Calgary Pace Setters Newsletter

CORE VALUES AND PROMISES

TOASTMASTERS

CORE VALUES

CLUB OFFICERS

2023 - 2024

PRESIDENT-AlisenDopf

VPEDUCATION-TzonkaBouklieva

VPMEMBERSHIP-TwilaTayfel

VPPUBLICRELATIONS-VesnaIvkovic

SECRETARY-PatrickChagonda

TREASURER-VeronikaPribytova

SERGEANTATARMS-PaulDixon

IMMEDIATEPASTPRESIDENT-JovanaIvkovic

MENTORSHIPCOORDINATOR-AlexCampbell

A TOASTMASTER’S PROMISE

AS A MEMBER OF TOASTMASTERS

INTERNATIONAL AND MY CLUB, I PROMISE:

To attend club meetings regularly

To prepare all of my projects to the best of my ability, basing them on the Toastmasters education program

To prepare for and fulfill meeting assignments

To provide fellow members with helpful, constructive evaluations

To help the club maintain the positive, friendly environment necessary for all members to learn and grow

To serve my club as an officer when called upon to do so

To treat my fellow club members and our guests with respect and courtesy

To bring guests to club meetings so they can see the benefits Toastmasters membership offers

To adhere to the guidelines and rules for all Toastmasters education and recognition programs

To act within Toastmasters’ core values of integrity, respect, service and excellence during the conduct of all Toastmasters activities

FROM THE EDITOR‘S DESK

TOASTMASTERS INTERNATIONAL MISSION

We empower individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.

DISTRICT MISSION

We build new clubs and support all clubs in achieving excellence.

CLUB MISSION

We provide a supportive and positive learning experience in which members are empowered to develop communication and leadership skills, resulting in greater self-confidence and personal growth.

WELCOME TO THE LATEST ISSUE OF OUR

As we wrap up another fantastic year, I want to take a moment to celebrate our incredible achievements and the dedication of our members We have navigated through another successful contest season, with many of you stepping up to showcase your speaking talents and leadership skills

A special congratulations to Sandra Boszko for securing third place at the Division D International Speech Contest Your hard work and eloquence have made us all proud Another round of applause goes to Patrick Chagonda for earning the prestigious Triple Crown Award. Your commitment to growth and excellence is truly inspiring.

I'm thrilled to announce that our club has once again achieved 10 DCP points for the second consecutive year! This is a testament to our collective effort and the supportive environment we foster at Calgary Pace Setters.

In addition to our internal achievements, we are proud to support our members' external endeavors A big shoutout to Paul Dixon for his ongoing efforts and advocacy, especially in recognizing and supporting Epilepsy Day We stand by our members and their projects, both within and outside the club, and we are here to support each other's passions and initiatives

To our new members, we're here to help you achieve your goals and make the most of your Toastmasters journey Remember, every speech and role you take on brings you one step closer to your personal and professional milestones. Don't hesitate to dive into your Pathways projects each one is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Let's continue to encourage one another and make the most of our time together. Participation is key to our success, and every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.

Thank you all for your hard work and dedication Let's keep pushing forward, supporting each other, and striving for excellence

calgarypacesettersTI@gmail.com

Vesna Ivkovic

Hello Calgary Pace Setters,

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Oh my goodness! Who could believe that a year has already passed? Time flies when you're having fun, and that's exactly what we had at Calgary Pace Setters this year

As we welcome in next year's Executive, I want to truly thank and appreciate our current Executive Never have I worked with a more functional, harmonious and dedicated Board Everyone knew their roles and jumped right in to fulfil them to their highest ability. While there was lots of learning and growth, there was also camaraderie as we helped each other throughout the year.

I am especially proud of how we achieved our main goals First, We set a new record by getting 10/10 DCP points for the second year in a row. What does this mean? That we're a club that goes for it! Our members are being challenged, and they are learning and growing

Second, we achieved our internal goal of training our new members We held several targeted training events, which allowed our members to grow and increase their skills This took the time and effort of the entire Executive team to achieve, and the results have been amazing

Our Pace Setters club is as strong as ever, and I'm proud to be passing over the reins to our new Executive. I know they'll have a fun, challenging and rewarding year.

With sincere gratitude, Alisen

Dopf

Alisen Dopf

MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

JOVANA IVKOVIC'S JOURNEY: LESSONS FROM AN AREA

My 11 years with the Calgary Pace Setters were already exciting, but becoming the Area Director for District 42 Area D8 took it to a whole new level.

Looking back, there are a few things I wish I had known:

The role proved to be more demanding than I had anticipated Juggling club dynamics, member engagement, and personal/professional responsibilities felt like a challenging balancing act This position required a greater investment of my time and energy than I had initially thought I regret not being better prepared to assist struggling clubs. Two clubs were facing low membership, and I felt a strong sense of duty to support them. Understanding their specific needs and offering assistance was crucial for their progress, but it was also quite demanding. The time commitment was significant

I encountered a few obstacles along the way Finding volunteers for the Area contest and obtaining DCP plans from each club proved more challenging than expected Ensuring attendance at leadership training for struggling clubs was another hurdle that tested my patience However, these challenges provided valuable lessons in resilience.

If given the opportunity for a do-over, I would have accepted Debbie Stearns' mentorship offer. Her guidance could have helped navigate through these challenges. I also regret missing Area Council meetings due to low interest from club executives; I should have engaged with them more Regular visits to struggling clubs could have made a significant difference too

To incoming Area Directors, my advice is:

Lean on your Division Director for guidance without hesitation. Attend all available training sessions.

Celebrate every success, no matter how small.

Stay organized and build strong relationships with club members and leaders

The path of an Area Director is not easy, but it is incredibly fulfilling The lessons learned and experiences gained are invaluable I hope sharing my story will assist others as they embark on their own journeys

Jovana Ivkovic

MEMBER HIGHLIGHT

FROM SWEATY PALMS TO SPEAKING SUCCESS:

MY JOURNEY THROUGH TOASTMASTERS COMPETITIONS Sandra

Boszko

As Eminem rapped “palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy” these few words could explain part of how I felt going into competition season for Toastmasters. I know individuals from my club could even tell by the look on my face that I needed aromatherapy and fast. I was offered essential oils before I spoke and I gladly obliged and took them. The scent soothed my soul but I still had nerves. To try to get over my nerves I practised, practised, practised my speech for hours over and over again. I thought I was going to do a speech I had already done and I had practised it soooooo much I presented it to members of my club and they really helped me out and gave me great tips and pointers Then I had a zoom meeting with my mentor and she gave me feedback of how to improve my speech I listened to her feedback and changed my speech I really had to think about the advice and take out parts and add parts I thought my speech was done and then these changes came Eeeeek! But I was so thankful for her advice She wanted me to personalize the speech even more and so I did She also recommended that I practise my speech with another member from the club The helpful hints I received from both my mentor and the other member were so amazing They both helped me improve my speech even more I received so much encouragement from Calgary Pace Setters Toastmasters Club along the way I was so thankful for all of the wonderful feedback I received from the club I had the club contest first, then a Circle of Gold at the club. This is where I did my speech and everyone at the club gave feedback. This was a tremendous support and I was so grateful for it.

Then I won the Area D23 contest and I was invited to another Circle of Gold. This circle was to improve my speech even more. I had to do my speech over zoom to a bunch of other Toastmasters who I never met before. I received feedback to change the beginning of my speech. Two different ways were suggested by two different individuals One was to read from my book (Yes, I am an author ) The second was to really grab the audience’s attention After all of the wonderful suggestions from this Circle of Gold I had another call with a friend in England to decide which way to do the speech I really wanted to do a reading from my memoir at the beginning but it didn’t go over as well as the other beginning Therefore, I had new lines to learn and rehearse before the next competition

The next competition was in Lethbridge and I drove close to 2 hours to go compete again Competing can be nerve wracking but after you have finished your speech it is the most exhilarating experience With every contest and all of the amazing help along the way I improved my speaking skills at every level After I did my speech in Lethbridge a delightful lady from the audience told me her story about mental health and all of the wonderful things she does for the cause She told me that my speech touched her heart and that connectedness made the experience even more brilliant. If your “palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy” before you speak know that other people have those experiences too and it’s all a part of learning, growing and developing as a speaker. Definitely worth it.

NEW MEMBER RESOURCES

GRAMMARIAN ROLE

QUICK TIPS

The Grammarian is responsible for introducing the Word of the Day (WOD) to the audience, discussing the use of the language throughout the meeting and offering examples of good grammar and remarkable vocabulary. What skills will I develop by serving as the Grammarian?

Vocabulary

Grammar

Critical listening

Evaluation

Find more information about the role click on the link Grammarian Role Form.

AH-COUNTER ROLE

The Ah-Counter helps speakers keep track of the filler words and sounds they use and gives a report at the end of the meeting. Words may be inappropriate interjections such as and, well, but, so, you know. Sounds may be ah, um, er. What skills will I develop by serving as the Ah-Counter?

Observation

Listening

Find more information about the role click on the link Ah-Counter Role Form.

TIMER ROLE

The timer helps to keep the meeting on schedule and times each speech using a stopwatch, timing lights or other device provided by your club. At the end of the meeting, they share timing records with club members. What skills will I develop by serving as the Timer?

Time management

Observation

Find more information about the role click on the link Timer Role Form.

JUNE 08 - LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CLUB OFFICER TRAINING

JUNE 15 - LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CLUB OFFICER TRAINING

JUNE 20 - LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CLUB OFFICER TRAINING

JUNE 25 - LAST MEETING OF THE SEASON (PARTY TIME)

JULY 01 - NEW EXECUTIVE MEMBERS TERM STARTS