Ode to our club officers...

We have approximately 3000 members in District 53 and over 140+ clubs.
With 7 officers per club, that is over 980 club officers!


These club officers are key to the success of our organization since clubs would not last very long without the people who step up to be officers.


We should not lose sight of why Toastmasters exists (in addition to having Fun)... to develop our members ... and enthusiastic, trained club officers are critical to this mission.



Ode to those who volunteer to be Toastmasters club officers ...
by Dave Wheeler


They arrange the meeting room ....
... so everything runs smoothly.



They greet us at the door with a smile ...
... and set the mood for the club.



They lead by example ...
... by focusing on their communication and leadership goals.



They find time to attend officer training ...
... so they can better support their club.



They serve their members ...
... and help each person grow and develop.



They communicate to their community ...
... so that the value of Toastmasters is not kept a secret.



They collect dues and handle the paperwork ...
... that keeps the club going.



They update the club website ...
... as a resource to existing and potential members.



They measure the progress of each member ...
... because they know that commitment + measurement = results.



They come up with new ideas for the club to try...
... and reach out to members for their ideas.



They are Toastmasters club officers and ...
... they make Toastmasters FUN !

*****************************************************

Have you thanked your club officers recently?

Division B / C Midwinter officer Training

Division B & C joined forces to create a great officer training event on Saturday, Jan.24th in Manchester, CT. Carter Sutherland created some excellent refreshments (very healthy too, I might add) and there was a good number of club officers in attendence. (Initial estimates were over 100 people!)
The District Bookstore was available for anyone looking to pickup Toastmasters materials that would help them reach their goals for the end of the Toastmaster year (June 30, 2009).

Did you know..?
All materials submitted to Toastmasters International must be received by June 30th to count towards this year. This is different from past years when it simply had to be postmarked by June 30th. Toastmasters Intl. is doing this to speed up the year-end process.

Marsha Kiley, LGET, was the person responsible for bringing the Bookstore materials and she had help from a number of fellow Toastmasters who helped run the Bookstore. (She also made sure that everyone was looking for MORE CC's !)

The newest club in District 53, Fuss & O'Neill Toastmasters, from Manchester, CT, had only chartered the week before ... and they still sent 5 club officers to the training ! What a great way to kick off a new club !

There are a bunch of training events coming up... look for ones in your area ! They are loads of FUN !

Are you having FUN?

LGET Article: Why Attend Club Officer Training?

From: Marsha Kiley, LGET, 2008-9
Subject: LGET Article: Why Attend Club Officer Training?

Hi everyone,

I was just on the TI website and came across this neat article. Please take a look and use it to help boost attendance at your Division and Area trainings!

A reminder: please forward your list of attendees to me so I can update TI; let me know if you have any questions. I plan to attend all Division level trainings and know they'll be great!

Please remind all clubs that Spring Speech Contests involve Table Topics & International. (not the usual Tall Tales!!) Trophies and certificates for Area & Division contests will be distributed at the EC Meeting in Feb.

Thank you!

Marsha

***********************************

Why Attend Club-Officer Training?

Here are 9 good reasons.
By Shelia Spencer, DTM


I always look forward to our district's bi-annual club-officer training sessions, and am surprised if I see any empty chairs. There are so many good reasons to attend these events!

However, when I speak to individual club officers, I sometimes hear indifference or reluctance to take advantage of this wonderful resource. Instead of, "of course, I'll be there!" I hear, "Oh, I used to go to those when I first joined, but I don't need training any more." Or "Why bother? I have the manual, isn't that enough?"

For the benefit of current club officers, their area governors and anyone thinking about serving on their club's executive board in the future, here are some reasons to attend your next mid-year training:


1. Help your club earn a point in the Distinguished Club Program (DCP). Don't think of it as a duty, but as an opportunity for you and your fellow officers to have direct impact on your club's success for the year. Earning one DCP point – by having at least four current club officers attend both initial and mid-year training – means that you and your club's leaders have demonstrated a unified commitment to achieve club, district and TI goals. What a great example you are to all your members!


2. Get direct access to your district leaders and the important information they have to share. Area and division governors, as well as other district leaders, attend the training sessions, often as facilitators. They bring news from TI headquarters, announcements of coming district events and a wealth of knowledge about our program. Don't hesitate to approach them individually for advice. They have relevant personal experience, as well as access to resources that can help you achieve club and personal goals.

Don't be a passive listener; bring a list of your questions and concerns so you can take advantage of this forum. (Note: Even if you've filled this same officer position in the past, some of the guidelines may have changed! Attend and review the current club officer manual to ensure you have timely information.)


3. Share your own ideas and experiences with other officers at your table. Personal growth is subtle; we often aren't aware of how much knowledge and experience we are gaining while developing new skills and handling new responsibilities. But when we participate in our mid-year training session, we suddenly realize how much we have learned since July! Now, instead of merely receiving information from the trainer, you may find yourself sharing unique, practical insights with the other participants at your table. Appreciate this validation of the skills and wisdom you are acquiring in your role as a club officer!


4. Achieve your goals by networking with members from other clubs. A training session is the perfect place to connect with experienced, supportive individuals who can offer advice and assistance. Ask vice presidents of education who have scheduled their spring speech contests to help find seasoned members to serve as judges or other contest officials. After one club president training session in my district, the participants decided to maintain contact via e-mails and monthly dinner meetings. They continued to advise and support each other during the rest of their term in office. Not surprisingly, their clubs each achieved at least seven DCP points for the year.


"What is the best way to spend the remaining
six months of your year in office?"


5. Build on the personal relationships you formed at the last training. You may not have the same trainer, but you will see familiar faces. Socializing and nurturing relationships outside your club is a wonderful benefit of attending these training sessions. Not only do friendships make the event more enjoyable, they also enrich your experience within our international organization. The members of your extended Toastmasters family are eager and happy to share ideas, activities and growth opportunities that will nurture your development as a Toastmaster, communicator and leader. Some will become very special long-term friends.


6. Expand your network by meeting new club officers. Every training event is attended by a different mix of district dignitaries, trainers and participants. Your table is likely to include newly elected officers who will begin serving their clubs in January. Take time to introduce yourself, help newcomers feel welcome, and find common ground that will contribute to a friendly, supportive atmosphere for everyone. Don't feel that you must restrict your conversation to Toastmasters issues; share your career goals and other information that will allow you to expand your personal and business network.


7. Revisit the goals you set in July, and determine the best use of your time and energy for the second half of your term. Your year is half over! Think of this meeting not only as training but as a time for reflection, review and reassessment. Share your progress and achievements to date and consider where you need to spend more time and focus. Based on the discussion you have with your trainer and fellow club officers, what is the best way to spend the remaining six months of your year in office?


8. Introduce your mentees to leadership opportunities. In a few months you'll be handing over your club officer role to another member, perhaps someone you've already been mentoring toward that goal. Who has impressed you with their desire and potential to take on a Toastmasters leadership position? Why not invite that person to attend a training session with you, as a guest observer? While that person's attendance does not count toward your club's DCP credit, most sessions can accommodate interested members who would like to observe. With prior approval of your local training coordinator, offer to accompany your interested club members to a session, and introduce them to your friends.


9. Explore other Toastmasters leadership roles, so you can serve in a different spot next year. Whether you ask at your training table or approach other members during the social time, feel free to request input about the duties, benefits and challenges of serving in various Toastmasters leadership positions. If you would like to run for a different club position next year, consider attending a second training session. This way, you can hear more about the role of educational vice president, club treasurer, etc.

Also, don't hesitate to ask, "What does an area governor do?" or "How does someone become a district parliamentarian?" Who knows? Next year you may not only be looking forward to attending a club officer mid-year training session, you may be leading it!

Shelia Spencer, DTM, has held all club offices and is grateful for the experiences of each. She is an active Toastmaster and freelance writer living in New York. Reach her at bocki@attglobal.net.

Midwinter training starts NOW !

The start of Mid-Winter Officer Training 2008-09 is Dec. 1st and the first training event was held last Saturday afternoon at the Russell Library in Middletown, CT.

This training event was held in conjunction with the monthly D53 Executive Committee meeting and the training included sessions on "Building A Club", "Marketing on the Web", "SpeechCraft", "Getting TM on radio & TV" and much more. A "Case Study Exercise" was also included in the training and Springfield Toastmasters had 3 officers in attendence who volunteered to be the "featured club".

Case Study Approach:
The Case Study Exercise consisted of an interview with the featured club's officers so that all the other officers in attendence could learn about the history, challenges and practices used by the featured club.

After the opening interview, the audience was broken into two groups and given about 20 minutes to brainstorm 1) the challenge(s) / issue(s) / key problem that the featured club is facing and 2) come up with some suggestions.

After the 20 minutes working session, each group presented their "recommendations" in a 3-5 minute speech. This was followed with a final interview with the featured club's officers to get their reaction to the suggestions.

Here is a quote from one of the featured club's officers ...

"From my perspective, the exercise in which we participated was really valuable. It gave us some ideas and now we will implement those ideas. I am hopeful that we can infuse some enthusiasm into the club moving forward. ... Attending [training] provides an opportunity to meet other Toastmasters from around the region, the officers at all levels, and to gain information that otherwise might get missed. I can’t wait to go back to the club and share."

Pictures: (from top to bottom)

• District Governor Karin von Kaenel served as Toastmaster for the EC meeting as well as the MidWinter Training session.
  
• Dave Wheeler, Lt.Gov.-Marketing, explains the Case Study Exercise.
  
• Case Study Presentation #2
  
• Case Study Presentation #1
  
• Featured club officers from Springfield Toastmasters

Did you know...
Midwinter training does not just apply to club officers. The Sr. Leadership team for District 53 spent most of last weekend in New Jersey for training alongside district officers from all the other districts in our region (Region 7).

Ideas the Sr. Team brought back....

• How to better serve our members
• What are Toastmaster protocols and how do they help improve your Toastmasters experience
• Better transitions from year to year
• Training ideas for Division Governors and Area Governors
• Ways to involve more Toastmasters in leadership
• MORE FUN ! (you will have to come to a district event to see what this means!)

When are you going to Midwinter Training? Check out the district 53 website (http://www.district53toastmasters.org/) for more details or contact your Division or Area Governor for training dates in your local area.

Be The Change You Want To See!

Officer Training in Neighboring Districts 31 & 46

Picture above is from one of the session at TLI #3 in Latham, NY on Saturday July 26th, 2008.

From: Marsha Kiley, D53 LGET
Subject: Officer Training in Neighboring Districts 31 & 46
We are now in the season of new club officer training (7/1 - 8/31)! YES!

I hope all of your new club officer lists have been submitted to Toastmasters International and you are ready (if you are an officer) to attend one of our Toastmaster Leadership Institutes (TLIs) in order to perform your role with fresh ideas and the best interests of your members in mind. It's a fact that trained officers make for healthier and happier clubs! YES!

In addition to our 3 TLIs in D53 (6/21 Manchester CT, 7/19 Marist College and 7/26 Latham NY) I also want to pass on training that is occurring in our neighboring districts 31 and 46.

District 31:
Thurs July 17 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at Waters in Milford, MA

Tues July 22 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at Raytheon in Woburn, MA

Tues August 5 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at Tech Park in Billerica, MA

Sat August 23 from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Cumberland RI Public Library

Wed August 27 from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at Tang Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA

District 46:

Mon. July 28 from 6-8:30pm at Fair Deal Cafe, White Plains, NY

(check out their web page for other sites / dates in NYC and Long Island)

Division A Mid-Winter Officer Training & Networking event

The first (of two) Division A
Mid-Winter Officer Training & Networking event has been scheduled!


Date:
Tuesday January 22, 2008

Time:
Setup at 6:30pm (Area & Div. Governors)
Meeting at 7pm (and done before 9pm)


Location:
Stony Hill Fire Department
59 Stony Hill Road,
Bethel, CT 06801

See map below...


View Larger Map

Division A make-up training, Aug.13

You have probably already heard about this from your Area Governor or via the District 53 website, but it does not hurt to get it out there once more .....

Division A Fall Officer Training - Make UP sessions

August 13,
Monday 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm atGardnertown United Methodist Church, 1191 Union Ave, Newburgh, NY [ Map ]

August 21,
Tuesday 11:30 am - 1:00 pm at Bethel Municipal Senior Center, 1 School St, Bethel, CT [ Map ]

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact your Area Governor or Dave Wheeler, Div.A Governor, 2006-8 at theshot92@gmail.com.

Fwd: New TLI Registration Forms

Have you registered for at least one of the TLI sessions?

Why TLI?
- Learn more about Toastmasters and bring home ideas to help your club.
- Earn credit toward your Distinguished Club Award
- Meet other interesting Toastmasters !
- If you have more reasons... leave a comment below !

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roger Brown
Date: Jun 12, 2007 8:31 AM
Subject: New TLI Registration Forms

New TLI Registration Forms for TLI 2007 have been posted to the D53 Web: http://www.district53toastmasters.org/

For MS Word fans

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI07/TLI07_reg_form.doc

and for Adobe Acrobate Reader fans

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI07/TLI07_reg_form.pdf

Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) Plans for the June, July, and August 2007 Club Officer Training Period have taken shape. Officer Training begins with Toastmasters Leadership Institute. TLI provides the essential training courses to help you understand

the full responsibilities of your role as a club officer and will help you get started with effective methods and strategies.

Toastmasters Leadership Institute

8:00 AM Registration

TLI 2 on June 30, 2007 at

Marist College, Dyson Center

3399 North Road (Route 9), Poughkeepsie, NY

TLI 3 on July 14, 2007 at

MassMutual Learning & Conference Center,

350 Memorial Drive, Chicopee, MA

TLI 4 on July 28, 2007 at

Manchester Church of Christ

595 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT

More information e.g. travel directions, is available at

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI07/TLItraining07.html

TLI 07 Training Catalog & Registration

As you will see from the email below the Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI), also known as "officer training" is MUCH EARLIER than last year. This will help us get off to a fast start (and have a better chance of having clubs meet their goals and get awards).

Also... TLI # 4 has just been added:
TLI # 4
July 28, 2007,
9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Manchester Church of Christ
595 Tolland Turnpike, Manchester, CT

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roger Brown
Date: May 14, 2007 11:39 PM
Subject: UPDATE: TLI07 Training Catalog & Registration

Check out http://www.district53toastmasters.org/training.html
http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI07/TLItraining07.html

Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) for the June, July, and August 2007 Club Officer Training Period TLI provides the essential training courses to help you understand the full responsibilities of your role as a club officer and will help you get started with effective methods and strategies. TLI Course Catalog Information (html) TLI Course Catalog Information (pdf) TLI Registration Form (pdf) Need additional information? Send your questions to: Arnie Grot, DTM Email Arnie TLI Dean and Training Coordinator 87 Chapman Drive, Glastonbury, CT 06033-2729 Phone: (860) 633-5849
Plan Ahead - Mark Your Calendar Now
TLI 1	June 9, 2007 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM	Toastmasters Leadership Institute Space 360 360 Warren Street, Hudson, NY
TLI 2	June 30, 2007 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM	Toastmasters Leadership Institute Marist College, 3399 North Road (Route 9), Poughkeepsie, NY
TLI 3	July 14, 2007 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM	Toastmasters Leadership Institute MassMutual Learning & Conference Center, 350 Memorial Ave, Chicopee, MA
TI Publications for Club Officers and Leaders Resources for Club Officer Training

-- The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet. Lead With Vision.

-- Roger H Brown, DTM < rogerbrown@mac.com >

-- District 53 Webmaster

-- http://www.district53toastmasters.org/