, the rest is history. We were engaged within 3 months and married within 9. Someday, and if you ask me, I’ll tell you about the Friday he and I both came to school with the other clearly in our plans and then there is the Sunday afternoon he picked me up early for a date.
I had 3 attempts at Toastmasters. My first experience was in the 80s at a corporate club. My manager and I decided to visit and I don’t even remember being welcomed. I saw no reason to pursue something that didn’t even make sense what they were doing … and I didn’t …. UNTIL EMC Mortgage brought Toastmasters to their managers. Eventually, I was encouraged to participate and I did; and enjoyed it. I served as President for a brand new and 2nd club that lives on at Chase. After leaving I went on a long sabbatical until I worked temporarily at Corelogic. I rejoined and enjoyed the weekly meetings. I found permanent employment at Nationstar and immediately found another club, Flower Mound, thinking it would be a long time before I could successfully launch Toastmasters at Nationstar Mortgage. It took less than 6 months and I was suddenly in two clubs and busy busy busy; and loving every minute of it. I had just entered the empty nest portion of my life and Toastmasters gave me an avenue to be creative and to use those mothering skills I had just lost. If you are one of my babies, you know who you are.
My unique middle name is a combination of my mother’s and dad’s middle names: GILbert and lorENE – Gilene. While I love my middle name I never wanted to hear it because it was usually JOYCE GILENE!!! But my nickname; oh I love it Chancee. Mother heard something that sounded like that meaning love and I was forever Chancee. Knowing I would never hear the name again when both parents were deceased, I decided it would be my grandmother’s name. No name could be sweeter to the ear than 4 little ones calling your name.
I accepted the D25 Summit Manager position … because Jamie Pickering asked me! A one-day event could easily fit into my schedule (I was very vocal that I WOULD NOT Chair a 2-day conference) and it had never been done before. Jamie and I could work together another year and create something new for the district … there would never be another 1st Summit.
