Vol. 3, No. 4 — April 2021
You are receiving this Monthly Newsletter because you are a member of a District 57 Toastmasters club.
Email not displaying correctly? View in browser
|
|
April is a truly special month
We are abuzz with district level activities now more than ever. The annual district conference is fast approaching. In the business meeting, we will elect the district leadership for next year.
The District Evaluation Contest has just finished. The International Speech Contest is tomorrow. Remember to register for it if you haven't already. You may be watching a speech that wins at the International Contest later on!
That's not all. The newsletter contest is coming to an end this month with winners to be determined in Early May. The race for Distinguished Club status starts in April. Awards and incentives chair is busy preparing the list of people to be recognized as recipients of the coveted OATM and Triple Crown awards.
April is also the de-facto final month for holding open houses if you seek the incentive District Bucks for them.
As I said, April is a truly special month.
Make sure you track all that you can do and should do to not miss any of the opportunities. The most immediate is, of course, the International Speech Contest which happens tomorrow.
Venkat Raman
Editor
|
|
MESSAGE FROM OUR DISTRICT DIRECTOR
 Do you ever think about the person who started your club? I do.
I am so thankful to the person who started my club many years ago. That person had to gather up at least 20 people who wanted to join the new club, find a location, and select a day of the week/time of day. I've benefited from that person's hard work.
Did you know that our district has started 7 new clubs this year? New clubs are a great way to spread the benefits of Toastmasters to a whole group. Who needs a club? Corporations, professional associations, social groups, meetups and interest groups can use a club. Of the 7 clubs we've started almost all are going to be 100% virtual forever.
The only thing you need to start a club now is an idea and a date and time for a kick off meeting. We can get you a zoom link for the kick off meeting. So, do you have an idea for a new club? Let Dennis Dawson at dennis.s.dawson@gmail.com know and he can help you organize it.
You must have noted that the District Conference is almost upon us, on May 1. I hope to see all of you there! If you are a President or VPE be sure to sign up for the business meeting. Your votes are crucial.
Find your voice, Make a difference,
Bett Bollhoefer
District Director
|
|
DISTRICT CONFERENCE
Coming up on May 1, 9:30am-2:00pm
Join us for a Celebration that is packed with value and excitement!
Register here to receive joining instructions
($10 for individuals; $8 for groups of 4 or more)
Bring your life back to life by attending:
- David Blum a.k.a. Dr. Clue - Treasure Hunt Networking Event
- Keynote Speech by Daniel Rex, CEO of Toastmasters International
- "17 minutes to Your Dream" speech by Darren LaCroix, World Champion of Public Speaking
In between, there will be many sessions with experts explaining How To:
- Be funny anywhere,
- Create winning evaluations
- Excel in Storytelling
- Be a TedX Speaker
- Create a Podcast
- and much more …
Any questions? Please contact Sharon at healthylife.brown@gmail.com or Steve at steven_mehlman@sbcglobal.net.
Thank you.
Sharon Brown
Steve Mehlman
Conference Co-Chairs
CHECK OUT MORE DETAILS OF THE CONFERENCE
|
|
SPEECH EVALUATION (VIRTUAL) CONTEST RESULTS
Held 16 April 2021
Test Speech: "Four Flats and a Bowling Alley" by Keith Cumiskey, DTM
Keith joined us from Wisconsin where he is a member of Rockwell Automation A-B Club in District 35. An experienced Toastmaster, Keith has held all the club officer positions, and District offices up to District Director.
CONTESTANTS (in speaking order)
• Ashwin Rammohan - Entrepreneurial TM (Berkeley) - Division E
• Kathryn Hirsekorn - Santa Rosa TM (Santa Rosa) - Division G
• Jennifer Su - Confidence Builders TM (Concord) - Division B
• Shalini Suresh Kumar - East Bay TM (Oakland)- Division D
• Christine Brocato - Walnut Creek TM (Walnut Creek) - Division F
• Philip Cameron-Smith - MicroCentury (Livermore)- Division H
• Rick Kanor - Toast Of Petaluma - Division C
• Jerreau Taylor - Island City (Alameda) - Division A
• Minnie Wang - Fantastic TM (Fremont) - Division I
WINNERS
First Place: Minnie Wang
Second Place: Shalini Suresh Kumar
Third Place: Jennifer Su
All the evaluations were terrific. Congratulations to the winners!
|
|
CLUB NEWSLETTER CONTEST
In the home stretch
We are poised for an exciting finish to the contest. We've been at it for 5 months now. April 30 is the last day clubs can submit their monthly newsletters for consideration. Some clubs have already submitted and I am sure the others are hard at work, producing theirs.
These newsletters are varied in their style and content. You can view them and gain insights and gather several tips for your own projects. Here's where you can find the gateway to this amazing collection of newsletters in the contest:
2021 Club Newsletter Contest Table of Contents
Contest Timeline
Here's a quick recap of current plans regarding the remainder of the contest:
April 30 - Deadline for submitting April issues of monthly newsletters
May 1 - Final tabulation of entries to be judged
May 2-7 - Judging
May 8 - Announcement of contest results
You can help
Yes, I have a plan for everyone to help decide one of the winners: The Most Improved Newsletter. I know, I owe you some details on how to go about doing it. That will be covered in a separate email dedicated to the newsletter contest. In a nutshell, you will have the same time frame, May 2-7, to offer your votes. There is time.
Remember, the Table of Contents (TOC) is dynamic and keeps getting updated as newer issues of these newsletters come in. This will be so until the contest ends on April 30. A final pass to clean up the TOC will be done on May 1 and it will be frozen during the judging period of May 2-7.
Venkat Raman
Newsletter Contest Chair
|
|
|
Speakers Bureau
Founding Committee
Gary McKinsey
Praveena Raman
Joann Bradley
Abhishek Chaturvedi
Kavita Maheshwari
|
Speakers Bureau
Speak to make a difference
Speakers Bureau, a service to match interested speakers with speaking opportunities, has been a part of Toastmasters for many decades now. A Speakers Bureau initiative was started in our district in July 2020.
The founding committee of five dedicated D57 Toastmasters has been hard at work in planning and launching this service. This launch sequence has just reached a milestone, a significant step closer to completion.
This means that, when it launches, you can apply to be an interested speaker. You can start putting together, right now, the information you need to submit so that you are ready when the bureau is ready for you. Follow the link below for details.
Praveena Raman, Co-Chair of Speakers Bureau, has written an article capturing the history as well as the current state of the D57 Speakers Bureau project.
READ PRAVEENA'S STORY ON SPEAKERS BUREAU
|
|
PATHWAYS NEWS
Special incentive for VPPs
Vice Presidents of Pathways are so sweet, they deserve sweets!
If you are the Vice President-Pathways for either of the 2 clubs that have the highest number of Pathways Levels completed in the 2-month period 4/1/21 - 5/31/21, you will receive a magnificent box of chocolates that you can share with your club (or not!).
Email lindy@lindysinclair.com with your results.
Include screenshots of the DCP reports for 3/31/21 and 5/31/21. Go to http://dashboards.toastmasters.org/ and type in your club number on the left to see where you are currently.
Chocolates to the victor!!
Lindy Sinclair
Pathways Chair
|
|
MESSAGE FROM OPEN HOUSE CHAIR
Open House Documentation
Forgot how to get reimbursed for your Open House?
It’s as simple as 1,2,3:
1. Copy of Ad that announces Open House.
2. Copy of Agenda that says Open House
3. Screenshot with names legible OR official sign-in document
That's all you need...I have the rest to satisfy the requirements.
What about the list of guests, you ask? Well, I can tell who the guests are by looking at the screenshot and the most recent membership roster for your club. No, you don't need to send the roster either because I now have access to that online.
Didn't have 3 guests, but did have a guest join? No worries...I can tell that by looking at your screenshot and your club roster with join-dates for your members.
Don't have a screenshot, but do have an official sign-in sheet? That will work too. I have learned along the way and am streamlining so that you have less to do.
Relax, have fun, but advertise far and wide to get the word out.
Only one catch: There's very little time for you to stage an eligible OH, get the District Bucks awarded, spend those bucks, and claim reimbursement by June 1st. You better hurry!
Sally Philbin
Open House Chair
openhouse@d57tm.org
|
|
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
Open House blow-out!
Is there such a thing as too many guests at a Toastmasters club Open House?
Perhaps there is, if you are meeting in person. But not when it is a virtual meeting. I am sure Nancy Moscardini, President of Talk and Thrive Toastmasters, would agree.
Nancy and the rest of the officers at her club planned and meticulously executed a campaign for their recent open house that attracted around six times the number of guests they were expecting. And their expectations weren't too small to start with!
It bears mentioning that, a year ago, Talk and Thrive had just 8 members and was on the brink of closing. Now they are humming along with 18 members! They added at least 8 members as a result of that open house. This one's for the books.
Make sure to read her story for some tips in organizing your own successful open houses.
READ NANCY'S STORY ON THE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL OPEN HOUSE AT HER CLUB
|
|
MEMBER PERSPECTIVE
The right way to prepare for Table Topics
Table Topics are an important part of the Toastmasters learning program.
The ability to think on your feet will help you immensely in your professional life; you can handle impromptu questions in a business meeting with aplomb; you can face job interviews with ease. This training also helps you in personal situations.
Yet, why aren’t there more lessons about how to deliver a table topic in the Pathways program?
Why does Dennis Dawson, when scheduling meetings, occasionally sacrifice Table Topics to allow for longer lesson speeches or an extra speaker?
READ DENNIS'S TAKE ON PREPARING FOR TABLE TOPICS HERE
|
|
ASK DISTRICT FINANCE
Do you know how to handle multiple clubs in Concur?
(It's actually easy, but can be a chore)
Do you know the deadline for submitting reimbursements?
(It's coming real soon -- sooner than you may think)
Have you started your spending for this year yet?
(You need to spend, and then only submit your reimbursement)
Do you understand what expenses qualify for reimbursements?
(Don't violate IRS rules!)
READ THE APRIL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
|
|
|
Beatrice Stonebanks
|
MASTERCLASS UPDATE
Have you always wanted an online course of your own?
Are you an expert in your subject matter and ready to create a MasterClass?
Well, we have a simple, step-by-step process to help you get there.
Please reach out to me directly and we’ll talk about how easy the creation process is. It does NOT include any time pressure. It results in your own MasterClass which will live on the District 57 website, free to all Toastmasters. A copy will also be given to you to promote with or without a fee of your own.
Here’s to a 2021 with your own MasterClass in the queue!
Beatrice Stonebanks
Masterclass Chair
beatrice@stonebanks.net
|
|
CALL FOR ARTICLES
We seek articles from members touching upon various issues and tips that would benefit our fellow Toastmasters. These timeless messages will find a home on our website for durable use.
You can be proud of making a difference in many lives.
Please email your article ideas to me. After defining the scope, you will be able to write and submit them.
I look forward to your ideas to strengthen our website with relevant content.
|
|
If you are a member of a District 57 Toastmasters club but did not receive this newsletter directly from the district, please contact news@d57tm.org for correcting our list.
|
|
|
Toastmasters District 57 serves a large area in Northern California including the East Bay and North Bay communities surrounding San Francisco. Starting with Fremont, CA on the South, District 57 has its Northern reaches go all the way to Eureka, CA.
It is part of Region 1 for the Toastmasters year 2019-2020.
|
|
|
|
|
