Aloha and Merry Christmas!
December is the time when families and friends gather to be in each other’s presence and reminisce of the blessings they have been blessed with this year. May your family and your Toastmasters Club family continue to be blessed this year and the years to come.
As your family, friends, or colleagues gather virtually or in-person, I would like to challenge each member to give a toast and master the art of the toast. Here are some tips on preparing and giving toasts from Toastmasters International.
Share your story with us in our District 49 Facebook Group.
Respectfully,
Sepiuta Holakeituai, DTM, District Director 2020 - 2021
d49s.holak2y@gmail.com
Paid Clubs 61 - the goal is 66. No change since November.
Membership payments 1,024 - the goal is 2,551. Increase of 28 since November.
Distinguished clubs 0 - the goal is 26. No change since November.
(Data as of December 10, 2020. Check the District Performance Report here.)
Congratulations to the 2019-2020 Awardees! Mahalo for all you do to help our District 49 ohana!
1. Area Director of the Year to Nicanor Joaquin, DTM
2. Division Director of the Year Award to Shirley Watanabe, DTM
3. Club Growth Director Appreciation Award to Carole Wiedmeyer, IP5
4. Program Quality Director Appreciation Award to Sherry Imamura-Ryan, DTM
5. Toastmaster of the Year to Rose Kirland, DTM
6. District Director Awards to:
- Kenoilani Kolii, DTM
- Rose Kirland, DTM
- Sherry Imamura-Ryan, DTM
Now that we are online, how are you welcoming your new members? Did you know Toastmasters International has a welcoming message of President Richard Peck to our new members? See the video and more information about other items you can use to welcome new members to your club.
Does your club fliers, invitations, and other documents need an update? Check the resource library for the most updated documents provided to us by Toastmasters International that will help you and your club attract more members with these fresh up to date documents. Some of the documents that may interest you:
Aloha District 49 Toastmasters!
The District needs your help in planning the Annual Conference to be held at the beginning of May. We are looking for a mix of experienced and fresh Toastmasters to get all the great ideas. Please email me if you are interested in being on the planning committee.
Sincerely,
Kory Ikeda, ACB, ALB,
Program Quality Director,
d49kory@gmail.com
Round two of club officer training starts this month and is open to all members who want to learn about club leadership, resources, and how the club fits into the District. All clubs must have at least four officers trained in each round. Choose the training session that best fits your schedule and register on Eventbrite.
Training dates and times are:
1) Saturday 12/12/20, 10 am – 12 pm (check-in at 9:30 am)
2) Tuesday 1/12/21, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm (check-in at 5:00 pm)
3) Saturday 1/30/21, 10 am – 12 pm (check-in at 9:30 am)
The District will be hosting the Table Topics and International Speech contests this year. Clubs will be able to send one contestant for each contest to the Area contests in February. Division contests will be held in March and the District contest in May.
The District needs your help in planning the Annual Conference to be held at the beginning of May. We are looking for a mix of experienced and fresh Toastmasters to get all the great ideas. Please contact Kory via email at d49kory@gmail.com if you are interested in being on the planning committee.
Aloha Fellow Toastmasters!
Need More Members for Your Club? Contact those members who haven’t renewed yet!
Thank you for all you do for Toastmasters and Building a Better You!
Have Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
Gerald Toyomura, DTM, Club Growth Director 2020-2021
d49gerald@gmail.com
“Times get tough, the Tough Toastmasters get going!”
Toastmasters is showing special appreciation for its members during these difficult times by awarding anyone who renews their membership for the October renewal period by December 31, 2020 with a free Pathways path. Visit your Toastmasters profile, click the “Choose A Path” button, and follow the normal path selection process to redeem your free path before March 31, 2021. Please share this special offer with members who are hesitant to renew. Help yourself and others to end the year by looking towards a new path for next year! For more information about the free path offer, see frequently asked questions. Last chance. Do it now, before you get too busy with the holiday season!
How to start, build and charter a new club? on December 5th, 2020
This initiative was a great success! Mahalo to all who participated and shared their knowledge and experience this past weekend. Membership is critical for your toastmasters program. Enrolling new members and starting new clubs are part of the toastmasters program.
Ms. Joan Lewis, past Toastmasters International Director, Region 2, keynoted the event. In her presentation, “A Passion for Growth,” she said, “Change is automatic; growth is intentional.” “Tragedy is not growing old; tragedy is not growing when getting old.” And, “A ship in a harbor is safe – but that is not what a ship was made for. I want to become what I was made for, not sitting pretty in a harbor.” She used these principles to explain three laws of leadership development and personal growth. So to apply it to now, Toastmasters is not for just staying in your club, but to tell the whole world! Tell your friends and coworkers, join Toastmasters! Find your voice and make a difference! Start, Build and Charter a new club! It’s easy!
And that's it! A Toastmasters International representative will contact you to guide you through the final steps.
Click here: Start a Club
Clubs that hold and Open House can submit for a $25 Toastmaster International Gift Certificate from now to the end of January 2021. If you hold a Special Open House you will be award an additional $25 Toastmaster International Gift Certificate! To claim the awards for the Open House achievements clubs must submit the following information to the District 49 Club Growth Director Gerald Toyomura, DTM at D49Gerald@gmail.com:
Award is $25 TI Gift Certificate for holding an Open House and additional $25 GC for holding a SOHO
Here are prospective new clubs currently built in Hawaii and their points of contact.
Start and/or join a new club now with the Club and New member fees waived!
See what you can do!
Develop skills you can use in your other endeavors!
Enjoy the Holidays!
Positively,
Slava Slavik, CC, PM5, PI4, Public Relations Manager
d49@11clicks.net
office: 808-600-3833, cell: 404-313-1731
Rhodora Orias from Paradise Hawaii and Phoenix Raising Kapolei became our member of the month for November 2020. Check Rhodora’s profile on our website. Rhodora started Speechcraft Program that is now culminating into chartering a new Toastmasters Club called Forever Achievers. A note for busy professionals: Rhodora’s new club will be first club in Hawaii that meets on Saturdays.
Kim Okamura from Prince Kuhio Toastmasters Club has been kindly helping as Zoom host and Zoom monitor at all District 49 events including this past weekend December 5th Awards Ceremony. Especially for this event, Kim created a series of virtual backgrounds with the District 49 banner and they became an instant hit. You can download the backgrounds here.
2020 has been a year of Laura Reid from Waimea Toastmasters. In May she won a second place in the district round of the International Speech Contest delivering her speech with spotty WiFi signal in early morning hours while stuck in Indonesia. Last month, she delivered her winning speech from her home in Waimea for the Humorous Speech Festival organized by Laulima Toastmasters. Check Laura’s reflection on her participation in the contest.
Do have an important club story you'd like to share in the District 49 Newsletter? Please send an email to pr@district49.org. We are here to support you!
Ron Cahoon, DTM,
Newsletter Editor
pr@district49.org