In this issue…
- Score big with your team in the Toastmasters Football League
- Pathways Answers: Base Camp Manager guidance
- Jumpstart your members into Pathways
- Save the date! Where’s your hat?
- D35 Forum – Another way to get answers
- Stevens Point Toastmasters Club turns 70!
- Anniversaries are opportunities
- Officer training across the District: Were you there?
- Springtime means International Contest Season
I was not sure what to expect when we introduced the Toastmasters Football League (TFL) this year as our overarching incentive for club quality versus scattered programs throughout the year. It sounded exciting when discussed as part of our District Success Plan at the beginning of the Toastmasters year last July. It would definitely make my life easier as Program Quality Director administering only one program. However, would the clubs embrace the program and appreciate the awards provided to them for their achievements?
Five months into the program I would have to call the TFL program a resounding success. 65% of the total clubs in District 35 have earned at least 10 yards in the program which has earned those clubs an Ice Breaker Ball. This Ice Breaker Ball has been useful for Table Topics at many club meetings. 30% of the clubs have earned at least 20 yards which has earned them a $15 Subway card in addition to the Ice Breaker Ball.
As the clubs continue to participate in the program, I hope they are noticing how closely many of the yard earning opportunities mirrors the 10 Distinguished Club Program (DCP) goals. Clubs can earn yards for educational goals (DCP goals 1 through 6), new members (DCP goals 7 and 8) and officer training (Goal 9). With our recent launch into Pathways we have added yard opportunities for reaching each level.
We also added some yards for activities we have recognized for club growth including the Capture the Banner program and Open Houses. We also are encouraging participation outside the club by providing opportunities for yards by conducting a Speechcraft and attending the conference.
At our most recent District Executive Council (DEC) meeting Area N1 Director Dick Hawley praised the TFL program. He indicated that the clubs in his Area were excited about the awards they were receiving. Dick also indicated that the clubs that struggle to earn recognition in the DCP due to the 20 member/Net 5 membership requirement are appreciative of the recognition for their efforts in the TFL.
Our biggest area of improvement is to continue to get the word out about earning prizes in the program. As we have been handing out awards at the TLIs during the month of February, I have been getting the question “How exactly did we win this again?” quite a number of times.
Special recognition goes to Kelly Huttlemaier and her District Success Plan sub-team for coming up with this idea. I am also grateful to our Administration Manager, Julie Ritzman, who has been keeping track of the points for all clubs and getting this updated weekly on our District website (www.district35.org).
I look forward to seeing the additional accomplishments of our District clubs in the next four months at the end of the year and which clubs will take home the big prizes for the most points at June 30th! Keep working hard to earn those yards and work the DCP!
Dashboards provide insight for Base Camp Managers
Pathways officially launched in District 35 on February 13, and members are now able to select their new learning curriculum.
Once members take their assessment and select their path, each club’s Base Camp Managers can view the status of their members and monitor their progress. It’s very simple – just a few clicks away!
Step 1. Base Camp Managers log in to their personal account at www.toastmasters.org
Step 2. Log in as a Base Camp Manager at https://www.toastmasters.org/start-pathways
Step 3. Select “Member Progress”
Step 4. “Refresh” the data to obtain the most recent information. (Click on the drop down arrow, then select Refresh. (The arrow I located in the upper right corner of each dashboard.)
Step 5. Repeat the process in Step 4 but select “View Details” to generate the next report. Scroll down to see the members who have taken their assessment, selected their paths, and are “in progress”.
Pathways Chief Ambassador
Pathways Opportunity
Toastmasters wear many hats
Spring Convention – May 4-5, 2018
What hat do you wear in Toastmasters…and what hat do you wear because of Toastmasters?
We are celebrating and highlighting the many hats our Toastmasters wear at our upcoming District 35 Spring Convention May 4 – 5 2018
!
Consider all the life lessons learned in every meeting and event you attend: servant leader, mentor, coach, friend, networking pipeline, and so many more.
We’d love to have you, your club, and/or a group formed from multiple clubs present on one of the hats you wear as part of our education sessions! Please apply using this form.
If you are interested in tossing your hat in the ring to present at the Spring Convention or even just have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Julia.Boss@GE.com.
Covering two states, two time zones and all 26 Areas
D35 Forum is your resource for information and discussion
- General Toastmasters Topics
- Pathways
- Club Coaching
Go to the website link here to learn about the page or go directly to the forum page. When posting to the discussion board, keep in mind the basic rules of etiquette here.
Anyone can read the posts on the Forum page, but if you would like to post a comment you will need to register for access to the District35.org website. For instructions on creating an account click on this job aid. To register for access go to this link District website registration. Once you have created your account you can login to the website to post on the forum District website login. Discussions right now include multiple Pathways topics as well as ideas for alternatives to the Fall Conference. It’s a great source of information and a chance for communication!
Back in 1948, District 35 didn’t exist. The wilds of Wisconsin were entrusted to District 8 out of Minnesota; it wasn’t until the Stevens Point Toastmasters club was four years old that it became one of the original clubs in 
District 35. This long, storied history was celebrated on March 1 with current and former club members, District leaders and guests at the Stevens Point Country Club.
According to club research, the charter banquet of the club was held on April 17, 1948 at the Hotel Whiting. The charter was presented by District Governor Cliff Teuchert of Beaver Dam to local club president, Robert T. Elias. Early charter members of the club include William T. Shoemaker, John A. Toepel, and Harry J. Grimm.
Current members including Tammy Jankowski, Vice President Education, Mike Wade, Vice President Public Relations, Ken McKenzie, Secretary, and Jeff Ebel, President, worked to gather club artifacts, reach out to former members, 
and develop an engaging, fun evening.
The Stevens Point Chief of Police, Martin Skibba, gave a warm welcome to everyone on behalf of the city of Stevens Point.
Dave Cotteleer, Vice President and Managing Director of US Sales Markets of Harley-Davidson, Inc. was guest speaker. “He shared a personal story of his life and career and how that lead to where he is today. He credited Toastmasters with helping him see the value of strong communication as he started his career,” said Wade.
Club member Everil Quist received a lifetime service award for his dedication to the club and Toastmasters over his 50+ years of service. Everil has started 15 
Toastmaster clubs through the years and has been a mentor and counselor to many.
Guests included District leaders and former club leaders; John Hartman, past club president from 1984, celebrated with current club and area members. He noted on Facebook, “Nice to see old and new members who are working on improving their public speaking skills, as I did 34 years ago.”
“For over 70 years, the Stevens Point Toastmasters Club has provided a supportive and positive environment where members have the opportunity to overcome their fear of public speaking and sharpen their presentation skills,” said Ebel. “We are proud to continue a long tradition of developing leaders in the Stevens Point area.”
“It was a wonderful evening and a great way to memorialize the hard work and dedication of those who came before us,” said Wade.
You don’t have to wait until your club is 70 years old to celebrate successes. Toastmasters Headquarters has been emailing club presidents as significant anniversaries approach — and even 5 years is significant.
successes. Toastmasters Headquarters has been emailing club presidents as significant anniversaries approach — and sometimes even 5 years is significant.
— and the new members the club has acquired. There’s also the opportunity to share club success stories with guests; a slide show featuring the charter party can show not only the club’s tradition in Toastmasters, but also some long-forgotten hairdos of managers.
Officer training all over D35
D35 Division and regional makeup TLIs offered more opportunities to club officers and interested members to hear about some great professional skill-building — and Program Quality Director Ed Thelen gifted clubs from the TFL awards stockpile! Here are some candids from N3, ABDF and Eastern.
Spring Contests
It’s International Time!
We’ve enjoyed four area contests so far and the season is young! Check out the dates and locations for contests throughout the District and cheer on fellow Toastmasters as they take on stretch goals in speaking and organizing enjoyable and fair contests for our members! Consider volunteering — it’s a great way to network with others and learn new skills.
Area contests are held in March; please check our District Calendar for the most up-to-date information. Remember, visiting three clubs, an area event, division event and district event makes you eligible for the District 35 Ambassador Award. Click here to download your form.