D66 Toastmasters Times | Issue 4 | March 2025
Editors Note
Greetings Fellow Toastmasters,
This issue is chock full of useful information!
• Our District Leaders each have a message for you.
• Contest season is in full swing and Division Contests are coming up fast! A larger
audience is always more inspiring for a speaker; please come out to support your
fellow Toastmasters!
• Our dues expire at the end of the month. When you renew, you will be sent a special zoom background to share
your commitment and motivate others.
• If you complete an education award (officially finish a Pathways level), you will be entered into a Raffle!
• Our Annual Business meeting and District Conference is at the end of April.
• Read about the upcoming Realignment that will impact most of the Districts
• Try a new word, get some tips for improving your speeches, meet a member and celebrate our clubs and members
Please let me know if you have any topics you’d like included in the May D66 Toastmasters Times.
Until next time,
Kristine Vey, DTM editor
pr@tmdistrict66.org
2024-2025 District Leadership
A Word from Jim – The Home Stretch
In a horse race, when turning the last corner and heading for home, the announcer usually says, “And down the stretch they come.” This is when the crowd cheers the loudest and the jockeys are urging their horses the most. For the 2024-2025 Toastmasters year, we are now at that point. The end of this month marks the end of the 3rd quarter, and we are heading for the home stretch. What does that mean for us? Well, as an individual member, it means reviewing the goals that you set for yourself at the beginning of the year and checking your progress. As a club officer, it means checking in on the members of your club to remind them of their “why” and to see if there is anything that you can do to help. As District officers, it means conducting club visits to ensure that each club has a positive environment where club members are encouraged to thrive. Lastly, for every member of district 66, it also means checking in with each other just to see how we are doing.
As a reminder, at the beginning of the year, I said that I had 4 goals for the district:
1. Serve and support our members
2. Create a quality professional and personal learning environment
3. Have fun, and
4. Finish as a Smedley Distinguished District
We are still on track to meet all these goals; however, now is the time to push ourselves down the home stretch to accomplish our goals. Are you pursuing your educational goals? Are you helping your club to be the best that it can be? Are you helping a fellow member accomplish their goals? Lastly, are you encouraging others to consider joining Toastmasters so that they can unlock their personal greatness? This year, I have seen so much growth in our members, our clubs, and our district and it fills me with great joy and pride.
We have accomplished so many things, and I am proud of the work that we have done. With that being said, our work isn’t finished. On April 24, 2025, we have our annual business meeting where we will elect district officers for the 2025-2026 Toastmasters Year. We also have club officer elections coming up in May and a period of transition in June where we help the new team get ready for the next Toastmasters year. We must finish our education achievements, and we must take time to celebrate all that we accomplished during this Toastmaster year. I ask that each of you remember why you joined Toastmasters and why you stayed. I also ask that each member do what you can to help another member to accomplish their goals. As Zig Ziglar said, when we do that, we automatically accomplish our own goals. When we do that, we all win. Thank you for your efforts this year and look forward to seeing you in Hampton on April 25-26, 2025, for our annual District conference.
Sincerely,
Jim Kennedy
2024-2025 District Director, District 66
Toastmasters International, Inc.The
Program Quality Director, Doretha Pair, DTM
Hello District 66,
We made it through Winter Toastmasters Leadership Institute. Thank you to the 342 officers who completed training. We are nearing the end of our Toastmasters year. We have a little under four months to achieve our goals, let’s finish strong. Let’s complete educational awards and earn the Triple Crown. The Triple Crown is awarded to all members who complete at least three levels. We can do this.
Let’s push to become a Distinguished District. We need 44 Distinguished Clubs. We can do this. The District 66 Conference will be held on April 25th and 26th at the Embassy Suites in Hampton. The theme is Intergenerational Leadership, What tools do you need to Grow? The keynote speaker will be Region 6 International Director- Jenilee Taylor. I am looking forward to seeing each of you for this great opportunity to learn and build your toolkit. I look forward to seeing all the clubs that earned awards on the Hall of Fame, a red-carpet affair.
The Educational team is also working on a few trainings for the remainder of the year. Remember, finish strong, we are Unstoppable.
Doretha Pair, DTM
Program Quality Director, 2024-2025
Club Growth Director, Marilynn Vaughan
Every Meeting, Every Opportunity: The Toastmasters Growth Formula
I make every effort to practice what I encourage colleagues to do. At Step to Success Toastmasters, I recently learned a valuable lesson: every meeting should be treated as an Open House—not just the ones we formally label as such. This simple shift in mindset can transform how we attract, engage, and convert guests into members.
In January, as Vice President Membership, I saw an opportunity. Our club had six prospects from Toastmasters’ new Club Central lead system and four additional prospects from past emails, meetings, and open houses. To maximize this opportunity, I strategically used my Team Collaboration path elective, choosing a Q&A session titled “Discover Your Potential in Toastmasters” to engage and motivate guests.
The Strategy: Creating a Guest-Focused Experience
I designed a 15-20 minute interactive session using The Navigator (revised 12/2024) as a foundation to illustrate the roadmap to success in Toastmasters. My PowerPoint slides were simple yet visually engaging, catering to different learning styles—visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. To bring kinesthetic learning to life, I introduced the PREP method (Point-Reason-Example-Point) and the Table Topics Master, Ina Mitchell, invited guests to participate in Table Topics—no pressure, just an opportunity to try.
The Outcome: Engagement and Growth
The results were powerful: six guests attended—three from previous outreach and three from MeetUp. Two guests stepped up for Table Topics. When our President, Linda Kennedy, made the membership appeal, all six expressed interest in joining!
To sustain momentum, I immediately followed up with:
• A welcome email
• The membership application
• A link to Toastmaster’s virtual guest package
• Two Toastmasters promotional brochures
Within two days, two guests submitted applications; within two weeks, a third joined. We are actively following up with the remaining three, along with five other prospects from the lead system.
Key Lessons Learned
1. Every Meeting is an Open House – Be prepared for guests, whether expected or not. High-quality, engaging meetings make a lasting impact.
2. Sustained Outreach is Key – Keep inviting prospects, follow up consistently, and assign a “Guest Mentor” to build connections and social capital.
3. Strategic Engagement Closes the Deal – Use engaging content, interactive elements, and a clear call to action to immerse guests in your club’s experience and inspire them to take the next step.
As John Maxwell’s quote reminds us, “Sometimes we win, sometimes we learn.” By embracing lifelong learning and knowledge sharing, we create not just a club, but a community of growth and success. Let’s commit to treating every meeting as an Open House and welcoming each guest with enthusiasm, preparation, and purpose!
Marilynn Vaughan, DSL, MBA, DL5
Club Growth Director, 2024-2025
Join us at the Annual District 66 Conference – April 25 – 26
This conference will feature insightful speakers, interactive workshops, and plenty of opportunities for networking and collaboration. It is a wonderful chance for us to come together, share ideas, and learn from each other’s experiences.
The District’s Tall Tales and International Speech Contests will be conducted. Support our fellow Toastmasters as they share their messages and strive to become the best speaker they can be!
Moment of Truth: Recognition
“Toastmasters are educators, whether they realize it or not, and Toastmasters is more than a club—it’s an education.”
Dr. Ralph C. Smedley, Founder of Toastmasters (1878-1965)
Toastmasters is a non-profit All Volunteer run organization. Our dues are modest when we consider the Pathways education curriculum and the opportunity to regularly practice our developing skills.
Our “currency” is recognition. Everyone appreciates being publicly acknowledged for their hard work.
When new members give their icebreaker speech, RECOGNIZE them!
When newer members step into a club role for the first time, RECOGNIZE them!
When members complete a level or a Path, RECOGNIZE them!
Ideas to recognize members:
For a new toastmaster giving their Icebreaker, a standing ovation is meaningful. If your club has the budget, Icebreaker mints are fun and ribbons are available from toastmasters.org.
When a member steps into a new role, let the club know this is their FIRST time and congratulate them at the end of the meeting.
When a member completes a level or a path, announce it at the meeting so all can applaud their success.
Get creative with how you let members know you appreciate them!
“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.”
Jimi Hendrix, guitarist (1942-1970)
REMEMBER TO RENEW! DUES EXPIRE MARCH 31ST.
District Realignment
What is District realignment?
Realignment is a process initiated by the Toastmasters International Board of Directors in which Districts with fewer than 100 clubs may have the District’s boundaries modified, which means the clubs will be redistributed into one or more Districts.
Why
In March 2024 the Board of Directors approved amendments to the Toastmasters Governing Documents to increase the minimum size of a District from 60 clubs to 100 clubs, effective July 1, 2025, for several reasons:
• At the end of the 2023-2024 program year, Toastmasters has approximately the same number of clubs as 12 years ago. In the 2011-2012 program year there were 86 Districts. For the 2024-2025 program year there are 131 Districts.
• The Board of Directors reviewed reports from Districts about the challenge in finding sufficient leaders at all levels of the District. These reports are much more frequent in Districts below 100 clubs as the number of available members is lower.
• The Board of Directors reviewed the variable costs associated with running a District. On average, a District incurs more than 20,000 USD in costs each program year before there is any discretionary spending. In Districts with fewer than 100 clubs, this represents a much more significant portion of the District budget, providing less flexibility in allocating remaining funds toward the District Mission.
• In summary, it is in the best interest of Toastmasters International and its member clubs to have Districts that have at least 100 clubs. As of the end of the 2023-2024 program year, 56 Districts have fewer than 100 clubs.
What is the expected outcome
• No disruption to the day-to-day club experience.
• The same leadership opportunities at club, Area, and Division levels as members currently experience.
• Fewer Districts will struggle to fill leadership roles and committees.
• There are benefits attached to being in a larger District with a larger budget, such as better incentives, more and better events, and more training options.
• Members may be able to travel shorter distances than they currently do to events such as speech contests and District conferences.
• A larger candidate pool for District leadership positions.
When:
The Board of Directors has established a multi-stage approach for Regions 1 to 7 (North America) beginning in August 2024 with a projected completion date of July 1, 2026.
See the complete “Frequently Asked Questions” here
REMEMBER THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING WHERE WE ELECT NEW DISTRICT OFFICERS: THURSDAY 4/24/25.
DETAILS WILL BE SENT TO THE DISTRICT COUNCIL MEMBERS
Word of the Day:
Coherent
coherent \ kō-ˈhir-ənt \ adjective
1. marked by an orderly, logical, and aesthetically consistent relation of parts
2. capable of thinking and expressing yourself in a clear and consistent manner
3. sticking together
Example sentence: I am confident that Ralph Smedley’s Toastmasters Clubs have helped many people speak coherently.
Speakers Corner – The Audience
Have you had an audience seemingly glued to your every word? It gives you the speaker energy, confidence, and motivation to forge ahead. Your words have landed with your audience, and they are energized to hear more. Even a person who doesn’t agree with your point can still be interested in what you have to say. How do we gain this kind of response without too much trial and error? Think about your audience and deliver the presentation so it can be received the way you hope it will be.
The audience will be hearing your speech for the first time. You could have rehearsed your speech fifty times, and you are very familiar with the details. If you place a mountain of details onto the minds of your audience in a short time, they could become overwhelmed and begin to start missing your points and then become distressed over their having missed your points. Did you aim to stress out your audience? If you are talking too fast, too soft, you mumble, or other ways of making things difficult to understand, you might consider a more careful speech delivery. Many people can overcome these traits with deliberate practice. Correcting a tendency of talking too fast or not loud enough or if you mumble will take work and could be a little uncomfortable at first. The answer is very simple. If you talk too fast, you practice talking slower and stay at that baseline until you’re used to it. If you speak too softly, you practice projecting your voice or adding some timbre. Do yourself and your audience a favor by caring to correct these traits. Both you and your audience will appreciate the results.
A concept or idea may be too abstract or complex to be readily understood without using an analogy to explain it or a straightforward explanation. Expecting an audience to connect the dots may work for half of the audience but you surely want all the audience to appreciate your ideas. When choosing a topic for a speech you may have to decide on a portion of the whole idea because an audience can’t absorb the whole concept in 5 minutes. Considering how your audience will best understand the content of a speech will produce the best results.
Keep in mind that when you are introduced and you have walked to the speaking area, your audience is there, listening, ready for your first words. Start strong with your speech. Don’t start with excuses of I didn’t have time to prepare, or this is my fifth draft, or I should’ve postponed until next week. Begging for sympathy or attempting to garner favor with small talk is nothing but a distraction and a turnoff. Keep both your opening and closing crisp.
Your speech is like a show because you have an audience (a bunch of people giving you their time) so remember it’s showtime from beginning to end.
Mike Etchemendy, DTM
Meet a Member
Meet a Member – where we introduce you to other Toastmasters throughout the District.
They were all asked: How would you describe the culture of your club? What do you do outside of Toastmasters? How has being a TM affected your personal or professional life? What advice would you give to a new member as they begin their membership?
Division A
Maria Wiaterek, Hoos Speaking
Joined Toastmasters in Sept. 2024
My club primarily consists of UVA employees and students, but even though I’m not affiliated with the university, I have always felt welcomed. Everyone is supportive, and we all help each other grow. It’s a friendly and encouraging environment where everyone has the opportunity to learn and have fun along the way. I really enjoy listening to what others have to say and their different viewpoints.
I’m a full-time mom and a part-time health coach who loves helping my clients discover intentional, intuitive, and mindful eating for a healthier lifestyle.
I am increasingly becoming more confident when speaking in front of groups, feeling a sense of ease as I express my thoughts. I’ve been really focusing on my hand gestures lately and trying to mix up my vocal tone and pace when I talk. It makes my conversations feel more interesting and helps get my point across better.
I would tell new members to trust yourself and take action. Start by writing your first speech, practicing it, and then delivering it before moving on to the next one. Find inspiration by watching TED Talks and observing skilled speakers engaging with large audiences. When speaking, try to focus on sharing your story rather than worrying about yourself. It can really help calm those nerves you might be feeling.
Division B
Matthew Gomez, Richmond Club, Toast & Jam.
Member for about 7 years.
Dearest gentle readers, the best clubs are also communities, and every community has its own particular charm. I belong to the Richmond Club, chartered in 1953, and Toast & Jam!, a prodigal new kid on the block, just born in 2022.
I first sought out Toastmasters after a most disastrous attempt at speechcraft and I am glad I did.
As a community club, Richmond Toastmasters is a very vibrant club, with members from all walks of life, ages, and professions. This makes the club’s speeches very exciting, because you never know what you might learn! I still remember, from my earliest days, one member talking about the hunt for the perfect chef’s knife, a journey that ultimately led him to a Japanese blade. Recently, the club returned to meeting exclusively in person, and ever since membership has exploded. It required the club to move to a new room, which has a more modern feel. I am sure many exciting things have occurred since I have been away – I have been unable to attend during January and February, due to work, but I am looking forward to catching up on what’s new in March.
Toast & Jam! is a club at the Virginia Department of Social Services. We were incredibly lucky to have Venus Wilmer and Lamees Abourahma as key supporters in getting started, as well as many others. The club meets online to allow members from across the state. Because we meet during the workday, we are very conscious of time in our meetings, and the officers have created a very effective agenda flow. The club has a very dedicated and dynamic leadership team, and they always impress me with their energy and enthusiasm. We are also very lucky to have the support of agency leadership, including our Chief Learning Officer, Kimberly Jones, who was one of the club sponsors. When I was an Area Director, I was once asked, “what is the value add?” It is a question that has stuck with me. I believe that work clubs offer a great deal of value added. One thing I enjoy about a work club is the opportunity to apply it to the daily work we do, and I encourage us to practice this. For example, the club fields a speaker to assist in presenting our annual employee awards. I also had the pleasure of recently being an evaluator for a colleague who presented a wonderful work seminar, and, as wise Vice Presidents Education know, that can receive credit as a speech!
I enjoy reading up on the latest AI advancements and going on long walks with my wife, Jennie. Right now, work keeps me busy. I enjoy creative writing, but it’s hard to find the time!
Being a Toastmaster has been a tremendous help in my career. It helped me become a communications manager and later reach my current position. When I have had to give speeches at conferences, having participated in Toastmasters made it tremendously easier. Because my current job can involve testifying before the General Assembly, I can say that prepared speeches and Table Topics have both been a great preparation.
When you are very new, it’s exciting! As Shunryu Suzuki has said, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities.” Once you learn enough, you start to observe and realize what you are not doing well. This is a moment in which it can feel discouraging, but actually it’s very encouraging. It means you have learned a lot to be able to get to that point, and if you continue, you will soon be doing very well. So, if you ever feel discouraged, because you think you could have or should have done better, remember that it means you are learning and learning well. We also have to practice not just on our best days but on our bad days. You do not always get a chance in life to wait until your best day. I can tell you that it works – it is sometimes easier to see improvement in others than ourselves. I have seen that those who consistently show up improve.
Dearest Readers: thank you for being part of our community. I hope your Toastmasters journey is a great success.
Division D
Melissa Parks, Ready Set Speak
District 66 Parliamentarian
Member for about 6 years
Ready Set Speak is a unique fusion of corporate and community club cultures. The club started out corporate in 2010, but transitioned to being a community club within a few years. We have the benefits of a meeting location inside the Elevance Health Concourse in Norfolk which allows us to have very successful hybrid meetings. During 2020, when all clubs went online we had some members who were really attached to the club move out of state. When I became Club President in 2022 my primary goal was to get the club meeting back in person but also not to lose our members that had moved or changed careers. It worked out auspiciously that by 2023, Elevance Health was encouraging associates to return to the office where we could access state-of-the-art conference spaces with built in video call capabilities. Now Ready Set Speak’s meetings include as many members online as in the room. We are able to bring non-employees into the office by submitting a request ahead of time, but community members and guests can still join just as easily online. The situation has given our members great practice on creating inclusive hybrid work spaces.
I served as an Area Director for District 66 from 2023-2024 and during that time I had opportunities to observe many types of clubs. Every club has something that really works for them and sets them apart. I think what makes Ready Set Speak stand out is two things: our club’s adherence to an agenda that is prepared and roles are filled ahead of the meeting; members know ahead of the meeting start what role they have and what they should be prepared to do; and we assign a mentor to every new member we get for at least their first 6 months or as long as it takes them to get through Level 1 in Pathways; each new member gets someone meeting with them regularly, cheering them on, and nudging them along to complete the next step or project.
Outside of Toastmasters, I am a data warehouse analyst for Elevance Health. I organize around 15-20 people across several different financial teams to load and audit one of Elevance Health’s claims digital warehouses each month. I credit my membership with Toastmasters as a leading factor in a promotion and job title change I received in 2021. My manager saw the results of my communication skills and self-confidence and how I handled meetings with peers, with outside teams, and with company VPs. He was the first to note how my initial fears and Imposter Syndrome had lessened since assigning me to the auditing task in 2019.
I have served in almost every club-level officer role (still nervous about VP, Membership), but I have so enjoyed acting as the VP, Education that I’ve served in the role twice. As VPE, I get to be the first to really get to know each new member of my club during their new member orientation. I enjoy hearing about the skills they are proud of and what they want to focus on. I ask new members to Ready Set Speak to consider the same thought I will pose here:
To new members, I ask you to really consider your gut reason for joining Toastmasters. Whatever that reason is – to compete in speech contests, to confidently lead a work meeting, to get a job promotion, to have a new hobby, or any other reason – always keep it in mind and take steps to work toward it. TI’s Learning Management System may not seem to align with some of your goals and reasons for joining. However, it’s hard to write a contest-winning speech on your first try – you’ll probably write and give several speeches before you find your style. Leading a work meeting with only an agenda is not far from giving a speech with only an outline. Making Toastmasters your hobby still means you are participating in every meeting and taking on all the roles. In other words, the TI LMS gives you a routine to practice learning skills that will move you closer to the major goal or reason that you joined, no matter what it is.
SAVE the DATES
Watch the D66 website calendar for details.
March 10 (Monday) – Education Team Offers Training for Judges
March 15 (Saturday) – Combined Area 41, 42, 44, 46 Speech Contests
March 22 (Saturday) – Division B Speech Contests
March 22 (Saturday) – Area 11 Speech Contests
April 5 (Saturday) – Division D Speech Contests
April 5 (Saturday) – Division A Speech Contests
April 8 (Tuesday) – Education Team Offers Training: On the Road to Distinguished
April 24 (Thursday) – District Council Annual Business Meeting (Virtual)
April 25, 26, 2025 IN PERSON District 66 Conference – Includes the Tall Tales and International Speech Contest District Finals: Embassy Suites, 700 Coliseum Drive, Hampton, VA 23666
May 31 – Area Director Visit Reports Due
May 1 – June 30 – Beat the Clock Membership Building Contest
June 30 – END of Toastmasters Year
Aug 20 – 23 International Convention in Philadelphia
Other District Leaders
District Executive Committee
Administration Manager – Ina Brown
Financial Manager – Joyce Laswell
Public Relations Manager – Kristine Vey, DTM
Logistics Manager – Vicky Lyle
Parliamentarian – Melissa Parks
Additional Supportive Roles:
Education Chairs (PQD)
Education Co-Chair – Linda Kennedy
Education Co-Chair – Drusilla Pair
DTM Chair – Lynne Claiborne (PQD)
Pathways Chair – Jessica Cotman (PQD)
Marketing Committee (CGD)
Club Extension Chair – Mike Etchemendy, DTM
Club Quality Chair – Robin Jenkins, DTM
Club Retention Chair – Kitty Boitnott, DTM
Club New Resource Research Chair – Tishaun Ugworji, DTM
Subject Matter Experts – Charles Gates, DTM, Frank Gulla, DTM, and Linda Kennedy, DTM
Webmaster (PRM) – Cassandra Sabo
Celebration Committee (PRM)
Chair – Tishaun Ugworji
Members: Angela Dickerson, Vanessa Clack, Chastity Bailey, Joyce Laswell, and Jim Kennedy
Program Management Administrator (Dist Director) – Edmund Joe
Division A Director – Melvin Carter, DTM
Area 11 Director – Venus Wilmer, DTM
Area 12 Director – Nick Mastrovito
Area 14 Director – TBA
Area 18 Director – TBA
Division B Director – Carla Davis
Area 21 Director – Gayle Turner
Area 22 Director – Ibironke Lawal
Area 23 Director – Michelle Evans
Area 24 Director – Chaitali Roy
Area 25 Director – Chastity Bailey
Area 26 Director – Wes Bonafe
Area 27 Director – Martha Stevens
Division D Director – Lawrence Nichols
Area 41 Director – Jacquie Harrison, DTM
Area 42 Director – Bob Rice
Area 43 Director – TBA
Area 44 Director – Amanda Albright
Area 45 Director – Drusilla Pair
Area 46 Director – Michelle Willke
Curious about the Clubs in each Division and Area? Click here.
A LOT is going on in District 66! Stay “in the know.”
D66 website: https://tmdistrict66.org/
D66 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tmdistrict66
Region 6 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/973067051493465