D47 Sunshiner - November, 2003

Since 1955

Bimonthly bulletin of District 47 Toastmasters Serving Florida and the Bahamas www.toastmastersd47.org

Distinguished District for the Third Consecutive Year!

Nov/Dec 2003

Did You Catch the Waves of Toastmasters at the Fall Conference?

November ELECTION OF OFFICERS (For Clubs Electing Semiannually)

December 31 CLUB OFFICER LISTS DUE AT WHQ

Congratulations to our Contest Winners!

(For Clubs Electing Semiannually)

January 10 PLANET TOASTMASTERS CENTRAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, DARDEN RESTAURANTS TRAINING CENTER, ORLANDO 31 PLANET TOASTMASTERS WEST

February 1

TALK UP TOASTMASTERS MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN BEGINS

7 PLANET TOASTMASTERS SOUTH 15 CLUBS START COLLECTING DUES

Humorous Speech Contest Winner Alex Mea pictured with Margaret Wan (left) and Pat Jordan, International Director (right)

Humorous Speech Contest

ce feren e! n o C Fall hts Insid lig High

1st - Alex Mea - Division I 2nd - Jodi Short - Division J 3rd - Samuel Johnny - Division G

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Evaluation Contest Winner Elliott Wilcox

Evaluation Contest

1st - Elliott Wilcox - Division C 2nd - Beth McCollough - Division A 3rd - Jack Lynch - Division G

District Governor’s Message

Membership Building Ideas Contributed by many, many experienced Toastmasters and proven to be effective!

Margaret Wan, DTM

A Lesson Learned As Toastmasters, we are encouraged to visit other clubs. I have done this many times, especially before I joined five clubs and was going to clubs begging them to let me speak! For the first time, recently I visited another district, District 66 in Virginia, at their fall conference. I was humbled.

With more than 300 clubs, our district is the second largest in the world. District 66 has just over 100 clubs. Their conference attendance was outstanding. If we had the same percentage of clubs at our District Council Meeting, we would have more than 120 clubs represented. If we had the same percentage of member and guest participation at our fall conference, we would have at least 300 attendees. Our actual numbers did not come anywhere close.

It is easy for us to find an excuse. “Our district is large. The conference site is too far away.” Look at District 51 in Asia. It is the largest district in the world and encompasses several countries. Their conference attendance is consistently higher than other districts. If anyone has any doubt as to the association between conference attendance and success as a district, which reflects the success of its members, District 51 has been President’s Distinguished District and the No. 1 District in the world for the past six consecutive years!

Why is there such a connection? In a nutshell, the performance of a district is evidence of the commitment of its members, of which conference attendance is a graphic indicator. This commitment is a commitment to our self-improvement.

When we are so committed, we take up every opportunity that fosters our personal growth.

Visiting other clubs and attending district events are “bonus” opportunities additional to our regular club meetings.

Now that we know, we can do better! As the midpoint of the year approaches, review your personal goals and your club’s President’s Distinguished Club goals. Are you and your club at least halfway toward reaching those goals? Planet Toastmasters and the Spring Conference will be coming up. Have you made plans to attend? Let us see a record attendance at these events and show other districts what we can do!

District 47 Toastmasters! High Achievers! By Setting Our Sights to New Heights, we will not only be a President’s Distinguished District. Each of us will be a better communicator and leader!

• Create a holiday invitation and ask each member to hand out invitations to friends and co-workers. Plan your agenda around a holiday theme.

• Plan a special showcase meeting with members from around the district to present a special program. Invite guests and former members to come and turn them into members.

• Honor a community leader or a media personality at a special meeting. Invite lots of guests and reporters.

• Conduct a Speechcraft. Charge enough to cover membership dues for a new member and offer the participants “free” membership.

• Design a club web site that is informative, interesting, and userfriendly.

• Distribute club newsletters and The Toastmaster magazine in the community. Be sure to put on the copies labels with contact information for your club.

• Post brochures and flyers at libraries, bookstores, chambers of commerce, community centers, apartment complexes, gyms, etc.

• Always carry brochures and membership applications and have them at the meetings.

• Have club business cards made up with meeting location, day, time, club website, and contact. Pass out the cards at every opportunity.

• Send press releases of club activities.

Write stories about all special events, e.g., club officer election, installation, and speech contests. Include photos.

• Publicize Toastmasters in newsletters or bulletins of companies where members work.

• Set up a Toastmasters booth at community events such as those in the mall and on college campus. Use door prizes to encourage interested persons to provide their contact information and follow up with prospects.

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• Contact business and vocational schools to obtain permission to present to students the value of good communication and leadership skills for their career advancement.

• Wear Toastmasters pin and badge regularly outside the club.

• Ask members to make a list of everyone they know that would benefit from Toastmasters and invite these prospects to come to a meeting.

• Develop a habit of spreading the word about Toastmasters whenever possible in conversations with business contacts, coworkers, or friends.

• List the strengths of your club - these are your selling points to prospects, e.g., one club uses a slogan F-U-N (friendly, unintimidating, and nurturing).

• Make your meetings entertaining and educational - every meeting is a show!

• Maintain meeting excellence. Run meetings that are professional in every respect, from speech and evaluation quality to attire and room layout.

• Designate a Guest Night once a quarter, when every member brings at least one guest.

• Follow up guests at every meeting, send a thank-you note, and invite them to return.

• Induct new members in a special induction ceremony so they feel special.

• Recognize members who have sponsored new members and for outstanding achievements within or outside Toastmasters.

• Keep in touch with absent members by personal phone calls and by sending out a summary of every meeting - emphasize the excitement.

• Even if attendance is low, maintain weekly meetings - continuity matters.

• Have a Secret Pal Program. How? See answer on page 6.

Toastmasters Makes a Difference

True Toastmasters

“Why I cannot change the past?”

Kevin Kelleher, Area 3 Governor and President of Miracle Mile Toastmasters

Domingo A. Castillo, Area 1 Governor and President of Beckman Coulter Toastmasters, and Kevin Kelleher, Area 3 Governor and President of Miracle Mile Toastmasters This was the question that Professor G. Pearce (Alex Hartdegen) made over and over during the initial stages of “The Time Machine” movie. Here is what happened: His fiancé died in an accident. He invented a time machine to go back to save her by preventing that the accident happened. But every time that he went back, his fiancé died in different circumstances! He was terribly confused and completely devastated. He couldn’t save her!

Later on, he figured out that the response of his questions couldn’t be answered in the past or in the present, but in the future. So he decided to go to the future to find the answer!

Fellow Toastmasters, we certainly cannot change the past but we definitely can change our future. We do not need to have a Time Machine to go to the future to find an answer because we build our future by the choices we make today!

We all join Toastmasters with common goals: to be better communicators and to improve our leadership skills, to overcome the fear of speaking in front of an audience, and to quickly think and orderly express our ideas.

We don’t need a Time Machine to find answers about our future! Review and revive the flame of your initial commitments, recharge the batteries of your personal goals, and challenge your emotional intelligence because each decision you make today definitely will affect and impact your future!

Each time you deliver a speech or evaluation, each time you regularly go to club meetings and actively participate, each time you help, encourage, and cheer other club members, you are really working on shaping and improving “your” future... “their” future... “our” future.

“People Helping People”

Toastmasters of the Miracle Mile Club stepped forward when asked to help the Brickell Club. They volunteered their time and talent to help the Brickell Club build, grow and develop into an outstanding club. “Official” Club Coaches are recognized and assigned to clubs smaller than the Brickell Club, yet the Brickell Club wanted and asked for help. These volunteers (unofficial club coaches and helpers) stepped up to the plate to help with “no” expectation of reward or recognition.

This is a WIN-WIN for the Brickell Club and these Toastmasters. The club benefits from the experience of these seasoned Toastmasters and the Toastmasters get the benefit of additional stage time, completing more speeches toward their personal goals and the intangible rewards of just helping other people. These are true Toastmasters...people helping people become better communicators and leaders.

Toastmasters International Policy Governing Use of Contact Information

Planet Toastmasters Leadership Institute

In response to concerns by members regarding the improper use of Toastmasters contact information, the Governance and Policy Committee of Toastmasters International reminds all clubs to include a statement of appropriate use of contact information on their web sites and directories. A disclaimer such as the following may be used: “The information in this directory is for the sole use of Toastmasters members for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation and distribution of nonToastmasters materials or information.”

Receive Distinguished Club Program credit by sending a minimum of four officers to District-sponsored training.

January 10, 2004 Planet Toastmasters Central Darden Restaurants Training Center Orlando January 31, 2004 Planet Toastmasters West Febrtuary 7, 2004 Planet Toastmasters South

Advance DCP Award Meet five or more of the ten Distinguished Club goals by December 31, 2003 and the membership requirement and your club will win the Advance DCP Award. It will receive one module of its choice from the Successful Club Series or the Better Speaker Series or the Leadership Excellence Series.

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Conference Highlights and Photos

Hall of Fame

Joel Verlin, ATM-S/CL

Governor’s Citations Recipients

Did you catch the waves of Toastmasters?

Cathy Epler, DTM District 47 Governor 2001-2002

Even though the centerpieces of the Fall Conference were the Humorous Speech Contest and the Evaluation Contest, a Conference is made up of quite a lot of fun and educational components.

Paul Meunier, DTM International Director 2002-2004

Special guest International Director Pat Jordan, DTM, presented a workshop on “A Measure of Success.” Other presenters included Michael Patton, DTM (District 47 2002 International Speech Champion), and Monica Wofford, ATMB (District 47 2002 Evaluation Champion).

Jack Jamba, DTM led the Saturday lunch roast of Immediate Past District Governor Elieen Sarris, DTM. Joining Jack in roasting and toasting Eileen were Margaret Wan, DTM, Frank Tillman, DTM, Claire Knafla, ATM-G and others.

Elieen Sarris, DTM led the Hall Of Fame which included honoring all of District 47’s award recipients for the previous year. Toastmaster of the Year was Roxie Steadman, ATM-S, Division Governor of the Year was Lori Vinikor, DTM and Area Governor of the Year was Cyprian Gibson, ATM-S.

Richard Gump, ATMG Conference Photographer Joshua Barzey, ATMB DEC Meeting Arrangement Coordinator Sandra Arnold, ATMB Area 48 Governor 2002-2003 Rauha Jessup, DTM Division H Governor 2002-2003

Alex Mea won the First Timers contest. The hospitality suite was fantastic.

Saturday night was a delight with Wendy Proctor, ATM-G, singing national anthems.

Conferences are a chance to meet new friends and catch up with old friends, cheer on your contestants, learn new things and renew your love affair with Toastmasters. Plan on attending the Spring District Conference coming up in May and the Regional Conference in June!

Preparing for Banner Processional

Elieen Sarris Roasted

Margaret Wan Receives Her 3rd DTM! 4

Wow! Look at those Raffle Prizes.

Baby Mania Contest

Welcome, New Babies of the District 47 Family

Win a Productivity Award for Producing the Most New Babies!

Both men and women are eligible and you don’t have to endure 10 months of pregnancy! Follow these EASY steps.

Step 1 - Do you know companies that have 150 or more employees at one location? Certainly you do. Think about your work place, your vendors, clients, and other business contacts. How about the large employers in your community - private enterprises and government agencies?

Step 2 - Do they have a Toastmasters Club? Perhaps some of them do. Many others do not.

Step 3 - Who are the decision makers in those companies with regard to employee training and development? Training Director? Human Resources Manager? The Chief Executive Officer? If you do not know, you can call the company and find out.

Step 4 - Fill out the form below. Bring it to one of the Planet Toastmasters Leadership Institutes in January or February 2004 or e-mail the information to District 47 New Club Chair Troy Gelinas at tgelinas@interval-intl.com. The lead must be a new lead, that is, the company has not contacted Toastmasters International or District 47 prior to your submitting the information.

Step 5 - A District 47 officer will make contact with the person in the company with a view to starting a new Toastmasters Club.

The Winners 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners with the highest points will receive gift certificates of $25, $10, and $5, respectively.

You will be awarded points as each of the following events occur: You submit all items on the form A meeting takes place between the contact person and a district officer A kickoff meeting (1st meeting of a new club) takes place at the company A new Toastmasters Club at the company is chartered before June 30, 2004 Bonus: You are a sponsor or mentor of the new club

3 points 10 points 20 points 25 points 10 points

Example: You submit a complete form, a district officer meets the contact person who agrees to schedule a kickoff meeting at the company, and the company’s new Toastmasters Club is chartered in March 2004. You receive 58 points. If you are a mentor, you receive an additional 10 points.

There is no limit as to how many company names or locations you can submit. Bombard Troy’s mailbox with new babies in formation!

Baby Mania Contest!!!

(Please print clearly.)

Your Information: Name: ______________________________________ Club: ____________________ E-mail address: _______________________Phone number with area code: _____________ The Company: Name: __________________________________ Type of business: ___________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________ City/State: ________________________________________ Zip code: _________________ Approximate number of employees at this location: _________________________________ Contact Person: Name: _______________________________________Title: _________________________ Phone number with area code: _________________________________________________ E-mail the information to tgelinas@interval-intl.com or bring the form to Planet Toastmasters.

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1. Bank Atlantic Club #590588 Charter Date: 10/6/03 Alignment: Division E Area 3 Sponsor: Vernon Love 2. Court Muse Club #600381 Charter Date: 10/7/03 Alignment: Division C Area 16 Sponsor: Douglas Braungart 3. FMC Food Tech Club #600526 Charter Date: 10/7/03 Alignment: Division B Area 13 Sponsoring Organization: FMC Food Tech Sponsoring Club: 529 and 2262 Sponsors: Timothy Holloway and Reginald Hutcherson 4. Grand Bahama Hotel Union Club #602485 Charter Date: 10/10/03 Alignment: Division I Area 35 Sponsoring Club: 5725 Sponsors: Ken Saunders and Nicole Martin Mentors: Kalesa Gibbs and Sydney Saunders 5. Ceridian St. Pete Club #603123 Charter Date: 10/15/03 Alignment: Division G Area 2 Sponsoring Organization: Ceridian Sponsoring Club: 2284 Sponsors: Bob Turel and Claire Knafla Mentors: Bob Turel and Vicky Jensen 6. Unity of Fort Lauderdale Club #589263 Charter Date: 10/21/03 Alignment: Division D Area 20 Sponsoring Club: 9400 Sponsors: Matt Hoelscher and David Jess Mentors: Jim McKeen and Tracey Robertson

Websites and You

Recognitions

Andrew J. Brown, ATM-S

Results for the quarter ending September 30, 2003

Do you feel like webmasters are akin to the Beatles? That you can’t even come close to creating a masterpiece! Or perhaps, that creating a website gives you a Star Trek feeling? Boldly going where you’ve never gone before.

Have no fear, Andrew’s here! Creating a website for your club is not only simple, but FUN! Whether you start your Toastmasters site on a fee-free web-server or a pay-me-now web-server, each has tutorials and methods for helping YOU create your ‘special’ site.

Creating a site is as simple as typing. Type your club’s name, where you meet, when you meet and other important information. Remember, you want to let people know where, when AND why you meet. You do want people to find you!

Every site can be created using HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) just by using any word processor (notepad, wordpad, MS Word, etc.). You may have heard of Java, Java Script, ASP, and other strange things related to web site creation. You don’t need it. You can get by with the old reliable – HTML. It’s easy to learn and when you’re comfortable with it – you can have fun! Alternately, many web hosting services provide free web page editors that you can download and use.

You want to keep your site pert, pretty, and precise.

Top Division Governor Donna Spencer Division F Governor

Top 5 Area Governors Joel Verlin Area 53 Governor Ken Wally Area 33 Governor Katrina Chandler Area 21 Governor Jeanette Boucher Area 8 Governor Gail Sullivan Area 30 Governor

Oh wait!! Guess what! There are sites where you can download animated gifs (these are pictures that move!) Is this cool or what! Save the file with an HTML extension – “where.html”. Then double-click on the file and you can view it in Internet Explorer.

When you’re ready, upload it to your web server and you are THERE! Those are some of the basics. There are even links, so that you can have more than ONE page (it’s difficult to say everything you want all on one page, I’ve TRIED!).

Go ahead! Create a site as moving as a Beatle song and go boldly where you’ve never been before! Be a Toast-webmaster!

Secret Pal? Assign members to be secret pals.

Outside of the meeting times, the secret pal will send encouraging notes, ideas, and meeting reminders to the person who is their secret pal. Reveal the identities after 6 months. The program keeps people coming to meetings as they try to figure out who is their secret pal.

Do You Know?

• How many people are members of Toastmasters International?

• How many clubs are there worldwide?

• How many countries are represented?

See page 8 for the answers.

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Club Presidents Can Win a Free Spring Conference Registration Club Presidents, you can win a FREE Spring Conference registration if your club has the highest net increase in the total number of members between 7/1/ 03 and 4/30/04, provided that the net increase is at least 11 members.

If the winning club elects officers semiannually and two individuals hold the office of Club President for the terms July through December and January through June, we will double the prize and each individual will receive a free conference registration packet!

Distingished Club Program Goals Recognition

New Tricks

As of 10-20-03

Jim Ocque, DTM Lt. Governor Education and Training

Seven Goals Club 1600 Club 1810

Do you have a question or questions concerning Toastmasters? Do you want to learn more about communications and leadership? Many of our members answer yes to either one or both of these questions. Unfortunately, there is not enough time at any one session to impart all of the knowledge that is available from Toastmasters. This is why you have an opportunity to attend training programs within the District.

Six Goals Club 1978 Five Goals

The District provides four training programs each year: Planet Toastmasters and our District Conferences. The reasons that I attend these educational programs are to learn something new, learn a new technique, or refresh the training that I have had before. I may hear something for the first time or hear it stated in a different way and it triggers a new understanding. I learn of changes in TI policy and procedure and their new programs. I am motivated again to a higher achievement. Whether you agree with my reasons for attending or have your unique reasons, I encourage you to attend these programs.

Your next opportunity will be in January – February 2004. On January 10, Planet Toastmasters Leadership Institute will be held in Orlando at the Darden Training Facility, 7101 Lake Ellenor Drive. It will include leadership training and general education sessions.

The Planet Toastmasters Leadership Institute is scheduled for Tampa/St Petersburg on January 31, 2004, and Miami/West Palm Beach on February 7, 2004 . The particulars for each Institute will be made available to your Division and Area Governors and posted on the District website.

During June through August, we had over 1,200 District 47 Toastmasters trained. The goal for January and February is to have at least 2,400 trained.

These sessions in January and February are timed to enable your Club to receive points toward their Distinguished Club Program goal. Come and give heed to those offering their experiences and knowledge to help you learn new tricks.

Club 968 Club 2437 Club 3179 Club 5758

Club 6026 Club 6544 Club 7362

Four Goals Club 28 Club 1425 Club 1667 Club 2096 Club 2284 Club 2445 Club 3001 Club 3466 Club 4454

Club 4895 Club 5390 Club 6796 Club 6818 Club 7178 Club 7520 Club 7286 Club 8248 Club 8370

Keep up the good work!

Since 1955

Publisher:

Margaret Wan, DTM District 47 Toastmasters 500 37th Avenue North Saint Petersburg, FL 33704-1248 e-mail: wan@acustarconsulting.com

Dues Payments

Editor:

Cathy Epler, DTM e-mail: cepler@gte.net

Dues were due on October 1, 2003. Verify that your club has submitted the dues and the membership roster to Toastmasters International, otherwise all of a sudden you may find that you, the member, no longer receives The Toastmaster magazine or other member services. Toastmasters International will suspend services to members whose dues have not been received by November 30 for the October through March period.

Co-Editor:

Don Spencer e-mail: spencerd@AyresAssociates.com The Sunshiner is printed by Impressive Printing - Tampa, Florida 7

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage PAID Tampa FL 33612 Permit #2788

District 47 Toastmasters

500 37th Avenue North Saint Petersburg, FL 33704-1248

Since 1955

Cathy Epler, DTM, Editor cepler@gte.net Don Spencer, Co-Editor spencerd@AyresAssociates.com

TOASTMASTER CHATTER

Club Officer Lists Clubs electing officers semiannually should submit a new officer list to Toastmasters International before December 31, 2003 to receive credit for the Distinguished Club Program.

Happy Anniversary District 47 celebrates clubs that have reached a special benchmark. The following clubs have done just so!

70 Years Orlando #28

Toastmaster Membership Toastmasters International membership as of June 2003: 198,000 members in 9,600 clubs in 80 countries. Average number of members per club: 21.55, up from 21.16 last year.

Congratulations Eileen and John Sarris are expecting their first baby.

In Remembrance Scott Bass, a founding member of the Toastmasters of Key Biscayne Club, passed on November 10, 2003. In his memory, donations are requested for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

40 Years Jose Gaspar #3668 Winter Park #3674

10 Years Eyeopeners #9694

5 Years Amedex #7840 Crossroads #5931 8

Past Area 14 Governor Tim Morrell’s mother and Toastmaster member Marilu, passed on November 3, 2003.

The family appreciated your kindness and sharing of love.