Asking GREAT questions ....

One of my favorite blogs to read is Seth Godin's. Part of it is his great ideas on marketing but every now and then he throws in new topics or ideas that he picks up from other people. Today's post by Seth gives John Sawatsky's "seven rules for a great interview" as well as a link to a great article from the American Journal Review. John now works as director of talent development for ESPN.

The following paragraphs from the AJR article were of particular interest and might be helpful the next time you are your club's TableTopics Master !

American Journalism Review: "He sees his method [of interviewing] as the journalistic equivalent of judo. 'When someone attacks us, our first instinct is to resist with force. This is not good news for small people. Judo teaches cooperation, to use the bigger opponent's size to our advantage. It's the same in an interview. We're playing on their turf. We're generalists interviewing people who know their subject, and we don't. If we fight them head-on, we lose. They know more than we do. If we turn it around, if we make them prove everything, we turn our weakness into strength. Don't fight their superior knowledge, use it.'"

"Without agreement, the journalist spars for control with the source, lurching back and forth between coercive questions and flat assertions. Sawatsky calls it "moving back and forth between 'outputting' and 'inputting.' " Outputting is any time you make a statement, interject a value, voice an opinion. Inputting is when you ask nothing but neutral, open-ended questions. People, by nature, are either "inputters" or "outputters," he says. TV journalists, for instance, tend to leave their dial on output. Inputters are straight men, allowing sources to crack wise and showcase personality. "I can go into any newsroom and usually tell you who gets the best stories in the paper. It's usually the reporters with the blander personality. They're not the life of the party. They're amazingly consistent if you eavesdrop on them during interviews: You'll hear plain, neutral, bland questions. Colorless questions usually provide colorful answers."

John provides a glimpse into the media and interviewing that not many of use get a chance to see, much less analyze or understand the mechanics so we can use them in our own life.

I am definitely going to try using John's techniques the next time I am talking to someone I don't know. I think these ideas would be very valuable in normal conversation when your only goal is to get to know the person.

Speak UP!

Special Event: "Emotional Intelligence" Aug.23, 7:30pm

Socially Speaking Toastmasters of Brookfield, CT will be hosting a special event on August 23rd titled, "EQ Profiling: Using Emotional Intelligence to develop effective leaders, teams and individuals" by David Gavin. The session will be held at 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall of the Brookfield Congregational Church located at 160 Whisconier Road, at the intersection of Routes 25 & 133 in Brookfield, CT.

In his ground breaking book, Emotional Intelligence, author Daniel Goleman shows how being truly “smart” is not a matter of IQ but EI (emotional intelligence).

Emotional Intelligence has quickly become the standard for measuring a person’s ability to achieve success both personally and professionally.
By attending this session, you will learn what emotional intelligence is and how to measure it.

Plus, David Gavin will show how to use EI for self-improvement, creating high performing teams, and developing truly visionary leadership. A flyer for the event is available online: click here.

About David Gavin:
David Gavin is an Emotional Intelligence Consultant and teaches Organizational Behavior in the School of Management at Marist College. He has used Emotional Intelligence in a variety of industries, including food service, book / magazine publishing, and computer software development.

About Socially Speaking Toastmasters club:
Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on the 2nd and 4th Wed. of every month in Fellowship Hall in the basement of the Brookfield Congregational Church. The church is located at 160 Whisconier Road, at the intersection of Routes 25 & 133 in Brookfield, CT.

The club can be reached via email, sociallyspeakingtm@yahoo.com, tel. 860-350-2669 or on the web at http://sociallyspeaking.freetoasthost.com.

What is the "2006th Really Awesome-est Thing on the Internet"?

Check it out ....

Click here to find out what is the "2006th Really Awesome-est Thing on the Internet" !

(I could not resist signing up for it ! DW)

Date for Fall Contest ... Division A contest set

We have a date for the Division A Fall Contests:

When: Wed. Oct. 11, 2006.
The contest will start at 7:30pm and contestants should arrive by 7:15pm.

Where: Hosted by Socially Speaking Toastmasters who meet at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd, Intersection of Rtes 25 & 133, Brookfield, CT.

More news on Club and Area Contests as they come in ...
Keep in mind ...
The deadline for Club Contests is 9/16 and the deadline for Area Contests is 10/7.

(Still looking for an Area A3 Governor! Email Dave at theshot92@gmail.com if interested.)

Membership Building Module presented at TLI

Dave Wheeler presented a module on Membership Building at last weekend's TLI in Hartford.

The module included a handout (click here for a copy) and an interactive session where the audience came up with items under the "Hook'em, Cook'em and Sign'em Up" categories of Marketing of Toastmasters.

For more information on this module you can attend the Division A training sessions where it will be featured again (in addition to some other fun stuff).

(The actual responses from the session will be published after the August 19th Division A Training session so that we don't "spoil the surprise" for attendees of the make-up training sessions.)

Division A - Officer Training

Division A - Fall Officer Training Sessions !

Wed. August 9th
Host: Socially Speaking Toastmasters
Where: Brookfield Congregational Church basement meeting room. Enter at back of church.
160 Whisconier Road, Intersection of Routes 25 & 133, Brookfield, CT
Time: 7:30 - 9:30pm

Sat. August 19th
Host: Marist College Toastmasters
Where: Marist College, Dyson 145 (room)
3399 North Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY, 12601, United States
Time: 9am - 12noon

Area A4 ... now with info for Area's A1, A2, A3 and A5!

The other Area Governors in Division A thought it would be a good idea to combine all the area blogs into one BIG BLOG rather than have a bunch of individual blogs that would have much of the same information (contest deadlines, info. from the district, etc.). Since Area A4 blog has been going for a year already and has lots of information in its archives, we thought it would make sense to use it as the "BIG BLOG" !

If you are joining us from Area A1, A2, A3 or A5 ... Welcome !

Please check out all the past posts (there is lots of stuff that might be of interest to Toastmaster members) and let us know what you think by leaving us a comment. We would love to hear any ideas you have that could make the Toastmaster experience even better for members in your club, your area or anywhere in Division A !

Smedley Award and Back-to-School for Toastmasters

Here is the email announcement regarding "Back-to-school" TM Marketing and the Smedley award in case you want to edit it and post it to your area blog.
- Dave Wheeler, Div.A Governor, 2006-7

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

For immediate release to all Toastmaster Club Officers and leaders.

Please distribute to all Toastmaster Clubs and Club Officers.

The Smedley Award and Back-to-School

Have you noticed that the back-to-school advertisements have

started to appear in the newspapers? We too can start our

marketing plan today and promote Toastmasters as an educational

item for back-to-school.

Let your Toastmasters community know that better communication

skills are just as important as stocking up on paper, notebooks,

pencils and pens. Take stock in Toastmasters.

Imagine the pressure of communications if you were starting your

business, your MBA or your law degree. It takes awhile to

recognize the need, even engineers, scientists, and computer/IT

professionals need more than just technical expertise to get ahead

in their career. Let's find the time to promote Toastmasters.

Share the gifts of our communication and leadership program and

help your Club earn the Smedley Award - named for our founder,

Dr. Ralph C. Smedley.

Toastmaster's Smedley Award

Add 5 New Members in August / September 2006

October 1924 Was When It All Began - Ralph Smedley and a few

men met in Santa Ana, California YMCA and conducted the first

meeting of what would eventually evolve into what we know today

as Toastmasters. One person initiated a program that would go on

to affect millions of people.

In Ralph Smedley's honor, a Toastmaster Club will receive the

Smedley Award Ribbon for display on their Club's Banner ... IF the

Club qualifies by increasing their club membership by 5 or more

new members in the months of August and September 2006.

The club will also earn a choice of one module from The Better

Speaker Series, The Successful Club Series, or The Leadership

Excellence Series.

TRIVIA CHALLENGE: What is Ralph Smedley's middle name?

What does the "C" in Dr. Ralph C. Smedley stand for?

WEB RESOURCES:

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/marketing.html

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/membershipkit.html

http://www.district53toastmasters.org/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=category&id=3

Great examples from TED ...

I saw this post on Guy Kawasaki's blog (click here to read it) where he evaluates one of the speakers at the 2006 TED conference. He does a great job of evaluating and he also points out some great videos of excellent speakers at www.Ted.com under the "TED Talks" section.

Check it out !

Contributed by Dave Wheeler, Division A Governor, 2006-7

Check out "The Speaking Channel"...

I came across "The Speaking Channel" website in a post by Guy Kawasaki on his blog and thought it might be of interest to other Toastmasters.

Check out "The Speaking Channel" by clicking here.

The site includes speeches by famous speakers (Rudy, Bill, Arnold and more) along with an analysis of each of their speeches. This could be very helpful for anyone who is thinking about entering the Evaluation Contest this fall. (Club deadline for contest is Sept.)

Contributed by Dave Wheeler, Division A Governor, 2006-7

Word of Mouth Basic Training -- Word of Mouth Marketing Association -- WOMMA

One way (and a very effective way) to market Toastmasters to prospective new members is through Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing.

The link below includes a list of 43 ideas from WOM Marketing experts and while most are stated in terms of business, I'm sure you will see some that could be used in Toastmasters!

Word of Mouth Basic Training -- Word of Mouth Marketing Association -- WOMMA

Link sent in by Dave Wheeler, Division A Governor, 2006-7

Scheduled: District 53 Toastmasters Leadership Institute

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION TO ALL TOASTMASTERS

District 53 Toastmasters Leadership Institute
When: Saturday, August 5, 2006
Registration: 8:00 AM Classes/Forums: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

**** PRE-REGISTRATION HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ****

Where: Rensselaer at Hartford, 275 Windsor Street - Hartford, CT
http://www.rh.edu/cwis/directions.html

Who Should Attend: Everybody!
Especially club officers since this can count toward "officer training requirements".

There is a wide range of excellent training courses provided this year - the NEW recognition programs and the NEW communication and leadership programs. For the Club Officers, we provide the essential training courses to help you understand the full responsibilities of your role and to get you started with effective methods and strategies. For the new member,
we offer courses that will put the entire Toastmasters program into perspective and allow you to get more out of the program. For the veteran Toastmaster, we offer several advanced electives (the TM 600 series) to extend your knowledge of public speaking and
effective leadership.

Got Questions? Need Registration Information?
Check the District 53 Web Page
http://www.district53toastmasters.org

Print you catalog and registration form:
http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI06/TLI06_cat.pdf

Early registration is encouraged so that all club officers can get the classes that they need, receive handouts and reserve a lunch.
CLICK HERE:
http://www.district53toastmasters.org/TLI06/TLI06_regform.pdf

or Contact the TLI & Training Coordinator:
Arnie Grot, DTM <ArnieG1457@aol.com>
87 Chapman Dr, Glastonbury, CT 06033-2729
Phone: (860) 633-5849 (H)

or Contact the LGET
Will Ryan, DTM <will53@shawenon.com>
297 East Rd, Alford MA 01266
Phone: (413) 528-0501

Please note that the District is absorbing 60% of the expenses for TLI by paying for the facilities and the handouts in order to encourage all club officers to attend by keeping your out of the pocket expenditure down. The District wants you and your club to succeed so that we all have a great year.

Table Topics ... as a product.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs recently ("Hello, my name is BLOG" by Scott Ginsberg) and he brought the following product to my attention:

Table Topics boxes are clear acrylic "ice cubes" that hold a stack of 138 conversation starters that will get your guests thinking and eager to talk.

They were created by Cristy Clarke who wanted to have genuine, compelling conversations at her cocktail parties. These colorful cubes let you snappily circulate the question at hand in the cube or pass cards out individually. Every box is peppered with questions ranging from the serious to the silly, for friends, families and teens.

They are offered by Uncommon Goods (click here to visit their site) and they look like they might be a good addition to a Toastmasters meeting !

Let me know what you think !

Dave Wheeler
Division A Governor
(guest blogger)

Video Talks at the TED conference ....

I have always wanted to attend TED conference and now we all have the opportunity to see a bit of what goes on there ...

Check out some of the speeches (click here).

I think you will be impressed. I particularly liked the talks by Sir Ken Robinson and Anthony Robbins.

Enjoy !

(P.S. If you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright's architecture, be sure to watch the commercial at the end.)

Next Year's Area A4 Governor is ....

Anne Swartout has volunteered to be the next Area A4 Governor !

She's been a mentor for Cartus Magnus Toastmasters (the newest club in Area A4), a coach for Socially Speaking Toastmasters as well as the VP-Membership for WestConn Toastmasters.

Anne's email address is rebrokerct@aol.com if you want to touch base with her.

Anne is an excellent addition to the District team and she will undoubtedly do an outstanding job as Area A4 Governor for 2006-7 !

Best regards,

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6
Division A Governor, 2006-7

Area A4 Governor Position for 2006-7

The Area A4 Governor (2006-7) will be responsible for Barnum Square, WestConn, Socially Speaking and the new Cartus Magnus club (a newly chartered closed corporate club at Cendant Mobility near the Danbury Mall.)

The (minimum) requirements for the Area Governor would be to:

- Visit a meeting of each club in Area A4 in the Fall and Spring and submit a simple form to International that gives a brief update on how the clubs are doing toward Distinguished Club. (You can also submit them online which I found much easier than mailing paper forms.)

- Attend District Executive Team meetings every other month on Saturdays, usually from 10am-2pm. (This is not 100% required. I think I missed a few of them.)

- Submit brief monthly reports about the clubs in your area to the Division A Governor (me). These usually are brief emails with bullets summarizing anything that might have happened in the month. (5-10 minutes per month)

- Organize the Fall and Spring Area contests. WestConn typically hosts the Area A4 contest, but the Area Governor can decide to have it somewhere else if they want. There is lots of material from the district and international to help and I am available to assist as needed too.

Beyond that, the job is essentially whatever you make of it. I tried to focus on transferring as much information from the District Level to the Club Level as I could (which is why I created the Area A4 blog, www.areaA4.blogspot.com) and I learned ALOT about Toastmasters in the process. I found it very rewarding to work with the officers of the clubs in the Area and I think it helped stretch my comfort zone a bit so that I can now try new things that I never thought were possible.

Speak Up!

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6
Division A Governor, 2006-7

Fall Conference & 50th Anniversary Celebration Announced !

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Share this message with all Toastmaster Clubs and their leadership team.

What: District 53 Fall 2006 Conference and
District 50th Anniversary Celebration

When: Friday/Saturday, November 3 - 4, 2006

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the formation of District 53 on the evening of Friday, November 3rd. The Fall Conference with educational sessions, evaluation and humorous speech
contests, and much more, will be all day Saturday, November 4th.

Where: Holiday Inn ALBANY-TURF ON WOLF RD (ARPT)
205 WOLF RD,
ALBANY, NY 12205

Hotel Reservations: 1 888 HOLIDAY (888 465 4329)
Hotel Front Desk: 1-518-458-7250

The Fall Conference is hosted by Division F.2006

Fall Conference Co-chairs:
Theresa Thiel Phone: (518) 434-1217 or 800-258-3582 Ext. 104
Jabbar Fagan Phone: (518) xxx-xxx Email: fall53conference@district53toastmasters.org

2006 Fall Conference Program Chair or Co-chairs:
TBD Email: fall53program@district53toastmasters.org

50th Anniversary Celebration Chair:
PDG Frank Kane, DTM Phone: 860-228-3261 Email: frankk53@sbcglobal.net

OPEN CALL for ....

There are at least three ways that you can become more involved in this blog ....

1) By adding your thoughts or ideas related to the posts in the comments section, or

2) Sending us your idea to theshot92@gmail.com. It can be a link to an article or photo or anything (Toastmasters-appropriate, of course) that you would like to share with your fellow toastmasters. Depending on what we receive, we may post all of your email or edit it slightly if needed. Please indicate whether or not you want us to include your name and email address on the post entry.

3) Send us a link to your Toastmasters-related websites or presentations or other resources that you think could benefit other Toastmasters.

There are probably more ways that you could participate and I hope to hear them !

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

Early Start on the next Toastmasters Year (2006-7)

Walter Beveridge has offered to give an inspirational speech at your club to kick off the upcoming Toastmasters Year and help the new club officers "Reach Their Peak" in 2006-7. "Reach Your Peak" was the theme of the District 53 Spring Conference last weekend and I've attached Walter's email below explaining his speech idea.

Anyone who has heard Walter speak at Toastmaster contests knows that he is an excellent speaker and his "Toastmasters Resume" even included some awards that I was not aware of ! I'm sure he would be a great addition to your calendar !

If you would like to schedule Walter as a speaker at your club, please email him directly (address below). It would be great if he could speak right after the new officers are elected, but I'm sure he would understand if your schedule is packed with speakers trying to finish awards before the end of June. If Walter is available, the summer months (July & August) are usually a slow time and his inspirational speech could help keep the excitement going so we head into the new year with positive momentum !

Let me know what you think !

Dave Wheeler

Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Division A Governor, 2006-7

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Walter W. Beveridge <mailto:walterwb@ix.netcom.com>
Date: May 18, 2006 12:00 PM
Subject: Early Start
To: Dave Wheeler

Dave,

First, let me congratulate you on being elected Division A Governor. It is a wonderful District Office to hold and I know you will do a remarkable job.

Would you like some assistance wtih motivating the new Club Officers in Division A?

As I anticipated speaking to my Club about the Spring Conference, I decided not to make it a report. Instead, I used the Conference Theme (Reach your Peak) as the title and theme of an inspirational speech, covering all aspects of the Toastmaster program from the Ice Breaker Speech to District Conferences and District Offices.

It was well received at Putnam Speaks Toastmaster Club and I would be happy to present it to any other Clubs in our Division. The perfect time would be after Club elections (which are supposed to be held this month) and before July 1 (when the new Club Officers need to apply their inspiration). Even if I can't get to all the Clubs in our Division in June, I would speak to as many as I can of those who express interest (I would welcome the experience/stage time).

I have attached a biography that can be used to "sell" the idea of my visit to the Club Officers. Let me know if you are interested in pursuing the idea further.

The future of the world depends on our ability to effectively communicate .. and so does yours. That's why we have Toastmasters!

Walter W. Beveridge, DTM

walterwb@ix.netcom.com

845-279-6153

Learning from the High PRESSURE World of Venture Capital presentations !

I came across a post by Guy Kawasaki (author of The Art of The Start among other books) and thought you might find it worthwhile ....

http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2006/05/how_we_got_demo.html

Some of the suggestions could obviously apply if you are doing a high pressure business presentation while others may (or may not) apply to Toastmasters Contests!

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6
Div. A Governor, 2006-7

55 Questions... used by WestConn Toastmasters !

Following email sent to Scott Ginsberg (the nametag guy who is also an expert on approachability). Here is his blog website: http://hellomynameisscott.blogspot.com/ (there are links to some of his free eBooks in the right margin of the web page).

Email ****************************************************

Scott,

I just thought you might get a kick out of the fact that we used your "55 questions" as the basis for our TableTopics session at our Toastmasters meeting last night.

I was the TableTopics Master and, as you know as a former Toastmaster, I had to come up with impromptu questions for the members to answer in 1-2 minutes (without prior knowledge of the questions). I introduced the session by explaining how you are "the nametag guy" and an expert on the subject of approachability.

Many of the members in our club are business professionals and they all could appreciate how the 55 questions would help them in their networking efforts.

The evening was alot of fun and I'm sure you will be getting some new visitors to your blog. (I gave out your address to a number of people.)

Let us know when you head to the East Coast !

Best Regards,

Dave Wheeler
WestConn Toastmasters, club 599
Danbury, CT
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6
Division A Governor, 2006-7
blog: www.areaA4.blogspot.com

Rob Ferrucci (from Area A4) places 3rd in District Intl. Speech Competition

Rob Ferrucci of WestConn Toastmasters, club 599, gives his speech as part of the International Speech Contest at the D53 Spring Conference. Rob was the 2nd Runner up (and brings home a trophy bigger than the Kalley award he is holding here).

Congratulations to Rob for "Making the Lesson Real!" (which also happened to be the title of his speech).

Croix Sather places 3rd in D53 Tall Tales Contest!

Tall Tales Winners at the D53 Spring Conference (left to right), Croix Sather-2nd Runner-up, Nancy Green-1st Runner-up and Gilda Bonanno-1st Place. Croix is from Area A4 (WestConn Toastmasters, club # 599).

Elmo was not in the contest, but he never misses a chance to get in a picture! (He is in the background looking over Croix's shoulder.)

District 53 Leadership Team at Spring Conference...

District 53 Leadership team is recognized by Bob Bradshaw, former Toastmasters International Director. D53 leaders include (left to right) John Lynch (Lt.Gov.Educ/Training and District-Governor-elect), Paul Young (current District Governor), Will Ryan (Lt.Gov.Marketing and Lt.Gov.Educ/Training-elect), Karin von Kaenel (Lt.Gov.Marketing-elect), Ute Brinkman (Conference Co-chair), Norm Thibodeau (Div.Governor), Ray (i forgot his name and title, sorry).

Chief Judge at D53 Spring Conference

Chief Judge, Joel Garcia, provides a brief overview of the rules prior to the Tall Tales contest at the Spring Conference held at Mountainside Resort in Wallingford, CT on May 13, 2006.

Media Center & Contest Co-chair at Spring Tall Tales Contest

Ute Brinkman, District 53 Spring Conference Co-chairman, poses in front of the "media bar".

A number of people realized that the bar offered a perfect vantage point for videotaping the contestants!

Joe Zafian practices prior to contest.

Toastmaster Joe Zafian practices his International Speech prior to the meeting.

Elmo was not part of his speech. He was just trying to get in some extra "stage time". (Big Bird is always hogging the spotlight on Sesame Street.)

District Contest Results ....

Congratulations to Croix Sather and Rob Ferrucci !

Croix represented Area A4 (and his club, WestConn Toastmasters) at the District Tall Tales contest on Saturday May 13th and brought home a trophy for 2nd Runner-up (3rd place). This was Croix's first contest season and we look forward to seeing him in future contests. Certainly with the birth of his daughter, Mackenzie, he will continue to have plenty of material for speeches !

Rob also represented Area A4 and WestConn Toastmasters and drew the last speaking slot of the evening in the International Speech Contest. The competition was tough and the general consensus (of all the people I spoke to) was that only a few points separated all the contestants. Rob's speech, "Making the Lesson Real", earned him a trophy for 2nd Runner-up (3rd place).

Both speeches were videotaped and I'm sure both speakers are already thinking about their next contest (Evaluation and Humorous Speech Contests will be held in the Fall of 2006).

Congratulations again to Rob & Croix !

Re: Charter for Cartus Magnus !

IT'S OFFICIAL !

CHECK OUT THE Toastmasters International website:

http://www.toastmasters.org/dpr/dprReports.asp?r=4&d=53

Congratulations to Cartus Magnus Toastmasters !

And a BIG THANKS to all the people who helped get them started !

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Regional Conference Info

For immediate release to all Toastmasters

The International Speech contests have been completed at the Division level and will proceed to District 53 Conference on May 13th in Wallingford, CT. Next month, the International contest climbs a level higher to the Region 7 Conference on June 16-17th in East Rutherford, NJ. Region 7 information is included in this email message.

The International Speech competition culminates at the Toastmasters International Convention. The convention will be held in August 2006 in Washington, DC and at that convention, 10 speakers representing 8 Regions and 2 "overseas" contestants will vie for the title of
"World Champion of Public Speaking."

2006 Region VII Conference
Hosted By: District 46
The Date: June 16-17, 2006
Website for the Region VII Conference: http://r7conf.tripod.com/
The Place: Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center
2 Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center is conveniently located eight miles from Midtown Manhattan (NYC). Nestled in the heart of the Meadowlands area, we are also only 15 minutes from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR).
MAKE YOUR ROOM RESERVATIONS NOW
Call the Sheraton Meadowlands Room Reservations by 5:00pm, May 26, 2006 for the Special Toastmasters Room Rate of $129.00 plus tax per night single/double occupancy (subject to availability). Call directly 1-800-325-3535 (Must mention Toastmasters International to guarantee the quoted rate). For more on-line information about the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel, visit their web site at http://www.Sheraton.com/meadowlands/ and to book a room on-line go to the Hotel web link for the 2006 Region VII Toastmaster Intl.

Conference Registration: Discounts apply if your Registration form is complete and postmarked by May 22, 2006. The Conference Registration Form is online at http://www.geocities.com/distinguished_29/registration2006.pdf

Preliminary Conference Agenda:
Meet and greet Immediate Past President of Toastmasters International, Jon Greiner, DTM

Friday: Educational Workshops, Social Hour, Fun Night and Dinner; Humorous Showcase (See the top Humorous Speakers from Region VII)

Saturday: Past District Governors (PDG) Breakfast, Educational Seminars and Workshops, Communication and Leadership Awards Luncheon, Region VII Business Meeting, Banquet & International Speech Contest (semi-finals) Area & Division Governor Training and District Treasurer & PRO Training Candidates Corner (Greet the candidates for International Director)

Educational Programs:

• "Energize, Educate, and Entertain Your Audience" by Ed Tate, ATMB, Toastmasters International 2000 World Champion of Public Speaking
  
• "Evaluate with Excellence" by Jim Heeren, DTM, PDG-45
  
• "Developing Your Leadership Skills in Toastmasters" by Jim Kokocki, DTM - Past International Director 2002-2004
  
• "YOU Can Make A Difference - The Power Of The Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program" by Heike Estey, DTM
  
• "What Every Trainer Should Know-"A Train The Trainer" Workshop" by Sandy Schussel, CTM
  
• "Goal Setting: Finding the Direct Line from Point A to point B" by Catina Payne, ATM-S/CL
  
• "Leadership and You" by Fran Gedra Greene, DTM Past International Director
  
• “Using Improv Techniques to Help You Become a Better Speaker” by The World Class Indifference Improv Comedy Team

Region VII Conference Chairs:
Conference Chair: International Director, Rodger D. Baker, DTM
Co-Conference Chair: Rose Martino-Gerhard, DTM, PDG46
Educational Chair: Neal Gerhard, DTM, PDG46

Look for updates on the Region VII Conference Web Site - http://r7conf.tripod.com/

Fwd: Double Digit New Member Growth

Congratulations to WestConn Toastmasters .... 11 new members

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roger Brown <rogerbrown@mac.com>
Date: Apr 24, 2006 12:56 AM
Subject: Double Digit New Member Growth

Based on the Mid-April 2006 Performance Report

The AVERAGE TOASTMASTER CLUB has added 6.5 NEW Members Since Jul 1, 2005

The following list Recognizes Clubs in District 53 that have

DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH in NEW Members! Congratulations!

Please Tell Us. How Do You Do It?

What is Your Secret To Successful Growth?

AREA CLUB # CLUB NAME NEW MEMBERS Since July 1, 2005

D3 865 Greater Stamford 33 <--- WOW !!

C3 7135 Thames River 24

C6 3940 Valley-Shore 15

E3 5177 Blue Chip Toasters 14

A1 315 IBM Poughkeepsie Spmakers 13

B1 6613 One State Street Toast 13

B2 9617 CIGNA Lunchtime 13

D1 1628 Brass City 13

D4 8762 Cheshire 13

A2 7386 BI 12

B1 2532 Travelers Noontime 12

F1 542 Bethlehem 12

F2 6560 Lunchtime 12

F4 6983 North Atlantic 12

A3 9315 Orange County 11

A4 599 West-Conn 11

B4 3523 West Hartford 11

C5 5908 Aetna Middletown 11

D2 820 Yale 11

D5 9286 Unilever 11

F1 764383 NYISO 11

F2 1716 Saintly Speakers 11

A5 5614 Arlington Rotary Toast 10

B2 6601 Talcott View 10

B4 2908 Stag 10

C1 3176 Energy 10

C5 8340 Middlesex County 10

D1 8270 Torrington 10

D5 608696 Toastmasts at the Towers 10

F2 3863 Patroon 10

F4 7379 Thorobred 10

What goes into a good speech?

One of the blogs that I read on a regular basis (for business most) is "Creating Passionate Users" by Kathy Sierra and today she had an interesting post about "Cognitive seduction (a Typology of User Experience Pleasures)". In other words, "what turns on your brain?"

As I read this post, I began to realize that the items she listed could be applied to a Toastmasters speech as well since you want to connect to (and hopefully excite) the brains of your audience!

Kathy lists the following, "Typology of Cognitive Pleasures (in no particular order)
1. Discovery - User experience as exploration of new territory
2. Challenge - User experience as obstacles to overcome, goals lying just beyond current skill and knowledge levels
3. Narrative - User experience as story arc (user on hero's journey) and character identification
4. Self-expression - User experience as self-discovery and creativity
5. Social framework - User experience as an opportunity for interaction/fellowship with others
6. Cognitive Arousal - User experience as brain teaser
7. Thrill - User experience as risk-taking with a safety net
8. Sensation - User experience as sensory stimulation
9. Triumph - User experience as opportunity to kick ass
10. Flow - User experience as opportunity for complete concentration, extreme focus, lack of self-awareness
11. Accomplishment - User experience as opportunity for productivity and success
12. Fantasy - User experience as alternate reality
13. Learning - User experience as opportunity for growth and improvement

If you read through this list you will see lots of concepts that can improve the quality of your speeches... especially if it is a Tall Tale or a story.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let us know!

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

International winners at the Division A Toastmasters Speech Contest hosted by WestConn Toastmasters, April 19th, 2006.

Photo session for contestants in the Division A Toastmasters Spring Contest on April 19th, 2006.

Tall Tales winners for Division A Speech Contest held at Wooster School Library on April 19th, 2006.

Upcoming Events ... Division A Contest and Speech Building Workshop

The Division A Spring Speech Contests will be held on Wed. April 19th at the Wooster School Library. These contests are hosted by WestConn Toastmasters and Contestants should arrive at 7pm with the contest meeting starting at 7:30pm.

Also, Socially Speaking Toastmasters is having a Speech Building Workshop on Wed. April 26th at 8pm. This free workshop is being offered to the general public (to help build membership) and other Toastmasters are welcome to attend. All attendees will leave with at least one speech "under their belts"! Contact Pete Lane at 860-350-2669 or via email at SociallySpeakingTM@yahoo.com . Space is limited, so please sign up soon.

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

Add some Humor Power to your speeches ...

I came across John Kinde's blog and thought it could be useful to Toastmasters looking to add some humor to their speeches !

Check it out !
http://www.humorpower.com/blog/2006/04/41-tips-for-writing-funny-lines/

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6 (for only 2.5 more months)
Candidate for Division A Governor, 2006-7

Area A4 Silent Auction Results !

The Silent Auction that was held at the Area A4 Spring Speech Contest was a HUGE SUCCESS !

I was hoping to raise at least $100 to purchase some Toastmasters materials that could be shared within the area and we ended up raising $390 dollars !

Thanks to everyone who donated items for the auction as well as the people who bid on them!

A Special Thanks to Kevin Wortman, who donated $150.00 to help out the effort !
The text of the note that he sent along with his donation speaks for itself:

Dave,
You mentioned that you were looking to raise $100 for the Area. I
wanted to make this a little easier for you. It is a very small token for
the enormous benefit I've received from TM and its members. I would not be
as successful as I am today without TM. Please use these monies for the
Area and/or Club materials you need. I can't even begin to pay back
the benefits and advantages TM has provided me. I am happy to be able to
help your effort in any way that I can.
Best regards,
Kevin

Stay tuned to this blog for a complete list of materials that we will be purchasing. (So far, Area A4 has an overhead projector, the complete "Better Speaker Series" and a number of the modules in the "Successful Club Series" and "Leadership Excellence Series".)

Area A4 Contest results !

Area A4 had our Spring contest on Wed., March 29th in conjunction with Area A2 and the results are as follows:

Area A4 - International Speech
1st place: Rob Ferrucci
1st runner-up: Croix Sather

Area A4 - Tall Tales
1st place: Croix Sather
1st runner-up: Elizabeth Smith

Area A2 - International
1st place: Walter Beveridge
1st runner-up: David Alexander

Area A2 - Tall Tales (contestants included: Dan Malinak, Phil Sarnak and Dan Legg).
I do not have the names of the winners in my notes and will rely on Rosanne D'Ausilio, Area A2 Governor, to provide them to the Division Governor.

Overall it was a great meeting and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves !

Hope to see y'all at the Division A contest at Wooster School on Wed. April 19th !

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Club Officer Election Process ...

FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION TO ALL CLUB OFFICERS

*** _Club Elections in May_ ***
Appoint a nominating committee NOW !

In May, all clubs must elect annual officers serving from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, or semi-
annual officers serving from July 1, 2006, through December 31, 2006. Semiannual terms are an option
available only to clubs that meet weekly.

TIMELINE FOR ELECTION PROCESS:
1) NOW ... Appoint a nominating committee (see club constitution). http://www.toastmasters.org/pdfs/210c.pdf
The committee should be chaired by the immediate past president or most recent past president available.
Appoint your nominating committee NOW !

2) Last meeting in April: Nominating committee reports to the club.

3) First meeting in May: The nominating committee report is presented to the club. If the nominating committee
has no report at the last meeting in April, postpone the election until one week after the meeting at which
the report is given.

Call for nominations from the floor. Nominations and elections begin with the president and proceed in
descending order. Remember: A quorum (51 percent of active members) is needed to conduct business (including
electing officers). Proxies or absentee ballots are not allowed at the club level. Members must be active
and present to vote.

4) Tell International. Don’t forget to fill out a club and officer information form online immediately following your election so the
correct officers will receive every important mailing. Go to www.toastmasters.org. The link is in the
“Club Business” section on the home page. Or, your club may submit the club and officer information form by
mail or fax, instead.

Guest Blogger ... Ann Bloch, "What Makes a Club a Toastmasters Club?"

What Makes a Club a Toastmasters Club?
by Ann Bloch

At the District officers meeting a week ago, three Area Govs mentioned visiting clubs that were “doing their own thing” and not necessarily “doing it the TM way.”

Since then, I’ve pondered what that means: the TM way.

The steps to run a club and a meeting are proven -- they work. If your club is thriving, tell others via these messages what’s worked for you. If your club is not yet thriving, ask yourselves whether you’re using the tried methods.

Sometimes, motivation means just being honest among ourselves.

Following is a message from the president of a once-vibrant club in Division E that recently folded after 10 years. Poet's Seat is no more.

Thinking back, I am not certain just when things changed; however, I can speculate. For much of its history, Poet's Seat had at least a core groupof members who followed the club by-laws, thus maintaining the club as a trueToastmasters club. Gradually, these people left, leaving the club in the hands of people who did not care about rules, formalities, or rituals. I recall my first board meeting as club president. I decided to make membership (retention and building) the focus of my term. However, when I started the meeting by citing some of the by-laws re: membership, the other officers jumped down my throat.

They were not interested in being part of a club which was like a country club -- a private association where new members had to be voted in or existing members could be asked to leave. The others were for a casual, informal club with no rules, which anyone could join.

There were consequences to that approach. People joined who had no commitment to the Toastmasters program. Guests, of which we did have a fair number, rarely joined. Some guests expressed a desire for a more formal setting. In the end, a sizeable portion of our membership were people with little or no commitment to the educational program.

Without commitment,there was no desire to try to keep the club going. I feel sad about the demise of Poet's Seat. I am keeping the banner as a memento.

***Part of the response to him from the LT. Gov of Mktg:
Reports also indicate that only one officer was trained. We know from experience that there's a direct correlation between officers trained and club health.

Question to ask yourself: How do you feel about the president’s message? How does your club feel about “voting in” members? (I’ve never been in a club that did that or that really asked for a commitment. Maybe we should.)

Do your officers know their roles? If not, get your AG to review them. Poet’s Seat apparently had enough guests to flourish. Why didn’t they join? What a missed opportunity!

As we enter the final quarter of the TM year, ask your club members the one thing they can point out to change that would make a difference. Let me know what’s working so that it can be shared among clubs.

Ann Bloch,
Assistant to Club Coach Chair
Ann Bloch Communications
73 Birchwood Lane,
Lenox MA 01240 USA
413-637-0958 / Fax 413-637-4757
http://www.annbloch.com/ / annbloch@vgernet.net

Failing With Toastmasters .... in a good way

Steve Pavlina is a Toastmaster in Las Vegas who has a blog (that I just found) and I think he brings up a key attribute of Toastmasters in this post.

He says that Toastmasters is a great place "for making mistakes and taking risks". In fact, he adds that "The supportive atmosphere of Toastmasters allows me to experiment well beyond the edges of what I’ve had the opportunity to do in front of other audiences."

Steve explains that he has learned that it is "actually less risky to to take risks" and that the "safe path" is often the boring path.

If we take some risks, we stretch our abilities and we also make for more interesting meetings (so everybody wins!). I hope everyone is stretching ... especially the members participating in the Spring Speech Contests!

Stretch ....

Dave

More Time For Toastmasters ....

I came across the blog post (see link below) and just had to pass it along ...

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/05/how-to-become-an-early-riser-part-ii/

Steve Pavlina talks about "how to be an early riser" and, more inportantly, what it has done for him ....

Why get up early? I’d say the main reason is that you’ll have a lot more time to do things that are more interesting than sleeping.

Again, I’ve gained about 10-15 hours per week doing this. That extra time is very noticeable. By 6:30am, I’ve already exercised, showered, had breakfast, and I’m at my desk ready to go to work. I can put in a lot of hours each day of productive work, and I’m usually done with work by 5:00 pm (and that includes personal “work” like email, paying bills, picking up daughter from preschool, etc). This gives me 5-6 hours of discretionary time every evening for family, leisure activities, Toastmasters, reading, journaling, etc. And best of all, I still have energy during this time. Having time for everything that’s important to me makes me feel very balanced, relaxed, and optimistic.

Check out the whole post .... I think it will give you some ideas !

Wide AWAKE !
Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Silent Auction at Area Contest ... taking shape!

I have received the first donation for the silent auction to be held at the Area Contest March 29th, 2006 ....

From WestConn Toastmaster's own published author, Carmine Coco De Young:

"I'll happily donate two [items]. I still have to get the other items, but they should value $25.00 each. You can download a picture of the book for ages 8 to 12, titled A Letter to Mrs. Roosevelt, at Amazon.com (click here) , and the book for infants, titled Mealtime Prayers : Thoughts and Readings for Mealtimes (Board book) at Amazon.com (click here)
Thanks to Carmine for the donation !

Don't forget to bring their check books (or cash) to the Area Contest so you can bid on some of these items!

More info to follow soon !

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Reward for Distinguished Clubs !!!!

This was discussed at the District 53 Executive Committee meeting last Saturday and it looks like we will have at least a couple clubs in the running for the REWARD !

Tony Lombardi enjoys his TableTopic question on the life of a hobo !

Bala K. and Beth H. discuss their upcoming speeches at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Carmine Coco de Young presents the TableTopics session at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Croix Sather and Walt Rygielski talk about speech ideas Anne Swartout presents club business at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Dave Wheeler shows WHAT NOT TO DO when giving a presentation using an overhead projector. Dave gave his speech at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Anne Swartout presents club business at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Jim Buzak presents his 1 to 2 minute TableTopic speech on the hobo lifestyle at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Lee S. and Bala K. share a "dual" Tabletopic question on the theme of "hobo's" at the Feb.1st meeting of WestConn Toastmasters in Danbury, CT. WestConn Toastmasters meets the first and third Wed. of each month in the Wooster School Library.

Spring Club Contest Results coming in ....

From Barnum Square Toastmasters:
The winners of our speech contests are the following:
Tall Tales...Pat Wilson-Perkins and Liz Smith.
International...Marsha Scott and Linda Porto.

From WestConn Toastmasters:
The winners of our speech contests are the following:
Tall Tales... Anne Swartout and Croix Sather.
International... Rob Ferrucci and Croix Sather.

From Socially Speaking Toastmasters:
Tall Tales... Peter Lane and Tony Lombardi

Our newest club in Area A4, Cendant Toastmasters (a new name is being finalized):
International... Roberto Vale and Maureen Walsh

The deadline for club contests is March 19th and the Area Contest will be held on March 29th at the Wooster School Library in Danbury CT (hosted by WestConn Toastmasters). Contestants should arrive around 7pm for briefings.

Speak Up!

Dave Wheeler

re: Tele-Conference interview is with Willie Jolley

Attached below is an email from our District 53 Governor Paul Young (via our Division A Governor, Karin Von Kaenel) that offers a free tele-seminar for public speakers. Check out the emails below for more details and please pass it along to your members!

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

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

Dear Area Governors,

would you please forward ask the club Presidents in your areas to make sure their club members know about this event.

This is an email that was posted on the D53 mailing list, which anybody can subscribe to by going to http://district53toastmasters.org/ and clicking on the purple Yahoo button.

Thanks.

Best regards,

Karin

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

"Paul Young" <paulyoung53@cox.net> Sent by: d53toastmasters@yahoogroups.com 03/10/2006 07:45 PM Please respond to d53toastmasters@yahoogroups.com

To <d53toastmasters@yahoogroups.com> cc "'Will Ryan'" <will53@shawenon.com>, <johnl53@cox.net>, "'Rich Couture,DTM'" <Rich53@cox.net>, "Thibodeau, Normand " <Normand.Thibodeau@htsco.com>, "Sandra Van Hoesen" <areavisit@yahoo.com>, "Hathaway, Shelly L" <Shelly.L.Hathaway@pfizer.com>, Karin von Kaenel/Watson/IBM@IBMUS, "Sharon Willis" <sharonwillis2@yahoo.com>, "Susan Troupe" <Susan.troupe@snet.net> Subject [d53toastmasters] Doug Comstock Interviews Willie Jolley

Fellow Toastmasters,

Doug Comstock recently said, ?Wouldn't it be great to get a daily,
weekly or monthly infusion of high content ideas like we got
at the World Champions Night to help each of us with our speaking. ?

To that end...

He is beginning Tele-Seminar Secrets for Public Speakers.

His first Tele-Conference interview is with
Willie Jolley on Wednesday March 15, at 11:00 AM EST.

If you are not familiar with Mr. Jolley you can visit his
website at http://www.WillieJolley.com

Willie is considered by Toastmasters International as:
"One of the Top 5 Outstanding Speakers in The World".

This limited event will be "FREE" to all Toastmasters.

Not all that would like to attend will be able to. Here's Why.

The event is limited to the first 200 seats as the fee to
rent more lines than that is cost prohibitive and I am bearing
all costs for the event.

If you think you would like to attend or know someone
else that might benefit..

Just copy and paste (DO NOT FORWARD) again
copy and paste this link into a new email and
send it out.

If this link is not active when you receive it just
copy and paste it into your browser window.

http://audiopostcard-003.com/X.asp?3601073X2050

Once you fill in your email address on the postcard
at the link above a Confirmation Email for Registration
will be emailed to you to tell you if you were are one
of the lucky 200.

Thank You Doug,


Paul Young DTM
MIND THE GAP
District 53 Governor
http://www.district53toastmasters.org/
w (860) 368-6716
h (860) 659-1409

Socially Speaking - upcoming activities !

Below are my notes from the Socially Speaking meeting on Wed. Feb.22nd including all the ideas we had for the "Communications Workshop" meeting. I think this meeting will be a good test of our ability to promote Socially Speaking and it won't be as difficult to organize as a full multi-session Speechcraft. (Plus we already assigned all the key roles!)

Let me know if I missed anything ....

SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING Socially Speaking MEETINGS:
Everyone is invited !! We have plenty of room !

March 22 - Socially Speaking meeting
Theme: All Things Green (since it is near St.Patrick's day)
Other business:
- Review printed Flyers for Communications Workshop (4/26)
- DW to send around electronic version prior to this meeting for everyone's review and ideas.
- Assign someone to send emails to former guests and past members to let them know about the Workshop meeting
- Followup on cable TV and newspaper contacts

March 29 - Area Contests (hosted by WestConn TM)

April 5 - WestConn TM meeting

April 12 - Socially Speaking TM meeting
Theme: "About Our Club...The history of Socially Speaking Toastmasters"
[This should give us lots of great material for the web site as well as help us better define the mission of the club for the future ... based on the great things that Socially Speaking has done in the past and can do again!)

April 19 - Division A Contests (Hosted by WestConn TM)

April 26 - Communications Workshop Meeting at Socially Speaking Toastmasters
Toastmaster: Anne Swartout
"Selecting Your Topic" by Don
"Know Your Audience" by Pete
"Sample Icebreaker" by Dave W.
"Workshop Session" to help everyone in attendence build a speech - Hosted by Anne S.
[Speechcraft books will be available to purchase if we have guests that want to participate. We should probably have a CTM manual and copies of the IceBreaker Speech available if any guests want to jump right into membership.]

This workshop will give us an opportunity to try out our Public Relations and Marketing ideas on a smaller scale than a Speechcraft. Some of the ideas discussed included:
- Flyers
- Public Relations with the local paper
- article on Socially Speaking? (who will contact?)
- Cable TV listing (what format do we need to submit our listing?)
- Emails (to past guests and former members)
- Web site (to tie it all together)

Let me know if I forgot anything!

Dave W.

Seth Godin's Presentation Idea ... Needs Toastmasters!

I have to start out by saying that I am a big fan of author, Seth Godin. His books on marketing, "The Idea Virus", "The Purple Cow" and "The Big Moo" have all helped me immensely in my "day job" as Marketing Manager for a Fortune 200 company.

But today... Seth really missed the mark!

Today, Seth put a post on his blog about his idea for a way for people to move away from giving BAD POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS.

Ever since my early warning shot about Powerpoint, I've noticed an increasing tide of writing about:
a. how much people hate giving presentations
b. how bad they are at it

He offered the following from a book that he read:

Part of what Andy points out is that presentations to groups of 50 or more are usually done by people who aren't comfortable doing them, and they're not usually very well received.

Seth goes on to suggest a way to jump right to the Q&A section and bypass the whole presentation! This is not necessarily a bad idea, but it completely misses the BIG PICTURE!

If you want to impress your boss, your client or advance your career, you need to develop your presentation skills! Looking for tips that will get you OUT OF the presentation might work once in a while, but it won't work all the time!

This is why professionals everywhere should be busting down the doors to get into Toastmasters clubs ! Toastmasters is clearly the best kept secret in the personal development field! And the best value too !

I know Seth lives in Westchester County, NY so if he reads this maybe he will visit one of our clubs! Like all professionals looking to improve their presentation, communications and leadership skills, he is always welcome at a Toastmasters club!

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

How To Tell A Great Story....

I came across this book and thought that it might help some of you who are entering the Tall Tales contests ....

"How To Tell A Great Story" ($29.95)

I have not purchased this book, but I would be interested to hear if someone else does !

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

Toastmasters Contestant on Google Video ...

Anne Swartout found the following videos and forwarded them to my attention:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-424662407496130579&q=mike+dooley

[Mike Dooley gives a great contest speech.]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5767026924697006060&q=mike+dooley

[Mike Dooley with another great contest speech!]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3739541134936183657&q=mike+dooley

Another Mike Dooley Contest speech!

Great examples for your own contest efforts!

Dave Wheeler

Nominations for Area A4 Governor, 2006-7

Greetings Area A4 Toastmasters,

My term as Area A4 Governor will be ending on June 30th, 2006 and we need to nominate someone to fill the role for the next (Toastmaster) year which runs from July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007.

If we can identify a candidate (or two or three), I would like to present them at the Area Leadership Council Meeting prior to the Area Spring Contest on March 29th. This way we can all be in agreement on the name that we present to the district as our next Area Governor.

Selecting the next Area Governor by the end of March will also give me a chance to help make the transition smoother and easier for them.

There is one other reason I want to find the next Area A4 Governor... I've been nominated for Division A Governor for next year. (This is a district level position which means that we need to keep track of the proxy vote forms that Toastmasters International sends to the clubs and submit them at the Spring Conference.)

Please send me your nominations (or the name of the person you would like to see as the next Area Governor). This year has been a great experience for me and I'm sure it will be for the next Area Governor as well.

Talk to you soon!

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

(Plus, being a district officer or Area Governor is also one of the requirements toward your AL award and eventually DTM ! )

Dates for Area and Division Contests !

Here is the information on the Area A2 and Area A4 Spring Contests (we are having a joint area contest with A2 & A4).
Date: Wed. March 29th, 2006
Time: 7:30pm (contestants and judges should arrive around 7pm)
Host Club: WestConn Toastmasters
Location: Library at Wooster School, Danbury
Directions: Available at www.westconntoastmasters.org

Important Note: There will be a brief meeting of the Area A4 Leadership Council at 6:15pm on March 29th (prior to the Contest) to discuss plans for remainder of 2006 and ideas for the next Area Governor. Any current or past club officers in Area A4 are encouraged to attend and give their feedback on the direction of Area A4.

Division A Spring Contest:
Date: Wed. April 19th, 2006
Time: 7:30pm (contestants and judges should arrive around 7pm)
Host Club: WestConn Toastmasters
Location: Library at Wooster School, Danbury
Directions: Available at www.westconntoastmasters.org

Let me know if there are any questions (or if I missed anything.)

Dave Wheeler
Area A4 Governor, 2005-6

Why would someone want to be an Area Governor?

Why would someone want to be an Area Governor?

Or, "who wants to take over the mess that I've started?"

Seriously though, it really is a great opportunity and I would highly recommend considering it as part of your Toastmaster experience. Whether or not you move on to other District offices is up to you, but I'm sure you will get alot out of the job.

And don't just take my word for it .... check out this link from District 57 (found it on the web).

http://toastmastersd57.com/New_Website/documents/benefits.pdf

Let me know if you are interested !

Speak UP!

Dave Wheeler

2006 Regional Conference info ...

For anyone entering the international speech contest, this is where you will go after you win the district 53 contest (let's be optimistic!)
(For those that forgot, it goes... club >>> area >>> division >>> district >>> region >>> intl.)

2006 Region VII Conference - Believe It! And Achieve It!
Hosted By: District 46, “Experience the Difference”
The Date: June 16-17, 2006
The Place: Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center
2 Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, New Jersey
The Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center is conveniently located eight miles from Midtown Manhattan (NYC). Nestled in the heart of the Meadowlands area, we are also only 15 minutes from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR).

MAKE YOUR ROOM RESERVATIONS NOW -
Call the Sheraton Meadowlands Room Reservations by 5:00pm, May 26, 2006 for the Special Toastmasters Room Rate of $129.00 plus tax per night single/double occupancy (subject to availability). Call directly 1-800-325-3535 (Must mention Toastmasters International to guarantee the quoted rate).

For more on-line information about the Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel, visit their web site
at http://www.Sheraton.com/meadowlands/ When booking on-line please use Code 795D5

Conference Chair: International Director, Rodger D. Baker, DTM <Mrbear1@erols.com>
Co-Conference Chair: Rose Martino-Gerhard, DTM, PDG46 <Rmartino-gerhard@juno.com>
Educational Chair: Neal Gerhard, DTM, PDG46 <Nealpdg46@verizon.net>
Note: Coming soon, Conference Registration Form, Educational Programs, & Conference Agenda. Look for updates on the District 46 Web Site - http://www.46toast.org

New Club Web Sites in Area A4!

Diversity USA and Socially Speaking now have club web pages!

Congratulations!

Check out their sites at:

http://diversityusa.freetoasthost.com

and

http://sociallyspeaking.freetoasthost.com/

Tall Tale Example # 2 ... Birth of a Legend !

Here is another example of a Tall Tale. This is one that I used to win our club contest and then lost (due to being over the allotted time) at the Area Contest.

Title: Birth of a legend !
by Dave Wheeler, WestConn Toastmasters, Club 599

[pause]

The rain came down in sheets. It pelted the window of Santa Ana Memorial Hospital and clouds darkened the sky. Lightning struck so close that it seemed like it was inside the room. The thunder roared and in the next second a baby boy was born. The clouds parted and a rainbow appeared.

It was October 1, 1924 when Charles T. Masters was brought into the lives of his parents, Mr. A.T. Masters and Ms. Ima Mentor. Charles was delivered by none other than Dr. Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International.

When the doctor held up the newborn boy and slapped his bottom, he did not cry out like a normal baby. Instead he said, “Thank you Doctor, Father, fellow babies and of course, honored mother.”

As he grew, he was drawn to public speaking.

As a toddler living in Santa Ana, California, he would listen at the door of the speakers club meetings and when they came out for a break, he would sell them hot, crispy bread as a snack. This is how Charles T. Masters got his nickname, “Toast”. From then on he was know as Charles “Toast” Masters.

Conflict / Challenge:
Of course, Toast’s life was not without hardships. His mother died when he was 3 and a few years later, his father married a strict, older woman with dark red hair named. Adelai T. Bronze. After the wedding, Mrs. A. T. Masters-Bronze, as she was now know, proceeded to take over the Masters household and make life very tough for Toast.

Adie really did not like seeing Toast happy. Every time he would talk, she would lock him in his room and tell him to be quiet. Toast had to whisper speeches that he wrote so his stepmother would not hear him .... like “I have a dream”.

Toast had to figure out other ways to speak so that his stepmother would not punish him. One way was to work parts of a speech into everyday conversations. At dinner, his stepmother would say, “Pass the potatoes!” to which Toast would reply, “I regret that I have but one potato to give for my family.”

He looked for any opportunity to speak.

When he went to school, he was selected to give the morning announcements ... “The first part of the school day will include impromptu speaking in the hallways, while the second third of the school day will included prepared works. The last third of the school day we will get our report cards and evaluations.”

His voice was so passionate and emotionally compelling that every time he did the announcements the school nurse’s office would end up with at least 2 or 3 girls that had swooned at the sound of his voice. Eventually the nurse figured out that on days that Toast was speaking she had to stock up on smelling salts!

Toast studied hard and was selected Valedictorian of his high school class. As graduation approached, he would practice his valedictory speech underwater in the pool so that his stepmother would not hear him. “Thank you principal LaffMaster, “

When graduation day came, Toast strode up to the stage. He gave such a stirring commencement speech about his struggles growing up … becoming a good student, a great speaker and a solid citizen … that the ceremony had to be stopped so people could get extra tissues to wipe away the tears in their eyes.

His stepmother was the only one at graduation who did not weep from the speech. She held it all in and the pressure inside her head turned her hair completely white by the end of his speech. From that point on, she was know as Mrs. A.T. Masters – Silver.


Of course you know how this story ends ....

Toast went on to found Speaking clubs around the world and win contests in every category imaginable.

He passed away a couple years ago, but the legend of “Toast” Masters says that, when the moon is full, like it is tonight, and there is a speech contest going on, like we have here tonight, his spirit will enter the room and place a dollar bill in the pocket of the contestant that he feels should win.

[take out dollar]

Mr. Contest Master.

Tall Tales Contest example ... The Legend of C.T. Masters

With the Tall Tales contest coming up, I figured that some other Toastmasters might like to see an example. The speech below was one that I gave in 2004.

Title: My Lifelong Pursuit . . . in a 3-5 minute speech. or, "The Legend of C.T.Masters"
By: Dave Wheeler, WestConn Toastmasters, Club 599

Legend has it that there is an amazing speaker out there.

His BOOMING VOICE can rattle the walls and command his audience’s attention [pause] or he can pull you into his speech with a silky smooth whisper.

A speaker who can make his audience shiver by describing a snowball being put down your back
. . . make them sweat by describing the feeling of sun beaming down on the hot, humid August day.

As an evaluator of other speakers he is always PRECISE, CONCISE, and, simply put, oh so NICE.


I’ve spent ALL MY LIFE searching the ends of the earth for this elusive speaker and 5 years ago I came “this close” to finding him.

Records at various Toastmaster clubs showed that he had swam to Antartica, organized and mentored a new Toastmaster Club and was in the process of carving a fully functional seaplane out of ice for his trip back to civilization.

I immediately spent my life savings to charter a jet and fly to the South Pole but by the time I got there, he was gone.

All I found was some ice chips, a bunch of very well-spoken penguins, and . . . part of his name badge !

I was so close I could almost here the echos of his last speech! But now I had his initials, C. T. M.!

I just HAD to figure out how to find him and hear him speak.

Passion:
Further research found that he speaks with such PASSION and conviction that women, small children and some household pets have been know to get weak in the knees from the excitement.

Based on this ability to touch the hearts and souls of his audience, I knew he would eventually visit the T/M Club at the Mayo Clinic so I went there late last year.

Their club records indicated that he had visited them just two weeks before and his Table Topic speech was so PROFOUND and INCREDIBLE that a young lady passed out even before the yellow light came on.

Luckily, she was scheduled to have her appendix removed that day and when she awoke her appendix had been removed and she had saved $2000 on anesthesia!

I could not find in the club records whether or not C.T.M. performed the operation or just assisted.

Of course I was too late again, but I did find another piece of the puzzle.
He had signed the guest book!

Name:
He signed in as C. T. Masters. Some of the people told me that the C. stood for “Charlie”, others said “Cecil”. The native American Toastmasters called him “Cheveyo” while Swahili tribesmen T/M knew him as “Chumbalumba-ma-hatma-gooby”. His first name remains a mystery, but everyone agreed on what the “T” stood for . . . . . “Toast”.

C.T. “Toast” Masters. I know I was getting close !

Narrowed my search:
Now I’ve looked all over the world to find this elusive speaker and my research has narrowed down his whereabouts. He is definitely in the Northern Hemisphere . . . .In the NorthEast United States !

My search has also shown that often attends Contest meetings! . . . [look at map & Contest page]

He could be in this very room !

C.T. “Toast” Masters . . . Are you out there?

If you are out there . . . . I will find you !

Rob Ferrucci, one of the featured speakers of the evening, presents a leadership speech on Recruiting at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Tony Lombardi calls to order the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Dianne Smigala, one of the featured speakers for the evening, speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Bruce Cornwell speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Dave Wheeler, Area A4 Governor and Club Coach, speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Guests get a chance to try their speaking skills at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Don Loccoco, the TableTopics Master for the evening, checks his notes at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Croix Sather speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Anne Swartout speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.

Anne Foster, Club President and the Toastmaster for the evening's meeting, speaks at the January 25, 2006 meeting of Socially Speaking Toastmasters in Brookfield, CT. Socially Speaking Toastmasters meets on Wednesday nights at 7:30pm in the downstairs meeting room at the Brookfield Congregational Church, 160 Whisconier Rd., at the Intersection of Routes 25 and 133.