D44 Newsletter Oct 2015

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www.d44toastmasters.orgOct 1, 2015

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

Building relationships whether personally, professionally or socially, you build trust. Almost every person when they first join Toastmasters look to build a relationship

with the members in the club. Mentors are the initial bridge to also helping build that relationship and trust to help them grow and work towards their individual goals.

Area Directors serve a key role supporting their assigned clubs and are often times overlooked in the work they do. Area Directors are accountable for supporting and encouraging the clubs assigned to them towards success and meeting the club goals. The Area Club visits are designed to build the leadership skills and to recognize potential new leaders within their clubs. The reports and feedback determine areas of success and challenges within the clubs.

We have an amazing team of 48 Area Directors this year who have pledged and committed to serving their club officers, thereby, building trust with the members.

The Area Directors acknowledge that there will be obstacles such as learning the role, handling different clubs cultures, dealing with officer personalities and supporting clubs that have low membership and keeping their spirits inspired and engaged to conduct quality meetings.

There are 211 clubs in District 44 and the goal for 2015-2016 is for all those clubs to earn distinguished club status or better. The Area Directors are the key leaders to build the relationship and help them accomplish their DCP goals.

Who have you built a relationship with that resulted in a lifelong trust?

District 44 ToastmastersWHERE LEADERS ARE MADE

THE MESSENGER

LANA S. MCFARLANE, DTM District 44 Director

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

TRAINING, YOUTH LEADERSHIP, CONTESTS, AND FALL CONFERENCE/ 2

$36– A SMALL FEE FOR YOUR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT! / 3

THE BEST BUT NO LONGER A SECRET / 4

PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED DISTRICT / 5

SPEECHCRAFT / 7

FALL CONFERENCE / 8

FROM THE DESK OF RICK DUFF / 9

LIGHTS, CAMERA, MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN! / 10

DISTRICT 44 RECOGNIZES ITS NEWEST DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTERS/ 11

MAGAZINE TEASERS / 12

D44 IN ACTION/ 21

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DISTRICT 44 MESSENGER NEWSLETTER

TRAINING ANYONE? Registration for our first quarter of ad hoc training sessions is underway. The Revitalized Judges training has two dates already set and a third is expected. We also have a date for the Contest Master training. I expect to add dates for the Mentoring Workshop in a week or so to the registration site once I finalize a location. Just click this link to start the process. Note we will limit the attendees to just 25 to ensure you all have the best classroom experience.

The 2015-2016 Youth Leadership Programs have kicked off and you all should have received an email on September 8th asking for a few more volunteers. We have an exciting year with over 100 more students being able to enjoy our program. I am thankful to all of you who have signed up so far and hope to see a few more of you over the next several weeks.

The contest season is underway and we are seeing a lot of talent. Check out our D44 Website to find out the dates of the upcoming contests and make a plan to join one of them. Who knows, you may just see the person who will become the 2015 Fall Conference Humorous or Evaluation contest winner.

Speaking of the Fall Conference, I hope you are considering joining us. We have a great lineup planned and know you will enjoy yourself. Additionally, I have created some “ad templates” to help those of you that do not feel creative enough or have the time to build an ad. Look for an email from me before October 10th linking you to the templates and hopefully, kick starting you on submitting an ad. Show how proud you are of your club or promote your business. We need your support and you can make a difference no matter how small the ad.

See you soon.

VICKI NOETHLING, DTMDistrict 44 Program Quality Director

HELLO TO ALL OUR DISTRICT 44 MEMBERS,

Training, Youth Leadership, Contests, and Fall ConferenceI promised you opportunities to grow. Now it is up to you!

We have a great lineup planned and know you will enjoy yourself.

http://www.ciclt.net/sn/events/e_signup.aspx?ClientCode=district44&E_ID=500713&RegType=ATT

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www.d44toastmasters.org

Fellow Toastmasters,

September is the month when we have the privilege to re-up our membership in Toastmasters International. Yes you heard me correctly. I said “the privilege to re-up.” Why do I refer to paying dues as a privilege? Because there is no other place I have found where an individual can spend as little as $6 per month for access to learning material, leadership roles, speaking engagements, meeting space, a live audience, a magazine subscription, training, contests, mentors, friends, and immediate feedback – all with no strings attached!

The Toastmasters program affords each of us the opportunity to practice operating as a leader in many ways, one of which is being timely with our dues remittance. If you haven’t already, demonstrate your appreciation for the value you get from Toastmasters by renewing your membership no later than Wednesday, September 30. For only $36 you’ll get the privilege to spend 6-months honing your skills in the greatest communication and leadership organization in the world!

As a reminder, renew by September 15 to be entered into one of our Dues Renewal Drawings:

MEMBER DRAWINGS

Drawing #1 $100 Toastmasters International Gift Card Friday, September 11

Drawing #2 Samsung Camcorder Friday, September 11

Drawing #3 Advanced Communicator Series Wednesday, September 16

CLUB DRAWING – WED., SEPT 16, 2015

8 Member Dues Submitted 8 Tickets

$100 80% of Base Member Dues Submitted 10 Tickets

100% of Base Member Dues Submitted 20 Tickets

$36– A SMALL FEE FOR YOUR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT!

NETANIA WALKER, DTMClub Growth Director

The Toastmasters program affords

each of us the opportunity to

practice operating as a leader in many ways.

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THE BEST BUT NO LONGER A SECRET

Remember… The BEST is no longer a secret because WE are PR!

When you hear about a Best kept secret… do you become excited and share or still keep the news to yourself? Well, in case you have not heard, District 44 is on a mission to “shout out loud” about Toastmasters to the

masses in Georgia! The day of being a secret is over!

Each of us has the opportunity to be a spokesperson for Toastmasters! Everywhere you go is an opportunity to share the benefits of personal growth. Own it! You’ve worked hard to make a change within yourself and it shows!

How can each of us share the BEST secret? Glad you asked.

• Your Toastmaster pin is your new accessory for the day! It’s fashionable, timeless and sure to strike up a conversation.

• District 44 Georgia Toastmasters Facebook page, as well as our District 44 Toastmasters Fan page want to see your pictures, awards, celebrations, contests and videos. Start a Facebook page for your club!

• Your club’s website in combination with “ Meet-up” will drive the on-line public your way.

• D44Toastmasters is our Instagram tag, join us for the ride!

• Tweet events to keep the message going and create a Pinterest page with your vision

• Let’s connect on LinkedIn! You would be surprised how many of your fellow Toastmasters connect on this professional platform. Join District 44 Toastmasters today.

• D44 Talk Radio wants YOU and your story. Tune in every Monday night at 6:30pm to hear what is on the mind of your fellow Toastmaster.

• Volunteer for our next Georgia Public Broadcast Television and D44 receives free on-air Publicity! Stay tuned for the next quarter announcement

Let’s share the news then watch the communication and leadership movement catch on fire!

Remember… The BEST is no longer a secret because WE are PR!

KIM W GIBSON, DTMPublic Relations Manager

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District 85 Alex Cheng, DTM China

District 82 Yusuf Jeevunjee, DTM Tamil Nadu, India and Sri Lanka

District 91 Hilary E. Briggs, DTM United Kingdom, South of England and Wales

District 95 Kees Broos, DTM Eastern Continental Europe

District 81 Valerie Brazier, DTM The Caribbean

District 89 Sarah He, DTM China

District 46 Neerja Purang Northeastern New Jersey and Southeastern New York

District 59 Jaap Russchenberg, DTM Western Continental Europe

District 79 Joey I. Villanueva, DTM Saudi Arabia

District 92 Ramesh T. Krishnamurthy, OTM Karnataka and Kerka, India

Provisional District 97 Veerapan Chanyasak, ACB, CL Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam

District 20 Yasser A. Suliman, DTMBahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates

District 44Parren K. Shannon, DTMGeorgia

District 16Jieliang Pan, OTMOklahoma

Provisional District 94Dunstanette L. Macauley, DTMBenin, Burkina faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Libera, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rpublic of Congo, Senegal, Togo

District 75Dorothy Isa C. Du, ACG, ALBPhilippines

Provisional District 93Michael A. Jones, DTMKorea

District 27Ernesto Etienne, DTMDistrict of Columbia and Virginia

District 50Charlene C. Burroughs, DTMNortheastern Texas and Shreveport, Louisiana

District 17Robyn A. Richards, DTMWestern Australia

District 73Anthony M. Murray, DTMSouth Australia, Victoria and Tasmania

The designation of President's Distinguished District is awarded to Toastmasters’ top-achieving districts. It is the highest honor a district can receive. These districts have completed the year with at least 8% net membership payments growth, at least 8% net club growth and Distinguished clubs equal to at least 50% of its club base.

PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED DISTRICT

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2014 PRESIDENT’S DISTINGUISHED DISTRICTS

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The Navigators toastmasters club (1439661) conducts a successful Speechcraft program for eight weeks at the Post Road Library in Forsyth Country. There were five participants that graduated from the program with a very enthusiastic participation from each one of them. The program coordinator

was Francis Chidambaram, DTM who was assisted by Barbara Wallace, DTM.We would like to thank all the presenters and advisers that volunteered to educate, evaluate and energize each session to provide the participants with an excellent experience. Here are the list of Toastmaster volunteers : Rex Arul, Ryan Freesemann, Archana Patel, Alejandro Tornato, Monica Dibbin, Stephanie Goggin, Gray Alsup and Ben Tracchio.Congratulations to the Graduates: Thomas Rader, Rebecca Eller, Chrissy Zimpel, Guru Paradarami and Mary Margaret Burch.The Navigators Toastmasters club meets every Tuesday, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Polo Fields Golf and Country Club Clubhouse, 6300 Polo Club Drive, Cumming, GA 30040.. Toastmasters and Guests are always welcome, please visit our website http://navigators.toastmastersclubs.org/ for more info.

SPEECHCRAFT

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http://navigators.toastmastersclubs.org/

http://navigators.toastmastersclubs.org/

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DISTRICT 44 TOASTMASTERS

Emmy Award Nominated Inspirational SpeakerOriginally from Kingston, Jamaica, Mark Brown immigrated to the United States at 18 years old with only $40 in his pocket and a dream for a better life. Today he has become one the most popular inspirational speakers in the world. In 1995, Mark defeated more than 20,000 contestants from 14 countries, to win the illustrious Toastmasters World Championship of Public Speaking. Since then, he has delivered more than 3500 presentations to more than 1.7 million people, on 4 different continents. As an expert in helping people overcome their fears to reach their maximum potential, Mark has been featured in the New York Times, Men’s Health, on CNN Headline News, and even had his own PBS Special, which was nominated for an Emmy Award.

He has shared his insights across a wide variety of industries, to major corporations including: Sprint, Sheraton, Principal Financial Group, Prudential and Cathay Pacific Airways. Additionally, Mark has

START TIME/DATE: 1:00 PM Friday, November 13, 2015

END TIME/DATE: 11:59 PM Saturday, November 14, 2015

ADDRESS: Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria200 Interstate North Parkway SE

CITY: Atlanta, GA 30339

Volunteer: Calling all volunteers….November 13-14 is our Fall Conference and we are looking for volunteers to pull off another fantastic conference. This is a wonderful opportunity to strech yourself and go outside of the comfort of your club. Plus volunteers can get a 10% discount on their registration cost. Please contact Bonnie Fauntleroy at [email protected] our volunteer chair to discuss which area you’d like to volunteer. We are also looking for presenters and sponsors.

COST:• Regular registration for full conference will be $134 until 9/30/15. • On-line registration may be paid by credit card, check, or money order. • ONSITE Registration WILL be Available at the Conference, but note that the

person registering onsite will not receive a preprinted badge.

FALL 2015 CONFERENCE

KEYNOTE SPEAKER : Mark Brown

been a guest lecturer at premier academic institutions such as Penn State University, Xavier University and The University of Florida. Using a unique blend of hilarious humor and hard-hitting honesty, Mark Brown will both challenge and compel your group to take their performance to the next level.

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Add the cool whip and milk and beat to be very creamy texture. Pour it on the caked evenly across the top. ( the cool whip will melt into a lavishly and lovely creamy mixture) That’s it –Easy as that. Now place in fridge for at least an hour-I like it overnight and serve cold. To really wow the people try this very simple idea. (see picture) Take the celery and cut into 2or 3 -¼ inch strips long wise. Take the strawberries and cut in half to form a flowery petal looking design. Place the strawberry halves on the cake in a circle to form the flower. Don’t use too big of a strawberry. Over a little way from there, do it again. (Practice with the strawberry haves to form the flowers before placing on cake) Now take the long and medium celery slices and run them from the corner of the cake to the flowers as stems and it looks like a professional did it. (the celery should be cut thin and malleable.

All but one of the guests joined the club afterwards and one outlier we are still working on him to still join in on the fun. If you do this in your club make sure to wear the men’s style apron and maybe a chef’s hat, have extras and make people do small things to participate. Use the cake you had cooling and place just made in frig. Happy days are here again. Have fun in your meetings while bringing in members to your club!

RICK DUFF9

FROM THE DESK OF RICK DUFFPast President Healthy Voice Toastmasters

Today we are remembering a fun time. It started because I wanted to do something completely different than what I have seen before at any toastmasters meetings.

My thoughts were to show that TMs can be functional and structured yet different enough to keep people’s interest at a certain level and have them want to come back again.I decided to try using the basic seminar program as a guide to teaching men to be bolder in the Kitchen. The title was “Men need help---In the kitchen”. As soon as I said “men need help” all the women said at the same time, “that’s right, you can say that again”. When I added on “in the kitchen” they still agreed.

We used a kitchen I had secured ahead of time down the hall. When it was my turn to speak, I asked everyone to join me down the hall to the kitchen where I had things set up. The change in venue played a role as well in the success of this speech. The idea was to show that both the men and women members can be a hero at a dinner party given by themselves or somewhere else. Using some simple techniques I showed the club that a delicious summery cool and low sugar cake can get people ooing and ahhing. I mentioned they will be remembered as the person who made the creamy lemon frosting angel food cake with berries.

We happened to have several guests that day and I included them to help, gave them aprons and got them involved. This kept their interest and they saw that our club could be fun and take some risks

I organized this speech was similar to TV kitchen shows in that I made one extra cake in advance to serve so that it had a chance to cool in the fridge. When we were done making the non-cooking, non-heating cake, I wanted them to see the optimum results. People loved the tips and saw firsthand that it was easy and delicious but quick to make. You can be the hero with little effort.

For you to make this and create a delicious desert follow these instructions. Take a mixing bowl, electric beater or big spoon, angel food cake from the deli, two packs of lemon instant Jell-O mix, one large frozen cool whip and 2 cups of milk. (Bonus-bring a long piece of celery stalk and several strawberries. The directions on the lemon Jell-O say 2 cups of milk per box but we substitute 2 cups with the cool whip.

Tear up the angel food cake and place in long 9-12 cooking glass dish. Take the 2 boxes of Jell-O in a large mixing bowl.

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN!

Thank you District 44 Toastmasters for supporting us during the

August TV Campaign.WE DID IT! We surpassed the goal for the 2015 August TV Campaign and

we raised far more than we did last year!!!!

HOORAAAY!!! Crew, Talent, Engineering, Development team, TV productions staff, Volunteers, Interns, Master Control, Encompass ... it takes so many people working together to make our TV Membership Campaigns successful. Each of you shined during

this campaign and it shows in the fundraising results!

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!!!Please share the news with all the volunteers in your group.

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Just as great Toastmasters are to INSPIRE, EDUCATE, and INFORM the overall mission of Georgia Public Broadcasting is to create, produce and distribute high quality programs and services that educate, inform and entertain audiences and enrich the quality of their lives.

District 44 Toastmasters recently participated in a TV membership campaign which afforded us free TV exposure personally helping our Distinguished District gain an on-air presence, display of our logo and an on-air interview.

Lisa Morris, Volunteer Services Manager 260 14th Street N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318

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DISTRICT 44 RECOGNIZES ITS NEWEST DISTINGUISHED TOASTMASTERS

The Distinguished Toastmaster award is the highest our organization bestows. The DTM recognizes a superior level of achievement in both communication and leadership skills. To be eligible for the award, you must have earned the following:• Advanced Communicator Gold • Advanced Leader Silver District 44 recognizes these individuals for outstanding accomplishment and leadership excellence in the pursuit of the mission of Toastmasters International.

JALEANN M. MATOS-MCCLURGPMI Atlanta Toastmasters Club

DAWN KAMARASouth Cobb Club

VIKI S. ANDINOHorizon Club

TONIA ELICE ROWLANDVoices of Potential Club

GARNETTE LEWISCherokee Toastmasters Club

MARILYN J. BLOOMChat Crew Club

STEVEN J. BELLIOAlpharetta-Milton Toastmasters Club

LINA SURIANTONorth Gwinnett Advanced TM Club

DISHELESH JONESSunTrust Toastmasters Club

FELICIA D. CANNONFulton County Professional Speakers Club

CONSUELLO E. PEEKFulton County Professional Speakers Club

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www.d44toastmasters.orgwww.d44toastmasters.org

LINDA ADHUHerzing Toastmasters Club

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How many of us receive our Toastmaster magazine and just put it on the shelf? Are you a

scanner like I was years ago? My hope is for everyone to read these featured articles and glean from a trove of great ideas, information, and strategies about a variety of subjects.

VIEWPOINT: Khadem and His Dream; Page 2; (June, 2015 issue; MOHAMMED MURAD, DTM, International President, acknowledges Khadem’s 30 years of utilizing personality, ability, and dedication to providing the highest standard of customer satisfaction and for being a perfect presenter during well-timed and regularly scheduled project updates, and for his work ethic that exemplifies nothing Murad has ever previously experienced.

MY TURN: Naturally Speaking; Page 11; (June, 2015 issue); A photographer’s journey from German towns to the American wilderness. DORIS DUMRAUF, ACB, CL, a professional nature photographer, speaks about nature-related themes in the greater Pittsburgh area, discusses her experiences of moving from Germany to join her husband in the USA; joining a Toastmasters club with the intention of dropping out after learning to speak confidently and sharpening her speaking skills; flourishing in a variety of club officer roles; earning numerous TI education awards; and currently presenting speeches and lectures to garden clubs, women’s clubs, libraries, and retirement communities.

SPEECHWRITING: The Speechwriters’ Shepherd; Page 12-13; (June, 2015 issue); David Murray gathers wandering professionals into a coherent community. MARY NESFIELD, associate editor of the Toastmaster magazine, provides a wealth of information through the editor of Vital Speeches of the Day magazine, David Murray’s answers to nine questions about being a professional speech writer.

JUNE TOASTMASTER

MAGAZINE TEASERS Have You

Read Your Toastmaster’s

Magazines?


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HUMOR: Make the Most of Your Roast; Pages 14-15; (June, 2015 issue); Celebrate the honoree by keeping your quips gentle and brief. CRAIG HARRISON, DTM, who has been a Toastmaster for over 22 years, has roasted and been roasted examines four aspects to consider, when preparing to deliver an impressive roast of another individual. He is a member of Lakeview Toastmasters in Oakland, California and is a professional keynoter and emcee.

Craig Harrison, DTM, also shares three recommendations to keep in mind when being the roastee and delivering an appropriate “last word” reply.

IMPROV: Improve with Improv; Pages 16-19; (June, 2015 issue); How exercises in spontaneity hone communication skills. CAREN SCHNUR NEILE, PH.D., ATMS, CL, a storytelling teacher at Florida Atlantic University, explains five components of incorporating unplanned or unpracticed improvisation and provides three different improvisation activities that can be incorporated into a meeting.

Be sure to review the parallels between improv and Table Topics, shared by Thomas Piccin, Ph.D, ACB, ALB, in his article, STATE THE OBVIOUS (June 2014).

HOW TO: Six Rules of Humor; Pages 20 -21; (June, 2015 issue); Tips for winning the Humorous Speech Contest.; GRAHAM HONAKER, ACS, CL, identifies six rules of humor with recommendations for preparing a successful humorous speech.

A condensed story ( from August 2011 issue) by John Kinde, DTM, discusses six opportunities to incorporate humor in a meeting.

PERSONAL GROWTH: Mindful Leadership; Pages 22-25; (June, 2015 issue); The secret to increased productivity and creativity. LINDA ALLEN, ACS, CL, a writer, speaker and trainer who specializes in professional and personal development and leadership programs, examines five components to consider, when beginning the process of improving one’s leadership skills to inspire, motivate, engage, and energize other individuals.

GOT 20 MINUTES TO BE A BETTER LEADER? (reprinted from the Center for Creative Leadership’s April 2014 newsletter). Janice Marturano, author of Finding the Space to Lead, provides four recommendations to open up mental space, that is positively needed by today’s leaders.

Q&A: Jesse Oakley III and Dana Wall-Oakley; Pages 26-27; (June, 2015 issue); Couple celebrates wedding anniversary by co-chairing host committee for 2015 convention. SHANNON DEWEY, editorial coordinator for the Toastmaster magazine, provides answers to various questions, that focus on an insight into the partnering efforts of a dynamic couple. Their combined efforts, as a dynamic team with a unified mission, utilizing essential leadership skills, will bring to fruition a fantastically successful 2015 Toastmasters International Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada; it begins August 12, 2015.

FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT: The Zip Factor; Page 30; (June, 2015 issue); Want to add a little hot sauce to your writing? Take a lesson from these guys. JOHN CADLEY, a former advertising copywriter, is a freelance writer and musician living in Fayetteville, New York, draws attention to a specialty food store flier as an example of a piece of printed copy with more zip to the words.

See something of interest? Open your Toastmaster magazine, and read more about it.

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VIEWPOINT: A Heartfelt Smile; Page 2; (July, 2015 issue);

MOHAMMED MURAD, DTM, International President, focuses on the way smiles may be given, perceived and received, when meeting for the first time.

QUICK TAKES: MEMBER MOMENT; Page 6; (July, 2015 issue); A Renaissance Man.

EDWARD WEDLER, DTM, is interviewed about his career shifts from the analytical to the artistic and how he is giving back, now that he is retired.

MY TURN: Taming the Winged Creatures Within; Page 11; (July, 2015 issue); How I overcame my fears and became a political candidate. KEN V. KRAWCHUK, DTM, member of two clubs in Pennsylvania, chronicles his journey from terrified public speaker to twice being a Pennsylvania governor candidate, all made possible by learning valuable skills from fellow Toastmasters. PERSONAL STORYTELLING: What’s Your Message? Page 12; (July, 2015 issue); Reach a larger audience by mining common themes in your stories. JUDY CARTER, author of The Comedy Bible and The Message of You, was also a presenter at the 2015 Toastmasters International Convention. CARTER explains how to find the life experiences in our stories that are potentially valuable to larger audiences, and make a difference in our circles, or even the world. Be sure to check the box for five tips that are known to captivate audiences.

JULY TOASTMASTER



Magazines?


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PUBLIC SPEAKING: The Power of Sound; Pages 14-15; (July, 2015 issue); How to make the most of audio in your presentation. BRIAN YOUNG, an audio engineer, event producer, and a toastmaster, describes the advantages and disadvantages of the four types of microphones, and gives suggestions on how, when and where each type may best be used.

MANNER OF SPEAKING: Fascinate Your Audience; Pages 16-19; (July, 2015 issue); Want to be more charismatic? Sally Hogshead tells you how. DAVE ZIELINSKI, editor of PresentationXpert newsletter and the book Master Presenter: Lessons from the World’s Top Experts on Becoming a More Influential Speaker, relays Sally Hogshead’s explanation of fascination, the 7 fascination advantages, how to find one’s personality archetype from the 47 identified, and use it to be compelling as a speaker, teacher, or Toastmaster. Nick Morgan, founder and CEO of Public Words, Inc., a presentation-skills coaching firm, gives us a definition of charisma and steps we may all take to have more of it when speaking to audiences. Be sure to check out the special fascination advantage assessment offer from Sally Hogshead, available to Toastmasters.

COMMUNICATION: Communication Challenges of a Techie; Pages 20-21; (July, 2015 issue); An engineer learns to leave his comfort zone – and thrive. CARL RENTSCHLER, ATM, an engineer with over 40 years of experience in the power and petrochemical fields, describes the four reasons he has personally found that cause techies to have communication issues and then outlines four steps that techies may take to improve their communication skills and even become accomplished speakers.

BLOGS: Learning from Influential Bloggers; Pages 21-25; (July, 2015 issue); Tap into the power behind the posts of nine leading web writers. RACHEL SPARKS, journalist and author of the book Once Upon a Wish: True Inspirational Stories of Make-A-Wish Children, selected the bloggers listed and described based on their March 2015 Twitter following. The specialty and philosophy of each blogger is described, to help us choose the most helpful ones for our journey of growth as speakers and leaders.

HOW TO: Don’t Deluge with Data; Pages 26-27; (July, 2015 issue); Show, don’t tell, when using statistics to sway your audience. JENNIFER CUNNINGHAM, a senior director of metrics and marketing at Cornell’s Office of Alumni Affairs and a Toastmaster, describes and shows example slides from her first presentation to her colleagues about alumni data, then clearly explains why she found that it was not impressive to them. This analysis is followed by practical examples and advice on how to present data and information to an audience, in a similar situation, and how to avoid the most common pitfalls.

LOOKING AT LANGUAGE: What’s the Word?; Pages 28-29; (July, 2015 issue); The Word of the Day can be exotic, practical or just plain fun. MITCH MIRKIN, CTM, a professional writer and editor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and a Toastmaster, expounds upon the merits of choosing exotic and simple vocabulary words to be introduced to club members, at meetings. While big and obscure words can be fun to learn, simpler, smaller words, when mastered and used for their precise meaning, get the point across to a wider audience. Be sure to check the resource list at the end of the article, for aid in grammar and language use.

FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT: Toastmasters for President!; Page 30; (July, 2015 issue); Why, in my mot-so-humble opinion, Toastmasters should rule the world. JOHN CADLEY, a former advertising copywriter, a freelance writer and a musician, shares his experience as a first-time visitor to a Toastmaster meeting, and his humorous musings on how government officials and politicians would be able to fare under the rules that govern Toastmasters meetings.

See something of interest? Open your Toastmaster magazine,

and read more about it.

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VIEWPOINT: What’s Next?; Page 2; (August, 2015 issue); MOHAMMED MURAD, DTM, International President, muses over two questions he has been repeatedly asked, “what’s next?” and “what do you want to achieve in your year?” and concludes that he prefers another, more fitting question altogether.

QUICK TAKES: MEMBER MOMENT; Page 6; (August, 2015 issue); Working in the Digital World. GEMMA COSTELLO, a Toastmaster in Dublin, Ireland, is interviewed and tells how the Toastmasters program prepared her for a career shift from a speech and drama teacher to editing an electronic magazine for the Irish National Tourism Development Authority. Check out some of Costello’s tips for social media platforms on page 14.

ADVICE FROM MEMBERS: Why Do We Time Everything?; Page 7; (August, 2015 issue); TIM POWELL, DTM, club president, explains the reasons why we practice within time limits and gives four tips for staying within one.

QUICK TAKES: WHAT’S NEW; Page 8; (August, 2015 issue); More Options for Word of the Day! Try the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary for definitions of words that recently became part of our language, such as clickbait and photobomb.

MY TURN: A Mother’s Mission; Page 11; (August, 2015 issue); How love – and listening – helped my daughter battle bipolar disorder. MONA COOLEY, DTM, a past District 42 Governor, summarizes her 20-year journey of learning to communicate with her mentally ill daughter, and the role that Toastmasters played in it. Cooley speaks to many different groups about mental illness.

AUGUST TOASTMASTER



Magazines?


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CLUB GROWTH: A ‘Top Notch’ Turnaround; Page 12-13; (August, 2015 issue); How one club rebuilt and nearly quadrupled its size. JULIE B. COSGROVE, ACG, ALB, a professional public speaker, published author, and member of Top Notch Toastmasters in Fort Worth, Texas, tells how her club lost all but seven members, due to economic conditions in the area, and then attracted 20 more within the following year, by using their 5-step formula for success. Now, the club sets ten targets at the start of every Toastmaster year, to keep the club at charter strength and President’s Distinguished.

CLUB MARKETING TIPS: Social Media Tips for Your Club; Page 14-15; (August, 2015 issue); GEMMA COSTELLO, past Vice President Public Relations, Vox Populi club in Dublin, Ireland, gives five tips for consideration when posting club information to Facebook, and lists resources for creating eye-catching graphics, to engage members and prospective members. Be sure to check Rich’s 10 Tips for a Great Club Website, and suggestions on how to Get the Word Out, in the boxes on page 15.

BRANDING: The Power Behind Proper Branding; Pages 16-19; (August, 2015 issue); Toastmasters brand consistency connects members around the world. CATHEY ARMILLAS, DTM, a TEDx organizer, author, speaker and speaker coach, explains the marketing concept of branding, using Toastmasters International as an example, and reminds us that, in addition to the logo, the Toastmasters experience of confidence, camaraderie and motivation is the desired brand and purpose of Toastmasters.

Q&A: Walter Isaacson: Writing a New Chapter; Pages 20-21; (August, 2015 issue); Former CNN chief now helps leaders grow at the Aspen Institute. PAUL STERMAN, senior editor of Toastmaster, interviews longtime journalist, author and now president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, which is dedicated to providing leadership programs in non-partisan forums, on his ideas about leadership and the abundance of digital tools. Isaacson declares himself to have stage delight!

PUBLIC SPEAKING: From Free to FEE!; Pages 22-25; (August, 2015 issue); Eager to make speaking a career? Learn from the experts. CRAIG HARRISON, DTM, a past district governor and a past president of the National Speakers Association, relays advice and suggestions from two World Champions of Public Speaking and three professional speakers on how to succeed in a speaking career. Harrison adds his own tips and resources, in the boxes on pages 24 and 25.

NETWORKING: The Elevator Speech; Pages 26-27; (August, 2015 issue); Take advantage of this essential tool for marketing yourself. CHRISTINE CLAPP, DTM, author of Presenting at Work: A Guide to Public Speaking in Professional Contexts, presents the three elements that make a compelling elevator speech, one that introduces and markets a person. The examples used will allow the reader to craft his/her own elevator speech.

PUBLIC RELATIONS: Putting the “PR” in Professional; Pages 28-29; (August, 2015 issue); Tips for promoting your club and district. DENNIS OLSON, public relations strategist at Toastmasters International, explains public relations in everyday terms, with examples, and details in The Anatomy of a News Release supplement to his article. Look for mention in praise of fellow Georgia Toastmasters, in District 14. FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT: Stop It!; Page 30; (August, 2015 issue); Please – think before you speak. You’re making me left eyelid twitch. JOHN CADLEY, a former advertising copywriter, a freelance writer and musician, amuses the reader by enumerating some of the words misused in the English language, and illustrates with great humor how the actual meaning confuses the communication, or renders it meaningless.

See something of interest? Open your Toastmaster magazine,


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How many of us receive our Toastmaster magazine and just put it on the shelf? Are you a scanner, like I have been for many years? My hope

is for everyone to read these featured articles and glean from a trove of great ideas, information, and strategies about a variety of subjects.

VIEWPOINT: What Do Perspective members Want to Know?; Page 2; (September, 2015 issue); JIM KOKOCKI, DTM, International President, encourages clubs to create awareness and knowledge, with marketing tools at their disposal, about the Toastmasters program and the benefits it brings to those who use it.

MY TURN: Anniversary Meeting; Page 11; (September, 2015 issue); How I celebrated the links between marriage and membership. MITCH MIRKIN, CTM, who is a writer and editor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, celebrates a milestone wedding anniversary by serving as a Toastmaster in the club his wife presides over, and concludes that Toastmasters skills also enhance personal relationships.

SUCCESS STORIES: Member Achievements; Page 12-13; (September, 2015 issue); Cheers to You! Five Toastmasters from the U.S. and one from the Caribbean are acknowledged for their accomplishments in leadership, communication and public speaking.

HUMOR TIPS: When Stories Go Stale; Page 14-15; (September, 2015 issue); How to make your comedy fresh and authentic. JUDY CARTER, author of The Comedy Bible and The Message of YouTM Journal: Finding Extraordinary Stories in an Ordinary Day, gives five tips for creating your own humor, and detailed explanations on how to use them for timely comedy.

SEPTEMBER TOASTMASTER



Magazines?


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See something of interest?

Open your Toastmaster magazine,


DIVERSITY: Leading with Cultural Intelligence; Pages 16-19; (September, 2015 issue); You don’t have to memorize a list of dos and don’ts to be CQ smart. DAVID LIVERMORE, PH.D., author, visiting scholar at Nanyang Business School in Singapore, and president of the Cultural Intelligence Center, describes in detail the four capabilities that make leaders effective in culturally diverse situations.

HUMOR: A Formula for Funny; Pages 20-21; (September, 2015 issue); Structure your humor around three elements: surprise, tension and relationships. JOHN KINDE, DTM, AS, an Accredited Speaker and a humor specialist, explains the three elements of successful humor and gives one example on applying them.

INTERVIEW: Meet Jim Kokocki, DTM; Pages 22 -25; (September, 2015 issue); Toastmasters’ 2015-2016 International President is a Canadian businessman who embraces innovation and new challenges. Toastmaster magazine staff interview and record answers from International President and Distinguished Toastmaster Kokocki on his career, mentors and memories, both good and not so good, in Toastmasters and ask him to reveal his plans for Toastmasters around the world, for his coming year in office.

LOOKING AT LANGUAGE: The Benefits of Being Bilingual; Pages 26-27; (September, 2015 issue); Members of Madrid club alternate between Spanish and English. JULIE BAWDEN-DAVIS, a freelance contributor to Toastmaster, describes a Madrid club where weekly meetings alternate between English and Spanish speaking, to build bilingual skills which are needed for effective business communication, in Spain.

EDUCATION PROGRAM: Mentoring Matters; Page 28; (September, 2015 issue); Formal program in REP will increase mentoring benefits. PAUL STERMAN, senior editor of Toastmaster, interviews Past International President Pat Johnson, DTM and gives an update on the elements of the revitalized education program (REP), focusing on formalizing the mentoring portion.

FOR THE NOVICE: Leading a Club Meeting for the First Time?; Page 29; (September, 2015 issue); These 10 tips will help you handle the role with confidence. FELICITY BARBER, a speechwriter, executive communications specialist and coach and the CEO and founder of Thoughtful Speech, passes on the advice she received from fellow members when she took on the Toastmaster of the day role, for the first time. FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT: Classic Stuff; Page 30; (September, 2015 issue); When writers were writers, readers were readers, and books were, like, totally awesome. JOHN CADLEY, a former advertising copywriter, is a freelance writer and musician, reminiscing about the culture described in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The House of Seven Gables, and comparing it to modern times, supporting his points with quoted passages from the book.

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D44 NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTORS

OCT 1: Excellence in Education Contest: Clubs with the most education goals between October 1 and December 31 will be recognized at Winter TLI.

OCT 10-11: Division Director Leadership Retreat

NOV 1: New Clubs Incentive Program: Division & Area Directors, charter as many new clubs as possible through March 31, 2016 and be rewarded and recognized at the Spring Conference.

NOV 13-14: Fall Conference – Atlanta Marriott Northwest At Galleria, Atlanta, GA

KIM GIBSON, DTMD44 Public Relations

Manager

RYAN FREESEMANN, ACS, ALB

D44 Messenger Editor

YOLANDE BERTA, DTM

D44 Assistant Editor

HERSCHEL CHALKD44 Design Editor

LINA SURIANTO, DTMD44 Photographer

UPCOMING EVENTS

D44

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DISTRICT 44 TOASTMASTERS IN ACTION

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OUR FAMILY HAS GROWN! Congratulations to the almost 100 new members and four new clubs that have joined the District 44 Family since July, 2015.

Documents

D44 Newsletter Oct 2015