April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 1

District 73 | April 2020 Edition | District Director Sue Pederick | d73.toastmasters.org.au

Southern Cross Newsletter

Inside this Issue:

HANDY HINTS ................................................................................................ 2

PREPARING FOR ONLINE CONTESTS .............................................................. 4

SPEECH CONTEST RESOURCES ....................................................................... 5

HERE ARE 10 GOOD REASONS ....................................................................... 5

PATHWAYS CORNER ...................................................................................... 7

TOASTMASTERS PROMO MATERIAL .............................................................. 8

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORT ....................................... 9

AREA DIRECTOR ELECTIONS/APPOINTMENTS ............................................. 12

ONLINE MEETING PROTOCOLS .................................................................... 13

SUE PEDERICK DTM ...................................................................................... 14

VICKI TRAVERS DTM ..................................................................................... 17

KARL HUGHES DTM ...................................................................................... 20

EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS MARCH 2020 CONGRATULATIONS TO: ..... 22

2020/21 SAVE THE DATES ............................................................................ 25 Newsletter delay:

Apologies for the delay in distributing the April Southern Cross, this is not due to the Newsletter Editor our incredibly patient Mirella but due to the changes we were alerted to that were pertinent to release of the newsletter from Toastmasters International and local government. We’ve captured the rapid succession of changes in the ‘Handy links’ section of this edition. As soon as we had written something there had been an update; please utilise the ‘Leader letter’ and ‘Board updates’ in conjunction with our Southern Cross April edition to navigate the updates we’re now facing.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 2

HANDY HINTS

For all Members: Toastmasters International: https://www.toastmasters.org/ District 73 website: https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/ District 73 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/d73Toastmasters/ District 73 contests 2020 https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/annual-conference-2020/ 16th and 17th May

D73 contact list all roles in D73: https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/officers/ D73 Newsletter: https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/southern-cross-archives/ D73 Calendar of events, includes zoom links and registration pages: https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/events_calendar/ Where to find information about https://www.toastmasters.org/my-toastmasters/profile

yourself including magazine options for online or via mail: In the footer of all the TI pages https://www.toastmasters.org/footer/faq on Toastmasters International site is FAQ for many of your questions:

Distinguished toastmaster: https://www.toastmasters.org/education/distinguished- toastmaster

Once logged into TI:

Coronavirus COVID-19 update and Online meeting resources: https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/news%20and%20announcements/covid-19

Where we fit: Map of Service to Members

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For our Club Executive: Club Central found just under login title: Click here for Club Central Tutorials District Council Meeting 16th May: 3pm AEST District Council Meeting (Register Here) Club Leadership Handbook: https://www.toastmasters.org/-/media/files/department-documents/translations/clh-translations/1310-club-leadership-handbook.ashx

Club officer tools: https://www.toastmasters.org/leadership-central/club-officer-tools

Leader Letter: https://www.toastmasters.org/leadership-central/the-leader-letter

For our District Executive: All links above plus…

District Leader handbook: https://www.toastmasters.org/-/media/files/department- documents/district-documents/222-district-leadership-handbook.ashx

Board meeting: Chronological Report of Decisions

CEO Reports: https://www.toastmasters.org/about/world-headquarters/ceo-reports

Online Table Topics: District 69 has shared their lunchtime online Table Topics session – see details in D73 page: Daily from 12-1pm (AEST) 1-hour Table Topics session. If you are interested in participating, the zoom details are noted below. All are welcome!

Zoom Meeting Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84512155088?pwd=ZGVZQ0p3RWxJVE9TWjVKekhBUGMzdz09 Meeting ID: 845 1215 5088 | Password: skills

Toastmasters International Board Update: https://www.toastmasters.org/about/board-of-directors https://www.toastmasters.org/about/board-of-directors/meeting-minutes

The Committee reviewed and discussed the proposal to update the Youth Leadership Program and Interpersonal Communication Program by combining them into one new program that would more closely align with the Pathways learning experience. The next phase of this program would be a pilot conducted in specific geographic areas worldwide. The Committee recommends that the Board adopt this proposal. The Committee reviewed a proposal to work with colleges and universities to research and validate the effectiveness of a modified Toastmasters club model. This model may include a special college club status with an alternate calendar and a 10-week, coordinator-led Toastmasters certification program. The Committee adopted the proposal and directed World Headquarters to conduct focus group interviews with colleges and universities in multiple regions.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 4

PREPARING FOR ONLINE CONTESTS The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Although we are all in lockdown and life is very uncertain life continues to progress. This is in the wider world, our day to day life and even within toastmasters. While we progress with club meetings (online for now), training and council meetings so to we follow the yearly calendar and move to CONTESTS (District in May and then before you know it Club Contests). Throughout February and March each division held their Division Contests, some in person, some hybrid and finally completely online. The District Executive Council voted to hold the District Contests which will be held by Zoom over the weekend of the 16th and 17th May. Contestants will all receive training and advice re set up, lighting, video and audio so as to make the most of the situation. Here are some tips for contests:

Audio is more important than video Pauses are still poignant Practice with Zoom (download is free, us your family and friends) Schedule more time than usual Practice before day of contest Lighting – from sides and in front, not from behind Background - as clear as possible Clothing – where solid colours, not busy or pattern Camera Set Up – Look at the camera not the screen –“Look at your friends beyond

the lens”- Mark Brown (WCPS) Read through the judging form “Understand what sort of speaker you are” “Use your strengths” Look at all the resources of Toastmasters.org

Good luck everyone! Danielle Jones-Resnick

District Contest Chair

NEWSLETTER DEADLINES:

If you’d like to submit an article about your club, Area or Division or would like to start a conversation anything relating to our Toastmasters experience, please email me Mirella James. Your article must be submitted by the last week of the month. Issue goes out third week of the month. As always, thank you to all of our April contributors.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 5

SPEECH CONTEST RESOURCES If you’re participating in any way at the District Contests 16-17 May, be sure you’re meeting all the criteria. Here are some resources regarding speech contests: Speech Contest Rulebook www.toastmasters.org/117 1 (Item 1171) Speech contests page www.toastmasters.org/speechcontests Speech contest FAQs www.toastmasters.org/speechcontestfaq Speech contest kits www.toastmasters.org/speechcontestkits Eligibility assistant www.toastmasters.org/Leadership-Central/Eligibility-Assistant

HERE ARE 10 GOOD REASONS

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District 73 Conference – 16th and 17th May 2020

For registration page and further details head over here

INVITATION to join us for an entertaining weekend full of contests, workshop and council meeting, and meet Mr Greg van Borssum - what more could you want?

Looking forward to seeing you online supporting each other in these challenging times. We have the

Resources and the Talent, let’s all continue to shine in our District

CONTEST PROGRAM Saturday 16 May

Sunday 17 May

9am International Speech Contest 9am Evaluation Contest

2 noon Table Topics Contest 12 noon Meet Greg van Borssum

(one hour online workshop) 3pm - 5pm District Council Meeting Join via Zoom https://zoom.us/j/626927346 Meeting ID: 626 927 346 Password: 136840

2pm Humorous Speech Contest

5:15pm Meet Region 12 International Director Candidates - Lesley Storkey and Jan Vecchio

5pm D73 Toastmaster of the Year and D73 District Officer of the Year

Sunday, 12 noon AEST video link --> Meet Greg van Borssum presenting an AMAZING 1hr online workshop (Register Here)

An online program book will be made available prior to the event.

Anna Weissmann District Conference Chair

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 7

PATHWAYS CORNER

About Being an Online Toastmaster! I have seen some unexpected benefits for Toastmasters from our self-isolation during COVID-19 lockdown. Here are my observations: 1. Clubs moving their meetings online are

enjoying the difference and members are eagerly awaiting their opportunities to stretch their speaking skills in front of a camera.

2. Club executives are now seeing some real

synergy between Going Online and Pathways. If you are planning, scheduling and facilitating your online meeting, why not try the Level 3 Elective, 'Managing Meetings Online'

3. Club members are becoming more active

in social media. This is a great strategy to fill the gap in our communications with Messenger groups, What's App or Facebook. Clubs are keeping their members informed, engaged and eager to try something new.

4. Club meetings are increasingly more

engaging and fun to participate in. Who would have thought that the simple act of changing your background could mean so much to eager Zoomers?

Looking Ahead Clubs can now challenge themselves to plan their Club Officer Nominations and Elections online in May. Areas and Divisions could now consider how to conduct Club Officer Training Online in June.

For help with your Zoom experiences, please plan to attend the Online Education training sessions in April, May and June. The link is here to the Online Education page for details of Zoom training and links to

recordings: https://d73.toastmasters.org.au/o

nline-education/ For more individual help you may like to book a time with me as the Pathways Co-ordinator - pc@d73.toastmasters.org.au or attend the many workshops in the district; resources are also available online @

Toastmasters International.

Carole McCulloch DTM Area N29 Director

D73 Pathways Co-ordinator

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 8

TOASTMASTERS PROMO MATERIAL

These flyers are promotional tools that you can use anywhere you think would help to raise awareness of Toastmasters and attract guests, or

support awareness of meetings with existing members.

The more widely they are used and the more high-traffic places they can be put in, the better. Use them like you would any other marketing tool.

You can download these flyers and fill-in the details for your club. You will also find other online at Toastmaster's Helpful Resources for Online Meetings site

Karl Hughes

Club Growth Director

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 9

DISTRICT LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR REPORT I would like to acknowledge and thank the members of the District Leadership Committee – Catherine MacGillivray, Anthony Murray, Bruce Hill, Cleo Pitt, Claire Mehtonen, Rick Finlay, Tommasina Marasco and David Hughes. I am appreciative of the support and initiative shown by the members of the DLC. We published the opening for nominations for the District Leadership roles in the newsletter and an email out to all members, with the nomination closing date of 30th January. The DLC received nominations for the following roles –

District Director – Vicki Travers DTM

Program Quality Director – Karl Hughes DTM (will be standing from the floor)

Club Growth Director – Namrita Anchan

Bass Division Director – Julia Davey

Central Division Director – Nic Szuster

Metro Division Director – Dani Street

Ranges Division Director – Victoria Carruthers

We received one nomination for Eastern Division Director, which was subsequently withdrawn. Therefore we have the following vacant Division Director roles: Eastern, Northern, Southern and Inner City Division Director. Should you be interested in a Division Director role, please make contact with me or one of the members to the DLC before the council meeting. To be able to stand from the floor at the council meeting, it is a requirement to have previously met with the DLC at least a week prior to the council meeting for an interview and to ensure all the candidates paperwork has been completed and in order. A member cannot stand from the floor if they have not been interviewed by the DLC. Candidate Introductions: District Director endorsed candidate:

Vicki Travers DTM joined toastmasters in 1995 – a time during which she has stepped up and taken on multiple club officer roles, Area Governor, Metro Division Director, District Conference Chair 2015 Launceston Conference, Club Growth Director, Program Quality Director. Vicki is passionate about Toastmasters, and she has attended (x) number of International Conventions. Vicki continues to develop her leadership skills, and has the ability to work with and lead the District for 2020-21. After careful consideration and with the continued support of her husband and family, Vicki stepped into the Club Growth Director role with the firm commitment of being of service to the District for four years. Vicki is proud to be D73 endorsed candidate for District Director.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 10

Program Quality Director endorsed candidate:

Karl Hughes DTM has a background in Strategic Planning facilitating Executive level business planning and project/operating reviews. He has a focus on Business Process Transformation through the operationalisation of innovative solutions to create high customer value and business sustainability. He is also a Quality Manager for global standard ISO 9001:2015. Karl has been a Toastmaster for 4 ½ years and has immersed himself in both the educational program and leadership stream during this time. He has experience in all aspects of competition, from organising competitions to judging at numerous contests, to competing at District level

for International, Table Topics and Evaluation. He has been a President for multiple clubs, an Area Director, the Education and Training Coordinator (Vic/Tas) and is currently the D73 Club Growth Director. Karl is passionate about building quality clubs that maximise the power of the globally recognised Toastmasters brand. He believes that if clubs strive for excellence with the right processes, tools and practices, and have the understanding in how to use them effectively, then immense value will flow on to the most important element. BASS Division Director endorsed candidate:

Julia Davey joined Toastmasters in May 2017 and is a member of Cranbourne Toastmasters. Julia is currently enjoying serving in the role of B4 Area Director, which has whet her appetite to further her involvement with Toastmasters. She is undertaking the Dynamic Leadership Path and is eager to take on the responsibilities and demands of Division Director. Outside of Toastmasters, Julia is involved with her community, volunteering to cook for “Basecamp” charity meals in Berwick, and feed the homeless twice a month in the CBD, and a committee member of RSL Berwick Sub-branch.

CENTRAL Division Director endorsed candidate:

Nic Szuster joined the Adelaide Toastmasters Club in 2009. His reason for joining was to assist him in his role as a CEO of a superannuation fund. He lacked the confidence and skills to speak in public and needed help. Joining Toastmasters enabled Nic to get over his fears of public speaking and to develop his own communication style. Nic soon realised that there was more to Toastmasters than simply public speaking. The leadership path allowed Nic to make a positive contribution to the Toastmasters organisation as well as assisting him in his professional role as a leader of a company. Nic has held most of the club leadership roles as President, Sergeant @ Arms, VPE (for 2 years) and currently VPPR. In addition, Nic was the Area Governor for C7 in 2014/15.

Professionally Nic has held many senior leadership roles for most of his career. Nic has applied his technical and management experience to produce outcomes that meet the needs of clients. He uses his actuarial background to develop strategies for the future sustainability of businesses. This

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 11

professional experience, together with the toastmasters leadership roles, makes Nic well placed to further assist the leadership of Toastmasters. METRO Division Director endorsed candidate:

Dani Streets joined Launceston Toastmasters in August 2017 and was hooked, taking on the VPM role in October, then represented her club in the M20 Area evaluation and humorous contests which was an incredible experience. Dani has now held club officer roles of VPE and President, and is currently the M20 Area Director. She is an active member of our District, building relationships and networking at every opportunity, whilst encouraging others to believe in themselves and to step into leadership roles, as doing is the best way to learn and grow. Dani believes that with her experiences to date in Toastmasters, together with her professional skills in business and event management and administration, she will strive to share the Toastmasters brand far and wide and is thrilled to be the endorsed candidate for Metro Division Director.

RANGES Division Director endorsed candidate:

Victoria Carruthers has been a member of toastmasters for over ten years. What she loves about toastmasters is the opportunity it provides to her to meet new people and learn new skills. Victoria never thought that she would take on a leadership role, but stepped into the club officer roles first, taking on President of her club twice and then Area Director. Victoria was also on the organising committee for our 2019 District 73 Conference The Power of Possibilities. These experiences have provided valuable learning’s for Victoria as she continues to be of service to her club and nominating for Ranges Division Director. Outside of Toastmasters Victoria works in customer service for an electricity retailer as well as being a member of an amateur writing group.

As Toastmasters International requirement is two nominations for the role of Club Growth Director otherwise the position is void. As we only received one nomination, that candidate is required to stand from the floor. The DLC can confirm that the candidate has completed an interview and meets the requirement for the Club Growth Director position. Club Growth Director (candidate to stand from the floor)

Namrita Anchan has been a member of Toastmasters International since June 2017, 3 years. Her subject expertise includes:

Motivational/Inspirational speeches/workshops

Leadership

Presentation skills

She has been actively involved with District 73 Toastmasters and has stepped into various leadership roles since the beginning. She has taken up

roles such as Vice President Public Relations, President and Area Director to develop her leadership

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 12

skills further. She constantly supports her home club by taking up mentorship for new members and provides them with all the support and encouragement required to continue their Toastmaster journey. Being a passionate speaker, Namrita has conducted many workshops across various clubs within District 73. Her vision for our District is to contribute her skills in leadership and creativity with the District 73 Leadership Team, to assist in bringing the District to the level of excellence that it plans to achieve in the coming year and beyond. Namrita holds a Bachelor in Computer Application Degree and has been working in the field of IT for the past 10 years.

Should you be interested in nominating for any of the District leadership roles, it is a requirement to complete the paperwork, meet the eligibility criteria, and send your nomination to the DLC Chair at the below email address before the 8th May. This will allow time for an interview by members of the DLC prior to the council meeting, when you can stand from the floor. Congratulations to our members who have taken the next step in their leadership journey.

Elizabeth Allwood DTM IPDD District Leadership Chair

AREA DIRECTOR ELECTIONS/APPOINTMENTS

Have you had your area director elections? If the leadership roles are not elected at the area council meeting then then the incoming District Director will appoint someone to the role. If you have not had an area council meeting then please contact your area director if you are keen to step into the role as this will be passed to the Division Director. If you have had an election please share with the current District Director so forms can be provided to formalise the role. Please have a look at your members... for those who are looking for additional challenges, a perfect opportunity to support your teams and to step into these positions is available now. See page 95 of the Leadership Handbook. The Area Director provides District contact, support, and assistance to the club so that it may achieve its club mission and fulfill its responsibilities to members. Help clubs by keeping in regular contact with Club Presidents in the Area and by visiting each club at least twice during the year. Achieve Distinguished Area Program goals and ensure that each area club is Distinguished. Qualifications at the time of taking office, insofar as practicable, the area Directors shall have served as members of a District Council.

Karl Hughes DTM

Club Growth Director

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 13

ONLINE MEETING PROTOCOLS Nothing could have prepared us for this worldwide pandemic. At a time when we should be celebrating Easter (for those of us who celebrate Easter), churches remain closed. At the same time many businesses have closed down or have had to quickly turn their businesses into a contactless “online delivery” service. Today, companies all around the world are embracing remote working environments. Good or bad, remote teams are having to consider how to build effective working relationships; how to maintain a good standard of collaboration; and do this all via online meetings. 1. Create an agenda One key part of meeting preparation is creating an agenda, which will help everyone come to the meeting on the same page and keep participants focused on priorities. When developing an agenda, make sure to:

ask for input from those attending the meeting

note any time a decision needs to be made

if necessary, identify who will lead the discussion for each agenda item or topic

leave room in the agenda for any last-minute additions or questions.

2. Prepare your space Ensure that you have prepared your space well and that it is free from noise and distractions. There is nothing worse than people constantly interrupting your meeting. Not only will this be distracting for remote team members but it may also affect your personal brand.

PRE MEETING SETUP Before the meeting:

Find a quiet environment where you can limit distractions. Use headphones to minimize background noise and prevent audio feedback. It’s always a good idea to test run new conferencing software; schedule a test run before the online meeting.

It is recommended that a slower pace is used while conducting online meetings due to a two to three second delay for most systems to communicate.

If you’re leading the meeting, make sure there are sufficient pauses after asking a question.

If you are a participant, bring attention to yourself before addressing the group by signaling with your hand or saying “question” or “comment” and then waiting a couple of seconds before continuing.

POST-MEETING ACTIONS 4. Recap before you’re done When the meeting is about to end, have everyone recap the action items that they are responsible for. This is a way to make sure everyone understands who’s tackling what and ensure accountability. That extra clarity is especially helpful when you can’t see facial expressions or body language. 5. Save your debrief for later Hold off until you’re out of the room. You’d never want remote attendees to overhear something you didn’t mean to share because they hadn’t left the video conference yet. As a general rule, wait until you’re out of the room to discuss anything that occurred.

Sina Marasco DTM Eastern Division Director 2019-2020

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 14

SUE PEDERICK DTM

District Director

districtdirector@d73.toastmasters.org.au

We are moving onward and upward reaching out to the world forum we have at our fingertips, this global organisation is well maintained with resources for all members. What a rare opportunity to engage with so many other platforms as we explore our own environment upskilling to keep up with technology and move with the ever-changing world. I am thankful for the myriad of opportunities embraced during this COVID-19 across the world as have many other meeting fellow toastmasters across Australia and within our region. Assisting with Contests in Pakistan one of the newest Districts in the world has been a pleasure as we continued our liaison since Trio training in Vietnam. To learn more about what is available to Toastmasters whilst we are online please see this link: Learn more. So many prospects! Currently, in person events are not allowed within our District however, as we move forward we will alert members when we are open to changing back to our normal meetings again. We are a district that covers 3 states in Australia and each state due to the Government restrictions will have different restrictions. Be well aware if you are posting something on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/d73Toastmasters/ about being open to meet as this may not be the case with others in our District. Please word your postings carefully and remember time differences between states. Thank you to all who are members of our facebook page and for sharing information about your online club meetings, please encourage others to join the D73 Toastmasters page link above. The District supports updating your club addendum to make sure you keep your in person location current and only change your meeting place to zoom or whatever platform you are using to meet which supports the Toastmasters International resource Find a Club. Find a club enables all persons, member or not to research any club throughout the world and find whether they are online, as advised by Toastmasters International. With 16,800 clubs in the world we are ranking well at 54th with club members and 51st with member payments moving up the ranks by 25 from last month in the world. As each club is working towards maintaining numbers to get back to club base levels the Distinguished club status will increase, we have until the 30th June to submit our education and other requirements to reach our goals, tabled below.

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South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania, Australia (as of 2020-04-30)

District Goal (to be distinguished)

Actual to date

Year's goal

Needs more

Percent complete

Rank in world

Percentile in world

Rank in region

Paid Clubs 134 159 25 84.3% 54 55.8% 6

Mem Payments 5729 6602 873 86.8% 51 58.3% 6

Dist. Clubs 22 63 41 34.9% 79 35.0% 6

Please utilise this local site for information regarding the Coronavirus and link from

Toastmasters international regarding message on Coronavirus from Deepak Menon

(International President).

There are many online resources from Toastmasters International please utilise these

resources until we are able to meet in person

again: https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2020/mar/its-time-to-meet-

online

Please utilise the ‘Handy links’ for many resources of value to your members tabled in this

newsletter.

‘District officer of the year’ and ‘Toastmaster of the year’ awards will be announced

16th May.

We have some incredible people in the district who support the members and go beyond

what is asked with core values of integrity, respect, service and excellent at the forefront. It is

time to recognise these people and nominate them for the ‘Toastmaster of the Year’ or

District Officer of the Year’ award. Please refer to the email I sent on the 22nd April for the criteria for these awards, nominations close Friday 8th May 2020:

Checklist detailing an example of the criteria for ‘Toastmaster of the Year’ is on page 5-6 of

this document: https://www.toastmasters.org/-/media/files/department-documents/district-

documents/recognition-checklist.ashx or Outstanding Toastmaster Guidelines that can also

be used as a guide for the ‘District Toastmaster of the Year’ award.

There are no specific Toastmasters International criteria for the ‘District Officer of the Year’ award. Nominations for both awards are to be sent to:

Sue Pederick, District 73 Director

Either using this link: D73 - Calling for nominations 2020

or using the email: districtdirector@d73.toastmasters.org.au

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 16

Now more than ever we need to look after each other. I am continually surprised at the

energy, support and engagement our district members share. Congratulations to all members

who are embracing the enhanced opportunities by developing skill sets and resources to be

productive. Stay safe, how incredible to have the technology to embrace the world!

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 17

VICKI TRAVERS DTM Program Quality Director pqd@d73toastmasters.org.au

“Connection is critical because we all have the basic need to feel accepted and to believe that we belong and are valued for who we are.” Brené Brown The past few weeks have been an interesting time for everyone however it is great to see the members of our District connecting through online club meetings and enjoying the experience. We want everyone to be able to continue the connection they have with the members of their club despite the challenges. Please continue to make those connections. DTM’s The following members have achieved their DTM Award in March. We congratulate you on your hard work and this achievement. Annie Pateman The Hills Toastmasters Paul Fanning Essendon Toastmasters Club Mala Sivakumaran Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters Club I would also like to acknowledge and congratulate the following members who achieved their DTM in February but who were not acknowledged in the March Newsletter. Elinor Jack Ringwood Toastmasters Club Bridh Hancock Geelong Toastmasters John Haynes Carlton Toastmasters Club As of 12th April, we have 32 members who have achieved their DTM this year. If you still want to complete your ALS or DTM award please take advantage of the extension of time until 30th June 2021, for those wanting to complete these awards under the Traditional Program.

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Distinguished Club Program Congratulations to the following 9 clubs who have achieved either Select or Presidents Distinguished:

Division Club Name Distinguished Select

Distinguished Presidents

Distinguished

Central DWS Adelaide Toastmasters Club

10

Eastern Glen Iris Toastmasters Club 9

Inner City Servianites Toastmasters Club 9

Metro Parkville Toastmasters Club 9

Northern Albury-Wodonga Toastmasters 7

Ranges

Ringwood Toastmasters Club 9

Lilydale Toastmasters Club 9

Rowville Toastmasters 9

Glen Waverley Club 7

District Speech Contests Save the date……….Saturday 16th & Sunday 17th May……….Conference might be cancelled but we still get to hear and support the best speakers in the District compete in the International, Table Topics, Evaluation and humorous Speech Contests. Check out the District Calendar of Events for the Zoom and registrations links. Saturday, 16th May 9am – International Speech Contest 12 noon – Table Topics Contest Sunday, 17th May 9am – Evaluation Contest 2pm – Humorous Speech Contest Save the dates and don’t miss out. Educational Achievements Right now things are definitely different. We aren’t giving presentations and speeches in the normal environment. Don’t let that be a barrier to achieving your education goals. Attending club meetings and presenting online is a fantastic opportunity to gain skills that you wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to gain. What will your next speech or project be? Make sure that you ask your VPE or another of your Base Camp Managers to submit your awards to Toastmasters International.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 19

District Officer Training & Leadership Forums On Saturday, 4th April we held District Officer Training and our District Executive Council Meeting. Congratulations and thank you to all presenters who trained our District Leaders. The attendance at this event was well over 50 people. This year we have also held the usual Leadership Forums for all members to attend. These forums have been very successful. Our last Leadership Forum for this year was held online on Sunday, 5th April, 2020. One of the highlights of this particular forum was the attendance of Richard Peck our Toastmasters International President Elect. It was a great opportunity for members to ask questions. My appreciation goes to all those who assisted and presented at our DOT and Leadership Forum sessions and provided our members with interesting and informative sessions. Online Training – Zoom During the past two weekends we have been treated to some great training sessions to assist members to work in the online platform. Carole McCulloch has organised some very interesting and informative sessions to assist members to be skilled in running meetings online. The first session held on 12th April provided information to assist members to learn the basics of running a club meeting online. On Sunday, 19th April we learned how to use power point presentations online and how to organise other meetings for Zoom. Barbara Nielsen, Program Quality Director from District 69 shared about their Online Daily Table Topics. The purpose of these sessions is to provide their members with an opportunity to get used to speaking online. Final Thoughts We might all be in isolation but we aren’t alone. Reach out to others and stay connected. Maybe take the opportunity to attend another club online. Remember - “Connection is critical because we all have the basic need to feel accepted and to believe that we belong and are valued for who we are.” Brené Brown.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 20

We are all on a bit of a roller coaster ride at the moment. From the stock market to supermarket stock-outs, to a changed lifestyle and living with an invisible enemy, normality seems to have left town. And it’s all out of our control! Toastmasters is no exception. We have been impacted by the changed living conditions like everyone else and while some members and clubs are adapting, others are struggling. This is a time when we really need to dig deep to think and act on our positive personal values and our Toastmasters values. We need to understand that people have different views on how to handle the current situation and we need to respect that. Many people are adapting to our ‘virtual bridge’ through this crisis by moving to online meetings. It has been fabulous seeing many clubs and members be ‘bridge builders’ by embracing the challenge, supporting each other and making a difference during these difficult times. While most of us joined Toastmasters to be in front of a live audience, most of us also did that with the intent to further our communication skills, make a positive difference in the world and help the people around us. Now is the time when that intent is really needed. As Club Growth Director, I thank all the members, Club Officers and District Officers who are working hard to keep their clubs going and continuing to pursue their goals. For any members putting their membership on-hold, I hope you will join us once again when we have crossed our virtual bridge to reach the other side of these difficult times. Membership Strength As expected membership in mid-April is not as strong it could be. We have 4,905 members paid against the base membership at the beginning of the year of 6,504. An extension has been given for membership renewals until the end of April. Many clubs are still working with their members regarding membership renewals and are holding off submitting payments to Toastmasters International until the end of the month. It is expected that this figure will increase by end of April. If you haven’t already done so, please remember to pay your club dues as soon as possible. This will ensure continuity of club membership for you and access to the Pathways learning program. The April Toastmasters International extension includes:

Continued access to Club Central for Club Officers and District Central for District Leaders through to 30 April 2020

Clubs that meet the April renewal requirement by 30 April 2020 will receive Distinguished Club Program credit for submission of on-time dues renewals

Clubs that have not yet met the April renewal requirement will display on the Distinguished Performance Reports as unpaid, yet will be considered in good standing until 1 May 2020

Members in good standing of clubs in good standing are eligible to compete in speech contests

Club Presidents and Vice Presidents Education in good standing of clubs in good standing are eligible to vote during the online District Council Meeting

KARL HUGHES DTM Club Growth Director cgd@d73.toastmasters.org.au

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 21

Access to Base Camp will continue to 30 April 2020 for those members who have not paid their renewal

Clubs that have a distinguished status is also lower at this point in mid-April at only 8 clubs. However, there are many more clubs than this who have reached a level of distinguished but as of mid-April are not yet reflected on the Toastmasters Dashboard. This is due to some clubs not yet having paid their membership renewals to Toastmasters International. Once these renewals have been paid, then the Dashboard will be updated. The second Toastmasters Membership Building Program, ‘Talk-Up Toastmasters’, concluded at the end of March. The program took place 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2020. The number of clubs qualifying for a Talk-Up Toastmasters Award will be published sometime in the near future by World Headquarters.

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 22

EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS MARCH 2020

CONGRATULATIONS TO:

AWARD MEMBER CLUB Distinguished Toastmaster Sivakumaran, Mala Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters

Club Distinguished Toastmaster Fanning, Paul A. Essendon Toastmasters Club

Distinguished Toastmaster Pateman, Annie The Hills Toastmasters

Distinguished Toastmaster 01203916 - Name unavailable Gourmet Club

Distinguished Toastmaster Mudge, Natalie Jill Northern Stars Toastmasters Club

Distinguished Toastmaster Ahern, Anne Margaret Frankston Toastmasters Club

Distinguished Toastmaster Wu, Cindy Manningham Toastmasters

Adv Communicator Bronze Chen, Gordon Happy Hour Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Bronze Wadhwa, Rajeev N. Box Hill Central Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Bronze Jacobsen, Annette Melbourne University Toastmasters

Adv Communicator Gold Mundy, Fiona B Diamond Valley Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Gold Pateman, Annie Berwick Club

Adv Communicator Gold 03813798 - Name unavailable Toorak Toastmasters

Adv Communicator Gold Ahern, Anne Margaret Frankston Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Gold 01203916 - Name unavailable Latitude Toastmasters

Adv Communicator Gold Bolger, Jillian Geelong Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Gold Wu, Cindy Manningham Toastmasters

Adv Communicator Silver

Simon, Tony Glen Waverley Club

Adv Communicator Silver

02431894 - Name unavailable Tea Tree Gully Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Silver

Barrie, Stephan Whitehorse Club

Adv Communicator Silver

Jameson, Adrian Limestone Coast Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Silver

Guillaume, Laura Nathalie Rafters Toastmasters Club

Adv Communicator Silver

00398699 - Name unavailable Indigo Speakers

Adv Communicator Silver

Rodrigues, Christine Metro Trains Toastmasters Club

Adv Leader Bronze

Champion, Ibrahim Frankston Toastmasters Club

Adv Leader Bronze

06770158 - Name unavailable Indigo Speakers

Adv Leader Silver

Sivakumaran, Mala Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters Club

Adv Leader Silver

Fanning, Paul A. Essendon Toastmasters Club

Adv Leader Silver

Shroot, Leslie William Servianites Toastmasters Club

Adv Leader Silver

01203916 - Name unavailable Gourmet Club

Competent Communicator

Allen, John R Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters Club

Competent Communicator

04083704 - Name unavailable Balaclava Club (St Kilda)

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 23

Competent Communicator

06641579 - Name unavailable Toorak Toastmasters

Competent Communicator

Phillips, Shannon D Mornington Peninsula Club

Competent Communicator

Randall, George Toast of the Country Club

Competent Communicator

Sinclair, Marlene C. Toast of the Country Club

Competent Communicator

06770158 - Name unavailable Indigo Speakers

Competent Communicator

05997310 - Name unavailable Bayside Toastmasters Club

Competent Communicator

Glass, Sandra L. Hawthorn Toastmasters Club Inc.

Competent Leadership Lawrence, Kim Douglas Southern Cross Toastmasters

Competent Leadership Knaggs, Kathryn Lynda Southern Cross Toastmasters

Competent Leadership McGowan, Miranda Grace Southern Cross Toastmasters

Competent Leadership 01203916 - Name unavailable Latitude Toastmasters

Dynamic Leadership (1)

Lee, Will Liang Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters Club

Dynamic Leadership (1)

Harrington, Deborah J Lilydale Toastmasters Club

Dynamic Leadership (1)

Buultjens, Cuthbert Walwin Essendon Toastmasters Club

Dynamic Leadership (2)

Saqib, Syed Muhammad Cranbourne Toastmasters Club

Effective Coaching (1)

01099425 - Name unavailable Northern Stars Toastmasters Club

Effective Coaching (1)

Tuck, Ricky James Sunbury and Macedon Ranges Toastmasters Club

Effective Coaching (2)

Jones-Resnik, Danielle Maccabi Toastmasters

Effectuve Coaching (3)

Iglesias, Raul Daniel Werribee Toastmasters Inc.

Effective Coaching (4)

02810866 - Name unavailable Moonee Ponds Toastmasters Club

Engaging Humour (1)

Fordyce, Joshua David Glenelg Prospeak Toastmasters

Innovative Planning (1) 06987366 - Name unavailable Parkville Toastmasters Club

Innovative Planning (1) Sam, Sambath Cranbourne Toastmasters Club

Innovative Planning (1) Ge, Lijuan Quintessence Club

Innovative Planning (1) Braun, Andrea J Limestone Coast Toastmasters

Club

Innovative Planning (1) Bai, Yumei Manningham Toastmasters

Innovative Planning (3) Godau, Emmi Northern Exposure Toastmasters

Club

Innovative Planning (3) 06926601 - Name unavailable Ringwood Toastmasters Club

Leadership Development (2)

Zwar, Natalie Limestone Coast Toastmasters Club

Leadership Development (2)

Desai, Dinesh Moonee Ponds Toastmasters Club

Leadership Development (3)

Desai, Dinesh Moonee Ponds Toastmasters Club

Leadership Excellence 01099425 - Name unavailable Northern Stars Toastmasters Club

Leadership Excellence Buultjens, Cuthbert Walwin Essendon Toastmasters Club

Leadership Excellence Fanning, Paul A. Essendon Toastmasters Club

Leadership Excellence Shroot, Leslie William Servianites Toastmasters Club

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 24

Leadership Excellence 03813798 - Name unavailable Toorak Toastmasters

Leadership Excellence Mehtonen, Claire M. Tuesday Chatters

Leadership Excellence 01203916 - Name unavailable Silver Service Toastmasters Club

Motivational Strategies (1) Evans, Jo Parkville Toastmasters Club

Motivational Strategies (1) Ives, Samuel Marcus North Melbourne

Motivational Strategies (2) Donnellan, Jason Synergy Toastmasters Club

Motivational Strategies (2) Strauch, Debbie Maccabi Toastmasters

Persuasive Influence (1) 01451563 - Name unavailable Box Hill Central Toastmasters Club

Persuasive Influence (2) Bisaria, Anvita Manningham Toastmasters

Persuasive Influence (2) Cardinali, Rosemary Adelaide City

Persuasive Influence (3) Parate, Supriya Servianites Toastmasters Club

Persuasive Influence (4) Adhicary, Arpita ANZ Off the Cuff Toastmasters

Club

Presentation Mastery (1) Yong, Keat Servianites Toastmasters Club

Presentation Mastery (1) 06854941 - Name unavailable Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters

Club

Presentation Mastery (1) 06853875 - Name unavailable Raconteurs Toastmasters Club

Presentation Mastery (1) 00347684 - Name unavailable Glenelg Prospeak Toastmasters

Presentation Mastery (1) 02574714 - Name unavailable Glenelg Prospeak Toastmasters

Presentation Mastery (1) Thompson, Debra Cranbourne Toastmasters Club

Presentation Mastery (1) 00769904 - Name unavailable Cranbourne Toastmasters Club

Presentation Mastery (1) Jones-Resnik, Danielle Maccabi Toastmasters

Presentation Mastery (1) 07345904 - Name unavailable Mornington Peninsula Club

Presentation Mastery (1) Mourik, Elizabeth Indigo Speakers

Presentation Mastery (1) 07646059 - Name unavailable Maccabi Toastmasters

Presentation Mastery (2) Koutsikas, Con Adelaide City

Presentation Mastery (2) 07345904 - Name unavailable Mornington Peninsula Club

Presentation Mastery (3) Aslam, Aabid Melbourne University Toastmasters

Presentation Mastery (5) Sinclair, Marlene C. Croydon - Yarra Valley

Toastmasters

Team Collaboration (1) Campbell, Melissa Ann Dandenong-Mulgrave Toastmasters

Club

Team Collaboration (2)

Knight, Peter Werribee Toastmasters Inc.

Team Collaboration (5)

McCulloch, Carole M. Albury-Wodonga Toastmasters

Visual Communication (1)

Dimarelos, Peter Ivanhoe Toastmasters Club

Visual Communication (2)

Shroot, Leslie William Servianites Toastmasters Club

Visual Communication (2)

Upasena, Winodani Knox Toastmasters Club

Visual Communication (2)

Walliker, Simon Anthony Frankston Toastmasters Club

April 2020 | Southern Cross Newsletter 25

2020/21 SAVE THE DATES

Save these District dates (registration links where appropriate will be on the D73 calendar)

Toastmasters of D73

16 - 17 May 2020 ***** DISTRICT 73 CONFERENCE*****

CONTESTS & COUNCIL MEETING ONLINE 16 -17 May

16 May 2020 D73 District Council Meeting (online)

(Attendees: District Committee and Presidents and VPE’s) No proxies - all welcome

5 - 8 August 2020

International Toastmasters Convention, Paris, France (Postponed to 2021)

*** (Proxies assigned to District Director- voting delegates:

District Director, club presidents and secretaries) Events - Toastmasters International we will be advised how the voting will take place by Toastmasters International ASAP

4 July 2020 Changeover Event (details to come)

4 and 5 July 2020 District Officer Training (Area and Division Directors)

Division Contests Schedule for 2021

Division 2021 Dates

(Annual Dates are in the District Operating Procedures)

Bass Division: Fourth Saturday in March (27 March 2021)

Central Division: Third Saturday in March (20 March 2021)

Eastern Division: Third Saturday in February (20 Feb 2021)

Inner City Division: First Saturday in March (6 March 2021)

Metro Division: First Sunday in March (7 March 2021)

Northern Division: Second Sunday in February (14 Feb 2021)

Ranges Division: Fourth Sunday in March (28 March 2021)

Southern Division: Fourth Sunday in February (28 Feb 2021)