It’s hard to believe we have only three months left to the Toastmaster year!  But what a significant three months ahead of us!  We have an exciting annual conference to look forward to – Strike the Right Note, the Power of Pathways – from April 28 to 30.   We will have a chance to connect online to see the best speakers in the District enthrall us with their evaluations and International speeches, select and elect next year’s District leaders and celebrate our achievements as a District. First-timers will receive a Toastmasters cinch pack, ring light, pop socket and a ribbon for attending, so if you have never attended a conference, you HAVE to join us this year!   And for those of you who have attended before, get ready to relax from the comfort of your own home and join us for one of the BEST events of our Toastmaster year!

Club Success

On the theme of celebrating successes, most clubs have just submitted April to October dues and will be a club in good standing by submitting at least 8 membership payments.  That is a success worth celebrating!  If your club has less than 8 members, your club has 6 months to become an active club, but we hope you can be active again before the end of the year on June 30.  I know you can do it!   That is not all that your club can achieve though!   All clubs work towards becoming Distinguished clubs by meeting a variety of club goals with Distinguished Club Program (DCP) points AND by meeting their year-end membership goal.  This year-end membership goal is achieved with April to October membership payments. 
Anyone can see a club’s membership goals and DCP points by looking at the club DCP report. 
To see that report:

• Google Toastmaster dashboard,
• Select district 42,
• Click on club performance,
• Find your club and
• Click on the club name to see the report.  

Every member is key

Every member can play a role in the success of their club!   If you know someone who you think could benefit from coming to a Toastmasters club, ask them to support you by coming to see your next speech.  Most members join a Toastmasters club after finding out about us through the most powerful method of promotion – word of mouth!   Also, when you give a speech, not only do you increase your ability to plan and deliver a speech, you give your club members an opportunity to develop their listening skills, to develop evaluation skills, and most importantly you share your perspective, which no one else can bring to that meeting but YOU! 
I heard from an Area Director who is part of a very dynamic, successful club that has grown by 6 members this year, that they followed up with a guest who did not join their club, and the guest said, I really enjoyed your meeting, but I did not see a speech.  Speeches are a crucial part of every meeting AND they are the reason many people join a club!

Every member is a key part of the success of every other member and of every club.  I truly believe that.  I also believe that one of the most amazing things about Toastmasters is that we have a structure that helps us grow in a way that works on a very individual basis, while also having the freedom for each club to have its own unique culture. 
Our clubs are resilient and have been able to not only survive but also thrive, in the last couple of years.  For some clubs, still being an active club with great meetings is a success.  For others, attracting new members and staying a strong club or becoming a strong club, is a success.  For others, thriving even in difficult times and demonstrating that something that may seem near-impossible is not only possible but is achievable, is worth celebrating.   Distinguished club status is worth pursuing and once achieved, is a HUGE achievement!  Let’s celebrate the journey and all the successes that every club achieves in its journey!

Katrina Aburrow, DTM
District Director (2021-2022) | District 42
Toastmasters International

#WHERELEADERSAREMADE