District 35 Platinum Year: Remember, Rejoice, Recommit

Finishing This Year Strong & Starting Next Year Right

When I joined Toastmasters in June 2014, little did I know that I would make a decision that would forever shape the trajectory of my life. For many years, that decision was not consequential because I had not fully optimized the gift that is Toastmasters since I had not yet taken on a leadership role. As I wrap up my year as District Director, I am so very thankful for the mentorship and training I have received and for the gift that it has been to serve, first as an Area F4 Director, then Division F Director, and then as a member of the Trio as Club Growth Director, Program Quality Director and now as our District Director. In this final newsletter article as District Director, I reflect, rejoice and recommit on both a personal and corporate journey.

Remember

Our District Leadership including the Trio, Top District Leadership, 7 Division Directors and 22 Area Directors are doing a phenomenal job. In keeping with the No Member No Club Left Behind 3-Year Strategic Plan, we completed a record 100% Area Director Visits in November 2022 and 90% Area Director visits in May 2023. Our goal is to ensure that no club is left behind and that each club is served by the District.

The Dashboard on June 1, 2023

Our District continues to excel in Region 5, ranking 4^th in Membership Payments, and is still competitive worldwide, ranking 43^rd (out of 126 Districts). Unfortunately, we are now lagging behind in Paid Clubs and Distinguished Clubs, though performing better than we did last year, which is encouraging news. 

There is still time for us to achieve our Membership payment goal of 100% from base, since we are only 116 membership payments short as of June 1, 2023. With more people renewing, I am certain that we can make progress to achieving both our Paid Clubs and Distinguished Clubs goals for our District.

Distinguished District status is within reach—we are 15 Paid Clubs, 116 membership payments, and 21 Distinguished Clubs short of being a Distinguished District.

As I noted in previous Newsletter editions, we all have a part in helping our District finish the year strong. We can keep our Toastmasters Promise to attend meetings regularly, participate in giving speeches and serving in club roles. We can do our part by taking on club leadership roles and stepping out of our comfort zone to serve in the District.

Rejoice

As a District, we have accomplished so much and have much to be thankful for. Celebrating the Platinum Anniversary of our District on November 19, 2022 is at the top of my list.  I’m also thankful for the club members and the club, area, division and district leaders who helped us achieve so much this year.

Our Spring Conference gave us the Keys to Success for our personal, professional and Toastmasters journeys.  We also celebrated several individuals and clubs that accomplished above and beyond and helped advance our District mission.

2023 District 35 Award Recipients

Please join me in congratulating the following individuals and clubs that were honored at this year’s District 35 Spring Conference:

• Toastmaster of the Year: Amy Linn-Strosin, DTM
• Division Director of the Year: Lee Samson, IP4
• Area Director of the Year: Susan Brushafer, MS3
• Club President of the Year: Amy Krymkowski, PM1
• Director’s Award: Menomonee Falls Toastmasters
• Club Website: Menomonee Falls Toastmasters Club
• Club Social Media: Summit Seekers Club

District 35 3-Year Strategic Plan

At the start of the Toastmaster year, our Trio team embarked on a 3-year strategic plan. The main elements of the plan were:

• No member left behind
• Intentionally sharing Toastmasters
• Strategic stewardship

As a Team, we have been successful in ensuring most of our clubs in our District received an Area Director visit:

• 100% Area Director Visit Reports by November 30, 2022
• 90% Area Director Visit Reports by May 31, 2023

As of June 1, 2023, we have 15 Distinguished Clubs and 2 Distinguished Areas with 1 almost-Distinguished Area. Congratulations to the following Areas: 

• Distinguished Area A1—Division Director Yuriy Ksenidi and Area Director Danita Graham
• Distinguished Area C4—Division Director Lee Samson and Area Director Debra Ruskamp
• Almost-Distinguished Area F2—Division Director Paul Anderson and Area Director Larry Koerber

2023 Annual Business Meeting on April 29, 2023—Highlights

At this year’s Annual Business Meeting, the District Council Members voted to approve the following 3 items:

• District 35 Alignment—The main impact of the Alignment is that our District went from 7 Divisions to 6 Divisions, with the elimination of Division B. Effective July 1, 2023, our Districts have the following Divisions: A, C, D, E, F & N.
• Updated District Procedures Manual
• Election of the 2023-2024 District 35 Leadership team

2023-2024 District 35 Leadership

Please join me in congratulating the incoming District Leadership team:

• District Director: Jason Feucht, DTM
• Program Quality Director: Robert Wall, DTM
• Club Growth Director: Theresa Flynn, DTM
• Division A Director: Julie Gerasch
• Division C Director: Lee Samson, IP4
• Division D Director: Paul Anderson, CC, ALB
• Division E Director: Brandon Birrenkott, CC
• Division F Director: Yuriy Ksenidi, PI2

Recommit

Finishing This Year Strong & Starting Next Year Right

We are less than a month away from the end of the Toastmasters year. There is still time for you and your club to achieve the goals you set for the year. In keeping with our theme for the Platinum Year—Remember, Rejoice and Recommit—here are some things we can do to both finish this year strong and begin the next year with a bang:

• Reflect on our commitment to ourselves (personal and professional goals) and to our club (club success plan) that we made at the beginning of the Toastmasters year. Take time to review and reflect on what went well and what could have gone better in your personal and professional lives. I am excited at my upcoming sabbatical plans and the opportunities to collaborate with other scholars in my home country of Kenya. On the other hand, perhaps I could have submitted more peer-reviewed scholarly articles.
• Rejoice at our accomplishments so far—how many Pathways Projects or Levels have you completed? I rejoice because I have completed 2 projects in the Pathways Mentor Program and I am now on the last project (Advanced Mentoring).
• Recommit to our personal and professional goals, as well as Club/Area/Division/District goals. The one thing we can all do is take advantage of the TI promotion of renewing membership at the current rate of $45 for six months before August 1, 2023. I have renewed my membership dues for all 3 clubs that I belong to until March 31, 2024, saving $45 in membership dues for September 2023.

If you are a District Leader (Trio, Division or Area Director) or a club officer, here are my suggestions of how to finish this year strong and set yourself up for an even more successful year ahead:

1. Hold Club Officer Elections and then submit your Club Officer List in Club Central by June 30, 2023
2. Plan ahead, Commit to and Register to attend at least one Club Officer Training or TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute) for the Summer. Our main TLI is scheduled for Saturday, July 15, with Toastmasters International President Matt Kinsey, DTM as the Keynote Speaker. Click here to register for the July 15 TLI.
3. Plan ahead by working on your Club Success Plan:
   1. Education success: identify your members’ education goals for the year, and then schedule them to give speeches. VPE, consider setting the club meeting agenda at least 3 months in advance
   2. Membership recruitment drives: schedule Open Houses during strategic times in the year (e.g., Summer picnic, Christmas party, Start of the School Year drive, new employee orientation week, etc.) when you are likely to get new people interested in exploring the Toastmasters opportunity
4. Develop a plan that positions new Toastmasters to be successful:

• Assign a mentor within two weeks of joining your club
• Schedule their Icebreaker speech within a month of joining your club
• Assign club meeting roles within 3 months of joining your club
• Guide them to complete a Pathways Level within 6 months of joining your club
• Encourage them to participate in Area events (speech contests, joint club meetings) within 6 months of joining your club
• Mentor them to take on a club officer role within a year of joining your club
• Encourage them to consider District Officer roles within two years of joining your club

5. Mobilize your membership to pay September 2023 membership dues before August 1, in order to take advantage of the current $45 membership due that expires on July 31, 2023. Please note that starting on August 1, 2023, Toastmasters membership dues will increase to $60 for every 6 months.

How will you finish the year strong? How will you set up yourself up to start next year with a bang?

Please join me in wishing the incoming team, led by Distinguished Toastmaster Jason Feucht, every success in leading our beloved District, and commit to support them in their leadership endeavors. 

In the final month of this amazing Platinum year, let us Reflect on the plans and goals we set at the beginning of the year; Rejoice in our accomplishments and the progress we have made individually, as a club and in the entire District; and Recommit to being good stewards of the Toastmasters Promise by holding onto the baton and ensuring we do our part to pass it safely to the next generation of leaders. In this Platinum Year, let us commit to doing everything in our power to ensure that our Clubs, Areas, Divisions and District survive and thrive for the next 70 years and beyond!

Thank you for the honor of serving this past year. I have cherished every moment in service to you as your District Director.