Community

Community Events such as SpeechCraft and Youth Leadership

by
Toastmasters and Rotary members at a demo meeting at Tsuut’ina Nation, building community through public speaking and leadership

Toastmasters Demo Meetings Build Community On Tuesday, April 14, something meaningful took place at Tsuut’ina Nation. Toastmasters District 42 partnered with the Rotary Club of Calgary Heritage Park to host a demo meeting, with a simple goal: introduce communication and leadership development to a new community. However, what stood out wasn’t just the meeting—it was the teamwork behind it. Members from Fluor Communicators, Heart of the Rockies Toastmasters, MVP Advanced Toastmasters and Rise and Speak Toastmasters came together, each bringing …

Read more

by

May 2026 Message Dear District 42 Members, As we step into May, we enter one of the most critical and exciting months of our Toastmasters year. The District mission is to build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence. With only two months remaining in this program year, our focus is on finishing strong and ensuring every club has the resources needed to succeed. Supporting Our Clubs to Reach the Finish Line Our primary goal is to support …

Read more

by

A Conference to Remember District 42 Stepped Into Forever There are rooms you enter without knowing that you are experiencing them for the last time. That was the recently concluded D42 Conference. There was a weight in the air that words alone struggled to carry. There was excitement and celebration, but there was also something more layered and human. It was the quiet awareness that this was our last conference as District 42. The subtle, almost unspoken realization that some …

Read more

by
Rotatary Exchange Students and Toastmasters facilitators with national flags

What happens when Toastmasters take their skills beyond the club? Youth Leadership Programs are opening doors—for participants and for members. Across District 42, Toastmasters are supporting youth and young adults in building communication and leadership skills, while growing their own in the process. It’s leadership in action, collaboration in motion, and impact that reaches far beyond a meeting agenda.

by

Building Tomorrow’s Leaders Today Why Your Time Matters Across our district, dedicated volunteers from Toastmasters International are making a lasting impact—one young voice at a time. Through the Youth Leadership Program (YLP), members of Toastmasters District 42 are helping students discover confidence, communication skills, and develop strong leadership skills. The Youth Leadership Program in Action Recently, a group of Grade 9 students completed a six-week YLP.  With the guidance of committed Toastmasters facilitators, they learned how to organize their thoughts, …

Read more

by

Calgary Hitmen: Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders One Play at a Time What happens when Toastmasters step beyond the meeting room and into the community? Confidence grows, connections deepen, and leadership comes alive in powerful ways. Recently, District 42 Toastmasters YLP Facilitators: Marshall Ennis, Russ Dantu, Matthew Fox, Marcy Field, Geetha N, Irma Goosen, and Christina Kruis had the opportunity for a night at a Calgary Hitmen hockey game. It was a heartfelt gesture of gratitude for the time, energy, and passion these …

Read more

by

Sustainable or Not Sustainable Set Your 2026 New Year Tone Right 2026 is here. New year. Same you. Same habits returning like laundry… it is never “done,” it is just “paused.” Real fact: big resolutions often crash because we overestimate willpower and underestimate systems. So, if someone followed your week, would they call your life sustainable? On Tuesday, Jan 13, Green Horizons Toastmasters is hosting a meeting that helps you reset without guilt, without perfection, and without pretending. Just clarity, …

Read more

by

District Director’s Message District 42: Moving Forward After Renewals As we passed the October renewal deadline, I want to take a moment to thank each member, club officer, and leader who worked tirelessly to support their clubs. Renewals are more than just numbers—they represent the heartbeat of our organization: people choosing to continue growing, learning, and connecting through Toastmasters. While some clubs celebrated full renewals, others faced challenges. That’s okay—every club has its own rhythm and season. The important thing …

Read more

by

Celebrating Service Wayne Cameron Honoured with the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal We are thrilled to share that Creighton (Wayne) Cameron of Moose Jaw, SK, has been awarded the Saskatchewan Volunteer Medal for 2024—a distinguished recognition of his unwavering commitment to community service and leadership. Wayne is a true example of selfless dedication. His contributions span multiple organizations, showcasing his deep passion for volunteerism. A longtime supporter of the arts, Wayne served as a board member for RuBarb Productions, where he played …

Read more

by

How Wonderful A Youth Leadership StoryPart 2 of Our Story “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank A Chance Meeting That Sparked Change If you are lucky, you will meet someone who changes your life and brings new experiences that broaden your perspectives on the world.  For me, one of those people is Dr. Sonja Robinson, who has worked as the country director at International Samaritan for …

Read more

by

Mic-Drop Miracles Watching Confidence Set Sail One of the many beauties of Toastmasters is witnessing shy people blossom into confident, courageous speakers. It’s a transformative journey we often celebrate in adults, but when you get to see this unfold in children or youth, especially cadets preparing to one day command their own ship, stage, or boardroom, it takes on a whole different kind of magic. This is the story of a group of cadet youths I fondly call my mic-drop …

Read more

by

Rounding the Corner To a Strong Finish! District 42 Conference: See You in Lethbridge! Can you believe it’s already May? This Toastmasters year has flown by, and what a journey it’s been! As we approach the final stretch, there’s so much to celebrate and even more to look forward to.One of the biggest events of the year is just around the corner, our District Conference on May 2 and 3 in Lethbridge. I truly hope to see as many of …

Read more

by

Empowering Women: Leadership, Communication, and Community Impact March is widely recognized as a time to celebrate International Women’s Day, and this year, I took a moment to reflect on my journey, one of impact, advocacy, and leadership, particularly within the community of female immigrants and youth. Redefining Possible Through Leadership I had the honor of co-hosting the Women Techmakers (WTM) IWD event, themed “Redefine Possible,” as a WTM and Google Ambassador. In this role, I led conversations on leadership and …

Read more

by

Resolving Conflict in Toastmasters A Path to Growth and Unity Toastmasters is a unique educational institution where individuals come together to grow, learn, and develop essential communication and leadership skills. However, like any community, conflicts can arise. When they do, it’s important to remember the core values of Toastmasters—integrity, respect, excellence, and service—and use them as guiding principles to resolve disagreements constructively. Here’s how we can address conflict while staying true to these values: Identify Common Goals: At the heart …

Read more

by

A Dream YLP Project A LinkedIn Connection Sparks an Idea It started with a LinkedIn request. Who was attending the NCDA conference in San Diego this year? Did anybody want to connect? Count me in!  DR. Sonia Robinson and I connected virtually on Zoom and the rest as they say is history. When I asked Sonja about her work in Jamaica for International Samaritan, I wondered if her group might benefit from holding a Youth Leadership Program as part of …

Read more

by

Paving the Way to Spring and Success The state of our district is encouraging and continues to improve. Our club base remains at 106, with 92 clubs in good standing—a growth of three clubs in good standing since last month! Of the 15 clubs not currently in good standing, five need just one additional member, one requires two more members, and one club, sadly, has chosen to dissolve. However, this still marks an improvement from last month. Share “The Secret” …

Read more

by

You Are Part of the District 42 Toastmasters Family Did you know you are a valued District 42 Toastmasters community member? You are not alone in your journey. Our Toastmasters community is filled with warm-hearted people, and you will always find guidance and support if you reach out. District 42, with its 104 clubs and nearly 2,000 members, is supported by a dedicated leadership team of 63 leaders and committee chairs. They work diligently in various aspects of district operations …

Read more

by

An Alliance Impacting Youth This year marked a significant collaboration between District 42 Toastmasters Youth Leadership Facilitators – Marcy Field, Irma Goosen, Geetha Nicodemus, Arobo Ako, and Christina Kruis – and Rotary International Exchange students, resulting in a profound impact on youth development. The facilitators lent their expertise to support Rotary students. Through a series of online sessions and a dedicated workshop during their family orientation weekend in April, the facilitators empowered these students to hone their communication and leadership …

Read more

by

Encouraging members to take on leadership roles Leadership is a multifaceted responsibility that extends beyond simply directing a team’s actions; it involves nurturing and developing the potential leaders within that team. Identifying individuals with leadership capacity can be challenging, but by implementing a comprehensive orientation program, organizations can equip prospective leaders with the essential skills and knowledge needed for effective leadership. The orientation process can take different forms. It could involve a straightforward speech outlining the responsibilities associated with each …

Read more

by

Nurturing Growth and Success In the Next Six Months As we embark on our journey of the next six months, it’s crucial to define our aspirations and set clear objectives for the betterment of our Toastmasters clubs. Here are some key focus areas that could potentially shape the path forward: 1. Grow Membership: Initiating targeted outreach programs to attract new members. Implementing retention strategies to ensure a sustainable increase in our club’s size. 2. Help Members Achieve Personal Goals: Conducting …

Read more

by

Humorous Gala Recap December 5th was an auspicious date!  It was the Humorous Gala date hosted by Inspired Toastmasters and Sponsored by Circle of Gold.  A well-known past Toastmaster, Palmo Carpino, was the Master Of Ceremonies and led the large crowd through an evening of laughter and fun!  More than 110 people attended to watch 8 of the funniest Toastmasters in District 42 present their original speeches. Stanley Vong, Dave Dyck, Bob Rodgers, Mona Cooley, Amanda Cronin, Lucas Steeves, Laura …

Read more

by

District Director’s Address This quote from Benjamin Franklin: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail!” is very timely when we start our year. For that matter, it is invaluable in anything that we seek in life. I heard our Program Quality Director, Daisy Wei, use this quote when addressing our new leaders last year, and it was well received. It was an excellent reminder to all of us. Other district leaders referred to this passage in our …

Read more

by

Around District 42 I have been deeply engaged in collaborating with the District team while acclimating myself to the responsibilities of the Club Growth Director role. I’ve been actively engaging with the Region 4 teams, forming dedicated teams for both the Club Coach and Club Extension Committees. My efforts have also encompassed formulating a comprehensive market analysis plan for the district. Despite our district’s current count of 100 clubs, there is a pressing concern, as five clubs hover on the …

Read more

by

Toastmasters is evolving! The DTM Master Mind Group is considering new ways that Speechcraft, can be explored. The next meeting, in September, will introduce a way Speechcraft might support the formation of a new club. The digital Speechcraft Program is a new way of delivering this program. Perhaps it being different can be an opportunity rather than a challenge. We will connect with some members who have run this program, and others from out of District 42 who have leveraged …

Read more

by

DTM Master Mind The DTM Master Mind Project is up and running! We have many District 42 ADs, DDs and hard-working Toastmasters as part of these groups. Obtaining a DTM award is not everyone’s goal, and is not the reason people usually join Toastmasters, but if it is your goal, or if you just like to take advantage of opportunities that come your way, this is a group we hope you will explore. We heard a presentation from the new …

Read more

by

DID YOU KNOW District 42 Website February 17, 2022 Visit the District 42 website to begin exploring. It is a treasure trove of information. To help with navigation on the District website, there are several tabs to click on: Home, About, Events, Members, Clubs, Districts, Opportunities, Blog, Find a Club and Search. These tabs are located at the top of the home page. If you click on home, you will return to the main page of https://d42tm.org If you’re planning …

Read more

by

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 …

Read more

by

Igniters Toastmasters Another year of Igniting Spirits! Igniters Toastmasters like many other clubs had a challenging year. We were able find solutions and energize the members to keep Igniting Spirits! We are proud of being a President’s Distinguished Club for the past 7 years in a row and a place where laughter, learning, and friendship flourished. Mentoring is a cornerstone at our club to help members grow. Our President embraced using Zoom for our meetings. Having technical expertise and being …

Read more

by

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 …

Read more

Pin It on Pinterest