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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 challenged clubs and help them become Distinguished. May is a vital time to review your club’s progress in the Distinguished Club Program (DCP). To be recognized as a Distinguished club, remember that you must meet your education and administrative goals and have either 20 members or a net growth of at least three members by June 30.

If your club is looking to boost membership or improve meeting quality, I encourage you to leverage the following resources:

  • Membership Building Programs: May is the perfect time to run a final membership drive to reach your DCP growth requirements. Toastmasters International has a special incentive, Beat the Clock: Clubs adding five new, dual or reinstated members with a join date between May 1 and June 30 receive a Beat the Clock ribbon to display on the club’s banner. Qualifying clubs also earn a special discount code for 10% off their next club order.
  • Moments of Truth: This is an excellent tool to assess your club’s current environment and ensure you are providing a high-quality experience that retains members.
  • Club Success Plan: Continue reviewing the membership areas of your club success plan.

Building New Communities

We continue our efforts to extend the benefits of Toastmasters to new markets. Building new clubs not only offers more people the opportunity to benefit from our education program but also allows our leaders to further develop their skills. If you have leads for potential community or corporate clubs, please share them with the Club Extension Committee so we can provide support through introductory and demonstration meetings.
We have a few new clubs that are close to chartering. If you are looking to join an additional club with a special focus, or know of someone who is, please consider joining one of the demo meetings for the clubs below. For those Toastmasters who are working towards their DTM, please consider being a club sponsor for one of these clubs as well.

  • City of Chestermere
  • City of Calgary
  • Tsuu T’Ina Nation
  • Legacy
  • Health and Safety
  • Calgary Newcomers Guide
  • Career Development Professionals
  • Any new leads are welcome!

With new clubs forming and interest growing, if the clubs are chartered, we are seeking club mentors.

If you have experience, passion, and a desire to help build strong foundations for new clubs, this is your moment to make a lasting impact. Mentoring a club strengthens our district and develops your own leadership at the highest level.

Club Growth Summits

We just hosted a Club Growth Panel event on April 18, 2026. For those who missed it, please watch it HERE. 

You will want to watch this panel to hear from these clubs as they provided insight to how they turned around a struggling club and built a robust, active membership. Thank you to our panellists:

  • Janani, Chashna, Nestor of Bedstone Olympics
  • Nicole of Speakers Edge
  • Sabna and Chidi of Speech Hub
  • Stacey and Noel of Civil Speakers

Key Takeaways:

  • Buddy mentorship and personalized goal tracking
  • Rotation of officers ensures thorough training, allowing for effective leadership across all positions.
  • Celebrating member achievements and having a welcoming club culture that encourages new members to engage.
  • Community visibility through social media and local outreach
  • Corporate partnerships and overall visibility.
  • Focus on transformation rather than convenience, serving new employees, those who need to present at the company, and new Canadians looking to practice English. 
  • Mentorship programs with clear guidelines and regular check-ins to support member growth.
  • Club recognizes and promotes leaders through social media, websites, and banner ribbons.
  • Emphasizing the self-paced nature of Pathways and fostering mentor-mentee relationships could help members progress.
  • Listening, addressing issues privately, and showing understanding towards members facing personal difficulties. promoting success stories within the club to build engagement and attract new members
  • Add roles like Quizmaster and break the grammarian role into two positions to accommodate more members. 
  • Onboarding new members into larger roles, including pairing them with experienced members as mentors. 
  • Personal connection with guests after meetings to gather feedback and share information about joining.
  • Online searches for Saturday morning meetings and social media presence, and tracks members’ progress through Pathways while conducting Moments of Truth surveys 
  • Pair members through a structured process and maintain connections through various WhatsApp channels.
  • Challenges with hybrid meetings, but noted the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, particularly during inclement weather
  • Planned open house events with guest speakers.
  • Sometimes accommodating up to four speeches per meeting and manipulating the agenda when needed.
  • Mentorship, social events, and making members feel welcome are key factors in club success
  • Creating a comfortable environment that aligns with members’ personalities.
  • Reach out to other clubs for guidance and highlight the district’s resources available 
  • Club members charge an additional fee for a bank account to fund recognition incentives (badges, ribbons)

UPCOMING  – Club Growth Summit on May 23, 2026, from 10 am to 12 pm.  This time, we are inviting past international presidents to speak about club growth!  It will be online on Zoom.  For any club officers, members, and anyone passionate about strengthening their club, you won’t want to miss this.  Please register HERE.

Marketing

  • Charming Life event at VIVO Centre on May 2, 2026. TM indoor booth. Volunteers needed.11950 Country Village Link NE.  Please come to promote Toastmasters and promote your club!
  • Serbian Festival event at Serbian Orthodox Church on May 23 and 24, 2026. TM outdoor booth. Volunteers needed.16025 243 Ave E, 2026.  Please come to promote Toastmasters and promote your club!

Speechcraft

Consider hosting a Speechcraft to grow your membership!

  • Rapid Membership Growth: Speechcraft acts as a powerful recruiting tool. Many participants decide to continue their journey by joining the club officially after the workshop ends.
  • Stronger New Members: Participants who join after Speechcraft are often more confident and better prepared for standard club meetings.
  • Meeting Variety: Conducting sessions as part of your regular meeting schedule adds fresh energy and diverse topics to your club’s atmosphere.
  • DTM Credit: Serving as a Speechcraft Coordinator satisfies a significant requirement toward achieving the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) award.
  • Pathways Credit: Both participants and members who deliver educational presentations during the workshop can earn credit in the Pathways learning experience

Final comments

In conclusion, as we celebrate our current achievements at the annual District conference this month, we also begin planning for the future. We are preparing for the transition of District leaders to ensure a smooth handoff for the next administration. 

Let’s use this month to empower one another and stay dedicated to our mission of growth and excellence. Thank you for everything you do to make our District thrive. Let’s finish the year strong!

Stanley Vong
Club Growth Director, 2025-2026

 

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