Page 1

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District 42

Sharing Ideas Among

Clubs!

District Executive

DG Keith Lee …..…….…...1

LGET Doris Henn ………..3

LGM Marg Faryna …….....4

PRO Geetha Nicodemus .6

Chief Ambassador ……....8

Spring Convention ………9

DTM Stories …….....…….10

Learning from Leaders ..12

Inspiring AG ………...…..14

Winning Newsletters ......15

Advanced Manuals ….....16

Club Ideas .................,….19

Joint Meetings .........,.....25

Resources ..................,....26

Speechcraft ...............,….27

Celebrations .........,……..30

About Toastmasters …...31

Compiled By:

Geetha Nicodemus, DTM

Carol Harrison, DTM

Layout & Technical:

Nandini Venkatesan, DTM

Marvin Henry, DTM

Editor:

Carol Harrison, DTM

Assistant Editor:

Darlene Davies, DTM

District Website:

d42tm.org

PRAIRIE HORIZONS Where Leaders Are Made

What’s In It for Me? 2013-2014 Volume 2

Learn as a Leader, One Year at a Time

It has been an amazing year of learning and discovery as your District

Governor for 2013-2014. We have an amazing group of District Leaders

working hard to ensure that the members and clubs of District 42 are

well-served. Let us recognize the various groups of leaders who have

been serving the members of District 42:

The Club Leaders – Clubs are the heart of Toastmasters, and

the members who step up to serve as members of the club

executive play the most critical role in the success of our District.

Their efforts help create opportunities for success for individual

members and our District as a whole.

The Mentors – Members who help other members are members

who make a difference. Mentorship can play a critical role in

engaging members at every level, by promoting not only

individual members’ skills development but also cultivating

relationships and fellowship to make the club experience warm,

productive and enjoyable.

The Trainers - Special thanks to all of the trainers who have been

conducting the second-round Club Officer Training sessions

across Alberta and Saskatchewan to ensure that the members of

the Club Executive are not only aware of their duties but also

have a chance to reflect upon the opportunities that they can

create for members through their service.

District Executive Team New Club: College Plaza Toastmasters

Page 2

District Governor

Keith Lee, DTM

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The Area Governors – These District Leaders

have been visiting clubs, holding Area Council

meetings, organizing Area and Division events,

and working with Club Leaders to help them

understand the Moments of Truth critical to the

Toastmasters program and ensure that members

are getting the most out of the Toastmasters

program.

The Division Governors – These District

Leaders have worked tirelessly to ensure that the

resources of the District are directed effectively

through the organization of events like Club

Officer Training, Toastmasters Leadership

Institutes, Destination DTM/Boot Camps (to

help members identify and reach their next

milestone in the Toastmasters education

program), Division Contests, Division Council

meetings and so much more.

The Club Sponsors, Mentors, and Coaches –

These District Leaders help ensure that both new

clubs and clubs that are working to build

membership can benefit from the insight,

enthusiasm and expertise of experienced

members. Club Sponsors and Mentors helping

new clubs start on the right foot by guiding club

leaders through the critical first year of a

Toastmasters club. Club Coaches work with the

club executive to help them build Distinguished

Clubs that serve their members effectively at

every level.

These members are all volunteers working to

create the best experience for other members.

Make sure to take time during club, area and

division events to recognize the members who

are helping other members make the most of

their Toastmasters experience.

The Toastmasters year runs from July 1 to June

30. Be sure to reflect on your progress towards

your goals so far and start considering what

challenge you will take on next. Move with

purpose towards your next goal, and help

plant seeds through the Time, Recognition,

Example and Encouragement you share with

others in your current role.

Respectfully submitted,

Keith Lee, DTM

Photo: Courtesy of Keith Lee, DTM

Page 3

Training Our District 42 Leaders The Education and Training focus for this

quarter has been directed toward holding

Toastmaster Learning Institutes (TLIs) and

Club Officer Training (COT) in every

quadrant of District 42. Toastmasters from

around the District took part in All Leader

Sessions designed to teach important club

basics such as Mentoring, Membership Building

and Retention and the Club Success Plan.

Part of the District 42 Success Plan this year

has been to deliver quality training in our

smaller and remote centers. Webinar based

Train the Trainer Sessions were conducted

for Peace River and Grande Prairie in January.

District leaders travelled to Red Deer in

December, held a video conference in

Lethbridge connecting with Southern Alberta in

January, and to Fort McMurray in February.

The second round of COT ended on

February 28, 2014. Thank you to all the club

officers who have attended a training session. I

wish you all the best in your officer roles.

Contest season is quickly approaching. The

deadline for each level of contest follows:

Clubs (March 22), Areas (April 5), and Divisions

(April 19). This year’s winner of the District 42

International Speech Contest will be determined

during the Edmonton Convention, May 2 to 4,

2014. The winner will travel to Kuala Lumpur,

Malaysia to take part in the International

speech contest and convention August 20

to 23, 2014.

Photo: Courtesy of Doris Henn, DTM

Club Officer Training – Fort McMurray training

session/group February 8, 2014

This year in District 42 we are sending individual

and club award ribbons to the President of

every club quarterly, for distribution and

recognition during a regular club meeting. Triple

Crown, CC/CL, CL/ALB and our DTM recipients

will be honored at the Edmonton Convention.

Congratulations to the 58 Clubs who earned

the Go Getter Award this year by achieving 5

Distinguished Club Goals prior to January 31,

2014.

Keep up the great work District 42. We are

planning to finish the year in record breaking style.

Doris Henn, DTM

Lieutenant Governor Education and Training

Doris Henn, DTM

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Triple Crown: Three educational awards

Page 4

Lieutenant Governor Marketing

Marg Faryna, DTM

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Photo: Marg Faryna, Doris and Nevin Henn

Mentoring in District 42

Consider being a mentor to a

member in your club. Maybe you have

undertaken this responsibility on more than one

occasion already. It is one of the finest ways of

contributing to your club and at the same time,

developing your personal skills and receiving the

gratification of seeing your mentee move forward

under your tutelage. And, as a mentor you can

receive credit for Project 9 in the Competent

Leadership Manual.

A mentor takes a personal interest in helping a

member who is seeking guidance from someone

who is more knowledgeable or experienced than

they are. The mentor is able to offer insight,

perspective and wisdom. The mentee benefits

from the relationship with his mentor and is able

become more successful, learn new skills

themselves and in turn, mentor someone else.

You may also take on the challenge of being a

mentor to a new Toastmasters club and thus

fulfill one of the requirements for the Advanced

Leader Silver. Mentoring a new Toastmasters

club is similar in many ways to mentoring a single

toastmaster. Mentors are the advisors and tutors

for new clubs and have a great impact on the

degree to which a new club succeeds.

They are experienced toastmasters who are

ready to share their knowledge and guide a

new club toward success. The official term as

mentor begins when the new club charters;

and lasts for a minimum of six months. A

mentor’s duties include ensuring the club is

strong and fully functional and making sure

officers understand their duties and have the

tools they need to perform them.

Mentoring a new club does NOT include

creating identical toastmasters clubs. Mentors

educate new club members using materials

available from TI and should avoid saying “In

my club ….” Mentors acquaint new clubs with

educational sessions and teach VPEs how to

use the tools provided. They instill the values

of quality club meetings and exemplary

member service. Mentors are a new club’s

primary nurturers, educating and training

by example.

If you would like to learn more about being a

new club mentor or would like to become a

new club mentor, please email

LGM@d42tm.org. It is one of the most

interesting and gratifying leadership

experiences in Toastmasters.

Marg Faryna, DTM

Photo: Marg Faryna, DTM

Speak MastURS Toastmasters Club in

Sherwood Park and Area Governor Lorenzo

Heinrichs

Page 5

Lieutenant Governor of Marketing

Marg Faryna, DTM

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District 42 has 12 New Clubs

Congratulations to the successful New clubs Sponsors and Mentors of our 12 newest clubs in

the District. These clubs are well on their way to achieving success under the guidance of their

sponsors and mentors.

Div G Absolutely Fabulous Toastmasters

Sponsors Iris M. Talbot, DTM

Div C ATB Calgary Campus Sponsors Johnathan O. Bauer, ACG, ALB & Vincenzo Aliberti, ACS, ALB

Mentors Gayle A Soppit & Marcia J Allen, CC

Div A Coal Steam Ahead Sponsors Peter Kossowan, DTM & Marg Faryna, DTM

Mentors

Div F College Plaza Toastmasters Sponsors Peter Kossowan, DTM & Greg Gazin, DTM

Mentors Hans Von Bloedau, CTM & Greg Gazin, DTM

Div J Crowfoot Communicators Sponsors Samantha C. Marcy, CC, CL & Nevin Henn, ACG, CL

Mentors Andrew Jaremko & Doreen Lily Storck, ACB

Div D Elemental Toastmasters Sponsors Peter Kossowan, DTM

Mentors Lorenzo Heinrichs, ACG, AALB & Margaret Faryna, DTM

Div E Fearless Speakers Sponsors Lorilee G Guenter, CC, ALB & Carol E Harrison, DTM

Mentors Brian Peter Harrison, ACS, ALB & Patti Kehrer, ACB, ALB

Div J Groundswell Group Toastmasters

Sponsors Johnathan O. Bauer, ACG, ALB

Mentors Glen Ernest Brown, ACS, ALB

Div G Healthy Living Toastmasters Sponsors Ron Wayne Zdrill, CC & Keith S Whelpdale, CC, CL

Mentors Sandra Delon & Monique Assi, DTM

Div A Lingo Advanced Communicators

Sponsors Kerrianne Koehler-Munro, CTM, CL, Kamran Akbarzadeh, DTM

Mentors Carisa David, DTM & Gloria J Brons, DTM

Div D Speak MastURS Sponsors Peter Kossowan, DTM

Mentors Indira Pandya, ACB, ALB & Carol Penner, ACS, ALB

Div D The Way We Speak Toastmasters Club

Sponsors Peter Kossowan, DTM & Greg Gazin, DTM

Mentors Candy Huma Khan, CTM & Noel Bentley, CC, ALB

Serving as a new club sponsor or new club mentor will provide you with a terrific opportunity to

develop and grow your leadership skills and will be a credit towards your ALS. We have many more

opportunities to build new clubs in all corners of the District. And we need sponsors and mentors to

help in this endeavour. Please contact LGM@d42tm.org if you are interested.

Marg Faryna, DTM

Page 6

Public Relations Officer

Geetha Nicodemus, DTM

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If they knew how to give the right feedback, they

hesitated, as they feared they would be hurting

the speaker. Her passion to reach out and

educate as many members, ESL and Non-ESL

speakers included, is visible in the fact that she

has been facilitating this session for 4 years now

and has successfully trained over 400 people.

Her sessions are guaranteed to sharpen your

evaluating skills for ESL speakers.

"How to be a Distinguished Club Year after

Year!" was presented by Harry Wenzel, Division

G Governor 2012-2013 and Rochelle

Anderson, Division G Governor 2013-2014.

"Presentation Techniques that really work!" was

presented by Teresa Merry Field and Ben

Thorlkelson, both members of the MVP

Advanced Toastmasters Club.

"Navigating TI and D42 website" was presented

by Christina Kruis and Valerie Erickson.

If you missed any of these webinars, we have a

recorded session available for you on the District

42 website, www.d42tm.org, under the

'webinars' section. Look up our schedule for

upcoming webinars.

Webinars Schedule Missed Webinars

Public Relations Committees

Let me start by introducing a few members who are

supporting the District PR initiatives since the

beginning of this year.

Devan McPherson, who was the Area Governor of

the Year, 2012-2013, is in charge of Anymeetings,

our web conference and webinar service tool.

Devan's BHAG(big hairy audacious goal), he says, is

to have 100 people attending the webinars by year

end! "There is so much information that we have and

that is presented so well by our Toastmasters in

District42, I think that a goal of getting more people

on board to receive the presentation is a worthy

endeavor." He has personally called club executives

for support to push forward his goal.

We have had some great Webinar Educational

Sessions so far. "Organizing Bootcamps" was

presented by Bev LeBlanc, a session for aspiring

Bootcamp Co-ordinators. Bev who was the

Toastmaster of the Year for 2012-2013, explained

how Bootcamps are a way to get pumped up about

planning our Toastmasters journey as well as

connecting with members who have begun their

journey and continue to excel!

Evaluating ESL Speakers was presented by Yvea

Zaels. Yvea, an ESL speaker herself, with English

being her 4th language, created this session as she

observed how members were not able to give

specific feedback to ESL speakers.

Page 7

Public Relations Officer

Geetha Nicodemus, DTM

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Our social media administrator Rhys Davies, has

been aggressive in promoting our Facebook page

to District 42 members and clubs. Since he took

over as administrator our number of likes have

increased from 170 to 317. Rhys’ goal, as

Facebook Administrator, is to provide an

opportunity for members and clubs to

communicate with the district and also serve

members by promoting the District news,

information and events. Rhys has been serving the

District for over ten years now and is working

towards his second DTM, which he hopes to

complete in 2016. He is the past Prairie Horizons

editor and has won many awards.

District 42 You Tube page

Prairie Horizons archive will soon be available

for all our members. We are evaluating the

right tool to present it in. Recording our

members’ achievements is top priority this

year for PR team. Shaila Khan, an

enthusiastic new member, is helping the

District put together a document called

Inspirations. Inspirations is a collection of

stories of our members’ journeys towards

DTM. Virtual trophy room, a website, will be

developed by May Zhou another new

member. This website is specifically for

displaying District Trophies and winners of the

trophies.

District 42 is very blessed to have such

enthusiastic contributors. A big thank you

to all members for your co-operation and for

volunteering your time with us.

Geetha Nicodemus, DTM

Photo: Shaila Khan – Editor DTM

Stories

Page 8

The Toastmasters Revitalized Education

Program

In 2010 the Toastmasters International Board of

Directors approved a strategic plan for the

organization. Part of that plan called for a

“renewed focus on leadership and a

modernization of the communication

program”. For the past few years Toastmasters

International has been analyzing the existing

program and researching possible changes that

would make our education program more

relevant to the needs of its members in their day

to day lives.

A project plan was developed and steps were

taken to make the changes needed so that the

Toastmasters Education Program would

provide real-world communication and

leadership skills that are useful in a globally

evolving marketplace. In the second half of this

year Toastmasters International will unveil its

Revitalized Education Program.

The revitalized program promises to make

membership in Toastmasters even more

desirable than ever before. There are many

changes planned but the core of our education

program will remain in place. Peer learning,

achievement and recognition will remain at the

heart of the process. However the learning

experience will be taken to a whole new level.

Technology will become a powerful tool in

our future learning. You will be able to harness

technology to improve your speaking and

meeting roles.

Right now, a group of 1500 individuals around

the globe are serving as “Learning Masters” to

help test elements of the new program. They are

experiencing parts of the new programs and

provide meaningful feedback to the

Toastmasters project team. The Learning

Masters are a critical link between the project

team and you, the member.

Chief Ambassador

Chuck LeBlanc, DTM

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Revitalized Education Program – Q & A

In addition to the Learning Masters,

Toastmasters has chosen a group of Learning

Ambassadors who will help inform clubs about

the Revitalized Education Program. These

Learning Ambassadors will be assigned

approximately 10 clubs charged with the task to

provide club members with details of the new

program. Each club can expect 2 visits from the

Learning Ambassadors. The first visit will be

in February-March, to provide an overview of

the new program, and the second visit, during

the second half of 2014, soon after the details

of the new program are announced.

District 42 will have approximately 26

Learning Ambassadors who will visit clubs and

make presentations about the program. Each

ambassador will be assigned approximately 10

clubs. At this time we are finalizing the list of

clubs that each ambassador will visit. Once the

list is complete it will be circulated to each Area

Governor and will be posted on the District 42

website.

These are exciting times! Our revitalized

education program will help to reinforce

Toastmasters as the world’s leading

organization for developing communication and

leadership skills. It’s one more proof that

Toastmasters is “Where Leaders are Made”!

Chuck LeBlanc, DTM

Page 9

Spring Convention May 2-4, 2014

Top Five Reasons to get excited about

District 42 Spring Convention 2014

It’s hard to believe that the Spring

Convention 2014 is less than three months

away. Why should you get excited about

the “Leaders are Forever” event? If you

came to the Fall Conference 2013 you

know what a great experience you’re in for

during this semi-annual event. However, if

you haven’t joined us yet for the best

Toastmasters Convention, here are the top

five reasons you should attend the Spring

Convention 2014.

5. Eat, Relax, Party, Repeat

What event would be complete without a

costumed party and exceptional evening

events? At “Leaders are Forever” 2014, you

will be treated to terrific food at the

Radisson Hotel. Enjoy James Bond themed

cocktails and fun games on Friday, and an

elegant four course meal at the District

Governor’s Ball on Saturday, then dance

the night away with TJ the DJ. Don’t forget

the Hospitality ‘after hours’ Suite!

4. Speech and Evaluation Contests

Every contestant has won 2 to 3 contests

before they get to the Convention. They

won at the club speech or evaluation

contests … then won the Area contest …

then won the Division contest! They will

compete with other Division winners for the

coveted Convention trophies.

Spring Convention

Edmonton, AB

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Come see these contestants: they are the “crème de

la crème” of District 42. You will be inspired,

entertained and uplifted all at the same time.

3. Lead, Learn and Share

Curious how to get the most value out of your

experience at the Convention? Attend different

workshops and share what you learn. The workshops

often focus on teaching various skills and will get you

thinking. Learn about the Toastmasters organization

outside your club. Spring is also the time for electing

District Officers.

2. Networking that is Actually Meaningful

One of the best aspects of the Convention is the

opportunity to network with Toastmasters from all

over Alberta and Saskatchewan. “Leaders are

Forever” 2014 offers the perfect platform to meet and

share war stories with hundreds of Toastmasters.

Why not invite members from your own club to join

you at the Convention? You will all have an amazing

time together!

And the number one reason………

1. An Inspiring Keynote Speaker You want to

Hear

Register now….

“Leaders are Forever” 2014 will be here before you

know it, so what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out,

register today at Springconvention.d42tm.org

If you are looking for a convention that features

If you are looking for a

convention that features Keynote

speakers who offer practical tips

in personal and professional

development, then look no

further. At “Leaders are Forever”

2014, you will hear from Mary

Pat Barry, Accredited Business

Communicator, Top 100

Business Women of 2013.

Page 10

Attaining My DTM

Shaila Khan interviews the District Governor,

Keith Lee DTM for “Inspirations” - stories of

members achieving their DTM.

Why did you join Toastmasters?

I joined the SAITSayers club in 2002 as I was

finishing a diploma at SAIT in Calgary. A friend of

mine noticed an ad on a campus bulletin board and

we decided to check out a meeting together.

What do you like about Toastmasters?

I like the people, the opportunities, and the

personal challenge. There are so many ways that I

have grown through my time in the organization. I

met my wife through Toastmasters, I have gotten

jobs through Toastmasters, and I have been able to

expand my communication and leadership skills

exponentially through the new contexts that District

Leadership affords.

Are there any stories you would like to share

with us?

Actually, one of my proudest achievements over

the years was completing the “85 Stories” project,

where we celebrated the 85th anniversary of

Toastmasters International by collecting the stories

of 85 different Toastmasters from across Calgary

and sharing them online. It was very cool to hear

about the difference that the organization has made

in so many lives.

Also, it is interesting how my first bid for District

Leadership led me to meet my wife! We met at

the Grande Prairie convention a few years ago but

all we did was play Mega-Jenga in the hospitality

room. I was so shy I didn’t actually talk to her

during the game – we just played the game. It

wasn’t until the next convention six months later

that we actually had our first conversation and I

asked her for her number!

DTM Stories

District Governor

C

Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB

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What have been the highlights of your journey

to DTM?

I remember attending a cracker-barrel session led

by Rhys Davies many years ago and promising to

complete my DTM that year. It took me a while….

I didn’t finish until five or more years later!

Initially I wanted to complete my High Performance

Leadership project on coordinating Youth

Leadership programs in Calgary. Although I did

accomplish a lot with Youth Leadership, it fell to the

wayside as an HPL. Ultimately, I decided to pursue

a project in my year as Lieutenant Governor of

Marketing that I finished for my HPL. I had an

outstanding guidance committee – Darlene

Davies, Charles Mohammed, and Ray Mulvihill

– and I really enjoyed our conversations. I also

have to thank Doris Henn for motivating me to

cross the finish line in the end.

Another highlight has been the joy of writing thank-

you cards to members who have achieved their

DTM and other educational goals. It takes a lot of

commitment and focus to complete goals within the

program, and you can never have enough

recognition!

.

Page 11

DTM Stories

District Governor

Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB

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How has Toastmasters helped you?

It has helped me with my career, expanded my

social circle, and helped me discover myself as a

leader and communicator. Helping to organize

projects and events in service of others has

provided so many opportunities for growth and

contribution to my community – I would truly say

that Toastmasters has helped me define myself

more sharply as a person and find my voice. I want

to build and share my knowledge, and

Toastmasters has helped that process immensely.

Why would you recommend Toastmasters to

others?

Definitely! It provides a fantastic opportunity for

people to expand their skills, expand their

network, and discover opportunities to grow as

a leader, communicator and citizen of the world.

You meet so many people and have the chance to

contribute in so many ways both within and beyond

the club.

What are your future plans?

Following completion of my District Governor year, I

will step back a bit to focus on my family and my

career. I still plan to contribute as Immediate Past

District Governor – Chuck LeBlanc, Greg Gazin

and Ken Tanner have been huge inspirations and

great mentors – and I look forward to seeing our

District be distinguished for many years to come.

What has inspired other Toastmasters

in District 42 to achieve their DTM?

Read more inspiring stories in the

Inspirations booklet.

Michel Conrad, DTM

Freddi Dogterom, DTM

Genesh Chariyil, DTM

Kamran Akbarzdeh, DTM

Bob Gibbenus, DTM

Click ads for Toastmasters International website

Page 12

Learning from Leaders

District 42 Prairie Horizon Archives

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A Look Back

It is a new century so why bother to look back?

Things are new and improved now aren't they?

Sometimes in looking back we can use the

basics and change them enough for our

modern clubs. Yet other articles remain as true

today as they were years ago.

In May each division will be looking for

Toastmasters to serve as Area Governors,

serving the clubs in their assigned areas but what

does it mean. Ask anyone who has been an Area

Governor and they will give you a glimpse into the

highlights and challenges they faced during the

year of service. As I read this article written in the

first Prairie Horizons in the archives I realize that

some things haven't changed all that much. A

good area governor still requires the same

leadership skills as back then. As you enjoy a

look back into the archives, think about whether

you are ready to serve your district as an area

governor. I know from experience it is worthwhile.

WHY AN AREA GOVERNOR?

Wolf Niepelt, Area Governor, Area 7

We have all had the experience of having an Area

Governor drop in on our weekly TM meeting. He is

properly welcomed by the Club President and

receives polite applause. He then sits - stiff, silent,

and observing - through the major portion of the

evening. His remarks at the end of the meeting are

superficial and bland. No concrete ideas are

offered, and the lasting impression of his visit is,

"Who needs him?"!

I must admit, that I never found an answer until my

appointment as governor of Area 7 became a

reality. The answer, of course, is that we don’t

need this type of man as Area Governor. What we

do need, and need desperately, is a man who will

meet his load of responsibility to help all the clubs

in his area every way possible.

His prime function is to insure that all club

officers are properly trained and fulfill

their responsibilities. Part of this, of course,

is helping them in the administration and

the guidance of their clubs. To achieve

this, he must be well versed in all club

procedures and be familiar with the many

aides available from Santa Ana.

How he accomplishes this function will

depend on his individual personality, but

In any event, he must utilize his own ideas,

his imagination and his logic, as well as

show initiative and enthusiasm; above all,

he must have the dedication and be

determined to succeed.

Before a new Area Governor can help his

clubs, he must first determine where aid

is most needed. He should establish

personal contact with the executive of each

club in his area. His first project should be

to help build and maintain individual

club enthusiasm and spirit. This can best

be achieved by active participation in each

club's programs. He should always be

prepared (as a good Toastmaster) to fill in

at a minute’s notice in an emergency. He

should not push himself into the

foreground, but he· should never shy away

from a challenge or the opportunity to

participate, He will not only help the club,

but also gain the respect of the members in

his clubs.

Page 13

Learning from Leaders

District 42 Prairie Horizon Archives

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Once he has familiarized himself with his clubs, the

Area Governor should instigate inter-club

activities. Working with his full Area Council, he

should organize a Speakers Bureau, a speakers

exchange program, and a combined, inter-club,

public relations program. He should promote joint or

single club sponsorship of Speechcraft and Youth

Leadership Programs. It is true that some clubs

may have already instituted some of these

programs, but the Area Governor can incorporate

all clubs into these activities for much more effective

results. Who else but the Area Governor has the

time and opportunity to properly co-ordinate these

undertakings?

He should not, however, confine his thinking to just

Toastmasters meetings. A good Area Governor

should be continuously on the lookout for speaking

opportunities for Toastmasters outside of their

clubs. Every such opportunity not only provides a

challenge for experienced Toastmasters, but also is

of great publicity value to our organization.

After almost a year as Area Governor, I can only

say that the position is full of challenges, full of

pitfalls but is also full of rewards, It is really no

different from anything else worthwhile in life, Attack

the problems and success is 'in the bag'. It is your

initiative and determination that decides the

outcome!

Click for PH Archive

Opportunities in D42

What leadership skills do you want to

develop?

1. Club Coach

2. Club Sponsor

3. Club Mentor

4. Area Governor and Assistants

5. Division Governor and Assistants

6. Speech Contest Chair

7. Boot Camp Organizers

8. Club Officer Training Trainers

9. Prairie Horizons Contributors

10. Convention volunteers

More opportunities….. for Leaders

Mentors – Leaders Who Makes a Difference

Past District Governor Mona Cooley and team

members Darlene Davies, Bob Gibbenus,

Peggy Gibbenus, Marvin Henry, and Nandini

Venkatesan have created four training modules

to assist clubs in developing a mentoring

program to help members get the most out of

the Toastmasters program.

Module 1 - Promoting the Vision of a Club

Mentoring Program

Module 2 - Implementing the Program

Module 3 - Training the mentors and mentees

Module 4 - Building the B.E.S.T. mentoring

relationships

Mentoring Resources

Page 14

Inspiring Area Governor

J53 Area Governor

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Newsletter of the Year

Shelley Goldbeck

Leadership as an Area Governor

1. Sponsored 12 members, 3 sponsorships given to

Sisi Wu

2. Initiated, developed and maintained

Toastmasters at Suncor internal website

3. Organized individual meetings to recruit and sign

up new members

4. Generated about 40 guests attendance across

Suncor based clubs. Achieved by initiating mass

email sent to 6,000 Calgary-based employees in

cooperation communication department.

5. Recruited members by supplying promotional

material to ESL-focused speech pathologist

office

6. Attracted new members via signage posted on

workspace walls

7. Cooperated with club Suncor based clubs on

membership drive

8. Marketed club via company internal classified

postings

9. Initiated including information about TM during

company employee orientation session

10. Communicated with company learning and

development team include TM in course offerings

11. Generated guest attendance by connecting with

all participants of company offered Facilitation

with Ease course

12. Connected potential members with Fort

McMurray based clubs

13. Improved club’s guest information package

14. Mentored new members and introduced TM

educational program

15. Initiated club official mentorship program

16. Developed and delivered for Calgary-wide TM

audience the “TM educational program” session

organized by CATs

17. Applied and secured $750 of club funding via the

volunteer grant from Suncor

Yvea Zaels

Leadership Tasks

Area Governors do a variety of tasks to

help their clubs and their area. Each Area

Governor brings their unique personality

and abilities to the role. Each club in each

area has similar needs such as marketing

their club to attract new members, having

club officers trained and working to the best

of their abilities. Yet each club also has its

unique culture which brings some individual

needs that may need help of the Area

Governor in meeting.

This is one list from one Area Governor

last year. Maybe you can take some of

these ideas and make them your own or

they may spur you into thinking of things

that would work to promote your Clubs,

your Area, your Division and Toastmasters

in general. Have some fun as you work

towards the members being served in the

best way possible.

Carol Harrison, DTM

Yvea Zaels

2012 -2013 Area Governor Division J

Page 15

Winning Newsletters

WAAMtastic Toastmasters

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4. A club newsletter helps members hone

communications skills. As Toastmasters we

continually aspire to become better

communicators. Just as we have multiple ways of

receiving news (radio, TV, print, online, mobile),

we have multiple ways to communicate. As our

club newsletter editor, I always invite members to

participate by writing short reports of meetings or

contests or by taking pictures.

5. There is great satisfaction in producing a

newsletter. I produced a bi-monthly newsletter

for a former employer. As I hand delivered about

150 of the 200 newsletters, I witnessed first-hand

the impact of my product on my colleagues. They

would immediately cease working to devour the

latest news. Their enthusiasm validated my

team’s efforts and eased the pain of looming

deadlines and wrestling with technology.

6. A club newsletter is an effective way to

record your club history. Our former secretary

needed to know about past club contest winners

so she could add their names to our winner’s

plaque. By referring to our newsletter archives I

was able to provide her with accurate information.

7. A good club newsletter can add

credibility and prestige to your club. In 2012

and 2013, as VP Public Relations, I won the Herb

Ashley Award for our club’s newsletter,

WAAMtalk. Winning these awards was a

tremendous honour for my club and me. I have

since delivered a number of talks about building

award-winning newsletters. I am always happy to

share my skills and expertise in this area.

If you are the VP Public Relations for your club, I

encourage you to dip your toe in the water and

create a club newsletter. You and your club will

enjoy great rewards.

Shelley Goldbeck ACG, ALB Thinker, Writer,

Speaker WAAMtastic Toastmasters.

Seven Good Reasons to Have a

Toastmasters Club Newsletter

Producing and distributing a club newsletter is

one of the duties of the VP Public Relations.

Here are just seven reasons to produce a

newsletter for your Toastmasters club.

1. Your club newsletter is a wonderful way

to officially share news with your

Toastmaster members. We keep our members

up-to-date on member achievements and other

club, area, district and division news. We include

features like Member Profiles, Speaker Spotlight,

and Word of the Month. We print speeches or

excerpts of speeches. We glean information from

Toastmaster magazine, encapsulate it and share

the main ideas with readers.

2. Your club newsletter is also useful for

recruiting new members. In our club, we are

reminded to share our electronic copies with

prospective members. Hard copies of the

newsletter appear in the lunch room near the

bank of microwaves, in the coffee rooms on each

floor, and in the reception area. One of our

members reported that he came to our building

for a job interview, noticed our club newsletter in

the reception area, and set his sights on winning

the job because we had a Toastmasters Club.

The company’s esteem was elevated because of

the presence of our club!

3. A club newsletter is also a great way to

communicate with managers and guests of

your company. As your club members achieve

educational designations, win contests and other

Toastmaster accolades, it is important that their

colleagues and managers know about those

achievements. It is not only great for the member

but also adds to the prestige of the club and its

perceived importance.

Click for WAAMtastic Toastmasters website

Public Downloads

Page 16

Inspiring Lessons

Advanced Manuals

Completed all 15!

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Photo: Courtesy of Terry McBride

Cecilia receiving her plaque at TLI

Hi there fellow Toastmasters. Cecilia Elizabeth

DTM here. I am pleased to come to you with

some wonderful news. Recently I have been

honored by Division E for finishing all 15

Advanced Manuals. I am proud to lead the way

for all of you to do the same.

Some time ago at an Area Governor training I

informed Keith Lee, our District 42 Governor that

I was just about to finish my last speech in the

last advanced manual. Yes, all 15 of them. Keith

asked me if I would be so kind as to write an

article for the Prairie Horizons newsletter. So

here it is.

I joined Toastmasters in July of 1995. The

reason was pretty lame but true. My husband,

Dusty (Bill Dustin) had joined Toastmasters after

meeting Alice Hanlin at the Emma Lake

Toastmaster weekend which was put on by Big

Thinkers Toastmasters club. The first meeting

he planned attend was the 10th anniversary

party for Big Thinkers. Well.........this was

...NOT...going to work for me. If I remember

correctly, I said, "Well, you are not going to party

without me." One thing I must make clear, is that

the Cecilia you know now is not the same

Cecilia Elizabeth I was then. I was introverted,

lacked confidence, and was a very, very shy,

scared person. The woman you know now is

extroverted, confident and not shy at all. It is all

because of Toastmasters. Thank you fellow

Toastmasters.

My "Toastmaster Journey" really began shortly

after I joined Big Thinkers. I joined the executive.

Several seasoned Toastmasters, Alice Hanlin

and Mickey McLellan, had my best interest at

hand and took me under their wing. These two

ladies mentored me and helped me realize I was

not an "ugly duckling" and that I did have value.

Above all I believe this is the best kept secret

about the Toastmasters organization.

Mentors not only help folks become better

speakers but really help them become

"Humans Being More". Through it all I was

always "befriended" The thing Toastmasters

all do very, very well.

Over the first year I discovered what

Toastmasters was all about. I discovered that

Toastmasters had two tracks: a

Communication track and a Leadership track.

I attended the Emma Lake workshop where I

could learn about the possibilities and

opportunities to focus on in my Toastmasters

journey. By September of the first year, I had

participated in the International Speech

Contest. What a learning curve that was! I

also helped Alice Hanlin at a Youth

Leadership program at Montgomery school.

By June of my first Toastmaster year I had

obtained my first CTM, (That is the old name

of the award and equivalent to the CC manual

of a Toastmaster's first 10 speeches). Of

course the list goes on and on....

Why and how did I do it?

THIS IS "THE KEY" One thing I discovered is

that Toastmasters had a sheet called

"Toastmasters Recognition". It laid out the

Speaking and Leadership Tracks and

described what one needed to do to obtain

each Toastmasters level. It was so clear.

Page 17

I pinned it up on the bulletin board in my office,

where I could see "where I was" and most of all

where my next step would be. Then I started

working though those steps. During all of this

progress I worked on different Advanced

Manuals, modules and leadership opportunities.

Next my mentors made sure I was on the club

executive, keeping me involved. I started with

Secretary and moved on to Treasurer. I have

done all the roles more than once.

Advanced Manuals:

1 & 2 The first two manuals I did

were Entertaining Speaker and Specialty

Speeches. I think this is a good place to start with

their projects such as Speak off the Cuff and

Resources for Entertainment. I think this is a

good way to ease into speaking and learn from

the evaluations.

3 & 4 The next two manuals were Speaking to

Inform and Public Relations. These helped me

in my club executive roles such as VP of Public

Relations and Bulletin Editor. While I worked on

those, I also worked on the modules Impromptu

Speaking, Evaluate to Motivate and Taking the

Terror Out of Talk. Since I was working on

my Competent Leader I did a couple of modules:

Keeping the Commitment and Impromptu

Speaking which helped me keep focused.

I also made sure I entered speech contests,

attended training and spoke with my mentors,

frequently.

5 & 6 Professional Speaker and Interpersonal

Communication were the next two manuals that I

soaked up as President of Big Thinkers. These

helped me communicate better with the executive

members and the club. I became Club

Toastmaster of the Year and was nominated for

Division Toastmaster of the Year. Believe it or

not, someone else actually did more speeches

than I did.

Advanced Manuals

Completed all 15!

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At this point I had been a Toastmaster for

two years. I attended District 42 conference

in Grande Prairie as a first timer. I become

an Area Governor and did a High

Performance Leadership manual to help me

function in that role.

7 & 8 Speeches by Management and

Special Occasion Speeches and modules

Evaluate to Motivate and Mentoring. These

helped me learn by doing as well as allowed

me to help others learn.

9 & 10 Technical Presentations and Story

Telling also modules Creating an

Introduction and Organizing a Speech.

An Area Governor is a District leader. I

could share my obtained knowledge and

help others. I was Toastmaster of the Year

at the club level for the second time. This

was very important to keep me focused and

energized as a Toastmaster. It should be

said here, that I always have a Competent

Communicator Manual on the go to help my

club with points. I had now completed three.

11 & 12 Communicating on T.V. and

Persuasive Speaking were two manuals

that helped me speak at the U of S

Pharmacy and Nutrition Speechcraft

program, and helped me with executive

roles especially VP of Education.

Page 18

13 Humorously Speaking, I always thought I

had no sense of humor but wanted to enter the

Humorous speech contest. What better way is

there to learn how to do so!

14 & 15 Interpretive Reading and

Discussion Leader, The year was now 2013

and I could see the end in sight. With the help

of my two clubs, Living Skies Advanced and

Big Thinkers, I jumped in. I knew I would need

a lot of understanding and help to muddle

through these last two manuals. With helpful

advice from many, including Carol Harrison, I

picked topics and gave it a try.

I can't wait to see what the NEW Education

program will bring. I am currently working on

the Leadership Excellence series and will

check out what Better Speaker and

Successful Club modules I have NOT done.

Maybe it would be beneficial to the club for me

to do those. After all they are there for us to

learn from and for us to help others learn from.

It does not matter how much you think you

might fail.... It only matters that you try.

Also, I have said many times "Never do a

speech for free" Always get your speech

evaluated, inside the club and outside of the

club.

There is much, much more to list on my

journey, but the topic here was to speak of

why and how I managed to do all 15

Advanced Manuals. The rest is for

another time. I will leave you with this.

Make Toastmasters a part of your life, and

DO NOT QUIT. Keep on speaking,

evaluating, and leading. There is so much

to do and learn from. Keep moving do not

stagnate. I always have a Competent

Communicator (by now I have done it 10

times at least) and Competent Leader

manual on the go. I do one of those every

year, for club points. Right now, I also

have a Specialty Speech Manual handy

in my Toastmaster briefcase. Because,

not only have I done the 15 Advanced

Manuals, I have done several of them

more than once.

I know without a doubt that I am a better

person because of Toastmasters. I pray I

am helping others with their journeys.

Respectfully submitted,

Cecilia Elizabeth, DTM (Twice)

Advanced Manuals

Completed all 15!

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Page 19

Club Ideas

Speech Topics & Themes

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Speech Ideas & Club Meeting Possibilities

Are you a VP Education looking for new ideas

for your club meetings? You will find a few novel

ideas from clubs in this article which I am sure do

not begin to showcase all the unique ideas that

have been attempted.

Maybe you are a club executive that already thinks

outside the box, at least on occasion, and have

implemented a variety of ideas in the last year or

many years of your club’s existence. I challenge us

to look at this as an opportunity to mentor other

clubs by sharing the successful meetings our

club has done. Of course you could also share a

few less than successful ideas because they might

spark someone’s imagination and with a few

changes be able to make them work.

Just like the club leadership sometimes struggles

to take meetings in a new and different direction to

keep the learning fun, so does the individual

toastmaster wonder how to come up with yet

another speech topic. I often hear this question

asked by newer toastmasters, Speechcraft

program participants and yes even seasoned

toastmasters, “What should I talk about? Where do

I find a topic for my next speech?”

While it is a true statement, “Speech topics are all

around us”, it often seems they are in hiding. We

search and search only to come up empty. Then

there are the times when something sparks out

interest and we know it is the bones of a speech.

Later we try and pull it from our memory banks only

to realize we don’t have the combination to the

vault. The remedy is to simply write down the idea

when it comes to you, at least the main point or

what sparked the idea so you can work on it later. I

know it is not always as easy as it seems

especially if it happens in the middle of driving or

as you drift off to sleep. Each person will need to

come up with the solution that works best for this –

maybe a voice recorder.

Finding the elusive speech topic ideas comes

as you read, as you listen to others speaking

and even from different meetings your club

has. They might be sparked by your hobbies,

your work, family oddities and yes each

family has someone who makes us shake our

head or laugh, or even from a single quote that

means something to you.

Just as I challenge each club to share their

meeting ideas, I want to challenge each of us

to begin to jot down our thoughts, our

possibilities for speeches and even share

with each other things that jogged our thinking.

The same speech topic done by different

individuals will bring varied perspectives.

Maybe this is an idea for a meeting – have

one topic that multiple speakers speak on

and learn more about their individuality through

their perspectives.

I hope the following articles will spark your

imagination as a club or personally to try

something new or give you the next great

speech idea.

Carol Harrison, DTM

Page 20

Photo: Brian Harrison

Julie Jorgenson giving the Presenting an

Award Speech

This meeting celebrated the

achievements of members, enabled a

member to complete a Competent

Leader requirement, encouraged other

members to continue to work toward

their own goals and showcased an

advanced manual in the process.

Excel Celebration Meeting

Saskatoon, SK

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Celebration Meeting

Carol Harrison, DTM

The invitation read, “You are invited to help us

celebrate at Excel Toastmasters Club 8903.”

Excel’s former club coach and now member of the

toastmaster club, along with several other

members decided to plan a club special event

which would count towards a requirement in their

CL manual. But more than simply checking off

another requirement she wanted to celebrate the

fact that Amee had achieved her Distinguished

Toastmaster and Carol Harrison, her mom, had

achieved her second distinguished toastmaster

designation.

Jennifer arranged for invitations to be sent to their

family members, to former Excel members that still

kept in touch and to members of other clubs that

knew this pair of toastmasters well. She also

arranged for the entire program of celebration to

showcase the Special Occasion Advanced

Manual.

On December 7, 2013 one of Excel’s regular

meetings became a special event. The meeting

started with a toast (Mastering the Toast) to the

pair followed by introductions around the room

with everyone telling how they knew Carol and

Amee. Lorilee Guenter, also a toastmaster,

roasted (The Roast) her sister Amee followed by

Brian Harrison Speaking in Praise of his wife

Carol and daughter Amee. Then Julie Jordison

from Excel presented the DTM plaque to Amee

and Anna Penner also did this speech

(Presenting An Award) as she presented the

DTM plaque to Carol who then practiced the

Accepting an Award Speech. All speeches were

then evaluated by others attending that meeting.

This meeting celebrated the achievements of

members, enabled a member to complete a

Competent Leader requirement, encouraged other

members to continue to work toward their own

goals and showcased an advanced manual in the

process.

Page 21

GP Toasters

Grande Prairie, AB

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Theme Meeting: Self-esteem

Task – share your Toastmasters “mini story”

AND choose a quote regarding Confidence.

Gary Janz, CC Toastmasters help me to have

self-esteem in my speaking. I have more

confidence in speaking.

“Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you

owe them a lot.” ~Truman Capote

Jeff Spilger, ACB, CL I joined Toastmasters

because I wanted to be more confident in

professional situations such as job interviews,

and perhaps professional presentations, should I

ever have to do them. Toastmasters help me tell

people what’s on my mind in an organized

fashion and discover my talents.

“Other people’s opinion of you does not have to

become your reality.” ~ Les Brown

“People think of us if we could know how seldom

they do.” ~ Olin Miller

Liz Ramsankar, ACB, CL Toastmasters help me

to get over my fear and it helps me a lot with the

way of life.

“We probably wouldn’t worry about what people

think of us if we could know how seldom they

do.” ~ Olin Miller

Paulette McGinnis, ACS, ALB I joined

Toastmasters because I needed to build my

confidence and Toastmasters has done that for

me.

“Success comes in cans, not can’t” ~ Author

Unknown

Trudy Beyer I joined Toastmasters because I

was hoping to improve my public speaking skills

and self-confidence. Toastmasters help me to

organize and develop skills.

“It is not the mountain we conquer but

ourselves.” ~ Edmund Hillary

Carolyn Smith, ACS, ALB I joined

Toastmasters because every time I stood in

front of a group to speak, my knees were

weak, the butterflies choked me and I had no

words, only ums and ah’s. Toastmasters help

me because it has given me skills for

speaking and leadership – the skills are

graded from simple to more complicated.

“We are like the little branch that quivers

during a storm, doubting our strength and

forgetting we are the tree – deeply rooted to

withstand all of life’s upheavals.” ~ Dodinsky

Arlene McDonnell

Club Coach and Treasurer

Photo: Courtesy of Jeff Spilger

Page 22

GP Toasters

Grande Prairie, AB

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Sample Text

Humorous Speech

Am I Really A Slob?

My mother used to think so.

One day she came to my apartment and decided

it needed cleaning.

I don’t know why my scattered stuff should bother

her.

Or why she thinks she has to pick everything up.

All the bottles and other containers on my

dresser, my counters and on my floor.

But she does.

Or why she thinks rugs need to be vacuumed and

cleaned.

Or floor washed.

Or dishes washed on the day they are used.

But she does.

She held up every item of clothing I have and

gave me the choice:

Wash it. Wear it. Junk it. Or off to the Goodwill.

She also invaded the areas under my bed where I

store all my colorful candy wrappers.

She didn’t know that I was planning to frame them

into the most beautiful picture you ever saw.

Yup. You guessed it. Into the garbage!

Then she invades my bathroom and demands

that I sort the hundred or so bottles of lotions I

have there.

Yup. Most of them went out!

Next, she interferes with my clothes closets and

insists that one is for summer and the other is for

winter.

I ran out of hangers trying to please her.

Her next victim was my store room where I hid all

my pizza boxes and garbage.

You guessed it – out they went.

The good news is that:

The goodwill got two bags full of clothing.

The garbage bin only got one.

My mom bought two clothes hampers for my

bedroom

She also bought two covered garbage cans for

my storeroom -

One for garbage and one for recyclables.

Guess what! My mom doesn’t think I’m a slob

any more.

AND NEITHER DO I

Liz McDonnell

Page 23

Innovative Toastmasters

Saskatoon, SK

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Club with a Special Focus

- Carol Harrison, DTM

Innovative Toastmaster Club chartered almost 29

years ago but has undergone many changes in those

years: a name change, a few different venues for

their meetings, and becoming a special focus club.

This last change may have been the most significant

and definitely the largest change to this long time

club. Innovative Toastmasters club now has a focus

for members who enjoy working and learning

alongside those who might need extra help in

learning or desire to move through the program

at a slower pace.

Amee and Carol Harrison were appointed as club

coaches for Innovative Toastmasters club in 2010

and began the process of adapting the club to meet a

new and special focus. During the next two years

they spread the word throughout Division E, to any

organization that worked with people who had some

disabilities or special needs and to those who worked

in these many organizations.

Carol invited a young woman she met to come as a

guest. It took months before Melissa accepted her

invitation. It took a lot of courage for her to walk into

that first meeting and simply introduce herself.

Slowly she began to feel more comfortable with

the few members she had met but when a new

person attended the meeting her shyness and fear

returned. Today the progress is amazing. Melissa

has completed her Competent Communicator,

Competent Leader, and Advanced Leader Bronze.

She has coordinated a Speechcraft program and

attended division training. Fellow club members have

even convinced her to try speech contests. All these

achievements have taken her far outside her

comfort zone in introducing her to larger groups of

Toastmasters. She has become our biggest

promoter by inviting others to come and learn in a

safe and supportive environment. Our latest guests

came not only because she told them about

Innovative Toastmaster but because they saw the

difference it has made in her life.

Photo: Courtesy of Melissa Edge

We met Daniel when he accepted Melissa’s

invitation to come as a guest to a meeting. His

shyness and insecurity in talking to people

prevented him from even telling us his name.

He relied on others to introduce him. After

many meetings he finally could introduce

himself. More meetings passed and then he

tried timing but left giving the report to

someone else. We applauded when he tried a

table topic for the first time. Daniel finally felt

safe and as his trust grew he began to chat

with members during break and after the

meeting. It was a great moment for us and his

mom could hardly believe the positive change

in him. Now Daniel regularly introduces

himself, has done a few table topics, can

give a timer’s report and at our last meeting, in

his role as quizmaster, came up to the lectern

to ask the questions. After the meeting, with a

huge grin on his face, he told us he thinks it is

time he does his ice breaker speech. Our

members wait with less than barely contained

excitement to hear what he tells us about

himself.

Innovative Toastmaster club has members that

give dynamite, detailed evaluations. Members

do speeches on an amazing variety of topics

and even compete in contests now. But the

biggest reason to celebrate is all the

confidence they gain by taking each small

step while having loads of fun.

Page 24

Photo: Trevor from Miracles played didgeridoo

Creative Club Ideas

Challenge: Share something unique your

club has done which might inspire

speech ideas; inter club visits or simply a

new twist for a fun meeting while we

learn.

Green Day

The Wascana Toastmasters Club #577 supported

the Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Western

Conference Champions, by dressing in Green. To

celebrate the home team, who was playing at home

in Mosaic Stadium/Taylor field, in the Grey Cup

against the Hamilton Tiger Cats. This is a historic

event as the Saskatchewan Roughriders are going

to be playing in a new stadium in 2017, making this

was an awesome event. On November 24, 2013 the

Saskatchewan Roughriders did win the Grey Cup

which we all are so proud of. The Wascana

Toastmasters Club #577 is the oldest club in

District 42.

Don Rosom VP Public Relations

Photos: Chris Greer

Wascana Club Green Day Igniters and Miracles

Regina, SK Calgary, AB

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Igniting Miracles!

On Jan 14, Igniters shared another wonderful joint

meeting hosted by Miracles at the Unity Church.

The evening began with a delicious potluck. Roles

were divided between the clubs, Gabriella

Ostendorfer was Chairman and Igniters

President Marvin Henry was Toastmaster.

Miracles President Bob Ellwood and Abhinav

Sikand gave inspiring speeches and received

new perspectives from evaluators Mona Cooley

and Michael Coady. Passionate Table Topics!

The meeting was filled with friendship, fun, and

camaraderie the challenge word of the day!

Special thanks to VP PR Leanne James.

Nandini Venkatesan VP Public Relations

Photo: Courtesy of Don Rosom

Page 25

Possible Speech Ideas Through a

Combined Club Tour

James Kalyn

Big Country Toastmasters, a Moose Jaw fixture

with a history that spans over fifty years, has a

long-standing tradition of holding monthly special

events for members. These can include dinner

meetings, speech contests, and other standards

that you might expect to find at Toastmasters. But

the club has also led members to some unique –

and fun – educational opportunities.

“In the summer, we’d usually get together for a

picnic or something,” said Area Governor and Big

Country Toastmasters member Lorna Arnold,

“but a few years ago, we decided we’d like to kick it

up a notch.” From that point on, the club members

began trying out some new activities, including a

trolley ride through town, and a tour of a

historic local cemetery. “The tour guide had so

many stories,” said Arnold. “We learned so many

things about our own city that we didn’t know.”

Another club tradition was to hold a joint meeting

with the TAPS Toastmasters club from Moose

Jaw, as well as other clubs from Area 18. In past

years, these had been held in Chaplin,

Saskatchewan. However, because the joint

meetings were held in the evening and involved a

lot of driving (Chaplin being nearly an hour’s drive –

one way – from Moose Jaw), they often felt rushed.

The solution? Combine the joint meeting with

a tour.

This year, the clubs moved their shared meeting

to a Saturday, and spent an afternoon exploring.

Gravelbourg, which boasts “a touch of Europe

on the Prairies,” is home to a beautiful cathedral

which was built in 1919 and designated as a

National Historic Site in 1995. The club

members were given a guided tour of the

building, along with the nearby Gravelbourg

Museum, before sharing a picnic in the park.

According to Arnold, the tour guides’ stories

went a long way toward making the trip a

memorable one.

“One artist at the cathedral, I don’t even know

how many angels he painted. And he’d paint the

faces of his family and his friends on the good

angels. But the people who crossed him... their

faces wound up on some of the less savoury

characters.”

The tour was ultimately a great success. The club members enjoyed a fun day and learned a few things in the process. They may have even come away with a few ideas for their next speeches – and some ideas for their next outing. Photos: Courtesy of Brian Smyth

Joint Meetings

Moose Jaw, SK

District 42 Toastmasters

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Page 26

Resources

District 42

District 42 Toastmasters

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Of the Year Awards

Dispatch: It is never too soon to begin

thinking about these nominations but

sometimes we leave them until the last

minute. Have you ever struggled to write a

good testimonial? Want tips on how to

make your of the year form and

accompanying letter stand out from the rest

and give great recognition to hardworking,

deserving club members?

Visit d42tm.org website. Go to resources

and then forms in room 301A. Here you will

find the proper forms to use and if you

scroll down the page you will find an

excellent resource to help with writing

fantastic testimonials. These tips can be

used any time within and outside of

Toastmasters to help you show

appreciation and recognition to a deserving

individual.

Of The Year Awards

Rookie of the Year

Toastmaster of the Year

President of the Year

Public Relations of the Year

Area Governor of the Year

Division Governor of the Year

Setting Up Club Websites

Having a club website is the easiest way to grow your membership. “Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Found” Watch my 5 min video intro - Show #038 - FreeToastHost for Club Websites Part 2 shows you how - Show #039 - I walk you through screenshots of how to start. This is my HPL project. Please contact me

to help start your website and & let me know when a good day & time is.

Don’t forget! You can use this effort towards your CL credit Project #10 – Club Webmaster

Terry Kozlyk, DTM

terry@TDKtalks.com

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Speechcraft

Regina, SK

District 42 Toastmasters

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Healing Through Public Speaking

Mona Hill is a Toastmaster in Regina,

Saskatchewan, Division B. She has discovered

how the benefits of the Toastmaster program

can help young people learn valuable skills

that go beyond the communication and

leadership as they participate in a Toastmaster

Speechcraft Program she runs at her place of

employment.

How often have we recognized the ashen

appearance of people when they are asked to

get up in front of a group of people and speak?

Usually the first thing we notice is their body

language, with arms crossed, eyes averted,

shock and anxiety written all over their faces.

Fifteen years ago, when the Regina Adult

Learning Centre (renamed Ignite Adult

Learning Corporation) incorporated

Toastmasters Speechcraft into the

curriculum as a method of developing public

speaking skills in the young adults between 18

& 30 years of age, the organization realized

the important effects the program would have

even beyond giving a good short speech.

I have been facilitating a version of

Speechcraft in a classroom setting for three

cycles now. The young adults, who are hired

as apprentices in our program are well

aware that during the 43 weeks they will be

working, they will be expected to learn how to

get up and give a 3 minute speech.

As that first day in ‘Toastmasters” class

arrives, the trepidation on their faces and in

their voices becomes almost painful! The

whining, the moaning, the hiding does not

work! Each apprentice receives a copy of the

Speechcraft manual that is carefully created

by Toastmasters International to give the

participants a step by step dip, toe by toe, into

the world of writing and giving speeches.

First speech! The Ice Breaker!

“Tell us a bit about yourself! You can talk

about your past, the present and your

future goals.” After much cajoling and a

couple of classes of preliminary process

learning we got down to business. For the

most part, the apprentices did well on the

first go round. The podium was only

rocked back and forth to where it

almost fell down, twice! Clothes were

twisted, feet were shuffling and pointing,

hair was pulled, braided, and caressed and

eyes were intensely focused on their notes

as they read aloud, most of them feeling as

though they were going to throw up!

We all clapped and admired each other as

they bravely talked of their lives

throughout the next 18 classes. You see,

for the most part, our apprentices are very

reticent to share their personal stories. It

takes a great deal of trust in other people

to open yourself up in a society where you

have been marginalized and your attempts

to gain an education are obstructed on so

many levels.

There are countless reasons why the

average young Canadian was and still is

unable to finish high school. Many are

personally debilitating. The decision to take

charge of one’s life and try again despite

countless odds including poverty, racism,

addictions, lack of support from the current

education system, dysfunctional families,

lack of healthy housing, and single

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Speechcraft

Regina, SK

District 42 Toastmasters

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The decision to take charge of one’s life and try

again despite countless odds including poverty,

racism, addictions, lack of support from the current

education system, dysfunctional families, lack of

healthy housing, and single parenthood, is not an

easy decision to make.

The Healing Begins

As the classes progressed, our apprentices learned

how to write a speech with a goal in mind and an

opening statement that would grab the audience

attention and create talking points that led to a

conclusion. They learned how to tell a “STORY”

they already knew. A few even gave fantastic

speeches beginning with a general idea, and adding

in specific examples without using notes.

By his fourth speech, one young man with a slight

cognitive disability, who at the start of his first

speech, pulled out completely wrinkled pages from

his pocket, laid them on the podium, smoothed them

out as best as he could and read line for line, was

able to walk up, introduce his speech and present it

with no notes whatsoever. He had basically

memorized a 3-4 minute speech. He received a

thundering round of applause!

Each young person had many stories to tell during

those weeks. The majority of the speeches became

increasingly personal as they learned to trust in the

process and more importantly, they learned to trust

their facilitator and one another. As they learned

that laughter could be shared over silly mistakes,

that their challenges could be addressed in a

kind and loving manner, and their stories would

be accepted with compassion, our apprentices dug

deeply into their lives to reveal the so often painful

realities of the barriers they faced that prevented

them from finishing high school in the first place.

Some stories were adventurous, many were cathartic

to a point that we brought a box of tissues into the

room for ALL of us to use as our tears flowed in

empathy.

The battles fought to begin a new life at Ignite

Adult Learning were evident in the titles. “Where

I Found My Dad” was a vivid image that no one

could imagine, except for the one other young

woman in the class who learned she was not the

only one who lost a father to suicide. That fact

and the strong bond experienced through those

speeches from two young women would never

have occurred if it had not been for Speechcraft.

We experienced stories of the inner strength it

took for some to make the decision to give up

their addictions and focus on a healthy future for

their children. “Never Give Up!”

“My High School” was a picture painted by a

young man who had taken the chance to change

his life by enrolling in Ignite as he finished his

federal parole conditions. This too quiet, heavily

tattooed, tough young man’s bravado from in his

past life of crime manifested in his opening

statement, “Have you ever wondered what it

would be like to live in a maximum security

prison with all those bad people? Wait! I was

one of those people living in maximum security

for four years.”

His story continued to describe in vivid detail,

how he was lured into gang life by lies and

deceit. He taught us of the daily fear of being

killed by other inmates and guards alike. He

described his past of living with and committing

violence as a daily ritual almost.

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Speechcraft

Regina, SK

District 42 Toastmasters

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Then he talked about his dream for the future of

having freedom for the first time since was 14

years old. The rest of his speeches gave us a

panorama of his life in detailed description of the

abuse and horrors of poverty, racism, and

addictions. He described his time at Ignite as the

beginning of a ‘Light at the end of a tunnel.”

There were many speeches pointing to a

multiplicity of past societal abuses and neglect.

They included the education system, (teachers and

fellow students), families and bureaucracy. They

told of their anger and pain resulting in out of

control behaviours that led to dropping out of high

school.

Some were challenged with the actual writing

process. Due to past experience, they came to

believe, “I can’t write.” They had never experienced

the smaller classroom and individualized teaching

they receive at Ignite. By the time they were

done, our apprentices began to understand that

the only thing preventing them from writing was

their own thinking patterns.

Significance

When at the end of the program I asked the

apprentices to create a list of the value of

Toastmasters Speechcraft, this is what they told

me.

“We learned to understand our challenges and

strengths. We learned to appreciate the value of

gentle constructive criticism and how to laugh at

ourselves without fear. We discovered how to

listen to one another and learn from each speech

and evaluation we received. We learned that with

patience and time and a change in thought

processes we could overcome many of the

learning barriers we have lived with. We also

learned how to be supportive of one another and to

work together as a group towards team building in

order to get the job done in the allotted time.” They

learned to surmount barriers towards ultimate

success.

Each step in the Toastmasters Speechcraft

in-class process is a key to connecting with the

whole Ignite Adult Learning method.

Toastmasters reinforces the learning they

engage in through the other components of our

program such as Lou Tice’s Thought Patterns,

writing and reading skills, employment

skills such as confidence and communication

in a job interview, on the job problem solving,

and personal accountability to get a job done

on time. They even believe they learned how to

“teach well” through the process of speech

evaluations.

We are very proud of our apprentices as we

travel with them through their forty three week

program and take joy in their growth, as they

become confident young adults ready to take

on the employment they learn and become

responsible fellow citizens, parents, volunteers,

and employees.

Mona Hill, RSW

Ignite Adult Learning Corporation

Support Services and Speech Craft Facilitator

Speechcraft

Page 30

Charter Clubs

Toast of the Town in Stony Plain, Alberta

chartered on June 28, 2013. It was the last club to

charter in the 2012-13 year, helping District 42

reach Select Distinguished. The charter

celebration was held outdoors on September 10.

A great late summer evening, was well attended

by dignitaries and members.

College Plaza Toastmasters Club celebrated its

Charter on November 27th. The Charter event was

sponsored by Westcorp at their ‘sleek and

sophisticated’ Matrix Hotel. District 42

representatives LGM Marg Faryna, Division

Governor Willard Robitaille and Area Governor

Gisele Rheault were present to honour the

Charter Members of the club and formally install

the Club Officers.

Happy 60th

Camrose Toastmasters celebrated their 60th

Anniversary on October 18, 2013. Past

members and guests gathered at the Camrose

Casino to catch up and enjoy the evening. In

attendance was charter member Fred Swartz

who became a toastmaster in 1953 so he could

feel more comfortable talking to people he didn’t

know (front row, left)

Celebrating 25 Years

CU@Noon Toastmasters celebrates 25 years.

They will be having an evening of celebration on

Friday March 14, 2014. Details are available on

d42tm.org

Media – YouTube

On Monday February 17, 2014 Accessible

Media (AMI) aired a story featuring Chrysalis

Social Butterflies Toastmaster Club. It should

now be available on You Tube. Check out this

Media Coverage for one of our District 42 clubs.

Photo: Camrose Website

Stay tuned for the next edition of the

Prairie Horizons!

Celebrations and Anniversaries

District 42 Toastmasters

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Photo: Courtesy of Marg Faryna

Photo: Greg Gazin, DTM

Hans von Bloedau, CTM - Mentor,

Yasmin Ahmad, President

Page 31

Learning about Toastmasters

New Members & Guests

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Sharing the Toastmasters Advantage

Has Toastmasters helped you with your

communication and leadership skills? Do you

know friends, family, and colleagues who

might benefit from visiting a Toastmasters

Club?

Welcome to Toastmasters International

Looking to develop speaking and leadership

skills? Ace a job interview? Ignite your career?

Toastmasters International is a world leader in

communication and leadership development.

Our membership is 292,000 strong. These

members improve their speaking and leadership

skills by attending one of the 14,350 clubs in 122

countries that make up our global network of

meeting locations.

Membership in Toastmasters is one of the greatest

investments you can make in yourself. It is also

one of the most cost-effective skill-building tools

available anywhere.

www.toastmasters.org

How Does It Work?

A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing

workshop in which participants hone their

speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure

atmosphere.

There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting.

Instead, members evaluate one another’s

presentations. This feedback process is a key

part of the program’s success.

Meeting participants also give impromptu talks on

assigned topics, conduct meetings and develop

skills related to timekeeping, grammar and

parliamentary procedure.

Members learn communication skills by working in

the Competent Communication manual, a series of

10 self-paced speaking assignments designed to

instill a basic foundation in public speaking.

Why should I join?

The Toastmasters program offers many

benefits that help people in all walks of

life. As a result of participating in

Toastmasters, you will:

Increase your self-confidence

Become a better speaker

Become a better leader

Communicate more effectively

About District 42

District 42 comprises more than 280

corporate and community clubs in

most of the cities and towns of Alberta

and Saskatchewan. To learn more

about District 42 please visit:

www.d42tm.org.

What will you do to improve your

leadership and communication skills

this year?