District 106

Newsletter

June 2024

From the Desk of the District Director

More than 320 members, brand new to Toastmasters, have joined District 106 clubs during this program year. This is strong testimony to each of you and your commitment to providing safe, supportive environments in which to practice your communication and leadership skills. These new members recognize something we long-timers occasionally forget: it works! Your commitment to full participation in your Toastmasters club brings you a tool kit of transferable skills which help you in your personal and professional life. Not only that, but it is fun! Continue to invite new members. They are joining and our District is stronger for their presence.

What are the metrics which determine whether a Toastmasters District is distinguished? The first is club numbers. We are tasked with not losing any clubs while following our District mission to Build New Clubs. It has been a “right-sizing” program year for District 106. Multiple clubs have abandoned their charters. Perhaps this was necessary, but at any rate we are now populated with stronger clubs remaining. Katy Hursh and her team can feel good about their opportunity to return this district to distinguished status in 2024-2025.

We are held to a metric for member payments. With dues adjustments in recent years, it has become a challenge for some to remain members in multiple clubs. All the same, our member numbers continue to grow and we will finish this program year remarkably close to the number of paid members who began this program year journey. For me, the one secret to getting new members is the simple invitation. Ask guests to join your clubs! Make your club visible. Hold multiple open house events. Ask visitors to join! Remember: it works!

A third District metric is “Distinguished Clubs.” We have fewer than 10 distinguished clubs at this time, but our members have been diligently working their speaking and leadership projects. We have many clubs which are within one or two distinguished club points of being recognized as distinguished. Get that distinguished recognition for your members! What does your club need to be recognized as distinguished? How can your District leadership team help you to get there? It isn’t too late. Reach out to nearby distinguished clubs. Visit them. Steal their secrets! Our members are working their projects and gaining skills. Let’s get them recognized for that effort!

Take a risk. Step outside your comfort zone. Say “yes” to serving as an Area Director. Serve as a committee chair or member. Connect with the dynamic leaders at work in this district. Your “yes” may be the first step toward placing yourself in a District leadership position. You’ll meet amazing people and with mutual commitment to serving our members you will grow beyond your wildest dreams! “Yes!” You can!

Plan now to be present at our live an in-person summer Toastmasters Leadership Institute and Awards Ceremony. Get credit for your club officer training and celebrate the many leaders who have served our district during the 2023-2024 Toastmasters program year. See you there!

Edward Aylward, DTM

District Director, District 106

From the Desk of the Club Growth Director

Fellow Toastmasters, we are entering the last couple weeks of our Toastmasters Year. The numbers on the Dashboard don’t show it, but we had a great year. We strengthened some clubs and brought in many new guests in our District with our various campaigns. We had visits from our Regional Advisor and our First Vice President. We had some great events and had some fun. We took two clubs that were suffering and turned them into thriving community clubs. There are currently a couple of clubs who are working hard to get up to 8 members: the Colleen Morse Golden Rule Toastmasters and Lino Lakes Toastmasters. Both clubs are planning open houses; you can find more info on the Colleen Morse Golden Rule Toastmasters event in the flyer below.

It’s imperative that we do everything we can in the next three weeks to attract members and get them to join Toastmasters. Let’s finish strong so we can start strong in July. 

From the Desk of the Program Quality Director-Elect

Toastmasters friends, we have already started planning great things for next year. Some things you should be aware of: we are still invested in hybrid meetings but also will slowly get back to doing things in person. I encourage you to do both. 

TLI/Awards - July 27, 2024. The first thing you should be aware of is our Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI) and award banquet. Mark your calendar for July 27, 2024! This event will be happening at Bunker Hills Golf Course, 12800 Bunker Prairie Rd NW, Minneapolis, MN 55448, United States, from 9am to 12pm. We will have guest speakers and training that will count towards your Officer Training requirement. After the event, we will celebrate the great year of District 106. Please join us. The link will be live this week on our D106 Calender of events.

Club officer training will be starting soon. We are doing 9 online sessions between now and August 31, 2024. There are different times and dates. Please register for one today. If you prefer to attend in person, each of our District Directors will be holding one in-person training session before August. There will be 14 sessions in total, plus the TLI, which gives you 15 opportunities to complete your training. If you take training in another district, please get their Program Quality Director to email me so I can give you credit. 

2025 Spring Conference in Thunder Bay. Not sure if you heard, but next year we are excited to announce that we will be heading north to Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, the home of our Program Quality Director. I am so excited to have you that I have created some crazy early bird prices. They will not be cheaper than this. There will also be early bird prizes for early registrants, so please sign up as soon as possible. Spots are limited. Our committee secured 2005 World Champion of Public Speaking Lance Miller as keynote speaker, and we plan to have some other surprises as well. Stay tuned.

If you take the bus from the Twin Cities to Thunder Bay, you can save even more money on the conference. You can join us and get a VIP Experience in Thunder Bay.  I only have 49 seats left on the bus. If you want to drive or you live here, buy the early bird-priced ticket today; in August the ticket prices will go up! We currently have 20 people signed up for the conference through this package. 

The 2025 conference will feature the first ever Table Topics Invitational where the winner has a chance to win some cold hard cash. We only have room for 32 people—a single elimination table topics tournament!

Sign up today by following this link:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/district-106-spring-conference-2025-tickets-913104278477

Finally, we will have an online speech contest this Fall - the Division dates are on the calendar. We will release more details shortly. Speech contests for in-person in the Spring will be Tall Tales and International.

Looking forward to a wonderful year. Thank you for all you do for Toastmasters.

Matthew Villella, DTM

Club Growth Director, District 106

Program Quality Director-Elect, District 106

Email: tm.matthew.villella@gmail.com

From the Desk of the Public Relations Manager

Fellow Toastmasters and VP-PR’s!

Greetings to you all from the Office of the District PRM [Jason and Ashok]. Hope you all are doing well. What an incredible year this has been - all the great things we have accomplished makes us all proud of our District 106. Thank you to all the VP-PR’s and the Trio leadership for the incredible support. I would like to thank my awesome team for all the incredible great work they have put in this year.

Please help me welcome our incoming Public Relations Manager Leo Smith, Newsletter Editor in Chief Katrina Begley, and Chief Wed Editor Jason Sonnek. Congratulations to the PRM team 2024-2025!

Transitioning duties from outgoing team members are in progress. Calling on all Toastmasters who are interested in serving our PRM Office 2024-2025. Please reach out to ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com. Open positions include Social Media Manager and Content Creator.

Thank you to all the Clubs that participated in the 2023-2024 PR Contest. Winners will be announced at the TLI in July ’24.

I recommend all the incoming VP-PR’s to review Toastmasters brand guidelines when posting any content in your Club website and social platforms. Click here to access the Toastmasters Brand Manual. You can access more PR content from our District 106 page Office of Public Relations.

If you have any questions, comments, feedback, or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out! 

Together we keep the Toastmasters brand strong!

PRM Team [Ashok, Jason]

Ashok Sunkavalli

2023-2024 District 106 Public Relations Manager

tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com

Cell: (319) 431-2415

Follow us on the D106 Website, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for exciting updates, inspiration, and more.

District 106 Social channel presence by the Numbers:

Facebook: 488 X (Formerly Twitter): 214 LinkedIn: 229 Instagram: 309 YouTube: 164 TikTok: 50

From the Desk of the Immediate Past District Director

Empowering Tomorrow's Leaders: Why Youth Leadership Training Is Essential

In a rapidly evolving world, the urgency for youth to take on leadership roles has never been greater. Equipping young people with leadership skills has numerous benefits, contributing to their personal development and the prosperity of society at large.

Importance of Leadership Training

Youth leadership programs serve as training grounds for the skills needed to thrive in today's complex world. These programs lay the foundation for success in various aspects of life by fostering confidence, effective communication, problem-solving abilities, empathy, accountability, and resilience.Leadership training goes beyond skill acquisition; it cultivates critical thinking, goal setting, and the ability to face challenges gracefully, preparing young minds to become catalysts for positive change.

Addressing Leadership Gaps

To bridge the gaps in contemporary leadership, we must tailor our training methods to meet the evolving needs of the digital age. We may involve:

• Integrating digital literacy.
• Promoting collaboration in virtual spaces.
• Emphasizing the ethical dimensions of leadership.

By harnessing the power of technology, we can create immersive learning experiences that resonate with today's youth. Online courses, virtual mentorship programs, and digital simulations can empower young leaders to thrive in a digitized world.

The Role of the Pandemic in Shaping Leadership Training

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of virtual communication and collaboration. While the shift to remote work and virtual meetings has become necessary, the fundamentals of leadership remain unchanged. Programs like the Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program provide a structured framework for youth to refine their communication and leadership skills. By offering a supportive environment for practice and feedback, these programs prepare young leaders to navigate the challenges of the

digital era with confidence.

Empowering the Next Generation

As parents and mentors, we are responsible for providing the tools and opportunities for our youth to flourish as leaders. Organizations like ANMN and Real-Life Speakers are leading the way by offering youth leadership programs that cater to the needs of today's digital natives. By encouraging participation in such initiatives, we invest in our youth's future and nurture a culture of leadership and innovation. Let us empower the next generation to lead with purpose and passion.

Join Us for the Journey

We invite you to join us for a transformative youth leadership program organized by ANMN and Real-Life Speakers. Mark your calendars for the following dates and unleash the leader within:

- June 29 & 30 @ 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

- July 13 &14 @ 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Venue:

6885 Washington Ave South, Edina, MN, United States

Together, let's embark on a growth, learning, and leadership excellence journey. See you there!

Contact:

Beth Plamondon, Youth Leadership Coordinator

Email: tm.beth.plamondon@gmail.com

Gopu Shrestha, Organizer

Email: tm.gopu.shrestha@gmail.com

Gopu Shrestha, DTM, Immediate Past District Director