On August 15 and 16, the District Trio travelled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to attend the District Leader Training. This annual event brings together district leaders from across the globe for intensive sessions led by Region Advisor teams. We were especially proud to see our own Chuck Leblanc serving as one of the Region Advisors, contributing his expertise to the training.

Leadership Training in Philadelphia

The days were packed, starting at 7:00 AM and running through to 5:30 PM, with workshops focused on leadership development, strategic planning, and sharing best practices. One of the most valuable takeaways was the formation of accountability partnerships—connections that will help us stay motivated and supported throughout the year. We also learned that the mid-year training will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is excitingly close to home!

Following the training, the Toastmasters International Annual Convention kicked off, bringing together members from around the world to celebrate the start of a new Toastmasters year. A highlight of the opening ceremonies was District Director Debbie proudly carrying the flag for Cyprus—a moment of honor and pride for our District.

Convention Kickoff & Flag Ceremony

During the Hall of Fame celebration, District 42 was recognized for achieving Distinguished status. Being the only District within Region 3 to earn this was a monumental moment.  IPDD Daisy Wei was there to receive the plaque, while the other attendees from D42 were there to make that walk across the stage during the Hall of Fame.  We thank the District Trio from the last term for their leadership of D42 and the hard work of the entire district to get to Distinguished status – a feat that was not accomplished for the last 10 years!

Hall of Fame Recognition

Friday evening featured the Annual Business Meeting, where members voted to elect the International leaders who will guide Toastmasters for the next two years. The meeting was thorough and thoughtful, lasting from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM, underscoring the significance of the decisions being made.

Celebration & Closing Events

The convention concluded with the President’s Inauguration and Banquet, a celebratory event where outgoing leaders passed the torch to the newly elected International leadership team.  Capping off the night and the entire convention was the dance, where everyone there was able to celebrate and let loose on the dance floor!

Looking ahead, we’re thrilled that next year’s Toastmasters International Convention will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia. We hope to see many of you there!

Debbie Stearns, DTM
District 42 Director

Stacey Kaminski,
D42 Program Quality Director

Stanley Vong,
D42 Club Growth Director