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MOVING FORWARD IN 2015
So, what do we have to look forward to for the rest of this year? This Spring’s Conference promises to be really special. Division B is planning not only a walking tour of Knoxville, for those of you who are interested, but a cornhole tournament for the more sedate members. Our keynote speaker is again a World Champ, Mark Brown, and we have some really exciting educational sessions lined up. In the meantime, we have mid-year training and the International Speech and TableTopics contests coming up. And, don’t forget, the winner of the International Speech contest for D63 earns the right to go to the World Championship of Public Speaking. Remember: It takes a TEAM to support all the club and district activities. So, be part of the TEAM. Find out how to be a District Leader. Let’s forward to a great, rest of the year!
District 63
December 2015 Volume 6, Issue 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE So Far in 2016 New Year’s Resolutions Growing Stronger Celebrating the Holidays Member Spotlight Club Spotlight D63 Wall of Fame District Highlights SAVE THE DATE “Judges Training - What To Look For In A Good Speech” Tuesday, February 16, 2016 Touch Points
http://d63.toastmastersdistricts.org/ https://www.facebook.com/D63Toastmasters Newsletter Contacts The D63 Interchange Newsletter is published by the District Public Relations Team. For article submissions or comments, please email us at:
TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL
D63 INTERCHANGE District News and Events
SO FAR IN 2015-2016
Our year began on an exciting note, as we were awarded “Distinguished District” status for 2014-2015. So far this year, we have hosted a special session with 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking, Darren LaCroix, who provided us with “The 10 Biggest Mistakes Speakers Make”. In November, Division E hosted a successful Fall Conference with our keynote speaker and 2000 World Champion, Ed Tate. We have a great leadership team, and our clubs are doing really well.
Traci Hale, DTM District Director
NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS - MIDYEAR
Kim Santan, DTM
Program Quality Director
January is a great time to take stock of your situation. Where are you with your goals? Your weight where you want it to be? Your career on the right path? What about those communication and leadership goals you set earlier this year? You know, the ones that said, “I’m going to push myself. I’m going to get out there and speak more.”
There is still time to meet your goals! In addition to your club meetings, we have several speaking and leadership opportunities coming up this winter and spring. Winter Officer Training is the first big event on the calendar and trainers are always needed.
See Resolutions (page 2)
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FREE WEBINAR
Mark your Calendars for Judges Training, What to look for in a good
speech?
When: Tuesday, February 16, 2016
With special guest trainer Maureen Zappala
GROWING STRONGER
Also starting in February, each club, Area, and Division will be conducting their International and TableTopics Contests in preparation for the Spring Conference in April, and, of course, one really good speaker will be traveling to the World Championship of Public Speaking. If you’re not interested in speaking, how about volunteering to help by acting as a judge, a timer, a vote counter, by providing food, or even as an organizer (great time for that High Performance Leadership project). In the Spring Division B will host the Spring Conference in Knoxville. LOTS of opportunities to help there. Maybe you would be interested in helping with decorations, registration, games, printing, food for the Hospitality suite, items for the Silent Auction, or maybe even the contests. As I said, lots of opportunities. Don’t forget, District Officer elections will be held at the Spring Conference. Looking to expand your leadership skills? Want to give back to District 63? Elevate the district to the next level? Consider running for a district office. You won’t be disappointed in what you gain and what you give back. So don’t waste another minute, review those resolutions and goals today, and then take steps to make them a reality. I look forward to working with each of you in the second half of this year.
Jimmie Roberts, DTM Club Growth Director
working to charter our strong leads. We have very
solid leads on 3 clubs across the District. One each
in Divisions A, C, and D. In the “clubs needing
rescue” category the challenges are equally difficult.
Unfortunately, four clubs have already made the
difficult, and often painful, decision to close their
doors. With the eminent departure of these clubs we
will have 82 active clubs in D63, with a few of those
clubs still struggling. In order to be Distinguished this year, our goal is 94 active clubs, that means we will need 7 new clubs to charter before June 30, 2016. Can we do it? Are we ready? By maintaining a clear focus and continuing to work as a team, I believe, that we can accomplish our goal. This is where you, as one part of “we”, can help! First, offer to serve as a coach for those clubs whose membership has dropped below 12. Coaching is an important role, it helps both the club and you, as a leader. As a coach you gain experience in leading a team, motivating people, project planning, positive feedback, and rewarding accomplishment. All the key elements that a good leader should possess. The club gets a new perspective, hopefully some new ideas, and sometimes a short of much needed energy. You can also serve as sponsors and/or mentors. These individuals help new clubs get started on the right foot. Even more important than sponsors and mentors, we need every member, YOU, to be on the lookout for new club opportunities. Know a local business that could benefit from a Toastmasters club? Let us know, and we’ll follow up with the company leadership to gage interest and encourage participation. All-in-all, this year promises a few challenges, but those challenges are what will transform us into strong members and leaders. Happy New Year!
Part of our District Success Plan, and indeed part of a successful District, is the creation of new clubs and the rescue of struggling clubs. So far this year, we have encountered many strong challenges that are, and may continue, to flex our collective muscles. In the “new club” category we are currently
Resolutions (continued from page 1)
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D63 Members Celebrate
Happy Holidays!
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In today’s world, everything you build must be created with the international and global perspective in mind. Borders are no longer significant. Your ideas can go viral in hours, and you could become the next YouTube, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter star. But long before Facebook, YouTube, Linkedin
Oradea Toastmasters first anniversary as a club
and any other entity that connects people from all over the globe, there was Toastmasters. I want to share with you my Toastmasters experience in different parts of the world and how Toastmasters has impacted my life. My name is John (or Ionut in my mother language) Breb. I was born and raised in Romania, Eastern Europe. A place that is known for a couple of things such as: Nadia Comaneci (gymnast), Dracula and Transylvania (the land of the vampires), Gheorghe Hagi (the king of Romanian Soccer), thousands of orphan children (back in the early ‘90s) and, nowadays, Simona Halep (tennis player). It’s a beautiful place that you should consider visiting someday. I’ll personally give you tips and tricks and a list of places you must see while you’re there. In 2008, as I began to focus on my personal development, I realized that communications is one of my gifts and talents, and that I should not remain indifferent to it. So, I did what everyone does these days, I went on the web and searched for practical ways to improve my communication skills. After several days of searching, I came across the name “Toastmasters”, but the closest club was three hours away. I finally joined Toastmasters in the Spring of 2013. The Oradea Toastmasters. In fact, I was the 20th
charting member. After only two or three meetings, I realized the amazing potential of the club and its members. So began my educational journey. I achieved my Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG) in 22 months (yes, I gave a speech on average twice a month), and my Advanced Leadership Bronze (ALB) in a year. I also had the great privilege
to serve as president and lead my club in that very first year. In February 2015, my wife, Laura, and I moved to the States so that I could pursue my dream of earning a PhD, a dream that I once
had not even considered an option. But, as I have discovered, things can change, and we can change them. That is one of the most vibrant and positive insights that I ever realized. I can change! And, so can you!
I mentioned that I was working on my PHD. Part of my doctoral research is focused on communication and, more specifically, the degree to which public speaking influences the rate of academic success in high school students. According to study conducted on the 2013-14 academic year, Romania had a 17.4% dropout rate, compared to 7% rate for the U.S. for that same period. In order to graduate from high school, students in Romania must pass three written and two verbal exams. Only 56% pass these exams, many simply don’t take them due to a fear of failure. I believe an effective public speaking program could make a huge difference in their abilities, their self-confidence, and their success rate, not only on their graduation exams, but in life, so I am conducting research. With this research, I hope to influence the decision makers to consider introducing public speaking classes into Romanian High Schools. Toastmasters is International organization and it gives each one of us opportunities. As long as we believe, stay positive, and put in the work, the sky is the limit. Happy Toastmastering! To read John’s entire article, visit the D63 Webisite at: http://d63.toastmastersdistricts.org/
John (Ionut) Breb, ACG, ALB
TOASTMASTERS WITHOUT BORDERS
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District 63 Wall of Fame
The following people obtained educational achievements from October 27 through December 19, 2015: Competent Communicators Helena E. Dagadu; Michael J. Farina; Heidi Johnson; Lawrence Johnson; John L. Lloyd; Tamela A. Pitts Advanced Communicator Bronze Eloise Bray; Shaun M Markwardt; Kris Sellers Advanced Communicator Silver Elaine M Sandefur; Rebecca Seymour Advanced Communicator Gold Competent Leaders Leo Bourque; Tonya Y Fuller; Cynthia Hill-Watson; Jillyn K. Parker (2); Keith Paul; April Romero; Yogesh Sharma; Douglas J. Smith; Paul E Taylor; Elaine Wilder; Jackie Witkowski Advanced Leader Bronze Kell Coulter; Julie E Fisher; Tonya Y Fuller; Cindy A. Jenkins; Blaine Little; Elaine M Sandefur Advanced Leader Silver Wendy W. Lick Distinguished Toastmaster Wendy W. Lick LDREXE Lindy P. Estep; Jillyn K. Parker
CLUB SPOTLIGHT
The information in this newsletter is for the sole use of Toastmasters members for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation and distribution of non-Toastmasters materials or information.
THE COOKEVILLE
TOASTMASTERS
CLUB
On November 1, 2015, District 63’s Cookeville Toastmasters celebrated their 50th Anniversary.
position on the faculty at Tennessee Tech, he found that the area didn’t have a Toastmasters club. Dr. Ballal determined to remedy the problem, so he reached out to business leaders and other TTU faculty and gathered them together to hold their first meeting at a local hotel. From that humble beginning, the Cookeville Toastmasters developed into a thriving club that currently meets at 6:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesdays of every month at Super Hibachi Grill and Buffet on S. Jefferson Ave. in Cookeville.
The Club was founded in 1965 under the impetus of Dr. S.K. Ballal. Dr. Ballal had been a member of a Toastmasters club in Knoxville, TN, but when he moved to Cookeville to take a
“Here we are after 50 years, and we are one of the oldest in the country,” Ballal said. To see additional pictures from the event click HERE. To read the entire story in the Cookeville Herald-
Citizen, click HERE.
JOIN THE D63 WINTERFEST
What is “WinterFest”?
WinterFest is a very special opportunity for your club to increase it
visibility, gain some new members, energize your current members, and
earn a little cash. Watch your email for details.
