The spring contest season is on the horizon ....
And before we all get too busy with holiday shopping and parties, it might be a good idea to put our Area and Division Contests on the schedule for 2007. This will also help the clubs in your area plan their club contests.
The deadlines are:
Club contests by March 17th, 2007
Area contests by April 7th, 2007
Division contest by April 28th, 2007
District Contest ON May 19th, 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel in E.Hartford, CT.
I can probably get a location for the Division A contest in the Danbury, CT area, but if there is someone who would like to host it somewhere on the NY state side of Div.A (and have the "home court advantage"), I would be happy to work with them to make it happen. We just need to get it on the schedule SOON.
Please let Dave Wheeler, Division A Governor, know when you have a date for your contests and he will post it on our Division blog at www.areaA4.blogspot.com.
Best wishes for a great holiday season !
Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor, 2006-7
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Div Govs Offer The Leadership Exchange
Leadership Exchange and Officer Training - Winter Dec 06 , Jan/Feb 07
Division Governors Offer The Leadership Exchange
by LGET Will Ryan, DTM
Here comes winter training.
Between December 1, 2006 and February 28, 2007, the Division Governors will be hosting biannual training and development sessions for club officers. This year we have a new name for winter training - The Leadership Exchange - inspired by a suggestion from Jim Parsons, Area F1 Governor. Thanks, Jim.
Webster's online dictionary lists these definitions. (My interpretations relative to The Leadership Exchange follow the definitions):
Exchange = Reciprocal giving and receiving.
We will share winning leadership strategies and in so doing, all attendees will give and receive. Something offered, given, or received in an exchange. Leadership Exchanges will work well when club officers attend with a give attitude and come to the event prepared to share their experiences in club leadership. A place where things or services are exchanged.
Our winter gatherings will surely be places to exchange ideas that work. In the same time frame, Area Governors will be conducting make-up Exchanges for those club officers who are unable to attend the Division sessions.
Each year Toastmasters club officers gather twice for training and development. During the summer, we assemble an expert faculty to offer many courses designed for all club offices. We call this annual gathering the Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI). The breadth and depth of subjects is impressive, and feedback indicates that we're on target, offering courses that club officers need and want.
The Distinguished Club Program (DCP) identifies ten goals that 80 years of experience indicate, when achieved, result in very strong clubs. Goal #9 says, "A minimum of four club officers trained during each of two training periods." If your club was not able to have four officers trained during the summer, your club is ineligible for a DCP point for training. But remember, it's the learning that really counts, and statistics show that well-developed club officers lead strong clubs. So attend your Division's Leadership Exchange, and be prepared to give and receive by sharing your experiences with fellow club officers.
If you're a club officer or a club leader, put your Division's Leadership Exchange on your calendar and BE THERE!
Editor's note: You may want to "exchange" your questions and your ideas on Officer Training, The Leadership Exchange, or any Toastmasters educational programming with your Lt. Governor Education & Training, Email Will Ryan, DTM . Don't be shy.
The dates for the two Division A Leadership Exchange events are:
Jan.24th, 2007 at 7:30pm
Hosted by Socially Speaking Toastmasters, Brookfield, CT
at Brookfield Congregational Church (basement, door in back)
160 Whisconier Road, Intersection of Routes 25 & 133, Brookfield, CT, 06804,
Jan.27th, 2007 at 9:30am
Hosted by Marist Toastmasters, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY
3399 North Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601 (building and room TBD)
Contact your area governor for more information or questions.
Monday, November 13, 2006
Feb.& March Membership Drive (and an added bonus)
District 53 is putting their money where their mouth is ... and for an organization that is based on communications that is pretty important !
As part of the "Talk Up Toastmasters" membership drive that Toastmasters International runs in Feb/March, District 53 will award any club that adds 5 or more new members a credit for $10 toward Toastmasters materials !
If a club meets this target in Feb/Mar and achieves Distinguished status by April 30th, the total credit would be $60 ! (Which would go a long way toward a full sized banner for your club or other valuable Toastmaster materials.)
Do you think you can do it?
Of course you can!
Now is the time to put your marketing and public relation ideas in motion so that they can bear fruit by the Feb/Mar timeframe. For example, some clubs are running SpeechCraft workshops to draw in new members while others are reaching out to their local newspapers or TV stations to get their meeting times announced. And, of course, if you don't already have a club website, be sure to create one! (FreeToastHost.com is a great resource!)
If you have any questions on this program or need more ideas to boost membership, feel free to contact your Area Governor or myself at the email address below:
Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor, 2006-7
Email: theshot92@gmail.com
P.S. Did you know that Division A was tied (with Div.D) for the most clubs receiving Smedley Awards in all of District 53? The Smedley Award is given by TI for adding 5 or more new members in the August / September timeframe and it was achieved by IBM East Fishkill Speakers Club, BI and Cartus Magnus. Can we do it again in Feb/Mar? Can we do better than Division D? (I bet we can!)
As part of the "Talk Up Toastmasters" membership drive that Toastmasters International runs in Feb/March, District 53 will award any club that adds 5 or more new members a credit for $10 toward Toastmasters materials !
If a club meets this target in Feb/Mar and achieves Distinguished status by April 30th, the total credit would be $60 ! (Which would go a long way toward a full sized banner for your club or other valuable Toastmaster materials.)
Do you think you can do it?
Of course you can!
Now is the time to put your marketing and public relation ideas in motion so that they can bear fruit by the Feb/Mar timeframe. For example, some clubs are running SpeechCraft workshops to draw in new members while others are reaching out to their local newspapers or TV stations to get their meeting times announced. And, of course, if you don't already have a club website, be sure to create one! (FreeToastHost.com is a great resource!)
If you have any questions on this program or need more ideas to boost membership, feel free to contact your Area Governor or myself at the email address below:
Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor, 2006-7
Email: theshot92@gmail.com
P.S. Did you know that Division A was tied (with Div.D) for the most clubs receiving Smedley Awards in all of District 53? The Smedley Award is given by TI for adding 5 or more new members in the August / September timeframe and it was achieved by IBM East Fishkill Speakers Club, BI and Cartus Magnus. Can we do it again in Feb/Mar? Can we do better than Division D? (I bet we can!)
Monday, November 06, 2006
Fall Conference 2006 - Humorous Contest
Division A was represented by Bruce Goulart in the Humorous Speech Contest and he did a GREAT job !
Pictures below show Bruce during the contestant interview session. (There was no flash photography permitted during the speeches so we could not take a picture of his speech.)
After the contest, Bruce went home, got a few hours sleep and then ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 5th. His time was 4 hours, 45 minutes for the 26.2 mile race.
Wow! Congratulations Bruce ! I'm sure you now have material for the next speech contest !
Pictures below show Bruce during the contestant interview session. (There was no flash photography permitted during the speeches so we could not take a picture of his speech.)
After the contest, Bruce went home, got a few hours sleep and then ran the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 5th. His time was 4 hours, 45 minutes for the 26.2 mile race.
Wow! Congratulations Bruce ! I'm sure you now have material for the next speech contest !
Fall Conference 2006 - Pat H. places 3rd in Eval Contest
Division A was well represented at the Fall Conference held on Saturday, November 4th, in Albany, NY.
In the Evaluation Contest, Pat Hendrickson placed third. (See photos below of the contestant interview and Pat accepting her award).
Congratulations to Pat for a job well done !
In the Evaluation Contest, Pat Hendrickson placed third. (See photos below of the contestant interview and Pat accepting her award).
Congratulations to Pat for a job well done !
The Power of Enthusiasm ...
Seth Godin's blog post about enthusiasm (click here to read it) got me thinking about how much our attitude impacts our experience of Toastmasters.
For example, the Fall 2006 Conference last weekend was attended by a LOAD of enthusiastic Toastmasters and it was an incredible experience! (More on that in later posts). If you missed it, the next district conference will be held in May 2007!
What are you enthusiastic about? How can you bring more enthusiasm to your Toastmasters club? If you do, you will find that more things get done, they get done quicker and more easily and everyone has more FUN !
If you have some great examples of enthusiasm (or the opposite of enthusiasm) and the consequences / results of same, please email them to us at theshot92@gmail.com !
Speak UP !
Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor, 2006-7
For example, the Fall 2006 Conference last weekend was attended by a LOAD of enthusiastic Toastmasters and it was an incredible experience! (More on that in later posts). If you missed it, the next district conference will be held in May 2007!
What are you enthusiastic about? How can you bring more enthusiasm to your Toastmasters club? If you do, you will find that more things get done, they get done quicker and more easily and everyone has more FUN !
If you have some great examples of enthusiasm (or the opposite of enthusiasm) and the consequences / results of same, please email them to us at theshot92@gmail.com !
Speak UP !
Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor, 2006-7
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