District 42 Toastmasters

Monthly Dispatch

September 2024

Welcome Back, District 42 Members!

As we turn the page to September, we hope you had a rejuvenating summer filled with relaxation, inspiration, and perhaps a bit of adventure. The Toastmasters journey is one of continuous growth, and we're thrilled to have you back with us as we embark on another season of learning, leading, and achieving together.

This month, we have some fantastic events lined up:

🌟 District 42 Of the Year Awards: Join us as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our members and clubs. This is a moment to honour the hard work and dedication that make District 42 shine.

📚 Turning Pages with D42 - Aspiring Authors Workshop Series: Transform your writing dreams into reality with our expert-guided workshops.

Let's make this year our best yet! Your voice, your presence, and your passion are what make District 42 exceptional.

Please send your feedback to Vesna Ivkovic - D42 Dispatch Designer.

Warm regards,

The District 42 Toastmasters Dispatch Team

Upcoming Events

See what's happening in September 2024

DISTRICT DIRECTOR'S MESSAGE

DISTRICT EVENTS

Empowering clubs for success!

Michelle Ryerson, DTM

D42 Administration Manager 2024-2025 

I am excited to continue serving as the District's Administration Manager for another year. This role allows me to give back to an organization that fosters leadership and to support our clubs in achieving success.

One of the key initiatives we've introduced is the 30-60-90 day plan. This tool is designed to help clubs stay informed of upcoming deadlines, minimizing unexpected surprises. While this plan will be a valuable resource, I also encourage you to regularly check the District Calendar for any updates or changes.

Together, we can make this a successful year for all our clubs!

Your 30-60-90 days Plan snapshot:

September 2024:

• District Council (DC) Meeting on September 14​ (The Notice of Meeting was emailed on August 14 along with the registration link.​ All Club Presidents and VP Education are voting members of the District Council​ and must attend. For further information to go: District Council Meeting)
• Workshop Series: Turning Pages with D42 - September 20
• Of the Year (OTY) Award Ceremony – September 28​
• All active Clubs resume meetings (encourage them to conduct Moments of Truth)
• Area Directors continue to conduct "official" visits to their Clubs to gather information for the Area Director's Report (District deadline is October 31​)
• Clubs continue to achieve the Smedley Award, by adding 5 new, reinstated, or dual members: Deadline date: September 30 (Toastmasters International initiative)
• Membership dues are collected and submitted online to TI by September 30 (Contributes to Goal #10 on the DCP)

October 2024:

• All Leader Call (District leadership; Division Directors; Area Directors) scheduled for October 21​
• Area Directors continue to conduct "official" visits to their Clubs to gather information for the Area Director's Report (District deadline is October 31​)
• Club Fitness Award (District initiative). Area Directors - keep track of Clubs in their Area who have:
• submitted their Club Success Plan, ​
• conducted Moments of Truth,
• updated Club Rosters​

Clubs must complete all three tasks by October 31

• Workshop Series: Turning Pages with D42 - October 18

November 2024:

• Daylight saving time end change: November 05​
• Club Officer mid-year training begins November 1 – COT dates will be posted on the District Calendar
• Division Directors begin plans for Leadership Training events: November to February
• The last date to submit the remaining Area Director reports to Toastmasters International - is November 30
• Workshop Series: Turning Pages with D42 - November 16

The District Calendar is available for you to continue to be updated with District events. If your club is celebrating an upcoming special event (ie: Open house, anniversary) you would like to post on the District Calendar, simply fill out the Submit New Event Form.

Save the Date - District 42 Conference!

Richard Lee-Thai

D42 Conference Chair

The District 42 Conference will be happening in Lethbridge from Friday, May 2 to Sunday, May 4, 2025. Join us for a valuable weekend filled with connection and education! The Conference Planning Committee is also still looking for a Finance Chair. If you are interested in being involved, please email DCconferencechair@d42tm.org. Registration for the Conference will open later this year.  

District 42 Of The Year Awards

Eugene Sicat, DTM

Past District Director



District 42 OTY awards recognize our hard-working leaders’ dedication, commitment, enthusiasm and service from July 1st – June 30th each year.

Date: September 28, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM Mountain Time

Past District Director, Eugene Sicat, DTM, will be hosting this year’s OTY awards. The OTY awards recognize outstanding performance in a variety of roles and positions within Toastmasters. To be nominated is an immense honour.  Every nominee has already won at the Club, Area, and Division level. Additionally, during the event, Eugene will acknowledge the areas and divisions that have reached distinguished status.

Registration is required: Click HERE to register.

REPORTS

Leading the Charge with Training, Education, and Event Excellence

Debbie Stearns, DTM

D42 Program Quality Director

The District 42 Program Quality Team has hit the ground running, setting the pace for a productive year ahead, even before the official start on July 1. This year, we are fortunate to have a dedicated Training Committee, chaired by Marg Ustupski, with members Mary Schoendorfer, Ksenija Crnogorac, Kathleen Goebel, and Michelle Ryerson. This dynamic team is already hard at work, focusing on club officer training and district training initiatives to ensure that all members receive the support and resources they need to succeed.

Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Chuck LeBlanc is serving as the Education Chair, bringing his expertise to enhance the learning experiences within the district. 

Our conference planning is also well underway, with Richard Lee-Thai leading as the Conference Chair. He will be coordinating the much-anticipated District 42 Conference in Lethbridge, scheduled for May 2-4, 2025.

As we continue to build momentum, we invite anyone interested in contributing to these efforts to get involved. Whether you’re passionate about training, education, or event planning, there are opportunities for you to make a difference in our district. If you’re eager to join any of these committees, please reach out—we would love to have you on board!

Building Momentum: District 42’s Path to Growth and Success

Lynnette Zotzman, DTM

Club Growth Director

What a ride it has been! It’s hard to believe it’s only been eight weeks since I started as your Club Growth Director. In this short time, I’ve received a wealth of information, training, and support, and have been truly inspired. I am confident that this will be a fantastic year of growth for District 42.

Please join me in welcoming the Club Growth Team:

• Club Extension Committee: We are fortunate to have Brad Korbo and Brian Fegan as our co-chairs. Both have previously led this committee and bring extensive experience in new club development and extension. They had a strong team, including Ksenija Crnogorac, Ali Haider, and Laura Chambers, with more members to come. Are you interested in helping build new clubs, becoming a sponsor, or mentoring? Join one of our committee meetings to learn more, or contact us at cgd@d42tm.org for more information.
• Club Coach Committee: A big thank you to Cathy Morrell for continuing as the Club Coach Chair, a role she held alongside co-chair Marg Ustupski last year. We are grateful that Marg has agreed to stay on as an advisor, ensuring a smooth transition. We’re also excited to have Jackie Harbidge, a valued member of last year’s team, continuing with us this year. Joining Cathy and Jackie are Past Division Director Neha Mandal and Past Area Director Mike Krakalovich, who bring their knowledge and passion to supporting clubs in District 42. We have a strong team ready to assist our coaches. Are you interested in becoming a coach? Join the Club Coach Connection sessions on the last Thursday of the month, or contact me at cgd@d42tm.org.

A special thank you to Past Club Growth Director Debbie Stearns and her team of rockstars for setting the District up for success. We started this year with 104 clubs and 3,532 membership payments!

Challenges and progress: We’ve been addressing several challenges throughout the summer. Two clubs are currently suspended but working towards reinstatement, while two others have declared their intent to dissolve. Additionally, 45 clubs have 12 or fewer members and may require coaching. On the other hand, we only have 11 active coaches and are inviting more to join us. On a positive note, one club is set to charter in September, and the Club Extension Committee is following up on other promising leads.

For membership, we need 1,600 payments after the October renewals to stay on track. To put this in perspective, we had 1,526 payments in last October’s dues, so this goal is achievable, especially since we’ve added five clubs since then. Don’t forget to get those renewals in by September 30!

I am incredibly inspired, encouraged, and excited to work with District 42 this year!

Let's lead and grow this year!!!

Club Officer Training Report

Marg Ustupski

Leadership Training Committee Chair

As of August 27, 69% of District 42's club officers, totalling 486 individuals, have received training. We wish to thank everyone who assisted with or attended the training.  Thank you 

• To the leaders who took time to plan and organize the 10 trainings that took place in District 42 from June to August.
• To the facilitators, who took their time to prepare for and present training sessions.
• To the moderators, who took their time to assist the facilitators.
• To the timers, who kept events on time.
• To the tech team members, who set up and ran the training platforms.
• To the 482 club officers, who took time to attend training.

D42 Shines on the Toastmasters International Stage

Daisy Wei, DTM

District 42 Director

District 42 achieved remarkable success in 2023-2024, earning recognition during the 100th Anniversary Grand Ceremony in Anaheim, CA, held from August 14-18, 2024.

Our district proudly received three prestigious plaques.

• Past Club Growth Director Debbie Stearns was honoured with the Club Growth Award for her leadership in achieving a net gain of two clubs by the end of the year.
• Past District Director Eugene Sicat earned the Club Strength Award for a remarkable 26.55% increase in membership. District 42 was also ranked second in membership growth among over 100 districts worldwide—a testament to our collective efforts.
• In addition, our previous Region Advisor, Catherine Secundiak, received the President’s Citation for her exceptional service and contribution to the Toastmasters community. We were also awarded the President’s 20-Plus Award for successfully motivating clubs to achieve and maintain charter strength, with 32.69% of our clubs boasting 20 or more members. Furthermore, we received the President’s Extension Award in recognition of our outstanding achievements in club extension and retention, with a net growth of two clubs.

These achievements are the result of the tremendous work of our Club Extension and Club Retention Committees. A special thank you goes to Brad Korbo, Verge Monton, Brian Fegan, Marg Ustupski, and Cathy Morrell. To all our Club Coaches, Club Sponsors, New Club Mentors, and Club Officers, your dedication and leadership have truly made District 42 stand out on the international stage.

D42 Leaders and Members at the 100th Anniversary Celebration

Daisy Wei, DTM

District 42 Director

We celebrated Toastmasters' 100th anniversary in grand style in Anaheim, CA, from August 14-18, 2024.

District 42 was well-represented by our District Trio: District Director Daisy Wei, Program Quality Director Debbie Stearns, and Club Growth Director Lynnette Zotzman. Before the festivities began, they attended a two-day leadership training session, which was rich with knowledge and experience sharing. It was also a valuable opportunity to learn from leaders of other districts.

Photo Album

The celebration kicked off with inspiring keynote speakers and educational sessions. The schedule was packed with sessions, panel discussions, workshops, booths, and networking activities. One of the most significant events was the Business Meeting, where the District Trio had the chance to meet international leaders in person before casting their votes. Representing our district, the District Director carried proxies assigned by our clubs to vote for the new Toastmasters International leaders.

The highlight of the event was the World Championship of Public Speaking, part of the 100th Anniversary Grand Ceremony. Each year, thousands of Toastmasters from over 100 countries compete for this prestigious title. Attendees had the opportunity to watch the semi-finalists’ winning speeches, either onsite or online. This year, Louisa Montalvo won the title of World Champion of Public Speaking 2024, marking the culmination of a competition that began at the club level and progressed through the Area, Division, District, and region quarterfinals.

Several members from District 42 attended the grand ceremony, representing not only Alberta and Saskatchewan but also connecting with members from outside of the District boundary. For the first time, we were able to give a warm hug to Natalia Garibay, who is a member in Mexico with Connected Communicator Club, a member we’ve interacted with online for years.

Do you have a plan to celebrate the 100th year of Toastmasters? How does your club want to improve for the next 100 years?

BLOG

AROUND THE DISTRICT

Turning Pages with District 42

A Workshop Series for Aspiring Authors

Vesna Ivkovic

D42 Webmaster/ Dispatch Designer

Dear D42 Members and Aspiring Authors,

We are excited to invite you to the first of 3 online workshops in our Turning Pages with District 42 - A Workshop Series for Aspiring Authors.

Presentation by Irma:

• Using AI in Writing
• Writing tips

Panel Discussion with Kelly and Darlene:

• Gain insight into the creative process of bringing your book to life.
• Learn how to recognize and overcome 7 common stumbling blocks that bog writers down.
• Discuss practical ways to approach editing and polishing your manuscript.

Presenters:

• Irma Goosen ( TEDx Speaker, Author)
• Kelly Kaur (Writer, Author, Speaker, Lecturer)
• Darlene Dafoe Davies (Author, Speaker, Mentor)

This workshop is designed for anyone interested in writing, whether you’re a beginner or have a manuscript in progress. You’ll leave with practical knowledge and inspiration to take your writing to the next level.

CLICK HERE to register.

Don’t miss this opportunity to bring your stories to life and start your journey to becoming a published author!

Smedley Award

Lynnette Zotzman, DTM

Club Growth Director

Can your club add five new, dual, or reinstated members with a join date between August 1 and September 30? Accomplish this goal and you’ll qualify to receive a Smedley Award ribbon, named in honour of Ralph Smedley, which you can display on your club’s banner, 10% off at the Toastmasters Store, and be entered into a draw for a $25 certificate.

DID YOU KNOW

PR GUIDELINES & PUBLICATION RULES

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY