Monday, October 6, 2014

A Big Step on the Road to DTM: Sponsor, Mentor or Coach?

To be a DTM, you must first be an ALS.

Achieving your Advanced Leader Silver takes some advance planning. It requires: 1) Serving as a district officer, 2) doing a High Performance Leadership project and 3) successfully fulfilling a sponsor, mentor or coach opportunity.

How do you become a sponsor, mentor or coach? These are three very different positions.

The sponsor helps get a new club started. This process may include:
  • Coming up with the idea for a new club yourself
  • Finding a lead to a group or company that wants a club
  • Determining who is the best person to contact or work with at the company
  • Getting the information to the Lt Governor Marketing for follow up
  • Participating in the demo meeting for the new group
  • Assisting with pre-charter meetings
  • Assisting the LGM with any other pre-charter tasks
  • After chartering, staying in touch with the club and assisting when needed to get it off to a good start
  • After chartering, turning in the signed sponsorship letter to get ALS credit.
The mentor is an advisor for a newly formed club. Responsibilities include:
  • Showing the club how to conduct quality meetings
  • Training the club officers, especially in how to use Club Central
  • Helping the members understand and fulfill the mission of the club.
  • More details are here: http://www.toastmasters.org/mentoraclub
The coach is an advisor for an existing club facing challenges. Responsibilities include:
  • Assisting a low-member club in adopting and executing a plan for membership growth and achievement of Distinguished Club goals
  • Guiding the club toward having strong meetings, which include manual speeches, lively Table Topics and strong, positive evaluations
  • Attending club meetings whenever possible and remaining with the club until the club achieves Distinguished Club status.
Let me know what your interest is, and your day, time, and geographic availability. I will try to match you with an appropriate opportunity. New opportunities come up often. Here's what's available now.

Mentors needed immediately:
  • 1st & 3rd Thursday, noon - Irving, near 114 and 161
  • Monday, noon - far north Fort Worth, near 170 and Park Vista Blvd
Mentors likely to be needed in near future:
  • Thursday or Friday, noon - downtown Fort Worth
  • Day/time not set - downtown Fort Worth
Coaches needed immediately:
  • Wednesdays, noon - Irving, northeast of DFW Airport
  • 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 2:00 pm - Fort Worth, just south of DFW Airport
Get in touch with me, Jodie Sanders, Lt Governor Marketing at jodiesanders@d25toastmasters.org if you are interested or need more information.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Are you ready to be a club coach?

It's a special opportunity that not all Toastmasters ever get to do.

Club coaches are appointed by the District to assist a low-member club create a plan for quality meetings, membership growth, and achievement of Distinguished Club goals.

You also get the cool little gold pin. That pin cannot be bought. Only club coaches have the privilege of wearing it.

Working with a club while guiding it to success is among the most rewarding assignments in Toastmasters. Read more about it here.

Being a successful club coach meets a requirement for the Advanced Leader Silver, a major stepping stone on the road to being a Distinguished Toastmaster.

Are you ready to commit to giving back to others by serving in this role? Volunteer to become a club coach!

Here is a list of opportunities that are available right now. Others are expected soon.
  • Wednesdays, noon - Irving, northeast of DFW Airport
  • 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 2:00 pm - Fort Worth, just south of DFW Airport
  • Day & time TBA - Irving, near 114 and Loop 12
If you are interested in being a coach, or if your club would like to ask for a coach, please contact Lt Governor Marketing Jodie Sanders at jodiesanders@d25toastmasters.org.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Hit the Road with D25's Newest Specialty Club


Vroom Vroom – Calling all two and three wheelers!

The MotorMouths are coming to town! Harleys, Hondas, Ducatis, Victories, Spyders, we are all in the MotorMouth family. Our club is looking for anyone who wants to ride and speak. No, not at the same time!!! We can cruise to our meeting location, have our meeting, then hit the open road to enjoy Mother Nature.

What are the particulars? Our meetings will be the fourth Saturday of the month beginning August 23, 2014. We will meet from 11 a.m. – 12 noon at the Benbrook Library, 1065 Mercedes, Fort Worth, TX 76126.

Come Ride! Come Speak! Come entertain and be entertained! One Saturday each month. Be a member of the  MotorMouths Toastmasters Club.

Please contact Karen Hagar if you are interested at 817-907-2610 or karenhagar@d25toastmasters.org.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Contest Masters Wants You!

Please join us on stage at Contest Masters, a new specialty club in District 25 about having fun and preparing for that next contest.

Whether you like (or think you would like) to compete, judge, or just attend contests, this club will have something for you. There are no requirements for membership. It will be the perfect environment for practicing, learning and observing what you need to know to become The Best!

Our first meeting will be at 7:00 pm, this Wednesday, June 18 at the Ol' South Pancake House at 1509 S University Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76107. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/CZYTi

Be one of the first! Download this charter member application which you may fill out and return to Cindy now or bring with you to the meeting. Charter member dues are $36, payable by credit card or cash only.

For more information please contact Lt Governor Marketing Cindy Hinckley at cindyhinckley@d25toastmasters.org or 972-743-8402.

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Master Your Contest Skills in an Exciting New Club

CONTESTS!!! They're our favorite Toastmasters pastime!

That's why you won't want to miss the kickoff meeting for Contest Masters — the fun new specialty club forming in District 25. Here's the when and where:

Wednesday, June 18th, 7:00 pm
Ol' South Pancake House
1509 S University Dr
Fort Worth, TX 76107

Whether your interest is Humorous Speech, Evaluation, Tall Tales, Table Topics or International Speech, the goal of our club is to improve your skills in competition at all levels.

The cost to join is only $36. Fill out your charter application now and be one of the first to take the next step in contest mastery. Email the application to Cindy Hinckley at cindyhinckley@d25toastmasters.org or bring it with you to the meeting.

The clock is ticking, as it always is when you are competing. Don’t be DQ'ed!


Monday, March 17, 2014

Be a D25 Club Coach

Club rebuilding is just as important as club building. District 25 is taking this opportunity to spotlight a key tool instrumental in club rebuilding! It is the club coach program.  Low-member clubs can be given a shot in the arm by having a coach (or two) who is passionate about bringing Toastmasters to more people. It is hard to turn guests into members when the attendance is low.

Help your district give every club what it needs to succeed. Make sure even our smallest clubs present Toastmasters in the best possible light to guests, build their membership and become Distinguished. We want every District 25 member to have a wonderful Toastmasters experience.

Join our existing club coaches and you will be part of a team recognized for its efforts at the district and International level!


Current Club Coaches - District 25
Club #
Club_Name
Name
643446
AAFCU Flying Toasters Club
Jacqueline Teixeira, ACS, ALB
643446
AAFCU Flying Toasters Club
Kathy Brewer, DTM
2219278
WBC Toastmasters
L Eve Engelbrite
2219278
WBC Toastmasters
Thomas Jacob, ACB
4538
Power Communicators
Roberta Whinery Ley, DTM
4538
Power Communicators
Manhal M. Shukayr, DTM
2476
Mid-Cities Noontime Club
Jim M. Danielson, ATM, CL
2662832
The Voice
Charles Roy Mencke, DTM
8474
First Command Club
Jamie Leigh Pickering, DTM
1540842
Circle of Excellence
Marylee D. Mims, DTM
2507494
Destiny Seekers
Cindy Hinckley, DTM
629
Six Twenty Nine Club
Jodie Sanders, DTM
1465837
Las Colinas Towers Toastmasters
John G. Bergs, DTM
2287526
Texas Toast
Rucha D. Jani, ACS, ALB
2112134
Soapbox Heroes
Mary L. Feltman, DTM
2112134
Soapbox Heroes
Rachael M. Williams, ACB, ALB
676842
Heart of Texas Bridge Gappers Club
Louisa M. Whitehead, ACB, CL
594840
Toast the Blues Toastmasters Club
Jonna Chambers, CC
676842
Heart of Texas Bridge Gappers Club
Jeanette C. Vance, ACS, ALB
6497
Phi Rappa Yappa
Cindy Marie Warmbrodt, DTM
1879279
Leaders-Speakers of Tomorrow
Felicia L. Christian, DTM
591399
Excellence in the Speaking Arts TM
Michael Amos, ACS, ALB

Friday, January 31, 2014

Club Coach: Guiding a Club to Success Brings Rewards

Ask people to reflect on who were their most influential mentors, and many will say that a coach in junior high, high school, or college had a strong influence on their  lives. Coaches motivate people to achieve their highest performance, to be dissatisfied with anything less than their very best. A great coach’s influence touches the future.

How would you like to touch the future? You can—by volunteering to be a Toastmasters Club Coach! If you are interested in honing your own leadership skills while helping a Toastmasters club to achieve success, we need you! Club Coaches are in short supply in District 25. At present, 36 clubs are eligible for coaches in D25. Many of these clubs meet Wednesday at noon, so finding enough members to serve as coaches for these clubs has not been easy.

Here are the answers to a few Frequently Asked Questions about the Club Coach program:
Q Does my club qualify for a Club Coach?
A A club must have 12 or fewer members at the time the coach is appointed. An existing club member cannot be appointed as coach for his/her own club.

Q If my club qualifies for a coach, how can my club sign up for the Club Coach program?
A Your club can request a coach by emailing Lt. Governor Marketing Cindy Hinckley. Information is available on this District website page.

Q What qualifications must I have in order to be a Club Coach?
A Club Coaches are experienced Toastmasters with at least a Competent Communicator award; a Competent Leader award is also desirable.

Q What credit will I earn as Club Coach?
A Being a successful club coach meets a requirement for the Advanced Leader Silver. The club must achieve Distinguished status for the coach to earn credit.

Q How can I sign up to be a Club Coach?
A The District Governor or Lt. Governor Marketing must appoint the coach. Either one or two coaches can be appointed to a low-member club.

Q What will I do as a Club Coach?
A The coach helps the club create a plan for membership growth and achievement of Distinguished Club goals. He or she also guides the club toward having strong meetings to attract new members.

Q What kind of time commitment must I make?
A The coach attends meetings whenever possible and remains with the club until the club achieves Distinguished Club status.

Working with a club while guiding it to success is among the most rewarding assignments in Toastmasters. Consider volunteering to become a Club Coach. Touch the future: Be a Club Coach!

Bonne Stroman
Immediate Past District Governor