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We all have goals in life and hopefully those goals extend into Toastmasters. The District, which is made up of Divisions, made up of Areas, made up of Clubs all have goals set by Toastmasters International each year. The majority of the goals at each level are attainable when we as individuals meet our goals. This means ensuring your needs and goals as individuals is the focus. How are you doing on the goals you have in Toastmasters? Are you working on your foundational communication skills with a Competent Communicator, more advanced communication skills via an Advanced Communicator level? Maybe in conjunction with communication skills or your focus could be leadership skills with the leadership track. Whatever your goal may be, are you making sufficient progress?

DISTRICT 63

NEWSLETTER District News and Events April 2014

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Do an assessment and see if you're on track where you thought you would be at this point. If you're not there, get with your Vice President of Education and put together a plan. Is your club in track with its plan for the year? Take a look and see if it needs a tune-up as well. As a club, if you’re low on membership or still need to reach membership goals, now is the perfect time to do a membership campaign. It could help individuals with their Competent Leader and help the club. Need some ideas? The Toastmasters International website and Google can be valuable resources. Still need help? Let the District know, we will help you brainstorm! Let's all take a step back and evaluate where we are as individuals and clubs. The Toastmasters year ends June 30th - there is still plenty of time to finish well.

UPCOMING EVENTS From the District Governor Kristi Coleman, DTM

What’s Your Goal?

Inside This Issue

Focus on Education…………….…………2 Easy as 1,2,3………..…………….……….2 Focus on Members………………….…….3 Heath Suddleson Workshpp……………4 Member Spotlight: Jared Throneberry…..4 Club Spotlight: Chatter Masters………….5 2014-2015 District Officers..…………..….5 Save the Date……...………...………….…5 Spring Conference Photo Recap………..6 Educational Achievements………..………7 PR Corner………………..…………………7 District Officer Listings…………………….7

Rivergate Toastmasters Open House &

35th Anniversary Celebration The Community Room at

Hendersonville Medical Center RSVP: 268-5698

APRIL 26 10:00AM

District 63 Summer TLI Tennessee Tech Campus

Cookeville, TN

JUNE 28

District 63 Fall Conference Holiday Inn (Springbrooke Dr.)

Johnson City, TN

OCTOBER 24-25

Monday Mumblers 50th Anniversary Celebration

Woodland Park Baptist Church Chattanooga, TN

RSVP: 423-227-4180 joyceateal@gmail.com

APRIL 28 6:30PM

Heath Suddleson Workshop Pellissippi State Com. College

Knoxville, TN RSVP: May 5th by emailing

d63toast@gmail.com

MAY 10 8:00AM

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Spring is finally here! The grass is green again and the trees and “buzzing.” You might ask what this has to do with Toastmasters. As spring is a time for new life and revitalization outside, it is also a time for us to revitalize ourselves from the sluggishness and “cabin fever” of winter to get back to our Toastmasters “journey” plans.

At this time we have 15 clubs who have already reached a level of distinguished status. We have more clubs that are very close to distinguished status as well. We have 3 months left and now is the time to “spring” into action to revitalize and evaluate your progress and steps needed to meet your goals.

Members

• Communication and leadership manuals completion dates.

• Club officer Elections

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Clubs

• DCP (Club Success Plans) • 2014 -15 Club Officer Elections –

Lists are June 30 • District TLI (Training for all club

officers) is scheduled June 28, 2014 at Tennessee Tech Campus in Cookeville, TN

• Area Governor should already be under way.

District Officers

• Area Governors club visits • Area Governor Reports are due to TI

by May 30 • Area and Division Success Plans

Check-up

We are doing a great job this year and we can finish well with everyone’s help in this quarter. I am looking forward to celebrating your successful completion of your goals.

Focus on Education Becky Begarly, Lt. Governor of Education and Training

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The end of the Toastmaster year will be here before we know it! June 30th seems so far away but it sneaks up on us every year. We want to give everyone a chance to be entered into a drawing as bonus when completing awards, recruiting members, and being distinguished. This will be done on the individual and club level. If you have already submitted an education award to Toastmasters International, added new members to your club, and/or individually sponsored new members in the month of April - CONGRATULATIONS! You have already gained entries in the drawings we will be doing! Let's take a look at how you can take part as an individual and then as a club: Individuals

• Education Awards: For every designation awarded, you will be entered into the individual drawing.

• New Members: For every new, reinstated,

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and dual member you sponsor, you will be entered into the individual drawing. Be sure to include your information on the membership application under Sponsor to receive credit.

Clubs

• Education Awards: For every award officially earned within your club, your club will be entered into the club drawing.

• New Members: For every new, reinstated, or dual member your club adds, your club will be entered into the club drawing.

The point system for both individuals and clubs: April - For anything earned in the month of April, individuals and clubs will get 3 entries, in their respective drawing, per item completed, including anything earned prior to the contest rules being published during April. May - For anything earned in the month of May, individuals and clubs will receive

Continued on page 3

Easy As 1, 2, 3!  

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The end of the Toastmasters 2013-2014 year is coming—soon. We have roughly 11 weeks remaining. Have you thought about what you are doing to help our District grow? Several new clubs have been chartered and others are in the pipeline…that is fantastic. Do you know of a lead you could provide to offer the Toastmasters program to others in your Divisions or Areas? Have you encouraged members in your own club to use the Acorn Award program to find new members? Saturday morning during breakfast I went to breakfast with another Toastmasters member. During the course of our meal, I noticed her start a conversation with someone in the restaurant. It was someone she knew as a previous member of the church she attends. About 2 minutes into the conversation, she found a way to bring up Toastmasters with him and then invited both he and his wife to visit the Rivergate Club (closest to where they live) and see what they think about the program. This is how we find new members and create new clubs…just talk with people we know and share Toastmasters information with them. I don’t know if they will actually come to the meeting, but at least they are now aware of the club in their area. If every member could be this bold, we would actually have an opportunity to double our membership over the next few weeks. At the very least, we would have several new members throughout the District. It is the use of simple techniques without pressure that will serve you the best in finding new members for your clubs, your areas, your divisions, and your District. Don’t forget about the Toastmasters sponsored membership drive that begins in May and runs through the end of June—the Beat the Clock campaign. Challenge yourself to be one of the members being recognized for this award.

Focus on Members Roxanne Martindale, Lt. Governor of Marketing

Year End Membership Push

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2 entries, in their respective drawing, per item completed. June - For anything earned in the month of June, individuals and clubs will receive 1 entry, in their respective drawing, per item completed. In addition, for every Distinguished Club Point (DCP) your club has already earned at any time this year and for every point earned through the end of the year your club will earn 1 additional entry plus 1 point when your club reaches each of the following: Distinguished, Select Distinguished, and President Distinguished. Completion of items will be determined using the official Toastmasters reports. Clubs and individuals do not need to do anything to enter the drawings they will be automatically entered in their respective drawings as entries are earned. The qualifications for eligibility are easy. For individuals, you must be a member in good standing. For clubs, you must be a club in good standing. This includes paying April 2014 dues before June 1, 2014 for the purpose of this drawing. Prizes: Individuals -

§ Toastmasters International clear tumbler with a Starbucks gift card (valued at over $35). (continued on page 7)

Easy as 1, 2, 3 (continued)

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District 63 is excited to announce we will be hosting a workshop on May 10, 2014. This will be open to the public and free for everyone! Fellow Toastmaster, Past International Director, and Published Author – Heath Suddleson will be our guest for this event. The event will be held at Pellissippi State Community College (10915 Hardin Valley Rd, Knoxville, TN 37932) on Saturday, May 10. Registration and refreshments will begin at 8:00 am and the program will begin at 8:45am. It is expected to finish around 12:30pm. The cost is FREE!

Clubs are welcome to attend and encouraged to invite guests. Please use this opportunity to market Toastmasters. There will be refreshments available throughout the event and door prizes. We will have information about Toastmasters and clubs in the greater Knoxville area for guests that attend. This is a wonderful chance to hear a fantastic speaker and gain exposure for the organization. Signs will be posted on campus to help you find the event. Please RSVP with the number of people in your party no later than May 5th by emailing d63toast@gmail.com.

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The 3 Sessions Heath will be covering are: The Attitude Check – Lessons in Leadership Join Heath for a look at what makes leadership styles effective and how simple changes in attitude can have tremendous impacts on results. These lessons can be applied to volunteers and paid staff alike, because these lessons were learned by examining the similarities and differences between volunteers and paid staff. Several leadership styles will be examined as well as the attitudes that affect the outcomes. Life Unscripted Not everyone has the chance to film a “reality TV” show. Even fewer examine the life lessons from such an opportunity. In this presentation, Heath shares with us some of the experiences of filming the HGTV show “Sleep On It” and the life lessons that he has identified from the process. From Panic to Presentation in 30 Minutes Ever had a situation where you either had to or needed to present a speech with little to no notice? Did you draw a blank? Panic? Have a sense of dread? Learn how to select a topic, prepare a speech, and deliver it with confidence in just 30 minutes.

Heath Suddleson Workshop

Member Spotlight: Jared Thornberry

 

Jared lives in Old Hickory, TN with his wife and 6 year old daughter. He began working at NASBA in 2005 and is now a Business Analyst in the IT department. NASBA sponsors an open, corporate Toastmasters club called Speak Up NASBA. He joined in 2007 and attained his Competent Communicator. He served in various officer positions including VPM, VPPR, and Club President. In 2010 he was 'voluntold' to compete in the International Speech Contest, quickly losing at the Area level. However he persevered, used Toastmasters to improve his skills, and performed better each year in the contest.

Good luck to Jared as he represents District 63 the 2014 Semi-Finals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia!

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  Club Spotlight: Chatter Masters  Have you heard all the chatter about Chatter Masters Club 3264? If not, then you certainly should! The club’s newest president Christopher Chaney has been causing quite a commotion down in Chattanooga TN. Chaney has proven to be quite the visionary president as he has strived to revive the Chatter Masters Club. With a smiling face, friendly environment, teamwork, visitor follow-through, and a set of dedicated officers, Chaney has completely reenergized his team while having a good bit of fun in the process. The changes that have gone on in the Chatter Masters Club have proven extremely profitable. In just six short months the club has increased its membership by fifty percent of last year’s membership numbers. They currently qualify for the Select Distinguished Club Award and as such are only one goal away from the highest club award any club can achieve, the President’s Distinguished Club Award. Having been featured prominently in the local newspaper and on community websites, the Chatter Masters Club has made key contacts with the Downtown Public Library and the Chamber of Commerce. The excitement doesn’t stop there! Due to their increased membership, the Chatter Masters Club has received the Smedley Award for the first time in their thirty-four year history. They successfully staged the club’s first week-long Toastmasters Open House with the Tennessee Valley Authority where three hundred TVA employees were exposed to the benefits of Toastmasters. Finally, this club’s passion has extended beyond the walls of their meeting by supporting the following three community outreach efforts: The Gravel Club at Walker State Prison in Rock Spring Georgia, Youth Leadership Toastmaster Program at UM Baptist Church in Chattanooga TN, and Club Sponsorship and Speech Craft in Collegdale TN. There’s no denying that club President Cheney has given this club the push they needed to succeed. “Our club theme this year is ‘award winning excellence,’ and that focus is our approach with every event and effort our club engages in whether it’s our membership drive, educational program, community outreach, public relations or mentoring of a young leadership program” Cheney stated about the club. For more information on Chatter Masters please visit them online or call (423) 751-2921.  

2014-2015 District Officers Congratulations to the follow individuals who were elected as district officers for next year: District Governor - Becky Begarly

LGET - Traci Hale LGM - Michele Roach

Division A - vacant Division B - Alan Hitchcock

Division C - Kim Santan Division D - Lindy Estep

Division E - Lisa Blackmon Division F - Cynthia Woodlee

SAVE THE DATE Fall Conference 2014:

October 24-25

Holiday Inn (Springbrooke Drive) Johnson City, TN

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Spring Conference Photo Recap April 4-6, 2014 in Nashville, TN

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Educational Achievements District 63 Officers 2013-2014

District Governor Kristi Coleman

Lt. Governor of Education and Training Becky Begarly

Lt. Governor of Marketing Roxanne Martindale

Public Relations Officer Mary Heath

District Secretary Leona Johnson

District Treasurer Eugene Batsuk

Immediate Past District Governor Don Bittick

Division A Governor – Mary Heath

Division B Governor – Donn King

Division C Governor – Kim Santan

Division D Governor – Gilda Mayes

Division E Governor – Traci Hale

Division F Governor – Jimmie Roberts

The following people obtained educational achievements during the months of February-April:

Competent Communicators Kara Allison, Deborah Cutler, Kunal Marwah, Heyda Negron Perez, Ronald (RJ) Tazelaar, Jo Lynne Caruso, Julie Devlin, Tina Bigham, Vivian Johnson, Andrew Burroughs, James Picardo, Kuldeep Vijaykumar, Tu-Juana Pryor, Sarah Hartmann, Ross Vance, Lynn Saylors, Jim Tao, Israel Moore, Lysa Rigo, Sharon Sweet Advanced Communicator Bronze William Hadlick, Charles Clark, Bev Sears, Charles Crider, Nancy Merrill, Wesley Davenport, Roxanne Martindale Advanced Communicator Silver Andrew Burroughs, Angie Marie Shue, Traci Hale, Ione Yearwood, Anjie Crow

Advanced Communicator Gold Christopher Chaney, Jeanetta Cothron, Mary Heath, Jene Coy Competent Leaders Sandra Dancy, Sharon Herron, Christine Poss, Jene Coy, Cheryl Lovett, Donna George, Jennifer Rash, Russel Wilson, Carolyn Miller, Vivian Johnson, Mary-Kaye Mattson, Steve Loveday, Asher Wood, Ross Vance, Greg Schaffer, Karlton Scott, Kathyrn Fuhrman Advanced Leader Bronze Donald Kovach, Jody Palm, Michele Domowicz, Leona Johnson, Valda Barksdale, Wesley Davenport, Vivian Johnson

Distinguished Toastmaster Jeanetta Cothron

www.d63toastmasters.com www.facebook.com/d63toastmasters

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§ Toastmasters International clear tumbler with a Dunkin Donuts gift card (valued at over $35).

§ Toastmasters International clear tumbler with a copy of “Heart of a Toastmaster” book (valued at over $35).

Clubs – § Toastmasters International gift certificate to purchase a new club banner

and banner bag (valued at over $100). § Toastmasters International gift package (valued at over $90) including:

o Guestbook o Chat Pack o Word of the Day cards o Guest Information Card and Badge (set of 25) o Best Speaker / Best Evaluator / Best Speaker ribbons (set of 10

each) o Ballots and Brief Evaluations (set of 500) o Lectern Banner

• Marketing materials for promoting your club plus funds to purchase refreshments for an Open House or Special Event meeting at your club (valued over $100). Winners will be drawn and announced as soon as final, year-end reports are available from Toastmasters International and all valid entries are entered into their respective drawings. Individual Sponsor Reports always run behind but will be added when they become available.  

Easy as 1, 2, 3 (continued) PR Corner Mary Heath, PRO Spring Conference PR Awards: Newsletter Award 1st Place: Unum 2nd Place: HCA Creative Articulators 3rd Place: HCA Artful Articulators

Public Relations Award Big A Brentwood Early Risers HCA Creative Articulators Oak Ridge Speak Up NASBA

Public Relations Excellence Award* Nissan Toastmasters *Did you know that Toastmasters International has a branding contest each month? Our own Nissan Toastmasters won this amazing recognition in February. If you would like to view the video that Nissan Toastmasters made that won the competition check it out at: http://youtu.be/bHHYAfzRJsQ