Celebrating Accomplishments Dear Members, As we approach the end of another remarkable year, it is with great pleasure and a sense of pride that I reflect upon our collective accomplishments and the progress we have made. Together, we have navigated through challenges, embraced opportunities, and achieved remarkable milestones that have shaped our district’s success. Over the past year, our team has exhibited unwavering commitment, resilience, and a shared vision propelling us forward. Collectively, so much was accomplished and I take …
Bev LeBlanc
YOU can make it happen My dear Toastmaster Friends. May has arrived and with it comes a sense of renewal and possibility. As we move further into the year, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day struggles of life. But May is a reminder that spring has sprung and new beginnings with it. Our annual conference is done. As a first-ever hybrid conference, we excelled at many things. I believe everyone felt an exceptional warmth in their heart …
Showers in April with a Chance of Flowers As we enter the month of April, it’s a time to reflect on the progress we have made in the first quarter of the year and to set our intentions for the months ahead. It’s a time to push ourselves forward, overcome obstacles, and reach for our dreams. April is a month of transition, as the winter season comes to an end and the promise of spring is in the air. It’s …
March – Month of Madness March is a month of renewal, growth, and change. As the winter months come to a close, the days become longer (YAHOO!) and the air becomes warmer (sometimes). Spring is on the horizon and with it comes the promise of new beginnings and fresh starts—tulips break ground and the smell of newly-mowed lawn is in the air. This month, take the time to reflect on your goals and aspirations. Make the SMART. Whether you have …
The Heart Tree The ‘LOVE’ month is upon us. You’ll likely see hearts & flowers everywhere. You may receive Valentine’s notes from many sources. Let me be one of the first to give you one: I find it almost unbelievable that we are more than halfway through our Toastmasters year together. There are fewer than five months left until another team takes the reins. So many members have contributed countless hours & ideas to help make the Toastmasters experience better …
Holiday Greetings Dear fellow Toastmasters, As we approach the end of another year, it is a time to reflect on all that we have achieved and to look forward to the new opportunities that lie ahead. I am grateful for this opportunity to extend warm holiday greetings to all of you, and to express my deep appreciation for your dedication and commitment to our shared mission. Toastmasters is a wonderful organization that brings people together from all walks of life, …
It’s That Time of Year Again Hello & Greetings My Friends of District 42, Music, decorations, hustle & bustle, excitement, lights, good spirits, family, & friends all are part of the upcoming season. No matter where you are, the Christmas season is filled with myriad activities. In the greater scheme of things, family & friends, are the icing on the cake. The cake, the base for all the above trimmings, is the feeling we have of being blessed; for living …
A Success Plan for Life Looking at the calendar on my wall, instead of just seeing the days filled with things to do, if I step back a bit, I see we have already ended our first quarter of the year. Who snapped their fingers & made it so? 39 or 39ish. How many of you can guess what this number means? It is the number of days until CHRISTMAS (depending on when you read this article). Again, someone snapped …
Where do We Go From Here? As District Director, I have a vision: It seems I’m asking myself this question almost every week. The District (as in all of us) finishes one round of activities, only to start another. Let’s consider where we are at this moment. As of July 1, we had 101 active clubs. We now have 108 paid clubs. Yahoo! I have no doubt we will soar even more. This is a year of rebuilding as our …
Message From D42 District Director We have been blessed with a fabulous summer. A little bit of rain, a little bit of thunder & lightning, a little bit of Toastmasters. District 42 has always had clubs which like to take a respite from their weekly meetings. Other clubs continue without a break. Whichever type your club is, these next few weeks will get all of us back on track to improving our meetings, attracting new members, but not forgetting those …
How can I inspire you? Dear District 42 Members How can I inspire you? What do you need to take your Toastmaster membership to the next level? Let’s recap a bit & then look forward. This has been quite the year. We held the first Tall Tales Contest in many years. To say the least, it was fun. Our International Speech Contest winner, Joanne Smith, went to Regional Finals. We had star-studded training, organized by the divisions & the district. …
Planting A Toastmasters Garden Dare we breathe & believe spring has finally sprung? My Mom used to say “Never plant the garden until after the long weekend in May.” Planting a garden takes planning, organization, & follow-through. The type of garden you plant (flowers/vegetables/rocks) is key; size is another important component as is location. Then, you need to decide what plants go beside others (potatoes, beans, beets, carrots, etc.) Ensuring sturdy plant growth means you must continually take out the …
Let’s roar together WOW! Did you see January and February fly by with lightning speed? Where did the time go? Let me give you a brief recap of the past couple of months: 3 Division training sessions with more than 300 officers and members attending At least 12 educational sessions Area & Division Council Meetings Open House Celebrations Planning for Contest Season We have four months left of this Toastmaster year. How are you going to go out—like a lamb …
RE-INVENTING OURSELVES Through Dreaming, Planning & Changing Perhaps you find it interesting, as I do, how quickly time seems to pass when we are adults as opposed to how slowly it seems to go by when we are younger. Remember how Christmas always seemed so far off no matter what month it was. Now in the blink of an eye we are already more than 6 months into our year. Christmas & New Year’s celebrations are behind us. January tends …
WE ARE ACHIEVERS. WE ARE LEADERS. WE CAN CREATE A SYMPHONY. Whew! What a year we’ve had. It seems to have gone by in a blip of time, but we (the members of District 42) have accomplished some stellar achievements. Training, contests, & various special events such as our Speaker Showcase in the fall were examples of learning, fun, & friendships taking place. Many of us have met members from around the world (Scotland, Europe, Australia, Mexico, & many other …
CREATING A SYMPHONY TOGETHER Wow! What a couple of weeks it’s been. Six Division contests & 27 Area contests. Just WOW! Congratulations to all contestants but especially to the winners. In competitions a judging team selects winners, those who received top honours. We celebrate their giving their best, creating a beautiful rhythm to their words. I believe, however & as trite as it seems, there are no losers. Each person who stood before an audience, presented their speech, & learned …
IT’S ALL ABOUT OUR ATTITUDE Making Music Together Message from the D42 Program Quality Director Bev LeBlanc, DTM I was watching a baseball game a couple of days ago. The score was 16 to 4 in the third inning. 16 to 4 in the THIRD inning. That’s a football score! As I was shaking my head, feeling sorry for the underdog, I remembered something I once heard Wayne Gretzky say in an interview: “When you are winning, the game is …
Trust—A Key Ingredient of Leadership Message from the D42 Program Quality Director Bev LeBlanc, DTM Most people who join Toastmasters do so to improve their communication skills. Something wonderful happens in the process. As their communication skills improve, other people start listening to their opinions & ideas. Leadership skills develop as members improve in communicating with others. The Toastmaster tagline of ‘Where Leaders Are Made’ is truly fitting. When I became Program Quality Director, I said ‘Leadership is not a …
Leadership is not a right. It is a privilege. I truly feel privileged to be your Toastmaster Program Quality Director for the next few months. Further, I’m also truly blessed to have so many of you express your encouragement and support. Rise to the Toastmasters Challenge I’ve been fortunate to meet some exceptional leaders throughout my 20 plus years in Toastmasters. People like Mr. Toastmaster Peter Kossowan, Neil Wilkinson and Jana Barnhill, past presidents of Toastmasters International. Jana unknowingly instigated …