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Transcript of 2014 2015 year end edition
Page 1
District 42
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
District Team 2014 - 2015
District Governor ……...1
District Leaders ……...4
Spring Convention …....15
District Team 2015 - 2016
District Director .…..16
District Leaders ….....17
Reformation ……….…..20
Division Highlights ..…..21
Distinguished Clubs …..23
Member Highlights ..…..29
In Memoriam .…..33
Celebrations …….….....34
Looking Back ……......37
Fall Conference ….......39
Editor Thank You ….......40
About Toastmasters …..41
Proofing/Support Team:
Greg Gazin, DTM
Layout & Technical:
Nandini Venkatesan, DTM
Marvin Henry, DTM
Editor: Carol Harrison, DTM
Assistant Editor:
Malene Jorgensen
District Website:
d42tm.org
Prairie Horizons
PRAIRIE HORIZONS Where Leaders Are Made
Promoting Members 2014 - 2015 Volume 4
Congratulations Distinguished District 42!
As I reviewed my pictures of the various different events I attended this
year, I couldn’t help but smile and also feel amazed by all of the
dedication and success stories of the members of District 42 for the
2014 - 2015 Toastmasters year.
The role of District Governor is one of the best roles in the District. In
addition to the mounds of paperwork and emails, some of the more
exciting parts of the role include:
Anniversary Celebrations
Prospective New Club Demo Meetings
Charter Parties
Club Officer Training, Destination DTM Boot Camps, TLIs
Award Ceremonies
Conference & Convention
Toastmasters International Training and Convention
District 42 currently is comprised of 297 Clubs, 58 Areas, and 9 Division.
My years in District Leadership have been an amazing and rewarding
leadership opportunity. Thank you for placing your trust in me to lead
District 42 through one its most memorable years.
District 42 Celebrates at Spring Convention!
Photo: Joe Manio
Page 2
District Governor
Doris Henn, DTM View All Events
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This year we welcomed the following new clubs to District 42:
Division Area Name Location
A 57 Licensed To Speak Toastmasters Club St. Albert
B 24 Queen City Toasters Toastmasters Club Regina
C 11 Enbridge Toastmasters Club-Calgary Calgary
C 39 BVC Toastmasters Club Calgary
C 3 H & H Toastmasters Calgary
D 30 Evolution Toastmasters Edmonton
D 7 Money Talk$ Toastmasters Club Edmonton
D 55 Kennedale Speakers Edmonton
F 12 Health Aware Edmonton
F 14 NAITurally Speaking Edmonton
G 10 Tundra Talkers Calgary
G 23 Repsol Toastmasters Calgary
J 46 CS Chatters Calgary
J 43 Syncrude Toastmasters Calgary
J 48 SPE Calgary Toastmasters Calgary
J 53 The Regulators Calgary
K 34 Speak Upside Calgary
This year in District 42 we:
Welcomed our International President Mohammad
Murad to our 2014 Calgary Fall Conference,
“Stampede to Success”
Voted to reform District 42 into two Districts:
District 42 and District 99
Added seventeen new clubs
Travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the first
International Convention outside North America
Attended District training in Denver, Colorado and
Kuala Lumpur
Learned more about the Revitalized Education
Program at the Lethbridge Spring “Top Gavel”
Convention
Offered quality training opportunities for the District
42 members and clubs
Saved clubs, gave new life to struggling
clubs and built new clubs
Travelled to Ft. McMurray, Regina, Swift
Current, Moose Jaw, Grenfell, Saskatoon,
Prince Albert, Edmonton, Drayton Valley,
Lethbridge and all over Calgary
Encouraged the District 42 members to sign
the District 42 Victory Banner
“Reached for the Stars” as we stepped out
of our comfort zone and tried to accomplish
the impossible
Thank you District 42 for an amazing year.
District 42 has achieved Distinguished District
status for 2014 - 2015. District 42 celebrates in
Las Vegas, Nevada at the Toastmasters
International Convention, August 12 - 15,
2015.
Doris Henn, DTM
Page 3
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District Governor Photo Gallery
Doris Henn, DTM District Incentives
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Left to Right: District Governor in Kuala Lumpur, Nevin Henn and Doris Henn, International President
Mohammad Murad in Calgary, DTM Bootcamp, District 42 Distinguished Banner with Talk of the Square,
Christmas Party with Home Club – Bottom Line Toastmasters, Mary Schoendorfer DTM Party
Photos: Doris Henn, DTM
Page 4
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM District/Personal Achievements
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Highlights from 2014-2015
The 2014 - 2015 has been an exciting year in
District 42. As we came closer to the final days
in our Toastmaster year, we were seeing more
and more clubs finishing their year as
Distinguished, Select Distinguished or
President’s Distinguished.
More than fifty percent of our clubs will be
receiving a ribbon and congratulatory letter
from Toastmasters International President
Mohammed Murad. This is an
accomplishment worthy of many accolades and
recognition of many members for all of their
efforts. Every speech that is carefully prepared,
every evaluation that is given, every Open
House that is orchestrated, all demonstrate to
our guests and prospective members the
opportunities for personal growth that await
them when they join Toastmasters.
We have thirty three newly minted DTMs for
2014-2015 in the District. Many of the
recipients have participated in the interviews
and are featured in this year’s editions of
Prairie Horizons. Each had a different journey
and I thank everyone who shared their
experiences and lessons learned along the
way.
Every DTM was a guest at a meeting and
began their journey in that way. Not every
guest becomes a member, not every member
achieves their DTM. However, every
member has the opportunity to grow in
Toastmasters, to become more skilled in
communication and leadership.
Marg Faryna, DTM
Above: Accredited Speaker Bob Hooey
Below: Spring Convention Head Table
Photos: Valentina Tkachuk
Page 5
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Club Officer Resources
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Welcome, Distinguished Toastmasters!
At the Spring Convention in Lethbridge (April 25, 2015)
we celebrated the achievements of our newly minted
Distinguished Toastmasters and presented them with a
DTM Medallion from District 42. These toastmasters
earned their DTM between November 1, 2014 and April
30, 2015. We are so proud of all of our DTMs. Since
July 1, 2014 there has been an unprecedented number
of DTMs, 33 by June 30, 2015.
As in past issues of Prairie Horizons, we continue to get
to know some of our DTMs a little more as they describe
some of their memorable moments and challenges on
their Journey to DTM.
Marg Faryna, DTM
Congratulations
2279503 J 43 DTM 07/15/2014 Bauer, Johnathan PMI-SAC Toastmasters Calgary
6324 B 42 DTM 06/03/2015 Bowman, Dayle B. Indian Head Toastmasters Club Indian Head 590114 J 41 DTM 09/18/2014 Brown, Glen Ernest Igniters Club Calgary 3423 D 29 DTM 12/08/2014 Cheung, Cherry Brownlee's Best Club Edmonton
976708 G 23 DTM 10/31/2014 Cramer, Susan E. MVP Advanced Calgary 7878 E 32 DTM 06/28/2015 Danoczi, Jane
Elizabeth Talk Of The Square Warman
1494 J 53 DTM 01/01/2015 Foyer, Ronald Bow Valley Toastmasters Club Calgary 4291 D 28 DTM 04/16/2015 Gazin, Gregory New Entrepreneurs Club Edmonton 1290221 C 39 DTM 04/21/2015 George, Abraham After Five Toastmasters Club Calgary
6883 E 47 DTM 06/28/2015 Harrison, Brian Peter M B S Toastmasters Club Saskatoon 980055 D 7 DTM 07/11/2014 Heinrichs, Lorenzo Excalibur's Edge Edmonton 438 J 46 DTM 07/02/2014 Henn, Doris L. Golden Gavel Club Calgary
8090 F 14 DTM 11/04/2014 Kanji, Shiraz M. Excell-Orators Advanced Toastmasters Club # 8090
Edmonton
3233 B 24 DTM 05/05/2015 Kapoor, Don Lunch ala Toast Club Regina 976708 G 23 DTM 08/23/2014 Kruis, Christina M. MVP Advanced Calgary
5143 D 30 DTM 04/08/2015 Mack, Mike Dawnbreakers Toastmasters Edmonton 1319 G 23 DTM 05/15/2015 MacPherson, Devan 3500 Foot Toastmasters Club Calgary 2799 G 38 DTM 09/04/2014 MacTavish, Ron K. Dynamically Speaking Club Lethbridge
872273 C 50 DTM 01/26/2015 Myers, Richard A. Verve Toastmasters Club Calgary 9035 G 23 DTM 04/27/2015 Nakaska, Ann Fish Creek Bravehearts Club Calgary 737481 D 30 DTM 10/07/2014 Pederson, Ingrid J. Pipe-Up Toastmasters Club Edmonton
5066 F 12 DTM 03/21/2015 Penner, Carol Morning Challengers Toastmasters Club Sherwood Park
8195 E 2 DTM 11/24/2014 Riou, Judy D. Innovation Place Toastmasters Club Saskatoon
4939 D 55 DTM 10/22/2014 Robitaille, Willard N'Orators Toastmasters Club Edmonton 450 E 2 DTM 07/06/2014 Robson, Donald J. Saskatoon Club Saskatoon 3144 B 4 DTM 04/13/2015 Ryerson, Michelle Plains Toastmasters Club Regina
848867 J 45 DTM 07/01/2014 Schoendorfer, Mary Literally Speaking Calgary 2730829 K 54 DTM 06/18/2015 Schubert, Joachim Refined Speakers Calgary 2849 B 33 DTM 06/17/2015 Secundiak, Catherine Wild Oats Club Regina
1499 K 5 DTM 09/24/2014 Stehmeier, Lester Tireless Talkers Toastmasters Club Calgary 5374 D 30 DTM 12/08/2014 Tanner, Ken Wild Rose Club Edmonton 3527435 K 5 DTM 10/08/2014 Welte, Wendy L. ATB Calgary Campus Calgary
1022113 D 30 DTM 04/14/2015 Yip, Wang TM4PM Toastmasters Club Edmonton
Page 6
MIKE MACK, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? It was September 2002 and I was asked to talk about a golfing story. I was somewhat nervous, but enjoyed the question. Of course, I won Table Topics that day......as I later learned it is a great way to get guests to become members after winning. LOL What scares you more than public speaking? Roller coasters!! If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? Tony Robbins. I have always admired Tony and have learned a great deal from his material in the past fifteen years. He is driven and wise! A great mentor in my mind. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? This is my first DTM. I became a Toastmaster in October 2002 which makes it an eleven and a half year journey. What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Focus, discipline and mentorship. (I am extremely grateful that Peter Kossowan has been my mentor since day one. He encouraged me, and challenged me to always stretch myself with Toastmasters)
What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? How amazing my home club members have been on my DTM achievement. They showed wonderful respect and it motivates me to help them achieve their Toastmaster goals. What is your favorite quote? “Get very good at what you love to do, because you can never get good enough at something that you are not suited for.” - Dr. Robert Anthony What is your next journey destination? Business growth with my company X5 Management along with balancing that growth through quality time with my beautiful partner, Bonita Lehmann. (She is also a Toastmaster!) Anything else that you would like to make comment about. I have always been extremely proud to be a Toastmaster and I encourage many people to become members and see their own personal growth and confidence increase after every meeting! It has been one of the best professional development decisions that I have ever made!
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Leadership Track
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WANG YIP, DTM What scares you more than public
speaking?
Everything, now that I’m not scared of
public speaking.
Page 7
If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? Tony Robbins. I think indirectly he could coach me on my speaking and leadership skills but he could also help me find the purpose behind these skills. I haven't figured out what these skills were meant for in my life. I assume that it was meant for more than what I'm currently doing. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? Eight years. What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? We make progress through action. If you need help, there are literally hundreds of Toastmasters who have gone through the DTM and can guide you on your way. What is the most interesting information you have used for your introduction? Author of four self-published books. What was the most interesting speech you gave? I gave a speech about my winter journey with Mike Mack. We met a demon and he vanquished it with his public speaking skills. Oh and it rhymed as well. What was your biggest challenge? I think the biggest challenge I had to my DTM was not knowing who to connect to for some of my advanced designations. I was well on my way to achieving my DTM but had no idea what I needed to do for my ALS. When I finally learned, I did not know who I was supposed to contact to achieve my HPL or my term as a dignitary in Toastmasters. What is your favorite quote? "You're an ambitious man and an ambitious man is never happy with what he has."
DICK MYERS, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? It's been twenty three years, and I'm getting old. No, I don't remember. What scares you more than public speaking? Brussel Sprouts. If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? Any new Toastmaster, because they have new ideas. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? No, it's my fourth. The first one took fourteen and a half years.
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Communication Track
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What is your next journey destination? Best-selling author. Anything else that you would like to make comment about. The journey to DTM was extremely rewarding. I thought it was too long but ultimately, it was just the right length for me. Even though I have achieved my DTM, I will never stop learning and trying new things in Toastmasters.
Page 8
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Distinguished Toastmaster
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CAROL PENNER, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? The first question was about the colour of finances and I spoke about a minute. What scares you more than public speaking? Talking on the phone. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? Yes this is my first DTM. It took me eight years. What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Don't give up. Someone told me when I was ready to give up, “You have come way too far to give up now.” What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? Realizing that I have leadership skills and speaking skills that I didn't think I had. Getting out of the comfort zone of my own club and visiting with a lot of others at club level as well as at conventions because you all have at least one thing in common. What is your next journey destination? The next one is to work on another DTM. Why would you stop now when there is still so much to learn?
What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Never stop learning. What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? Working with Youth Leadership. What is the most interesting information you have used for your introduction? I coached Little League Baseball for twelve years. What was the most interesting speech you gave? My years spent drifting across the USA in a cloud of marijuana. What was your biggest challenge? Getting up for early morning meetings. What is your favorite quote? “Success is having the love of one child, and the admiration of one adult.” What is your next journey destination? Hopefully, going to Las Vegas for the International convention . Anything else that you would like to make comment about. Sorry, it's bedtime.
Page 9
What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? All the amazing people I met along the way!! Absolutely bar none!! What is the most interesting information you have used for your introduction? Usually some comment about being one step away from being a crazy cat lady. What was the most interesting speech you gave? I got lots of positive feedback on two speeches: one on self-esteem and one on cat communication. What was your biggest challenge? My first year as Area Governor I felt like I was just barely treading water…and the whole Telus Success club was …well let’s just forget about that. What is your favorite quote? “Evil is allowed to happen when good people remain silent!” What is your next journey destination? To mentor and support at the club, area and division level while I work through my second DTM. I also want to work on my own career as a career consultant and speaker.
ANN NAKASKA, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? No. What scares you more than public speaking? Heights, millipedes and deep, deep water!! Also, really big snakes and crocodiles. Lots of things!! Public speaking is easy! If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? For leadership skills and living - Mother Theresa or maybe Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen has been a world leader for an incredibly long time and I think she would know a lot! For speaking skills I would probably choose Bill Clinton or President Obama, or the speaker I heard who shot himself in the face…funniest speech I ever heard! The latter is my benchmark of a great speech. (Not to worry… he only sustained a small flesh wound.) Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? This is my first and it took a little more than five years. I have already started on my second.
What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Just work on one or two awards at a time. They really do take time.
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Educational Resources
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Page 10
GREG GAZIN, DTM
Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? I can’t recall the question, but my first table topic thirteen years ago lasted 11.3 seconds as the timer reported, after which I kept staring at my watch like a school boy waiting for the 3 o’clock bell and I was out of there. I vowed never to return. Obviously I came back and glad I did. What scares you more than public speaking? Zombies & Vampires. If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? If I needed to choose a person living, it would be Robin Sharma. I can easily connect and relate to what he says. He uses fables to share his wisdom like in “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” and teaches how leadership can be everywhere in “The Leader Who Had No Title”. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? This is my fourth, one year to the day from my third. My first one took five years. What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Most Toastmasters have no idea what’s possible when they begin their journey so a DTM can often seem way beyond their reach. You need to keep your eyes; ears and mind wide open and imagine the possibilities. Once you take that step forward that’s when the transformation begins.
What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? As a writer and Gadget Guy, the journey took me from out behind the keyboard to out in front of audiences and places I never thought possible. Furthermore, for me leadership was never on my radar, let alone becoming a District Governor. I also met some incredible people and while I still continue to learn, there is a more natural tendency to want to give back, a natural progression to motivating, inspiring and mentoring others. What is the most interesting information you have used for your introduction? Also known as The Gadget Guy & Managed a Beatles Tribute Band What was the most interesting speech you gave? The day I met Steve Jobs. The funniest was my 3rd icebreaker as one of the lost McKenzie Brothers, wearing a toque, earmuffs and speaking like a hoser (Good Day, Eh!) What was your biggest challenge?
Biggest challenge came in my first year where it took time to get buy-in on the Toastmasters program. Once I really started to understand what was possible, the sailing become a little smoother and the transformation began.
What is your next journey destination? Already working toward DTM #5, helping to charter our District’s 1st Spanish Bilingual Club and continuing as one of the Official Hosts of the Official Toastmasters International Podcast. Also after having written my first book, “Corey OutSMARTs the Butterflies”, it’s also time to plan some speaking opportunities to actually promote the book. Anything else that you would like to make comment about. I have discovered that instead of looking at Toastmasters as just another chore I have to do every week, I’ve embraced it as something that’s actually become part of my life - and over time, it had certainly enriched it and continues to do so.
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Toastmasters Podcast
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Page 11
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Education Incentives
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CATHERINE SECUNDIAK, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? No, but my Ice Breaker speech was well over ten minutes. What scares you more than public speaking? Going somewhere I have never been before and walking into a room full of people I do not know (i.e. my first Toastmasters Conference). If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? Mary Kay Ash (founder of Mary Kay) – I know people who had been trained directly by her and they said she had the ability to make every single person around her feel like they were the most important person. I admire her courageous story of how she built the Mary Kay business and how she truly wanted to help women gain confidence and take control of their lives. I also aspire to be a role model for my daughters and inspire other women to believe, “I can do it”. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? This is my first DTM and it took almost five
years to complete.
What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Set goals for yourself in the program each year and keep working towards them. If life happens, then readjust and change your goals, but always keep pushing yourself forward. Don’t miss out on any opportunities in Toastmasters – just say “yes!” and then work with your mentors to figure out how to do it. What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? Mentoring others and watching new members grow in the program – especially sponsoring and mentoring new clubs. Having my teenage daughters participate in a Youth Leadership Program and seeing the confidence they, and the other kids, gained by the end of the program. It gives me hope for the future. What was your biggest challenge? My original goal was to complete DTM by Dec 2014 but 2013 -2014 was my Area Governor year and I didn’t spend much time preparing speeches so I had to adjust my goal to June 2015. In January of 2015, I had nine speeches left! I got focused… contacted my clubs VP’s of Education, scheduled my speeches, contacted other clubs to get extra speaking opportunities, reached out to my mentors and the Circle of Gold to help with speech topics and preparation… and I got it done!
What is your favorite quote? “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” - Aristotle What is your next journey destination? I am onto District leadership starting with District 42 Administration Manager for 2015 - 2016. The new journey will help prepare me for career advancement to Executive Leadership and/or Consulting and Professional Speaking.
Page 12
Lieutenant Governor Education and Training
Marg Faryna, DTM Leaders Opportunities
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What was the most rewarding part of your journey towards DTM? I like the idea of helping others adding the way to their DTM because of all the people who helped me. What was the most interesting speech you gave? My speech on Aaron Sorkin, the creator and writer of The West Wing, Sports Night, and The Newsroom. What was your biggest challenge? Club coaching because you need to develop a much more flexible stance and truly facilitate rather than demand. What is your favorite quote? “The strength of the wolf is in the pack. The strength of the pack is in the wolf.” To me this demonstrates the need for strength at all levels of the organization. What is your next journey destination?
PEI, this summer.
DEVAN MACPHERSON, DTM Can you remember the first table topics question you answered? What was it and how long did you speak? Don't remember, sorry. What scares you more than public speaking? Heights. I am desperately afraid of heights. If you could pick anyone to spend a day with to be coached on your speaking or leadership skills, who would you choose, and why? Patrick Lencioni, author of the Five Dysfunctions of a Team because he has such applicable techniques. Is this your first DTM? And how many years did your journey take? Less than seven years. What advice would you give to a toastmaster who needs some encouragement on their journey towards DTM? Know what you want out if it and know that there are opportunities to do all of the requirements and they are close at hand. Lastly make it beneficial for you, particularly in your high performance leadership project. Make it relevant to your life. DTM Profiles Photos: Valentina Tkachuk
Page 13
Lieutenant Governor Marketing
Lorraine Wheatley, ACB ALB Webinars
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Highlights and the Future
Hello fellow Toastmasters!
It has been a busy but fulfilling year as Lieutenant
Governor Marketing for the District. I enjoyed
working with all our Area and Division
Governors and want to thank them for their work
this past year. Attending events is something I
look forward to as I end up meeting new people;
it’s one of my favourite things about events!
Our upcoming year, in 2015 - 2016, will bring
challenges as we plan for the reformation of our
District. District 42 has had a wonderful sixty year
history and much success as we near three
hundred clubs! My new role, which starts July 1,
will be titled Program Quality Director and I will
be responsible for all aspects of education and
training. I will be looking after the clubs for
District 42 North and Carolyn Kaldy from
Calgary will be Program Quality Director for
District 42 South. It will be a year of changes
and much planning. Our district leaders in 2015 -
16 will consist of five officers in contrast to the
current “Trio” of executive officers.
I appreciated the opportunity to serve the
district and want to thank you for your
confidence in electing me this past year.
I am grateful to my mentors and all
those who helped guide me, enabling me
to grow and refine my communication
and leadership skills. It is my intention to
pay that forward and support our
members in their efforts toward skill
enhancement and personal growth
throughout their own toastmaster
journey.
Lorraine Wheatley, ACB, ALB
Above: Leaders in Action! Spring Convention
Below: Leaders Helping! Lorraine Wheatley, C& L
Award Recipient, Bev LeBlanc Co-Chair
Convention
Photos: Joe Manio
Page 14
Public Relations Officer
John Bauer, DTM Prairie Horizons
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Year in Review
Fellow Toastmasters,
How do you say good bye to another great year?
This year we launched two contests, Display Your
Banner (thirty entries) and Galloping Gavel (fifteen
entries). There has been great success with the
Display Your Banner and not as successful with the
Galloping Gavel. It’s great to see members step
outside their own club showing the pride they have
both in their club and Toastmasters.
The winners of the Display Your Banner and
Galloping Gavel Contests were:
Display Your Banner
o February: Bottom Line - Calgary
o March: CTI TechTalkers - Calgary
o May: Excalibur's Edge - Edmonton
o June: Industrial Toastmasters -
Regina
Galloping Gavel
o February: Communicator Club -
Regina
o March: Mosaic Tower Talkers -
Regina
o April: Queen City Toasters - Regina
o June: Weekend Warriors - Regina
The District website has seen many updates this
year that include the Calendar, Home Page, and
side windows, just to name a few.
We had a great year celebrating the 60th
Anniversary of District 42. The Prairie Horizons
team produced a great 60th Anniversary Special
Edition, which was only available in print at the
Calgary Fall Conference. We have now made it
available online.
Right: Wild Oats Galloping Gavel
Photo: District 42 Facebook
Our District 42 Facebook page had
another successful year with over 150
new “Likes” and even more clubs sharing
their Facebook successes both on the
District’s and their own club page.
Since, July 2014 District 42 has been
published over thirty times. This is due
to the hard work of those working to build
and spread the word and increase
membership.
Finally, I just want to encourage each
member to work towards their goals
and remember we are all here to
support and encourage everyone to
succeed.
John Bauer, DTM
Page 15
Helping Others Grow
Photos: Valentina Tkachuk
Spring Convention
Lethbridge April 24 - 26, 2015 Contest Planning
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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Congratulations to our
Evaluation Contest Winners
First Place: Harvey Taphorn
Second Place: Chuck LeBlanc
Third Place: Iris Talbot
.
Congratulations to our International
Speech Contest Winners
First Place: Russ Dantu
Second Place: Lisa Mulrooney
Third Place: Alison Ferie
Page 16
Greetings from the District Director
2015 - 2016
District 42 will be embarking on another exciting
year. From my experience, keeping focused on
what makes the year strong, making an effective
transition to the incoming team and starting the
new year with a bucketful of energy and lots of
enthusiasm, creates the perfect learning laboratory
for developing leadership skills. All members can
participate whether it is by attending celebrations,
reporting club successes, getting involved in club
officer training or participating in the creation of a
Club Success Plan.
This will be the year for many changes in District
42. The titles for District Leaders will change
effective July 1, 2015. Most notably, Area and
Division Governors will now be called Area and
Division Directors.
Resulting from the continuous growth and
successes during the past years, District 42 will be
in our pre-reformation year in 2015 - 2016. In
July 2016, our District will split and become two
distinct districts - District 42 and District 99.
We enter the new Toastmaster year adapting to
many changes, with much excitement and
measured apprehension. Please consider your
personal goals for the new year, your contribution
to the success of your club, your pursuit of
leadership in Toastmasters and embrace in every
way, the value in that “You Make a Difference”.
Marg Faryna, District Director
District 42
Leadership Team
District Director
Marg Faryna
Program Quality Director North
Lorraine Wheatley
Program Quality Director South
Carolyn Kaldy
Club Growth Director North
Lorenzo Heinrichs
Club Growth Director South
John Bauer
Administration Manager
Catherine Secundiak
Finance Manager
Shannon Vinter
Public Relations Manager
Marc Haine
Division Directors (12)
Division A – Jonathan Ettie
Division B – Jeannette Caldwell
Division C – Abraham George
Division D – Stephen Hall
Division E – Donald Zurakowski
Division F – Garfield Hiscock
Division G – Grant Hanna
Division H – Joan Petruk
Division J – Poorna Pushkala Subramani
Division K – Terry Kozllyk
Division L – Christina Kruis
Division M – Cheryl Schofield
In addition there are Area Directors (62),
to be of service to the members of our
District.
District 42 Director and Leadership Team
2015 - 2016 District Leaders
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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Page 17
Program Quality Director
North and South District Officer Resources
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North: Lorraine Wheatley
South: Carolyn Kaldy
My name is Carolyn Kaldy. I am delighted to
be serving as your Program Quality Director
alongside Lorraine Wheatley. So who am I?
I was raised in Lethbridge, attended
University of Alberta Engineering, landed in
the oil patch in Calgary, obtained my Project
Management Professional certification and
am now continuing the circle back to
University in the field of Social Work. Along
the way I fell in love with Dancing
(Ballroom, Country, Argentine Tango, West
Coast Swing and Latin style dances), travel
and community volunteering with United Way
Cabinet and the Distress Centre Crisis Line. I
would say the spark that lights me up is
continuous learning.
Photos: Valentina Tkachuk
On the Toastmasters front, I am a proud
charter member of the President
Distinguished CanOrators club that meets
Thursday at lunch in downtown Calgary.
Some of the great memories have been
winning the District 42 Evaluation
Contest, hosting a district conference
with the then International President Gavin
Blakey and being addicted to district and
international conventions. However, the
best memories are from the people I have
met over the years.
It is these amazing toastmasters which
makes me so proud to belong to an
organization focused on being positive
and supportive in club meetings therefore
empowering members to develop their
communication and leadership skills. My
goal, as Program Quality Director, is to
help the District through education and
training opportunities that will serve to
enrich members’ experience in
Toastmasters. I believe it takes a village to
raise a Toastmaster so I am very excited to
be working with an awesome team of
Division Directors and Area Directors and
alongside a fabulous District support
team that will help you, the member,
experience the benefits of Toastmasters.
Carolyn Kaldy, DTM
Left to Right: District Team 2015 – 2016
John Bauer, Carolyn Kaldy, Marg Faryna,
Lorraine Wheatley, Lorenzo Heinrichs.
Page 18
What do I expect for this year? I look
forward to working with clubs to make
them even stronger then we already are.
I hope to work more with Club
Sponsors, Mentors and Coaches and
to encourage other members to step
forward and work with other
Toastmasters to achieve excellence.
One goal I have for this year is to see
each club increase their membership
base by eight members which is two
DCP Goals. What do I mean? If you
have eight members on July 1, 2015
then I would like your club to work at
increasing membership to sixteen
members. If your club has twenty
members on July 1, 2015 work at having
twenty-eight members by June 30, 2016.
Finally, I just want to encourage each
member to work towards their goals
and remember we are all here to support
and encourage everyone to succeed.
John Bauer, DTM
South: John Bauer
Fellow Toastmasters,
I am looking forward to another great year in
District 42 and I look forward to serving the
members of District 42
This will be a very exciting and eventful year in
District 42. Our last official year as District 42,
as we know it, consisting of Alberta and
Saskatchewan, will start in a few days. A lot has
already changed such as District, Division and
Area leader titles and there is still more to
come.
District 42 Team Leaders
Photos: Valentina Tkachuk
Club Growth Director
North and South Club Coach/Mentor/Sponsor
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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North: Lorenzo Heinrichs
Page 19
District Administration Manager
2015 - 2016 District Business Meetings
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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2015 - 2016 Goals
I have been a member of Toastmasters since
November 2010. I am a member of four
Toastmasters Clubs in Division B – Wild
Oats (Regina), Club 13 (Regina), Wey
Better Speakers (Weyburn) and B.L.T.
Advanced Club. I have served in many Club
Officer roles including Secretary, VP
Membership and VP Education. I have
completed a term as Area Governor (Area 4 –
2013- 2014) and Division Governor (Division
B – 2014-2015). I completed my
Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)
designation in June 2015.
As the Administration Manager for District 42
this year, I am looking forward to learning
more about the Clubs, Areas and Divisions in
District 42 and learning more about District
Leadership to help me develop to Executive
Leadership in my career.
2015 - 2016 Goals
As you grow and learn over this next year, my
goal is to ensure you are aware of and have
access to District information and
resources in a timely manner.
District Leader Planning Goals
Photo: D42 Website
This year, I will be serving the members of
District 42 by…
1. Distributing and receiving
correspondence on behalf of the District.
Notice of meetings to be sent four
weeks prior to Council Meeting
2. Taking complete and accurate minutes
at District Council, District Executive
Committee and District Business
meetings
Minutes to be made available within
one week following the meeting
3. Documenting accomplishments and
keeping custody of District documents
(i.e. updating the D42tm.org website).
Promoting the D42tm.org website as
a source of helpful information
Conduct two webinars this year on
Toastmasters information sources
4. Assisting the Public Relations
Manager with promotion, registration and
evaluation of District, Division and Area
events and webinars (i.e. Survey links).
Update District event calendar and
provide event/webinar registration
links within three days of request
Provide evaluation survey link within
three days after event/webinar
5. Assisting the Finance Manager with
tracking and documenting District
inventory (i.e. banners)
This is going to be a dynamic year in
District 42 and I look forward to serving
you!
Catherine Secundiak, DTM
Page 20
District 42 - Becoming Two
Districts!
On July 1, 2016 our current District 42 will
become two Districts. The International
Board of Directors approved the
request at their February 2015 Board
meeting, and the result was officially
announced in late March.
The southern half of our District will
remain as District 42. The northern half
will become District 99. The exact
boundaries approved by our District,
among many other details, are listed on
the D42 Reformation website
www.reformation.d42tm.org.
The Reformation committee and various
District Leaders are working through the
transition planning, as well as identifying
the many tasks and activities needed to
accomplish this reformation into two
Districts.
In the meantime we continue to operate
as one District 42 even though
preparations are being undertaken to set
the stage for both Districts.
Exciting times are ahead!
Any questions can be directed to the
Reformation committee at the following
email address
Ken Tanner, DTM, PID
District Reformation
Committee Chair - Ken Tanner, DTM, PID About Reformation
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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More Potential Members! CIWA DEMO meeting
Photos: Doris Henn, DTM, D42 Website
Page 21
++
Division F
Northern Alberta Spiritual Living Toastmasters
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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Division F Highlights
With thirty-nine clubs in eight areas at the start
of the year, Division F was clearly the largest
Division in District 42. From the start, the
Division Governor and the Area Governors
agreed that not only is F the biggest Division,
but the friendliest. Consequently, we promoted
ourselves as The Friendly Giant. Hand in
glove with being friendly is being approachable
and members of the team have maintained an
openness and approachability fitting of the
description. Lines of communication were
always open and the result was shared
knowledge among members of the Division.
The year started with four clubs in distress. As
of the time of this writing, three of the clubs that
were in distress are now in excellent shape.
One has achieved President’s Distinguished
status, and two are Distinguished. Although
the fourth club added five new members
after June 30 it has, regrettably, slipped down to
two paid members and currently needs to
consider other options.
The success achieved can be largely attributed
to two factors – amazing Area Governors and
amazing members that not only believe in
Toastmasters but in themselves. Area
Governors have poured their hearts and
souls into helping the clubs succeed,
including hands on efforts such as acquiring
venues for clubs, arranging and attending town
hall style meetings with chambers of commerce
and other groups, as well as promoting local
clubs in media, both written and radio.
Camaraderie among area clubs was achieved
with District sanctioned “gavel club” efforts, club
of the week initiatives, and area newsletters.
One Area Governor initiated a club of the
month program which encouraged
members of area clubs to converge on the
selected club at its regular meeting on a
rotational basis. Club leaders caught the
vision and carried the promotions to local
residents with the same level of
enthusiasm.
One of the distressed clubs presented a
tthree part seminar style workshop
targeted to professionals suitable to its
venue and club culture. Another in a
different Area presented a Leadership
seminar for the community. Another Area
Governor has been active in advertising
all the community clubs in the Area
simultaneously in order to provide wide
options to prospective members.
Friendliness and vision have been the
order of the year for Division F. While it has
certainly not been a “cake walk” the overall
performance of the Division has been a
rewarding experience for many
Toastmasters, Area Governors, Club
Officers, and club members.
Lorenzo Heinrichs
Division F Governor 2014 - 2015
Page 22
Early Face Time = Springboard to
Success
Change is the name of the game in
Division G this year with the re-alignment of
areas and divisions within District 42 as a
result of the District reforming in 2016-2017.
Some of the Division G clubs will be
transitioning over to the newly formed
Division L on July 1, making our annual
handover transition just a little more
challenging than usual. Not quite a new
game, but the etch-a-sketch was definitely
shaken up.
Christina Kruis, the incoming Division L
Director, has handled her transition
beautifully. She had her team of Area
Directors lined up to go even before the
Spring Convention started. (Good thing she
made it in as Division L Director!) The fact
that many of these leaders knew each
other before taking on their roles has
helped to springboard her team’s efforts to
start their year off with a bang. These pre-
existing bonds are going to really help
Division L gel as a team sooner than when
no one knows each other at the start of the
term.
Division G
Southern Alberta Sugar Town Sweet Talkers
Igniters Toastmasters
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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While not everyone has the luxury of a fairly
fully formed team at the ready, a Division
team can still come together quickly and
effectively as Grant Hanna, the incoming
Division Director for Division G, is
proving. Grant has already started making
the rounds and attended the Club Officer
Training in Lethbridge so the Area Directors
for G36 and G38 had an opportunity for
some face time with him and the clubs
attending now know how he is. It is not
always easy to make sure everyone is up to
speed as a result of the geographical spread
of clubs in Division G but already Grant is on
top of it.
As the outgoing Division G Governor, I know
the Division G Areas and Clubs I’ve come
to know and love are in strong, capable
hands with their new Division G and L
Directors. I will miss you all. Thank heaven
for contests and conferences where we can
still reconnect from time to time!
In parting, I wish my successors all the
success and rewards a year as Division
Director brings!
Devan McPherson
Division G Governor 2014 - 2015
Teamwork!
Division L Director Christina Kruis and
Division G Director Grant Hanna
Photos: District 42 Website
Page 23
Distinguished Clubs
Division G Big Rock Pioneer Toastmasters
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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Mission - Be Member Focused
Big Rock Pioneer Toastmasters (BRP) ended
the 2012-2013 year twenty-four members
strong and achieved Select Distinguished
Club for the first time in the ten year history
of the club. The year- end celebration in High
River Alberta was memorable. Longstanding
member, Division G Governor and Past
President Harry Wenzle, predicted great
things as he had put in place a strong BRP
executive and a BRP member would lead Area
23.
Less than a week later, the entire region was
severely impacted by flooding. The ambitious
plans to grow the membership to thirty and
achieve President’s Distinguished became
instead a struggle to rebuild the club. As
President, Jacquelyn Blight took on all the
executive roles, and began the process of
rebuilding. Over the year we lost most of our
core members, those experienced and dynamic
leaders that you can count on year over year to
keep a club going. Membership was reduced
to about four active members one of which
was busy at the Area level.
This year the club focused on member
retention to rebuild that important core of
skilled leaders and speakers. We choose not to
focus on membership building campaigns. Goal
setting and member surveys were the keys to
the plan. We used Easy Speak to track
progress in CC and CL manuals and looked for
opportunities to complete CL projects by
mentoring members as contest Chairs and
organizers of special events.
The most important educationals delivered were
“Selecting your Topic” and Advanced
Evaluations incorporating material developed by
Christina Kruis and Nandini Venkatesan.
These paid enormous dividends and the
quality of the evaluations were the key to
converting guests into members. This aligned
with member goals to develop skills in delivering
feedback effectively. One important change was
moving the Table Topics segment to the end
of the meeting to make the best use of available
time. We tried to make the topics welcoming
developing a culture of empathy, understanding,
respect and creativity to encourage participation.
Big Rock was a safe place to TRY.
Early in the year we videoed a demonstration
meeting matching each member to a role they
were confident in and asking them to prepare well
for that role. We also developed a meeting
script that new members could refer to the first
time they took on a role.
We had many that were interested in developing
as Keynote or Professional Speakers. To
facilitate growth in these areas, we purchased
Brian Lee’s CD’s for the club library and
connected members to MVP’s Keynote
workshop and mentors both inside and outside
of BRP.
In June we signed up two new members and
reinstated a High River member who had taken a
year off. This brought us to twenty members
(ten of which are new or reinstated) and for the
first time the club achieved President’s
Distinguished with an additional four educational
awards being carried over to the next year.
The Key to success was being member focused,
and never giving up.
Linda Vanneste
President 2014 - 2015
Page 24
Developing a Culture of Success
Golden Gavel Toastmasters (Calgary) celebrated their
41st anniversary in January 2015. Surprisingly, the
club faces the same membership challenges that
many Toastmasters clubs face each year. The club
started the year with twenty members. During the year
we added or reinstated twenty new members and
ended the year with twenty members. When you do
the math, you will discover that we did a lot of
membership building through this Toastmasters year.
Fortunately, we still had a base of twelve core members
following the April 1 dues renewal period.
During the year the club was challenged with many
members leaving the club due to work commitments,
job loss, and busy schedules. We have discovered that
membership building is an ongoing process in our
Toastmasters club.
Some of our more successful membership building
initiatives included:
Speechcraft
Every year Golden Gavel holds a Speechcraft program.
This year we gained five members as a result of our
Speechcraft program. Unfortunately, several of them
did not return after the April 1 dues renewal period.
Open House/Invite a Guest Night
To rebuild the membership we held two Open House
events. Our most successful event was our Invite a
Friend/ Guest Night “Skill Building Workshop” which
was held on June 10. The sessions included:
How Toastmasters Can Help You – Doris Henn,
District 42 Governor
Organize Your Speech – Grant Hanna, Division
J Governor
Using Gestures & Vocal Variety to Enhance
Your Speech – Louise Grenier, Club Coach
Effective Evaluations – Oriah Ori, Golden Gavel
President
Using Visual Aids – Nevin Henn, VP
Membership
Photos: District 42 Website
Distinguished Clubs
Division J Golden Gavel Toastmasters
C
Lorraine Wheatley, CC, ALB
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Our whole club worked hard inviting guests,
arranging for refreshments, greeting
guests, setting up the room or being a
presenter. I was very proud of the
combined team effort. We had six
guests. Three of them joined Golden
Gavel, one of them joined To the Point and
the other two are interested in joining a club
closer to where they live. The event was a
huge success, not only because we added
the remaining members we needed to
achieve President’s Distinguished status
for the 2014 - 2015 Toastmasters year, but
because we worked together as a team to
make the event successful.
I believe that striving to achieve
Distinguished Status each year should be
every club’s goal. Overcoming challenges
such as losing many members during a
Toastmasters year should not cause the
club to fall apart. I encourage you to turn
the challenges of lost members into an
opportunity to rebuild and work as a
team to achieve the Club Success Plan set
by the Club Executive at the beginning of
the Toastmasters year.
It is our plan to finish the 2015 - 2016
Toastmasters year as President’s
Distinguished as well. Golden Gavel has
developed a “Culture of Success”.
Doris Henn, DTM
District Governor 2014 - 2015
Page 25
Distinguished Clubs
Division J SAIT Sayers Toastmasters
SOS Toastmasters
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Coaching to Success
It is often challenging to lead a college club to
Distinguished Status by June 30 of the
Toastmasters year. College students are
challenged with demanding schedules, exams, the
stress and pressure of a heavy course load, part
time jobs and a lack of time.
Club Coach Tony Wegscheidler, has worked
with the members of SAIT Sayers for the past
three years. Tony has a desire to see each of the
members succeed by building their speaking and
leadership skills. Club Coaching is a labour of love
for Tony. He faithfully attends each weekly
meeting. The members get far more than
coaching on how to speak with confidence. Tony
cares about each one of them and gives them
career advice, teaches life skills and is a
genuine friend and father figure to each of them.
SAIT Sayers has a unique chemistry. The
members are supportive of each other in the
club and also outside the club. They cheer each
other on to success, have become friends and
look out for each other throughout the school year.
Clubs Helping Clubs
Above: Bottom Line and Sait Sayers Year End Party
Right: Coach Tony Wegscheidler honoring Alex
Dimattia, for his achievements.
Photos: Doris Henn, DTM
On Saturday, June 20, 2015, I had the
pleasure of attending the joint Bottom Line
and SAIT Sayers year end celebration.
Alex Dimattia, ACB delivered an
inspirational speech from an advanced
manual. Alex has developed from a nervous
speaker who spoke faster than a speeding
bullet to someone who now speaks with
purpose and deliberation. He plans to be a
professional speaker and presenter. He
learned to speak by joining SAIT Sayers.
Kendra Wegscheidler also gave her last
speech to earn her Advanced Communicator
Bronze. A couple years ago, I had the
pleasure of hearing Kendra deliver her
tenth speech to earn her Competent
Communicator award on a bus filled with
Calgary Toastmasters enroute to the
Saskatoon Convention.
SAIT Sayers is a safe place to learn, grow
and develop confidence as a speaker and
leader. Thank you to Club Coach Tony for
the dedication he has shown over the past
three years. Congratulations on becoming a
successful Club Coach and leading SAIT
Sayers to Distinguished status for the
2014 - 2015 Toastmasters year.
Doris Henn, DTM
District Governor 2014 - 2015
Page 26
Distinguished Clubs
Division J To The Point Toastmasters
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Promoting the Possible
In September 2014, To The Point Toastmasters
had only three returning members. What
looked like an impossible situation evolved
into a huge success story as the Toastmasters
year unfolded.
Seasoned Toastmasters including Darlene
Davies, Castilia Carabelea, John Bauer, Area
Governor Michelle Jeffrey and District
Governor Doris Henn offered their support by
delivering speeches, presenting educational
talks, helping with meeting roles and inviting
guests. Club Coach Diane Fox and her
husband Glen Brown joined the club in
November and provided the stability that the club
needed to move forward. Club President Nevin
Henn provided consistent leadership throughout
the 2014 - 2015 Toastmasters year. As a result,
To The Point grew from the three returning
members to twenty-two members as of June
11, 2015 and ended the year as a President’s
Distinguished Club.
On June 18, 2015, To The Point held their
annual Award Ceremony. It was a pleasure to
attend and present awards to many of the
members who have benefited from the quality
meetings that take place each week. We
enjoyed three quality speeches, three effective
evaluations, exciting Table Topics and great
refreshments.
To The Point won two of the District
contests this year. For submitting a
picture taken with the Club Banner, To
The Point won one of the monthly District
42 prizes. The club also won a ticket to
the Lethbridge “Top Gavel Convention”
for being a part of the District 42 Club
Buddy program.
To The Point meets in the newly
renovated Calgary Crowfoot Co-op
meeting room every Thursday night from
7 to 8:30 pm. A change of location was
one of the factors that contributed to the
success of this club.
Bringing a club from three returning
members to the point of twenty-two
members is the result of hard work, a
combined team effort, and quality
meetings.
Great job To the Point. You are a great
example for the clubs in District 42.
Doris Henn, DTM
District 42 Governor 2014 - 2015
Page 27
Distinguished Clubs
Division L Twin Rivers Toastmasters
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Emotional Rescue
Seven Ways One of District 42’s Oldest
Clubs Came Back from the Brink
A year ago, I would not believe we would be
here today. In May 2014, I accepted the
position of Area Governor for J53. I am
delighted to learn that it includes two of the
District’s oldest club, Bow Valley
Toastmasters and Twin Rivers 667.
Delight turns to distress when I learn that
several of Twin Rivers’ decades-long
members have recently passed away, leaving
only a handful of members.
Most of those members are new and green
except for Ed Howse, VP Education for
2014-15. Ed’s enthusiasm for Twin Rivers
667 infects the club throughout the year.
A year later Twin Rivers 667 achieves
President’s Distinguished status.
Here’s a brief rundown of the key actions and
factors that helped us achieve this lofty goal.
1. First thing: Club Coach assigned. That
was me. After I became Club Coach, I
became a member. Only eight members
to go! We were at about five members
when I joined and for a long time I was the
only woman in the room!
2. I quickly added some other Toastmasters.
My Assistant Area Governor, Anthony
Sanni needed a new home club. He fit
in perfectly with the other young
engineers.
3. Ed Howse asked for a senior Toastmaster to join. Division J Governor, Grant Hanna stepped up. His contribution to parliamentary procedure, running tight meetings and his expansive knowledge of Toastmasters made him invaluable to the club.
4. Our location was a problem. Our host building had literally crumbled (you may have seen it on the news) and it took us some months to research a new location. Ultimately, one of our club executive members secured space in Suncor Energy Centre. Twin Rivers 667 meets at 6PM on Monday evenings on Floor 17W at Suncor Energy. Guests are always welcome.
5. Since occupying the new location, our membership has grown. The new members are eager and are working busily in their CC and advanced manuals. The club has many new members with strong starter speaking skills. Most are young professionals but we have a good mix of ages, gender, and occupation.
6. Club member, Scott Humphries, (President 2015-16) performed like a pro in both fall and spring contests. He represented Area 53 in Division J Humourous Speech, International Speech and Speech Evaluation contests. He placed in the top three in two of the Division contests, impressive for a beginner Toastmaster from a once-struggling club!
7. Weekly meetings are well-run, with continuous adherence to the Toastmasters principles that make this program work for people all over the world. Members complete manual speeches and are working towards their educational goals.
All the members, new and renewed, have
contributed to the success of Twin Rivers 667. I
am confident they will continue to succeed as a
club and as individual members. It has been a
privilege to be involved and to see the club
achieve success. Now I believe that any club
can be rescued.
Shelley Goldbeck,
Area J53 Governor 2014 - 2015
Page 28
Distinguished Clubs
Division L Verve Toastmasters Club
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Verve’s Success Story
Verve Toastmasters was hanging by a
thread. We were able to sign up only ten
members for the April 1 dues renewal. Our
average attendance at meeting had fallen
below five members. It was time for action.
Our first step was to have a brainstorming
session, asking for as many ideas as
possible. We chose to plaster the
neighborhood around our meeting
location with posters, brochures, and
Toastmaster magazines. We then planned
for an open house, inviting past guests,
other Toastmasters, and those who had
expressed an interest in joining, but who had
not attended any meetings.
Our attendance at the open house was
remarkable – seven members, six other
Toastmasters, and seven guests (six of
whom have signed up as new members).
Our membership at the end of the year was
20 members and we were able to achieved
President’s Distinguished status.
The moral of the story is to never give up.
Use the same determination used to achieve
educational goals to building the club. It
works!!!
Dick Myers, DTM
President 2014 - 2015
Top Gavel Contest Winner
It is said, “What's meant to be will always
find a way.” Literally within seconds of
receiving the email from Marg Faryna,
congratulating the New Entrepreneurs Club
for winning one complimentary
registration to the District 42 Spring
Convention by achieving Distinguished
Club Status before April 10, 2015, I was
asking our VP Ed Noel Bentley to consider
me.
In a few days I was in Lethbridge making
new friends. My plan was institutional and
personal. First, I wanted to witness, for
the first time, the speech contest at
District level, be part of the elections of
the executive team and hear about the new
Educational Path. Invaluable lessons from
speakers to a crowd of Toastmasters!
Secondly, it was also a personal celebration
of my first year anniversary with
Toastmasters, working towards sponsoring
the first Spanish bilingual Club, receiving
my Triple Crown and seeing my mentor
Greg Gazin receive his 4th DTM. All
expectations were met plus one more:
becoming Division M, Area 28 Director.
Fascinating challenges!
Marta Munoz
Spring Evaluation Contest
Photo: Valentina Tkachuk
Page 29
Member Highlights
Division C Division D - Fabulous Facilitators
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An Inspirational Toastmaster
“Over my almost nineteen years as a
Toastmaster, I have listened to more than one
hundred Icebreakers. But until recently, I have
never heard these words, ‘in just five days I
will be 91 years old, and I’m just getting
started’. But those were the words spoken by
Dot Myers in her icebreaker speech last
month. And, yes, she is now 91 years old.
Dot, or as I am so lucky to call her “Mom”, lost
my Dad last year after over 66 years of
marriage. For the past year Mom has been
living in a hospital, and in a seniors’ residence.
Now she is living in a nursing home. During
this time she has been understandably
depressed, and unwilling to socialize with her
fellow residents. Then I realized what Mom
needed was confidence. What better
organization than Toastmasters to help
someone gain self-confidence? So in June, I
enrolled Mom as a member of Verve
Toastmasters in Calgary. She immediately
started preparing her first speech, practicing it
many times.
On August 16 she delivered that Icebreaker
speech, and cannot stop telling everyone
where she lives about the experience. Now
she constantly wears her Toastmasters pin.
She has more bounce in her step, and a
much improved outlook for the future.”
I wrote these words almost five years ago,
never really expecting it to go much further.
But this year, on June 10, 2015, Mom
completed her Competent Communicator
manual, at the amazing age of 95!!
Most of her speeches were about her life
and her family, but her favorite speech was
about oranges, where she had to learn a lot
of facts. When I explained that this was the
last speech in her manual, she asked,
“Does that mean I won’t do any more
speeches?” But her eyes lit up when I told
her about the advanced manuals. She
has chosen her Manuals. It’s only a matter
of time and scheduling before she starts
toward her ACB designation. My Mom is
my inspiration.
Dick Myers, DTM
D-Dedicated and Determined
Flashback…. June 2014. I encouraged
Peter Gachira to join Toastmasters and
he accepted the invitation. I became his
mentor and guided him through his initial
steps towards his Toastmasters journey.
I knew he was a fast learner and it gives
me so much joy to see him excel and
have done exceptionally well. Peter has
completed his CC, CL, ALB and ACB
designations.
Photos: Doris Henn, DTM and Clubs
Page 30
Member Highlights
Division E
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Peter initially served his home Club
Fabulous Facilitators as the Club
Secretary and was elected as the VP-
PR in the second half of the year. Peter
competed in the Fall Contest where he
placed second in the Table Topics
competition at the Area level. At the spring
competition he represented Area 7 at the
Division Level.
Peter assisted the Money Talk$ charter
presentation by presenting a speech. He
was a model speaker for a few club and
Area contests.
He is currently an active member of his
home club Fabulous Facilitators as the
elected VP-PR, Secretary of the soon to
be charter club Health Aware and a
member of the Edmonton Advanced club.
For the upcoming term 2015-2016 Peter
was appointed as the Area Director.
It makes me proud to be the mentor to
Peter who has done exceptionally well. A
toast to this rising *Star*. One of the many
Stars adding to the sparkle and glitter of
Division D Star Power Galaxy.
Well done Peter!
Carisa David, DTM
Division D Governor 2014 - 2015
Promoting Toastmasters Clubs in the Online World
Another busy Toastmasters year has
come to an end. Not only have we seen
many clubs participate in Club, Area and
Division contests, but we have also seen
more people get involved with their club
executives. While we do select a new
club executive each year, I have
personally seen a big desire to learn
more, especially from our VP-PR
executive members.
This year has been my first official
Toastmasters year, but I decided to
make the most of it. Being a geeky tech
person, I was approached to give the
Division E website a complete
makeover. With some guidance from
Richard Jackson, the previous
webmaster and fellow Prairie Schooner
member, I decided to make this my HPL
project and create something very
valuable for Division E Toastmasters.
With a strong team in place, the new
website was created. And with that came
the “Free Toast Host Club Website
Tutorial Series,” which can be
accessed right from the homepage of the
Division E website. We quickly learned
that there was a big need for Free
Toast Host web training, but this kind
of training was not part of our bi-annual
executive training.
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Member Highlights
Free Toast Host Web Training NAYLP
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The “Free Toast Host Club Website Tutorial
Series” has only been live since January, but
it has already helped clubs around the
world. When we released the tutorial, we
experienced four times as many visitors
as we previously had on the Division E
website. In fact, clubs from France, Spain
and the United States were taking full of
advantage of the free web tutorial.
But maybe these international visitors are
finding more than just the tutorial series
useful. Throughout this past Toastmasters
year, I have made several changes to the
website. With articles being submitted from
several Division E Toastmasters and Area
Governors, the new website has really
become a resource center. I have
personally added useful videos from
Toastmasters International as well to help
foster the individual development of brand
new members.
If you have not been to the website
(divisionetm.org) this year, please head over
there and have a look around. If you know a
club who is struggling with their Free
Toast Host website, let them know about
the training. This should be a resource
given to all new VP-PR executive members!
Our aim is to create a strong Division E with
informative and well-done websites that
could influence membership rates.
I want to thank everyone who
contributed, commented, encouraged
and supported me and my fantastic
HPL team throughout this web
makeover. I hope I have left a great
resource for everyone to use to take their
club websites to the next level. I have left
the webmaster position with Sarah
Penner, so you are all in great hands. I
can’t wait to see you all out and about at
Toastmasters event during this upcoming
Toastmasters year. Make this new year
the best you can.
Malene Jorgensen CC, ALB
Advanced Youth Leadership
I am excited to share with you the
results of our Pilot Project for an
"Advanced" Youth Leadership
program. Some of the youth who
registered for the Advanced Session
had completed two or three previous YL
sessions, and they are hungry for
more! Helen Mah was the
Coordinator, and Matthew Mercredi,
one of the assistants. They suggested
we establish some 'stretch' goals for the
youth. I have to say these even made
ME nervous! But the feedback at the
graduation event was great!!
1. Speeches had to be a minimum of
5 minutes, and Table Topics had to
be a minimum of 1 minute -- or they
would have to be redone.
2. Their evaluations were excellent,
and they used the sandwich
technique each time. In addition, I
asked that they focus on helping the
Page 32
Member Highlights
Youth Leadership NAYLP
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speaker discover that special essence
they had that was unique to them, and
help them to see that in themselves
3. When asked the most difficult thing
they had to do, one little gal said it
was to give a speech three times in
order to reach the time. But I can
tell you that she was SO PROUD to
know that she faced and delivered on
that challenge.
4. We are planning to add an Advanced
session to our programming, and as
such, will require our Coordinators to
ensure they are meeting basic criteria
in order to prepare the youth for the
Advanced session. Some of the youth
said that their previous speeches only
had to be one to three minutes in
length!
5. Upon completion of the Advanced
program, it is our intention that the
Youth will feel prepared and
comfortable attending a Toastmaster
meeting when they turn eighteen.
6. Cherry Cheung, our Team Leader,
has been approached by the Ben Calf
Robe School, and on April 8, 2015 we
delivered a model Youth Leadership
session. We have a number of
Toastmasters who are interested in
attending and helping deliver
this. NAYLP has just this term
sponsored materials for THREE
Youth Leadership programs, and
parents (and students) want to know
when we'll run the next one!
Photos: Toastmasters International Website
7. Just barely home from the graduation
event, I got a telephone call from a
mother wanting to register her
daughter in a session. It was hard to tell
her that it may be Fall before another set
of sessions will be scheduled.
Also very exciting is my own growth as a
speaker, and I owe it all to my
participation in the Toastmasters Youth
Leadership program.
I was Test Speaker for the Spiritual
Living TM Club, and I gave a speech,
without notes, and shared my passion and
experience about working with the Youth.
And I only got a little "misty" at times!
Karen Tober
Page 33
In Memoriam
Edmonton Calgary
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Lilia Witzke DTM
To Lilia’s Toastmasters family,
The family of Lilia Witzke, DTM, would
like to acknowledge the generous
support from the Toastmasters
community. Your hugs, cards, phone
calls, and watermelon kept our spirits
high through the difficult time. Lilia was
proud to be a Toastmaster and I’m
sure she is already organizing a demo
meeting wherever she is. She has
packed a lot in her 52 years, and all of
you were part of that journey.
With sincere thank you from our family to
yours,
Bernd, Eduard and Justin Witzke
Remembering a Special Toastmaster
Photo: Witzke Family
Jane Zarn, ATM Silver, AL
Jane Zarn was a charter member of Igniters
and her favorite positions were taking on
leadership roles. She was feisty, a straight
shooter, and like the phoenix had a way of
rising again and again over many challenges.
Jane passed away on March 6, 2015. We will
miss you Jane.
Last year, Mona Cooley, Marvin Henry and I
went to visit her in Red Deer when she was not
feeling well. She was very excited about
Igniters 10th Anniversary, a few days later
she sent a mini speech for the event.
Excerpts from Jane’s speech:
“I can recall many a laughter and always
returning home from the Club weekly meetings,
with my SPIRIT IGNITED and a flame burning
brightly until the next weekly Club meeting. The
reason I joined Toastmasters was to better
present myself at interviews as well as
presenting myself better – every time I spoke. I
love to be amongst eager achievers!”
Nandini Venkatesan, DTM
Sharing Friendship
Photo: Mona Cooley, DTM
Page 34
Celebrations
Saskatoon, SK. Big Thinkers Toastmasters
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Big Thinkers 30th Anniversary
On Friday, June 5th 2015, at 7 pm, Big Thinkers
Toastmasters Club #5921 celebrated its 30th
anniversary, in the Canadian room of Saskatoon
Inn, a great venue nicely decorated by Cecilia
Elizabeth for the occasion. The event was co-
chaired by Edna Boissonnault and Soji Oyenuga,
who nailed it with a very rich and pleasant program.
More than forty people attended, including Area
Governors Brian Harrison (Area 19) and Carol
Harrison (Area 47), Toastmasters from other clubs
such as Saskatoon Toastmasters Club 450, CBA
Living Skies Advanced and current and former
members from across Saskatchewan and Alberta.
In his welcome speech, Judicaël Moukoumi the
Club President talked about what makes Big
Thinkers Toastmasters Club unique. It is a club in
which the environment which is always supportive,
respectful, positive and fun, fostered by
seasoned members. It also includes members
from all walks of life including, artists, academics,
professionals, students, retired people and public
servants. The club is a diversified group in terms
of age (from 20s to 90s), and background
(Aboriginals, African Descents, European Descents,
Asian Descents); A wonderful blend of seasoned and
new members working together.
Some members are working on their second or third
DTM while others are completing the first speeches
of their CC manual. All this richness strives on the
solid foundations built by the chartered members,
represented in the room by Ben Waldron and
Linda McMurray, who received a standing
ovation. Bev Roth led the Table Topics
session with questions pertaining to the
benefits of joining Toastmasters and bridging
the past to the present.
One of the features of the evening was the
historical perspective of Big Thinkers
Toastmasters speech by Alice Hanlin. She
exemplified the excellence of speaking while
allowing the audience to learn more about the
context and spirit in which Big Thinkers
Toastmasters Club came into existence thirty
years ago. Charter Members, past and current
members who have contributed the most to
the club’s success received certificates of
appreciation from the president.
One of the most emotional moments of the
evening was when Vi Hawkins, twenty-five
year veteran of Toastmasters, received a
new DTM plaque as the original was lost in a
tragic event a couple of months ago.
Katherine Kawula was there with her great
sense of humour to test the listening skills of
the audience in the Quiz session. Vijay
Kachru and Cecile Coppens added sparks to
the event with their short but touching and
profound speeches.
Two lucky members of the audience won the
two paintings graciously donated by the artist
Vijay Kachru for this occasion.
What best exemplifies the emotion, the beauty
and the magic of this great event is without
doubt this picture of the different generations
of Big Thinkers in joy and happiness around
their 30th anniversary cake, a family of better
and big thinkers.
Judicaël Moukoumi ACB and
Cecile Coppens DTM
Page 35
Celebrations
Anniversaries and Charters
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Clockwise from top left: Success!
AON Risk Management Speakers Charter,
Dinosaurs 50th Anniversary, Derrick 25th
Anniversary, Healthy Living Charter, CS
Chatters Charter, SPE Calgary Charter,
Derrick 25th Celebration
Photos: Given by Doris Henn, John Bauer, and
Clubs
Page 36
Celebrations
Anniversaries and Charters
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Clockwise from top left: Celebrating Success
H & H Charter, Syncrude Charter, IHS The
Speak Charter, Igniters 10th Anniversary,
Intact Charter, Tundra Talkers Charter.
Photos: Given by Doris Henn, John Bauer, and
Clubs
Page 37
Promoting Speakers’ Corner
At 7:00 am Thursday morning June 25,
2015 Big Thinkers Toastmasters hosted
their annual Canada Day breakfast
meeting at Speaker’s Corner on the
grounds of Saskatoon’s City Hall. This event
is held rain or shine on the last Thursday
before Canada Day. The club invites other
Toastmasters members to attend. People
passing by often stop to see what is
happening during the regular Toastmaster
meeting, complete with Table Topics and
speeches, unfolds in the great outdoors.This
year the sun shone, the wind stayed still
and speakers stood behind the stone
lectern surrounded by the beauty of nature.
Alice Hanlin, the main instigator of seeing a
speaker’s corner on this site attended the
2015 event.
Looking back at Prairie Horizons issue 26-2
we see the history of Speaker’s Corner in
Saskatoon.
Speaker’s Corner - History
It was 7:00 a.m. on July 12th, 1990.
Approximately 100 people gathered at
“Speaker’s Corner” Saskatoon City Hall.
They were there for the unveiling of a plaque
in dedication of “Speaker’s Corner.” The
Toastmasters of Saskatoon initiated this
idea and worked with City Council to
make it a reality.
Councilor Morris Cherneskey accepted the
plaque on behalf of Saskatoon,
acknowledging that July 8th to 14th had
officially been declared Communication
Week within the City of Saskatoon. A mini-
Toastmaster meeting was held, which
introduced many guests and passersby to
Toastmasters.
Looking Back
Prairie Horizon Archive District 42 Prairie Horizons Archives
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Special thanks to Saskatoon’s two breakfast
clubs, Early Risers and Big Thinkers, for
sponsoring the event and continental
breakfast. It was a successful venture for
Toastmasters in Saskatoon, and only the first
of many future meetings at District 42’s first
“Speakers Corner”.
Alice Hanlin ATM
A Look Back to Spring 1985
As I read through the archives of Prairie
Horizons found on the District 42 website, I
chose this one about a record year for the
district. Thirty years later we are looking
back at a year of change, a year of
celebration, a year of records hopefully set
again. This year as our district’s growth led us
to reforming into two districts. The
reformation committee was headed by Ken
Tanner DTM, PID. In Division E we
celebrated the thirtieth anniversaries of three
clubs chartered in the 1984-85 year. That
year Meewasin Valley received the 100th
charter for our District. This year it has been
renamed Nipawin Nooners. Engineers 5820
is now named Innovative Toastmasters and
still continues to meet and Big Thinkers
remain Big Thinkers, proud of their history.
Look at the clubs in the other four divisions
and see if you know any trivia about them.
This article, “A Record Year For D-42”
appeared in Prairie Horizons issue 21-1.
Congratulations to everyone in the District! As
1984-85 District Governor, I had the thrill to
accept many awards on behalf of the District
at the International Convention in Columbus,
Ohio. As a District, we earned more
awards than any other District in the
world.
Page 38
Looking Back
Prairie Horizon Archive District 42 Prairie Horizons Archives
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Three awards were earned for the first time in
our District’s history.
President’s Distinguished District: this
is the highest District award available
indicating performance among the top six
Districts in the world. We placed fourth
overall in the world.
President’s Extension Award: We were
recognized as one of the top three
Districts in the world with the highest
activity in new club growth and club
retention.
President’s 20+ Award: District 42 was
one of the top three Districts in the
world with the highest percentage of
clubs with membership at or above 20.
The fourth major award earned is for this
publication. The efforts of Bob Barker,
Editor of the Prairie Horizons were well
recognized. Prairie Horizons was selected as
one of the Top Ten District Bulletins for
1984 - 1985. A significant accomplishment.
Congratulations to Bob!
How’s this for performance during
1984 - 1985?
During the year, District 42 registered six
DTMs
Thirty-three AT’s were awarded, four of
which were Bronze. Kingsway 3484 led
with four. Friendly City 2479 and Tuesday
Nooners 3868 each had two.
CTM’s were earned by 378
Toastmasters. The clubs registering the
greatest number were Southern Lights
3684, Speakers Corner 4310 and Bow
Valley 1494 with eleven each. Kingsway
3484 had nine.
Fifty-four Speechcraft programs were
registered. Leading was Dawn Breakers
5143 with nine and Waterways 3881 with
seven.
Youth Leadership programs were
conducted at a record pace. Of the twenty-
two conducted, Kingsway 3484 led with six,
Golden Gavel 438 and Forum 2344 had
two each.
Seventy-seven Success/ Leadership
programs were registered. Chinook 1448
took the lead with twelve programs followed
by Southern Lights 3684 with ten.
For having a membership at or above forty,
there were fourteen clubs achieving the
prestigious “President’s 40 Club”.
Congratulations to these clubs for sharing the
“Opportunities for growth.” Golden Gavel,
Northern Lights, Communicator, 3500 Foot,
Bow Valley, Rooster Rousers, Bowmen,
Foothills, Southern Lights, Fun Speakers,
Westwinds, Kingsway Dawn Breakers and
Waterways.
There were nineteen clubs receiving their
charter during the past year. This is one of the
major reasons why District 42 received so
many awards.
We welcomed the following clubs:
Division A: Fun Speakers, Rocky Mountain
Hot Air, Century Circle, Word Runners
Division B: Queen’s Court, Freedom
Speakers, Park Place
Division C; Big Rockers, Calgary
Centennial, Advanced Speakers, Sundial
Division D: Lloydminster Upgraders, First
Expressions, Speak Easy, Toastbusters,
Heritage
Division E: Meewasin Valley, Engineers,
Big Thinkers.
Ken Tanner, DTM
District 42 Governor 1984 - 1985
Page 39
Save the Date – November 20 - 22, 2015
District 42 Humorous and Table Topics
Contests a variety of educational sessions to
explore possibilities of improving communication
and leadership skills within Toastmasters and
beyond – exciting keynote speaker – networking
opportunities with fellow Toastmasters from across
our great district – all this packed into one weekend
of . . .
Exploring the World Of Possibilities
We invite you to come and Explore the World of
Possibilities with us at the District 42 Fall
Conference in Saskatoon, SK. The conference will
be held at the beautiful Saskatoon Inn with easy
access to the airport and main roads into our city.
Watch for more updates on the d42tm.org
website.
Fall Conference Preview
Saskatoon, SK. District Fall Conference
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First Convention!
I read the program before getting to the
spring convention in Lethbridge, AB, I was
still was not sure what it was all about, so I
would like to share with you the highlights
that left an impression on me.
The level of the speech contest was a
great experience to see a group of very
skilled people with powerful messages
and refined speaking abilities. During the
contest I was trying to predict the winners
and it was very difficult due to the high
quality of delivery.
The banquet was the time to dress up and
attend a glamorous night. The structure of
the program to receive the authorities in the
banquet’s room was something that I did not
expect. Each one of them was announced
before entering the room, walking to a
designated table for them to sit, and then all
of the sudden the piper - what a surprise!
He walked through the floor playing his
instrument which sounded melodious and
quite solemn.
The piper preceded the entrance of the
District Governor and head table guests.
It was a treat for the ear and the eye. In
general the banquet was not only about the
ceremonious moment, it was about giving
the recognition to the hard work of all the
volunteers serving the clubs, particularly
governors, past governors and club
authorities, those who donated their time
and effort for the well-being of the club; in
many cases for very long years.
This was a weekend to learn, to enjoy the
camaraderie with the Toastmasters I met,
and a time to expand my Toastmasters
horizons. Thank you TM, I did enjoy it!
Israel Ginez
Page 40
It has been my pleasure and a great
privilege to have been District 42’s
Prairie Horizon editor for two years. As I
am thankful to previous editors for
helping to preserve the history of our
district I want to wish the future
editors much success. Thanks for
allowing me to help preserve the
memories and accomplishments of the
amazing Toastmasters in District 42.
Carol Harrison DTM
Hope you enjoyed this edition of Prairie
Horizons and keep promoting your members
to honour and recognize their achievements.
Special thanks for all the teamwork. The
talent in District 42 is inspiring!
Nandini, and Marvin
Left to Right: Prairie Horizon Team
Carol Harrison, Nandini Venkatesan, Marvin Henry,
Malene Jorgensen, Greg Gazin, Darlene Davies,
Geetha Nicodemus and John Bauer
Photos: Valentina Tkachuk and PH Team
Editor – Thank You
Prairie Horizons Team d42tm.org
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Promoting Members and Teamwork
This will be my last issue as District 42
Prairie Horizons editor. I have enjoyed
reading submissions from members, clubs
and district leadership over these last two
years. Scouring the archives to find articles
for the Look Back portion of this newsletter
has been informative, given a few chuckles
at the hairstyles of years past – or in some
cases the hair some people still had. It has
given me a glimpse into some reoccurring
challenges along with interesting ideas that
others have tried. If you have a few minutes
browse these archives. You never know
what might spark an idea for you or your
club.
I hope these issues have helped you realize
you are part of a family of Toastmasters
spanning the vast geographic region of
Alberta and Saskatchewan yet united in
striving to reach their personal goals of
improved communication and leadership
skills. I hope it has encouraged you,
promoted Toastmasters and celebrated the
accomplishments of so many.
Putting out these issues of Prairie Horizons
takes an entire team. I have been so
fortunate to work with an amazing group of
talented people. Nandini Venkatesan and
Marvin Henry have worked their magic to
take the articles and photos and come up
with this beautiful publication. Thanks seems
so small for the hours of work they have put
into this.
There has been support for the District
PROs that I have worked with, Geetha
Nicodemus and John Bauer. I can’t forget
all who helped with editing and proofreading
to make this the best it can be. Thanks
Malene Jorgensen, Greg Gazin and
Darlene Davies. Many eyes spot little
inconsistencies which we can fix to polish
each piece to the best of our abilities.
Page 41
Sharing the Toastmasters Advantage
Has Toastmasters helped you with your
communication and leadership skills? Do you
know friends, family, and colleagues who
might benefit from visiting a Toastmasters
Club?
Why Should I Join?
The Toastmasters program offers many
benefits that help people in all walks of
life. As a result of participating in
Toastmasters, you will:
Increase your self-confidence
Become a better speaker
Become a better leader
Communicate more effectively
About Toastmasters
New Members & Guests Toastmasters International
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How Does It Work?
A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-
doing workshop in which participants hone
their speaking and leadership skills in a no-
pressure atmosphere.
There is no instructor in a Toastmasters
meeting. Instead, members evaluate one
another’s presentations. This feedback
process is a key part of the program’s
success.
Meeting participants also give impromptu
talks on assigned topics, conduct meetings
and develop skills related to timekeeping,
grammar and parliamentary procedure.
Members learn communication skills by
working in the Competent Communication
manual, a series of ten self-paced speaking
assignments designed to instill a basic
foundation in public speaking.
About District 42
District 42 comprises more than 250
corporate clubs in most of the cities and
towns of Alberta and Saskatchewan.
To learn more about District 42 please
visit:
www.d42tm.org.
Welcome to Toastmasters International
Looking to develop speaking and leadership
skills? Ace a job interview? Ignite your
career?
Toastmasters International is a world leader in
communication and leadership development.
Our membership is 332,000 strong. These
members improve their speaking and leadership
skills by attending one of the 15,400 clubs in
135 countries that make up our global network
of meeting locations.
Membership in Toastmasters is one of the
greatest investments you can make in yourself.
It is also one of the most cost-effective skill-
building tools available anywhere.
www.toastmasters.org