It’s a Wrap – 2022 District Speech Contests

It’s a Wrap – 2022 District Speech Contests

by Lola Stone IP5 District Contest Coordinator The District 25 Evaluation Speech and International Speech Contests were recorded and then played during the Contest Watch parties at the Annual Conference. Warren Ehn (Plus 2 Toastmasters) did a terrific job as the Contest Master for both contests. He masterfully worked his way through the contest script each time, making sure to include his own personality and style.  The contestants did an amazing job adapting their speaking and stage presence to a virtual environment. Each contestant should be very proud of their amazing and inspiring performances. It is a tremendous achievement to...

Confessions of a Conference Addict

Confessions of a Conference Addict

by Coleen Kelley Truckin’ Toastmasters I am a conference addict. Most of my vacation time is spent traveling, listening to speakers and panels ranging from business and finance to self-development and health. Instead of movies on the weekend, I try to talk my elementary aged kids into TedTalk marathons. The other day while listening to the umpteenth audio book, my son incredulously asked, “how many books has this guy written?!” I had to explain to him that even though the narrator sounded the same, he was reading different author’s books. My daily vocabulary is full of buzz words I’ve heard, and my kids...

Toastmasters as Difference Makers

Toastmasters as Difference Makers

by Ankur Bora PM5 It’s easy to have a good attitude when things are going well. But what happens when situations in your life go badly? We all face adversity from time to time. Discouragement. Change. Problems. Fear. Failure. How you overcome these adversities makes all the difference. The one difference between those who’ve failed and those who’ve succeeded lies in their attitude. I learned this valuable life lesson from the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter. I recently read the book Redeemer. It’s an engrossing account of the Carter Presidency, the Iranian Hostage crisis, and how the...

A New D25 Website – A Labor of Love

A New D25 Website – A Labor of Love

by Chuck Mencke, DTM – District 25 Web Team Member Do you know what goes on behind the scenes at District 25? Do you know what it takes to keep our fabulous district humming like a top? Hundreds of dedicated D25 members give freely of their time and talents to make all the magic happen. They make it look seamless! Today, I would like to tell you about one of the teams of magicians – the District 25 Web Team. Did you even know District 25 had a dedicated web team? I’d like to brag about the major project taking...

Outstanding Member – May

Outstanding Member – May

by Ninfa Flewitt DTM District Director If you are lucky enough to have held a role serving under this month’s Outstanding Member, then you, too, can appreciate the hard work she has put in planning with her team! The 2022 Annual Conference has been in the making since 2021, and Denise McConnell has had her special touch on every detail, while empowering her team to do what they do best.  Denise carefully selected her team: each committee chair for their special set of skills and it shows! The Committee has fun in meetings while sticking to the agenda… that is...

77 Years and Counting

77 Years and Counting

by David Winkowski SR1 Area 51 Director On April 28, 1945, Wichita Falls was a growing community, firmly rooted in the cattle and oil industries.  One man, Lewis E. Thompkins, had a desire to bring greater opportunity to the people of the area.  Good communication skills were at the core of this dream, so he started a Toastmasters club in Wichita Falls.  The rest is history. Fast forward to April 28, 2022, 77 years to the day, the oldest club in Texas, Wichita Falls Club 305 celebrated its 77th anniversary!  The event was spectacular, centering around a trip through the...

POPPIN’ in to say THANK YOU!!!

POPPIN’ in to say THANK YOU!!!

by Marcheta Gardner DTM Program Quality Director Hello District 25! Your Program Quality Director poppin’ in to say Thank You for staying the course with us as we trained over 60% of our club officers, completed the Club/Area/Division contests, and or simply showed up in our respective clubs.  While we would’ve liked a higher percentage of completion for officers trained, it matters greatly to the 60%+. We are rounding out this Toastmasters’ year having weathered the continuation of the pandemic, still doing things virtual.  You stayed the course.  You showed up each day to make a difference for a member...

April 2022 Open House Winner – Heart of Texas Bridge Gappers Toastmasters Club!

April 2022 Open House Winner – Heart of Texas Bridge Gappers Toastmasters Club!

by Emily Murray DTM Club Growth Director Who stole your heart? Heart of Texas Bridge Gappers of course! How did they steal it? With an effective, engaging and exciting open house on April 2, 2022! The HOT Bridge Gappers really know how to throw a party!!! The Open House was very entertaining and also met all of the criteria for a Golden Gavel Meeting. Even with it being a 100% virtual meeting all members and guests were greeted warmly and enthusiastically at the beginning. 75% of the membership was in attendance along with one non-Toastmaster guest. All roles were filled,...

Tips for the Home Club Setting – Level Completion & Education Credit

Tips for the Home Club Setting – Level Completion & Education Credit

by Greg Pick DTM Pathways Coordinator The Home Club setting in Pathways allows members to connect with their VP Education through Basecamp. Home Club Setting How often you use the setting could depend on the number of clubs you joined and how active you are. For example, some members give most of their speeches in a single club and don’t change the Home Club setting. Others change this setting each time they speak at different clubs. And some will change the setting after they complete a level. Completing a Level Members should coordinate with the VP Education and tell them your...

What’s Poppin’: Toastmasters Helps Us Navigate Life

What’s Poppin’: Toastmasters Helps Us Navigate Life

by Dru Murray, VC1 Progressive Leaders Being a Toastmaster helps us navigate life through lessons on how to handle unexpected events. Every day, every month, every year, each of us find ourselves having to deal with things out of our control. Unwanted events range from common occurrences like a sudden electrical/internet failure to larger concerns such as the symptoms of a disease or the tragedy of a death in the family. On the other hand, wanted events could include a marriage ceremony for a beloved child, the completion of a personal project, or the receipt of an award for a...