Toastmasters District 18
Newsletter
September 2024️
| |
|
We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence. | |
“Words have power, words are power, words could be your power. You can change a life, inspire your nation and make... this world a beautiful place.” -Mohammed Qahtani, 2015 World Champion of Public Speaking and Author | |
|
Dear Reader,
As a Toastmaster, I'm certain that you are careful with selecting "the right words" when you give a speech. Are you as careful with your word selection during everyday conversations? I think that we, as Toastmasters, have unique insight into the power of words, and I hope that all of us are intentional about wielding this power! A few well-chosen words can make someone else's day, and a few thoughtless words can ruin their day. And that's just the proverbial tip of the iceberg! I think that the potential for our words to have huge impact was best characterized by Mohammed Qahtani in his winning speech, "The Power of Words," at the 2015 World Championship of Public Speaking (see the quote near the top of this newsletter).
In this month's issue, our District Director and Program Quality Director provide their perspectives on the power of words, and how that relates to certain Toastmasters activities. We also recognize recent member achievements, celebrate the conclusion of a successful club officer training season, learn about a new club growth initiative from our Club Growth Director, reflect on the International Convention, get an update on Pathways, and prepare for the upcoming contest season.
My goal, along with the rest of the D18 leadership team, is to use the power of words (and pictures and videos) to make this newsletter as engaging and informative as possible. Please click the "Provide Feedback" button near the bottom of this newsletter and use your words to shape future editions by providing your thoughts, suggestions, and ideas. We genuinely appreciate our readers, and promise to carefully consider every suggestion.
| |
ATTENTION! Some email clients (especially Gmail email clients) may not display the full content of this email. If you do not see the "Provide Feedback" button near the bottom, please use the "View as Web Page" link at the top to view the full content of this newsletter. | | |
|
Please watch this month's video message from our District Director. (An audio transcript follows beneath the video.)
If you do not see the video thumbnail image immediately below, you should still be able to play the video by clicking below; however, if you want to see the thumbnail image, adding dd@district18toastmasters.ccsend.com to your Contacts list/Address Book and restarting your email client may help. Alternatively, use the "View as Web Page" link at the top of this newsletter.
| |
 | |
Video Transcript - The Power of Words
When Edward Bulwer-Lytton famously wrote, “The pen is mightier than the sword”, he may have been focused on the written word, but his truth extends to all words, written and spoken.
At our International Convention last month, District 18 members participated in the election of our new International Officers and Directors. Their words - during the months of campaigning beforehand, and in their two-minute campaign speeches - inspired others to put their faith in them and elect them. Going forward, their words will shape and define the future of this organization.
Words can uplift us, energize us, and motivate us. They can console us, comfort us, and connect us. They can also demoralize us, dissuade us, and deject us. Words we hear about ourselves and believe about ourselves can also label and shape us, positively or negatively. We can also use our words to shape our goals and our focus.
Knowing how powerful words can be, let’s focus this month on speaking the words that align with our goals, help shape our futures on a positive path, and encourage others. Let’s harness the power of words for positive change.
An important event of note this month is our District Council Meeting on Sunday, September 15th from 2 to 5 PM on Zoom. There we will hear the words of our District leaders as they report status, and all District Council members will have the opportunity to use the power of words as we conduct district business. Note that the District Council consists of our District Officers, Division Directors, Area Directors, Club Presidents, and Club Vice Presidents Education. If you are a District Council member, please register now and plan to participate!
As you think about the power of our words, remember this quote from Mother Teresa: "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
Editor’s Note: You can register for the District Council Meeting here; also, John has provided a correction to the video: the meeting is scheduled to end at 4 PM. More details are available on the website: https://www.toastmasters-d18.org/fall-2024-virtual-business-meeting.
| |
It's Game Day!
This year’s 2024 World Championship of Public Speaking in Anaheim, California was a masterclass in the Power of Words. District 18 was so proud to have two members, Dr. Cheryl Wood and Mansur Hasib, compete. Huge audiences filled the semi-final and final rounds, where there wasn’t an empty chair in sight. The speeches were so exceptional that my fellow audience members and I couldn’t tell who the “top speakers” were. Every speaker was inspiring, and deserved to win.
Returning from the conference, I continued to see the Power of Words at club meetings. I watched Keith Campbell give his Icebreaker Speech entitled “Pre-Season is Over”. Keith took his fellow Toastmasters on a journey about his love of football, and a tragic spinal cord injury that left him in a wheelchair. Even though the injury happened through football, he still loved the game. His positivity and perseverance made him ready for life’s challenges. One challenge was taking on an insurance company that said his wheelchair wasn’t medically necessary. Keith concluded his speech by telling his fellow Toastmasters that “Pre-season is now over. It’s game day. You can do it!”
Keith reminded me that we don’t have to travel far to hear a powerful speech. You can captivate audiences at your own Toastmasters club meetings. Keith also reminded me that the “pre-season” in Toastmasters is now over. Our club officers were trained in July and August. Now, “it’s game day!”— time to be our best, have our best meetings, and give our best speeches. The Toastmasters game is about achieving our highest potential using the Power of Words. Put on your game face this month and give your best speech at a club meeting. As Keith Campbell says, “You can do it!”
| |
Newest Distinguished Toastmaster Award
| |
Congratulations to Michael Hoy, DTM, of Delmarva Toastmasters for earning an additional DTM award on August 20, 2024. The DTM award represents the highest level of educational achievement in Toastmasters. Please join me in congratulating and celebrating Michael's latest DTM award!
| | | |
Newest Triple Crown Award | |
The Triple Crown Award is one of the most prestigious educational awards in Toastmasters, presented to members who have achieved three or more educational and leadership awards within a program year (July 1 - June 30).
The first five Triple Crown recipients of 2024/2025 were recognized in last month's newsletter. Please help me congratulate and celebrate our most recent Triple Crown recipient:
-
John Comberiate, DTM (LD1, LD2, LD3)
| | | |
|
The 2024/2025 contest season is coming up fast! District 18 will conduct two contests this year: Evaluation Speech Contest and International Speech Contest. The schedule is presented below. Find the Speech Contest Rulebook for 2024/2025 here.
|
| | |
District 18 Fundraiser Heads-Up: Side Splitter Challenge | | | |
Labor (of Love) Day, by Craig Delfosse, DTM
Labor Day weekend is here! To me, that means that summer training sessions have ended, and hundreds of our District 18 officers answered the call to take part in this twice-a-year ritual we call Club Officer Training (COT). In fact, we had more than 100 officers from other districts worldwide take part in the training our district offered. I want to honor all of you who kept your commitment to your club by attending training. I look forward to seeing you at the next round that starts in November!
I would also like to recognize the Toastmasters that not only made summer training possible, but made it great! The story begins back in May when I was given the privilege to put together the training for the district this year. The first thing I did? Looked for a team of consummate leaders to help give club officers the best possible training we could offer. I made eight calls, and without hesitation, received six “yes, absolutely I will help” answers. The other two – life simply had other plans for them this summer. From that start, we built a team that strived to meet the standards of excellence embodied in the Toastmasters core values. These Toastmasters gave up evenings and weekends so that our district could provide high quality training. I am deeply grateful to this terrific group of Toastmasters:
|  | |
In addition to Role Leads and Trainers, I had a core group of specialized trainers including Kris Pool, DTM (from District 35), Oscar Zalamia, DTM, Catherine Damavandi, Kim Kilduff, and Janet Leary-Prowse whose presentations exemplified the core value of excellence.
Then there are three wonderful people who made the meetings start on time, stay on time, and end on time, and managed the chat at the same time. My heartfelt thanks to Sue Wilson, Alison Mee, and Athena McCoy.
All the trainings were hosted by our division leaders, with some serving as Toastmaster of the Day on Zoom. Three divisions took up the challenge to move us back toward in-person training, so for all their hard work, thank you to Division A Director Kathy Love-Moore, DTM, Division C Director Dr. Roxanne Liebermann, and Vicky Fields for Division D.
Do you see the labor behind these trainings? The quality of training we had was a direct reflection of the energy, time and commitment to excellence that was shown by all of these Toastmasters.
Now I want to challenge you! When October comes and we put out a call for volunteers to staff the next amazing team, don’t be shy. Take on the labor of love that is the Club Officer Training and let your excellence shine through.
| |
Editor's Note: Kudos to Craig Delfosse, DTM for his energy, time, and commitment to excellence in leading our district's training program!
| Top: TLI Dean, Craig Delfosse, DTM; Bottom: Training participants at final District 18 Summer Toastmasters Leadership Institute/Club Officer Training session in Martinsburg, West Virginia on August 31 | | |
|
In honor of our founder, Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, who never meant for Toastmasters to be a solo endeavor — Toastmasters International is promoting the Plus One Pledge to spread his vision. To support you in using this pledge to grow your club, these resources offer strategies and tips for turning guests into enthusiastic members:
You can use the Plus One Pledge to help your club recruit enough members by September 30th to earn the Smedley Award (see the CGD Corner in the August newsletter for more details), as well as other club awards available through Toastmasters Membership Building programs throughout the year.
If you wish to continue your journey toward DTM, consider being a “Club Coach”, a “New Club Sponsor” or “New Club Mentor”.
If you desire to be a Club Coach, email the Club Retention Chair, Terri Abramovitz, at terri.toastmasters@gmail.com. Please note: there are changes to the Club Coach process. Find more details by searching online for “Toastmasters Club Coach FAQ”, and “Club Coach Agreement.”
If you desire to be a New Club Sponsor or New Club Mentor, email the Club Extension Chair, Diane Tichnell at hilltop4you@gmail.com.
I hope to announce changes to the District 18 Club Growth Programs at the end of the Fall Business meeting on September 15th.
| | |
|
|
The Toastmaster magazine was first published in 1933 as the successor to The Gavel - a small, six-page mimeographed bulletin. The magazine has evolved considerably over the years, with changes to the frequency and methods of publication, and the size and format of the content. The most significant change, however, may have been the indefinite suspension of the print edition in 2020 due to the impact of the pandemic.
The magazine continues to provide great content which can be accessed online. Find more information in the June 2023 magazine sidebar, How to Read the Toastmaster Magazine.
In addition, a printed special centennial edition is planned for publication this month. Order yours from the online store: single copy (Item 6820) or a set of 10 copies (Item 6820S).
| |
International Convention Recap | |
One Hundred Years in the Making
More than twenty District 18 Toastmasters attended the International Convention last month in Anaheim, in the same county and close to the place where it all started in Santa Ana, California in 1924. From Dr. Ralph Smedley's humble beginnings to now - with clubs in 150 countries, Toastmasters International is the Olympics of Leadership Development. That was on full display as the convention kicked off with a parade of flags from all member countries. Our very own Matriarch of District 18, Carmen Lee-Pow, DTM, Past District Director Mervin Bierman, DTM, and Club Growth Director Vincent "Taz" Ellsworth, DTM, had the honor of carrying flags during the Opening Ceremony.
The convention provided the usual opportunities to learn, network, and have fun, including the Opening Ceremony and Keynote presentation, Board of Directors Briefing, Hall of Fame, Golden Gavel Award program, Accredited Speaker presentations, World Championship of Public Speaking, President's Celebration (dinner/dance with 1920s theme), the Annual Business Meeting, and a variety of training sessions. In addition, a temporary museum was set up with fascinating displays containing numerous Toastmasters artifacts from the past 100 years, and some convention goers participated in an early morning "exercise through the ages" activity.
With 100 years of experience behind us, our International Board of Directors are looking toward the next 100 years and announced some changes. One is the realignment of districts in Regions 1-7, to achieve a size of at least 100 clubs per district. This is being done because it has been determined that 100 clubs is the optimal minimum size to provide economic efficiency and uniformity of support to all districts. As District 18 is in Region 6 and has less than 100 clubs, we will likely be part of the redistricting changes.
Other changes were announced at the district, division, area, and club levels, including updates to the Distinguished Club Program (DCP): starting in 2025, submission of the Club Success Plan will be required by the DCP, and an additional level of distinction, "Smedley Distinguished" will be added to recognize clubs who achieve 10 goals and achieve a membership base of 25. These changes are designed to help clubs better focus on fulfilling the club mission.
To support members with these changes, there will also be some technology changes. A new prospective member management system is being developed to facilitate club growth, and the much-anticipated changes to the Pathways Base Camp are expected to roll out next month! (See more details, below, in the Pathways Showcase).
Over the past 100 years, Toastmasters has not only endured but thrived through wars, economic crises, a pandemic, and vast technological changes. By remaining true to Dr. Ralph Smedley's vision, the organization continues to empower members globally. As we stand at the threshold of the next century, this gathering in Anaheim reminds us that we are the stewards of Toastmasters' future. Together, we will shape the next chapter and ensure that the legacy of leadership development continues to grow and inspire.
| |
Carmen Lee-Pow, DTM, with the flag of Trinidad and Tobago after carrying it for the International Convention Opening Ceremony | |
Merv Bierman, DTM and Kathleen Davis-Bierman posing in a fun Toastmaster magazine photo booth at the International Convention | |
District 18 Toastmasters take the stage with Immediate Past District Director AnnMarie Givans, DTM, to receive the 2023/2024 Select Distinguished District award from International President Morag Mathieson, DTM during the Hall of Fame at the International Convention | |
See posts on the District 18 Facebook Group for additional photos taken at the 2024 International Convention | |
|
The purpose of the Pathways Showcase is to give District 18 members an opportunity to share their perspectives, challenges, and successes with a Pathways project or path, so that others can be inspired to continue their Pathways journeys. No articles were submitted this month for the showcase, so in lieu of a member article, I am providing a brief update on the new Pathways Base Camp experience, based on what I saw and heard at the International Convention last month.
Share your Pathways story next time: email your article for consideration to newseditor@toastmasters-d18.org.
| |
New Pathways Base Camp Experience by Beth May | |
It was announced during the Board of Directors Briefing on 8/14 that the redesigned Pathways Base Camp (which is built on a new Learning Management System) will be rolled out in October. "Sneak Peek" demonstrations of the new Base Camp were given, and both Tom May and I were excited with what we saw and heard. A few items of note include:
- Navigation does seem much more straightforward and easier to use. For example, when you first log into Base Camp, you see all your paths as colorful icons and can launch an active path by clicking the associated icon. (It looked like digital badges may be easier to use too.)
- Evaluators can record their evaluations directly in Base Camp and the person whose speech they are evaluating can include special requests to their Evaluator in Base Camp.
- Only one approval of a completed level will be required - that approval will be initiated within Base Camp. (There will no longer be a need to do a separate approval in Club Central.)
- Actual Toastmaster users and instructional designers were involved in the redesign.
We are enthusiastically looking forward to the transition!
Watch for updates on the transition here: https://www.toastmasters.org/education/pathways/pathways-updates.
| | |
Let's "Toast" these Toastmasters Clubs
The anniversary of a Toastmasters club holds significant importance as a symbol of its journey, growth, and accomplishments over the years. Whether it's a young club celebrating its first years or a long-standing club celebrating decades, its anniversary is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the club's dedication and commitment to communication, leadership, and self-improvement.
Happy Anniversary to the two District 18 clubs who chartered in September:
-
43 Years: Annapolis (09/01/1981)
-
19 Years: Highway Masters (09/29/2005)
Let's join these clubs in acknowledging and celebrating their anniversaries. As they reflect on their progress, honor their founders and past members, and set new goals, we wish them continued success!
| |
|
Note: All times are Eastern Time (ET) unless otherwise noted
Additional information may be available on the District 18 Calendar
| |
|
Smedley Award membership building program
(Aug 1 – Sept 30)
| |
Labor Day: Monday, September 2
Patriot Day: Wednesday, September 11
District 18 District Council Meeting
Sunday, September 15, 2pm - 4pm (online)
Registration required
See more information above, under District Director's Point of View, and at https://www.toastmasters-d18.org/fall-2024-virtual-business-meeting.
Autumnal Equinox (beginning of Fall): Sunday, September 22
Judges Training
Tuesday, September 24, 7pm - 9pm (virtual/Zoom)
No registration required, just join here
For more information, see the Reminder below
District Director "Office Hour"
Thursday, September 26, 8pm - 9pm (virtual/Zoom)
No registration required, just join here (password: District)
Available to all District 18 Toastmasters, on the 4th Thursday of each month; bring your questions, comments, and suggestions
Membership Renewals Deadline
Monday, September 30
Get your semi-annual dues (for October - March) submitted to Toastmasters International by September 30 to beat the October 1 deadline!
Note: No Pathways Office Hours/Training sessions are scheduled for this month.
| |
This section contains reminders for items published in prior editions of this newsletter and in separate email blasts, with updates as appropriate | |
Judges Training (Two Options) and Practice
Serving as a judge for a speech contest is a great way to grow as a leader. It can also make you a better speaker. Plan to attend one online Judges Training session so that you can volunteer to be a judge at a club, area, division, or district contest, then practice judging at a Mock Contest. Don't miss this opportunity!
-
Judges Training Session #1: Tuesday, September 24, 7pm - 9pm (Zoom)
-
Judges Training Session #2: Sunday, October 13, 2pm - 4pm (Zoom)
-
Mock Contest (Judges Practice): Saturday, November 9, 2pm - 5pm (IN PERSON - Location TBD)
Registration is requested, but not required, for these sessions. To register, or for additional information, please email District 18 Chief Judge, Sue Wilson at ChiefJudge@toastmasters-d18.org.
| |
 | |
All Officers
President
-
Participate in the September 15th District Council Meeting (registration required, more info here)
- Preside over executive committee meeting(s)
VP Education (VPE)
-
Participate in the September 15th District Council Meeting (registration required, more info here)
-
Continue preparing for the Pathways Base Camp transition (expected in October); help members ensure that their educational achievements are accurately reflected in Base Camp and Club Central (see article "Get Ready for the Pathways Base Camp Transition" in the PQD Corner in the December edition of this newsletter)
- Establish club meeting agendas with role sign-ups
VP Public Relations (VPPR)
- Promote Smedley Award membership building program (Aug 1 - Sep 30)
- Publicize your club's and club members' achievements (e.g., on social media and/or in the District 18 Newsletter)
VP Membership (VPM)
- Work with VPPR to promote the Smedley Award membership building program (Aug 1 - Sep 30)
- Greet club meeting visitors and distribute guest packets ("blue folders")
- Follow up with prospective members (club meeting visitors and others)
Treasurer
- Collect dues (or ensure that they are submitted online) by September 30th for the membership renewal period October-March
- Track club expenses against club budget
- Process dues submissions from new club members
Secretary
- Document meeting minutes at executive committee meeting(s)
Sergeant-at-Arms (SAA)
- Inventory club equipment and materials; order additional items as needed
- Set up and break down required materials for each club meeting
| |
|
We welcome your input and feedback.
Want to see a topic included? Have a story or photo share? Let us know!
| |
|
Please share the information in this newsletter with your club members.
Not subscribed yet, or want to resubscribe? Click here.
| |
Integrity • Respect • Service • Excellence | | | | |
