Black Swan January 2014
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Black Swan January 2014The Newsletter of Toastmasters District 17Editors: Judith Allen and Lynne Brighton |
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Editorial
For many, the New Year is a time to make new resolutions. For Toastmasters, the New Year is the time for renewal. After a break over Christmas, meetings resume and club members return refreshed and with renewed enthusiasm.
In January, our District Executive Officers attended mid-year training in Bangkok. They have returned with the information, skills and commitment to successfully carry them through their terms in office.
In February, club officers renew their commitment. Toastmasters Leadership Institute and Club Officer Training provide us with relevant learning experiences and the opportunity to revise and refine our club officer roles. And of course, in March we renew our membership.
In this issue, our leaders share with us District 17’s past achievements and future plans and contributors share their clubs’ successes.
Lynne Brighton Judith Allen
Black Swan Editors
District Trio Report
As we are now into full swing of this brand new year, we would like to thank you for your dedication and passion for Toastmasters and our District 17 here in Western Australia during the last 7 months. The first half of this Toastmasters year was extremely busy in District 17 beginning in July with our Change Over Dinner and Awards night and TLIs, Humorous and Table Topics contest season in August, September and October, The Humorous & SMAC workshops in October, through to our November Council Meeting where we also had the Leadership Workshop by Darren Fleming and another workshop by our Region Advisor, Steve Bullock from New Zealand, who gave us some insight into why New Zealand had the highest ratio of Toastmasters members per capita of population in the world!
Darren Fleming was very generous with his time over the day and at the end of his workshop he generously donated the door takings to our District Convention fund for our Power Up On The Peninsula Convention in May 2014. We must also thank St. George’s Toastmasters Club for their extremely generous contribution of Darren’s flight and accommodation expenses. This was indeed a wonderfully charitable provision from one of our most respected and decorated clubs. Thank you!
We hope you have grown and acquired new knowledge during this period and that your Christmas, New Year holiday season was fun, restful and uplifting. We trust you had a safe, joyous Christmas and Santa was kind. We hope you had much time with loved ones and friends which brought you abundant pleasure.
The New Year kicked off early in January for the three of us in Bangkok for our Mid-Year District Leader Training. We were privileged to spend time with Toastmasters International Chief Executive Officer, Dan Rex and the Chief of Operations, Sally Newell Cohen, as well as the International Directors and Advisors from Regions 12, 13 & 14. We learned best practices from the other districts, and collaborated with them regarding our challenges. It was not too surprising to learn that the challenges were all similar, no matter which part of the world we hailed from. It was insightful to learn more in depth knowledge about analysing our team dynamics in order to work better together, district finances, how to prepare for transition after our convention and the exciting news regarding the revitalised education program.There will also be other changes happening in the next few months and of course the history making, first ever International Convention held outside of North America. This will be held right on our doorstep in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Don’t forget that Toastmasters International celebrates an amazing milestone this year in October as we hold thrilling events to celebrate our 90 year anniversary. Plan now to use this event to rocket your club to success. How will let your community know about the world’s best kept secret? As of April 1, 2014 the minimum member requirement to be a club in good standing rises to 8. Please bear this in mind as you submit your club dues during March. If you need more information or help with this, please contact us earlier rather than later to traverse this phase of transition.
We have had to return to hit the ground running with District Officer Training the weekend after our return and TLIs this month. Your District Officers worked hard to gain the knowledge to support you and your club for the rest of the year. At TLI, be prepared to gain expertise and know how or to share your knowledge with your fellow club officers! If you have aspiring members who may like to take on a club leadership role in the future, please encourage them to attend one of our TLI sessions as well. This round of TLI is important to help you as you return to regular meetings, head into International and Evaluation contests and chart your personal and club goals for this Toastmasters year. Revisit your club success plan, re-evaluate that plan, rearrange it if necessary and cruise your way to a successful culmination to a year of hard work.
On behalf of all your Executive Officers we hope you saw in the New Year in style and would like to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year in 2014 with all your dreams and aspirations fulfilled. Set your goals high, plan a way to achieve them and ask for help if you need it. Your whole Executive team is ever willing to help, advise or encourage whenever YOU need us.
Your District Trio
District Governor – Pascale Amberville-Colby DTM
Lieutenant Governor Education & Training – Robyn Richards DTM
Lieutenant Governor Marketing – Ian Pickens DTM
and the entire Executive team!
The First DTM
The DTM Pathway Club celebrated a fabulous success at the first meeting for the year 2014 on Thursday 23rd January at the Balmoral Hotel, 901 Albany Highway, Victoria Park.
We had our monthly meeting, but had invited our special friend club, Fremantle Gourmet, to join us. We had a full house and were lucky to have a nice cool room, set with white cloth-covered tables. The management even offered the use of a data projector and white board at no charge.
Towards the end of the meeting, during which we heard how Mike Helm nearly killed his dog and whether Christmas is too commercial, we had an award presentation to Sue Volozci as the first member of the club to achieve her DTM. Well done, Sue. 
The club assigns mentors to all members. The mentor helps structure the approach to the DTM so it is broken into bite-sized chunks. That way, it becomes much more accessible.
The club also has members ready and willing to assist on HPL projects. These are experienced members who can add experience and a helping hand to any HPL project.
We save the best for last – the food. It is freshly made and in good portion size. Even better, we don’t have to walk downstairs to pick it up. It is served to us by beautiful bar maidens (well, that night they were bar men – but they did a great job!).
Have you achieved your Competent Communicator and are unsure how to approach the rest of your DTM? If so, or even if you just want to take your speaking and leadership skills to the next level, come for a visit. We meet on the fourth Thursday of the month, so our next meeting is on Thursday 27th February at 6pm for a 6.30 start.
Vicky Post
New Club Coming to the Northern Suburbs
New Club is coming to the Northern Suburbs
Our Area Governor for N21,Peter Harrison and his team have been busy organising a “Demo Meeting”. The name of the club is “Currambine Toastmasters Club”. The demo will be held at the Beaumaris Bowling Club, 6 Miami Beach Promenade, Iluka at 7pm on Wednesday, 12 February. The new Currambine Toastmasters Club will meet every second and fourth Wednesday evening of each month, from 7pm to 9pm.
Don’t miss the great opportunity to spread the word. “Don’t keep this secret again and again”. Be sure to let your family, friends and associates know in case they live near Iluka. Share with others all the benefits that you have experienced as a result of your membership in your Toastmasters Club.
For further details please contact: Peter Harrison at:
Email: tmpeterh@gmail.com – Mobile 0416 042 162 or
Email: Sue Fallon fallon1892@yahoo.com.au – Mobile: 0418 935 091.
Club website: http://currambine.toastmastersclubs.org/
Leonor Ragan,
DTM District 17 Public Relations Officer
Talk up Toastmasters
February 1st is the beginning of the second of three Toastmasters International membership building contests.
Running until 1st April, every new member joining any club will be registered automatically at TI. There is no record keeping or validation required by your club.
Aspiration
Success looks like increased membership numbers, especially growth in clubs that do not currently have 20 members. To assist with the renewal period, Talk up Toastmasters is a strategically placed program to assist your club.
How
Make sure your website is up to date with current information, looks and feels fresh.
Instigate a new member drive (CL Project 10), bring a friend, drop some advertising around the local neighbourhood, visit libraries and venues and place a flyer on their notice boards.
Organise an HPL project relating to new members and club improvement.
There are many ideas and many Toastmaster programs with a lot of educational material to assist with your planning and successful membership drive.
Why not share some of your success in the District newsletter, Black Swan, and tell everyone what worked for you?
Get a group going to Toastmasters.
Ian Pickens
Lieutenant Governor Marketing
Positive Promotion Premiership
Happy 2014! Best wishes for a very successful and productive promotional year for all your clubs.
Below you will find the latest amazing results of your efforts in promoting your clubs.
Keep up the fabulous work and spread the word around.
How many new guests have you invited this year? Do you have enough members in your club to have fun meetings and at the same time motivate your visitors to join the club and keep all your members coming back meeting after meeting? Don’t forget to let me know about your guests and new members. Some clubs’ PPP do not shows many points for the new guests and new members because you have not let me know about it!
I would like to see your clubs promoting the Upcoming District 17, 2014 Convention –Power Up on the Peninsula at the Sebel Hotel in Mandurah from 23 – 25 May 2014. This will be a weekend filled with Power Workshops by Powerful Presenters, Power Contests with Powerful District 17 members competing, Powerful Fellowship with old friends and new and a Powerful District Council Meeting. Please register now at:
http://www.poweruponthepeninsula.com/
I have added 50 points for every club that uploads the flyer to the club web page. Once you have uploaded the flyer please send a note to your members (copy to me) telling them the convention flyer is on the club web.
Many thanks for all your contributions.
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POSITIVE PROMOTION PREMIERSHIP POINTS AS AT 31 January 2014
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CLUBS |
PROMOTION AWARDED |
POINTS |
| Rockingham | N,Gx20,W,Cx11,ABx4,Mx2,QN,O,CP,BL,N |
480 |
| Southern River | AB,U,FEx5,QN,Nx4,S,D,Gx13,Cx7,W,T,CP |
405 |
| Touch of Gold | Nx3,Gx3,Ux5,FEx14,H,ALx3,AB,QN,Rx2,O |
380 |
| Curtin Sundowner | Gx11,Cx8,W,Ux4,Mx2,O,CI,QN,CP |
310 |
| City of Perth | Ux2,FEx12,TEx10,Lx2,R,O,OTx10,QN,BL |
290 |
| Curtin GSB | Gx9,Cx5,F,FE,Mx2,Bx2,O,Ux4,CI,QN,CP |
285 |
| Mundaring | Gx9,U,FE,S,H,ALx3,QN,Nx5 |
285 |
| Matilda | Gx11,Cx6,M,B,QN,CP,Ux4 |
255 |
| WAG | Gx7,Ux6,QN,ABx5,CP |
245 |
| Banksia Speakers | Gx6,Cx5,W,Ux5,CP |
195 |
| Electric Toasters | AB,CI,Bx2,O,Gx5,M,Ux2,C2,QN,W |
190 |
| Guildford Stars | S,B,AL,QN, |
175 |
| Netmasters | ABx2,Bx2, F,Gx2,Ux2,M,Ox2,QN |
170 |
| Western Founders | N,Gx12,Cx5,M,0,FE,B |
170 |
| Victoria Quay | Bx2,0,Mx2,Ux2,ABx2,QN |
150 |
| Swan | S,BQN,Sx2 |
100 |
| DTM Pathway | W,Ux3 |
65 |
| Canning Vale | FEx2,Nx3,R |
55 |
| Kalamunda | QN |
50 |
| Fremantle Gourmet | Ux3,W, |
45 |
| Maylands | Gx3,O |
35 |
| Ellenbrook | AL |
25 |
| Murdock Southsiders | W,FE |
25 |
| CPA | M |
10 |
Leonor Ragan,
DTM District 17 Public Relations Officer
Come One Come All
Renewal time again
Semiannual renewals are due at Toastmasters International before 1 April.
You have probably heard the word on the street that the new standard is a minimum of 8 renewing members to keep your club in good standing.
This is also the last chance to qualify for the Marvellous Membership Award, a District initiative to encourage you to register 20 or more members before 1st April.
Have all your payments been recorded and submitted?
Do not rest with just 8!
Ian Pickens
Lieutenant Governor Marketing
“Congratulations”
Congratulations to all of these members who achieved educational awards during the month of January. These members are presenting speeches, educational workshops and leading their club. District 17 salutes you!
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Award |
Date |
Name |
Club |
| CC | 05/01/2014 | Hildebrand, Robert | Young Guns Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 15/01/2014 | Wilkinson, Ross | Northern Gourmet Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 20/01/2014 | Dubyk, Andriy | Curtin GSB Sundowner Toastmasters |
| CC | 21/01/2014 | Madden, Greg | Gourmet Guns N Roses Toastmasters |
| CC | 23/01/2014 | Warner, Karen | Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 27/01/2014 | Colvin, Ian | Talkabout Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 28/01/2014 | Chow, Yau Goh | Murdoch Southsiders Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 29/01/2014 | Adhitya, Anita | Gourmet Guns N Roses Toasmasters |
| CC | 29/01/2014 | Rea, Pauline | Victoria Quay Toastmasters Club |
| CC | 29/01/2014 | Cameron, Heljo | Victoria Quay Toastmasters Club |
| ACB | 10/01/2014 | Chan, Stephanie | Southern River Toastmasters Club |
| ACB | 21/01/2014 | Clark, Helen | WesCEF Toastmasters Club |
| ACS | 15/01/2014 | Wilkinson, Ross | Matilda Toastmasters Club |
| ACS | 21/01/2014 | Evans, Lisa | Sandgroper Toastmasters Club |
| CL | 20/01/2014 | Chan, Stephanie | Southern River Toastmasters Club |
| CL | 29/01/2014 | Cameron, Heljo | Victoria Quay Toastmasters Club |
| CL | 29/01/2014 | Thistlethwaite, Helen | Rockingham Toastmasters club |
| ALB | 15/01/2014 | Wilkinson, Ross | Matilda Toastmasters Club |
| ALB | 19/01/2014 | Masand, Girish | Rising Stars Toastmasters Club |
| ALS | 05/01/2014 | Voloczi, Susan | Fremantle Gourmet Toastmasters Club |
Once again we have two very special members who have achieved the highest award bestowed upon a Toastmaster, the Distinguished Toastmaster Award! Congratulations to Susan Voloczi from Fremantle Gourmet Toastmasters and David Nicholas from Victoria Quay Toastmasters for your exceptional dedication to Toastmasters in achieving this award. This is Susan’s first DTM award, which is always something special and David’s second this year.
We are so proud of all our achievers for the month of January and look forward to congratulating more in the months ahead.
Robyn Richards DTM District 17 LGET 2013-2014
Prepare for Darren La Croix and Ed Tate!
Darren LaCroix is a keynote speaker, author, comedian and found of The Humor Institute, Inc. He is the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking.
Ed Tate is a successful trainer, author, international keynote speaker and executive known worldwide as “the speaker who energizes, educates and entertains.”
Prepare to be entertained
Prepare to be educated
Prepare for Darren La Croix and Ed Tate!
April 8 or 9 2014
Darren and Ed are in Perth as part of a National Speakers Association Australia (NSAA) tour and will be presenting a special night for Toastmasters.
Keep a look out for more information next month.
Ian Pickens
Lieutenant Governor Marketing