District Director Report
If you are on the email redirection list receiving this newsletter, I respectfully request that you forward it on to all your club members in order that they also are informed of conversations that are taking place on their behalf at District level. Thank you, your assistance with this request is incredibly appreciated.
Greetings valued members of District 112
I am writing this update on 2nd December 2018, with the festive season almost upon us, and as the majority of clubs take a break over the Christmas New Year period; I encourage you to take time to rest, relax and rejuvenate for the 2019 year.
I would like to take the time to officially acknowledge and thank our team of Area directors who, over the past five months, have dedicated their time to visit clubs and write and submit the associated reports on the Toastmasters International website. These reports, 147 of which have been received in this round, enable your District Senior Officers to monitor club progress and identify areas where extra support and guidance may be offered to assist with Club achievements.
I take the time now to formally acknowledge and congratulate those Toastmasters amongst us who have achieved the highest designation in the Toastmasters International organisation, that of “Distinguished Toastmaster” (DTM), since the Toastmaster year began on 1st July. This award is achieved through unrivalled dedication, consistent effort and focused commitment.
CONGRATULATIONS Distinguished Toastmasters
Catherine Syme DTM Will Blakeway DTM Kylee Maloney DTM Colin Leong DTM Graham Gunn DTM Peter Elliott DTM Glen Irving DTM Judy Uden DTM Annette Bates DTM Jilnaught Wong DTM Annabel Valdez-Chiong DTM
Your achievement in reaching this milestone has not only improved your own personal abilities but has also positively encouraged and supported numerous others around you through natural progression.
As I sign off for this month, I would like to wish each and every one of you all the best for the festive season ahead. I trust you are able to take some time out for yourselves to recharge and look forward to reconvening again fully once 2019 rolls around.
Festively yours
Toni Sharp QSM DTM
District 112 Director
021 1147 254
D112director@toastmasters.org.nz
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Program Quality Director
Hello Members, Christmas and the end of the year are nearly here and people are getting busier! Contests Many clubs have already run pairs of contests with some deciding to run the contests events that do not require speech preparation and some have stuck with the pair that in the past have been typically run in the latter half of the year. This is the first time we have been without the end of year conference and the changes will take a little getting used to and it may take time to decide what is best for our clubs with respect to what contests when.
Club Leadership Training
This time of the year sees the commencement of the second Club Leadership Training round with some Divisions offering training events in early December with further events early in 2019. These sessions offer knowledge and skills that your Club’s officers need to be effective, and provide the opportunity to discuss challenges with your peers.
All club Executive officers are expected to attend these training events, however please note that any member may attend. Perhaps your club has members who are considering becoming members of the executive committee next year and want to see what the roles involve? What better way to get started than attend a CLT event, listen to and contribute to discussions around the role.
May Conference
The Hamilton Conference team are working hard to have a great Conference for you! Have you booked your accommodation for the May conference? See you there!
Best regards
Neil Stichbury DTM
Program Quality Director – District 112
Text: +64 2 7527 4913 Email: D112program@toastmasters.org.nz
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Club Growth Director
Wow, it is hard to believe we are already in December! Take time to sit back and reflect on how much you have grown in the last five months and how much more you may accomplish in the seven months to come.
We are pleased to advise that at District Training in November, each of our Division Directors took away two flags for use in each Division. Should you wish to use one of the flags to advertise any club event you are having, please contact your Division Director.
Division Directors also collected 18 Visitor Brochures per club that expressed an interest in receiving these brochures. If you have not received your visitor’s brochures yet, please contact your Division Director. Should any club want additional Visitor’s Brochures, these may be applied for via promotional funding applications. (Please contact me or your Division or Area Director should you want assistance in completing a new club, existing or low- membership club promotional funding application form).
Toastmasters was represented at the NZ Business Women’s Conference on the 26th – 27th of October 2018 at the Ellerslie Events Centre. A big thank you to Serena Irving for both arranging and assisting with this. Many thanks to Katrina Matich, Genevieve Darlow and Rowena Foster for supporting this event.
Congratulations to our club coaches appointed thus far this year: Dave Henderson, Helen Hunt, Peter McCutcheon, James Hippolite, Craig Martin and Kingsley Moody. There are additional coach appointment applications still pending,
We will be holding a coaching workshop in the New Year. Please contact me if you are interested in attending this workshop. We have a number of clubs who currently qualify for a club coach. Please do call me if you would like the opportunity to coach a club.
Congratulations to First Impressions who celebrated their 30th anniversary on the 24th of November.
Katrina Matich and Sabrina Naseem represented Toastmasters at the Speech Showcase to celebrate World Compassion Day held at Rotary Birkenhead on Wednesday the 28th November 2018.
Sabrina and Katrina used their skills gained through Toastmasters to MC the event and to coach some truly inspirational students from Takapuna Grammar and Rosmini College.
Sharon Kerr-Phillips DTM Club Growth Director – District 112
Mob: 021 059 989 7 Email: D112growth@toastmasters.org.nz
Your Team wish all of you and your families a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Hoping you will have the opportunity to recharge over and the New Year. Ready for another exciting year growing that obvious confidence and determination to make life work for you, your families, your friends and colleagues
BJ, Murray, Neil, Rob, Jonathan, Sharon, Toni, Chrissy
Testimonial – Penny Kennett | ORAKEI TOASTMASTERS
My London son, newly engaged, told me over Skype that he was getting married to his lovely bride to be in her home town of Limerick (Ireland) in August the following year. Once I had recovered from my excitement, I asked him, impulsively :” Can I give a speech?” He teased me by saying at once “On NO account are you to give a speech, mother!” then he laughed and countered with “I would be honoured if you would speak, Mum”. A heartbeat later though, I tried to bargain— you’ve got a year” he deadpanned. Yikes. But it was On, witty or not. I had a year.
First port of call, my friend Nick. “Toastmasters!” he prescribed,. “You couldn’t ask for a more forgiving audience; and their feedback is kind and useful. It’s your best bet. You’ll get to know how to stand, where to put your hands, how to move as if you are confident.” I wanted to do my boy proud. I had a year, I reassured myself.
Google told me where the most conveniently located club was; I showed up on the night, to check out the Orakei Toastmasters Club. Not without a great many nerves! The welcome continued in person; my hand was shaken. I had heard about the formal structure so that wasn’t a surprise, but along with structure, the speeches were upbeat and quirky. The biscuits at half time break were Tim Tams! How special was that! By the time the final bang of the closing gavel I was set on this Club to help me with my quest; I joined up.
Members of the club supported and encouraged me to speak, rostered me onto speaking slots and the feedback came thick and fast over the months; formally, informally, at breaks, after the meeting, responding to my determination to go from a gibbering wreck to fairly competent. By the time of my leaving I had given six speeches, including a couple of wedding speech drafts, taking into account the feedback on the speech, my delivery and the raising of the champagne glass to the happy couple. The club were great sports, acting as wedding guests with real bubbly.
Once in Ireland, a kiwi Toastie from way back, gave me feedback and encouragement the night before the big Day. By the time the wedding unfolded my nerves, amazingly, were in hand – I just wanted to report back that I’d done my club proud, as well as my son! The speech itself went so well; people laughed more than I expected (lovely Irish relatives)! The parts that were best received were the heartfelt anecdotes (he was such a very cute little boy) but as one or two people suggested writing in a few funny anecdotes I’d had a go at that and they went better than I had expected. Afterwards the compliments came in two camps- what a proud mum you obviously are (oh yeah); and, you’ve done a bit of practise for this speech haven’t you (little bit). My son was very happy and proud.
Back home, I couldn’t wait for club night to share the achievement.
Alongside the club’s support has been my slowly growing confidence in myself, speaking in front of a group of people, all looking at me and listening closely! Once I got back from Ireland, job done, there was a lovely bunch of people to listen to, and help flourish in the same way, and lots more thinking-andtalking-on-the-spot experience. Outside of the speaking-in-front-of-a-group experience, I do take pride and heart from my hard won experience the realisation that the more often and more frequently you do a scary thing, the less nerve wracking it becomes. And then, also, the more rewarding!
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Watch out for the RUN the RED Toastmasters world project April 2019 !! – Will it involve you??
Editor-in-Chief
Rob Wightman DTM Public Relations Manager – District 112
Text/Mob 021 022 04856. Email: D112prm@toastmasters.org.nz
Available at very 0 cost for photos and short Toastmasters experiences to encourage the world that we are in the right place.
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