Black Swan August 2017
Editorial
Greetings, fellow Toastmaster friends. Here is your August newsletter for your enjoyment. If you fancy extending out of your comfort zone and helping others at the same time, contact Peta Rakela to see how you can help out by becoming a Club Coach. Check out Catherine's article about upcoming competitions and contact her for further details, too.
Sue, Peta and Adam have had a great weekend with the Kalgoorlie Clubs to catch up for club training; read all about it below.
And remember....
we encourage articles from members, this newsletter is 'written by Toastmasters, for Toastmasters'. Guidelines for authors are at the end of this newsletter.
Lisa Martin
Black Swan Editor
District Director's Update
by Sue Fallon
Our 2017-2018 District Success Plan
Your District leaders are working on developing this year’s District Success Plan to build on the results from last year. Our District achieved our goals in both the Club Growth and the Distinguished Club Program, and thanks must go to our members and club leaders for their fantastic contribution during 2016-2017
As a district there are three key performance indicators we need to concentrate on:
- Membership growth and membership retention – we all need to ensure that we are upholding our Toastmaster Promise to new and existing members. Our members are the most important part of our District.
Our Club Grow Director, Peta Rakela is working to increase our membership. To maximise our membership goals, we need more volunteers for club sponsors, mentors and coaches. Please contact Peta to volunteer.
Will you consider my challenge? – Who will you bring to Toastmasters?
- Club growth and club stability – we will be supporting the growth of new clubs and assist existing clubs with rebuilding and stabilising membership.
- Promotion of the Distinguished Club Program to help our members achieve their individual goals and clubs to achieve their collective goals. I encourage all clubs to achieve a minimum requirement of Distinguished Club status.
Many members met their personal goals last year and I am delighted to see that quite a few awards have already been lodged for the New Year. Congratulations to our members on these personal achievements.
As members, ask for a spot in the agenda and let your Vice President Education know what personal goals you would like to achieve this year.
I am proud to be leading the District team and look forward to serving you, the members of District 17. Let us all achieve this year!
Sue Fallon DTM
District Director 2017-18
Contests and Training in Kalgoorlie
by Sue Fallon
Peta Rakela, Adam Duda and myself travelled to Kalgoorlie on the weekend of 5th – 6th August. It was the weekend of the Avon Descent and although I did not see any competitors the misty river was waiting in all its glory for the battle ahead.
Cherie Wallace our E14 Area Director whisked us off the train to the nearby Quality Inn Railway Hotel where the Area Contest was to be held. The Kalgoorlie club members were all represented and a fine contest was run.
The Humorous Contest was won by Iris Haynes from Golden Gourmet Toastmasters and the Table Topics Contest winner was Morrie Goodz representing WASM Toastmasters. We regrouped after the contest was finished and Cherie presented an excellent educational on Mentoring, then time for dinner and Adam entertained us with a speech after the meal.
Thanks to Robyn & Morrie and Tracey and Paul for accommodating us overnight, we appreciated the offer. Kalgoorlie was also heading into the annual Diggers and Dealers so everyone had a busy week coming up.
A lovely breakfast was on offer the next morning at Robyn and Morrie’s before we moved into the TLI/COT Training. Club Officers attended from all three clubs and it was great to see new members taking on Club Officer roles.
Cherie introduced us to “Just a Little Café” on the way back to the train and we indulged in some lovely treats on the way to the station. Thank you Cherie and the members at Kalgoorlie for a terrific Toastmasters weekend.
Sue Fallon DTM
District Director 2017-18
Education Awards
by Patricia D'Cruze
We have had a very successful start to 2017-18. Our members have achieved 38 awards.
Distinguished Toastmaster Awards
Congratulations to
Robyn Lloyd
Peta Rakela
Tim Blackburn
on achieving their Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) Award.
The DTM award represents the highest level of educational achievement in Toastmasters.
Find out more about the DTM Award and how you can achieve it here.
Keep track of your Educational Awards by using the Member Achievement Record form. You may be closer to achieving your DTM then you think. If you find some gaps in your educational awards start working on them, and also inform your club Vice President Education so they can schedule you in. If you achieve your personal goals and educational awards you will also help your club achieving its goals.
Award | Date | Member | Name | |
DTM | 7/03/2017 | Lloyd, Robyn | Terrace Speakers Toastmasters | |
ALS | 7/03/2017 | Lloyd, Robyn | Terrace Speakers Toastmasters | |
CC | 7/05/2017 | Taneabel, Ryan | Murdoch Southsiders Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 7/06/2017 | Darangwa, Peter | Canning Vale Toastmasters | |
CC | 7/06/2017 | McCarthy, Sheridan Patree | Applecross Toastmasters | |
CL | 7/06/2017 | Lacson, Rey F. | Aspire Toastmasters | |
CC | 7/07/2017 | Veitch, James Stanley | Southern River Toastmasters | |
CL | 7/07/2017 | Veitch, James Stanley | Southern River Toastmasters | |
CC | 7/08/2017 | Crispin, David | Verbivores Toastmasters Club | |
CL | 7/08/2017 | Crispin, David | Verbivores Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 7/09/2017 | Palmer, John Alexander | Fremantle Gourmet Toastmasters Club | |
CL | 7/09/2017 | Palmer, John Alexander | Fremantle Gourmet Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 7/12/2017 | Rasaratnam, Daven | Willetton Toastmasters | |
CC | 7/12/2017 | Kessels, Marc Arnold | Gourmet Guns n Roses | |
ACB | 7/12/2017 | Prince, Helen | Fremantle Gateway Toastmasters Club | |
ACB | 07/13/2017 | Johns, Patricia Kathleen | Fremantle Gourmet Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/13/2017 | Denton, Dave | Banyandah Toastmasters Club | |
CL | 07/14/2017 | O'Grady, Lincoln Caton | Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club | |
CL | 07/14/2017 | Applin, Steven | Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/16/2017 | Sunarhadi, Sunarhadi | Canning Vale Toastmasters | |
CC | 07/17/2017 | Chhabra, Gauri | Southern River Toastmasters | |
CC | 07/18/2017 | Lindsay, Martin | Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/18/2017 | Patel, Keyur Vasantkumar | Sandgroper Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/18/2017 | Kanagasabai, Suthakaran | Gosnells Foothills Toastmasters Club | |
CL | 07/19/2017 | Goh, Gary | Plain Speakers | |
LDREXC | 07/20/2017 | Rakela, Peta | Verbivores Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/23/2017 | Griggs, Matt | Maylands Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/24/2017 | Naidu, Michele | Canning Vale Toastmasters | |
ALS | 07/24/2017 | Rakela, Peta | Verbivores Toastmasters Club | |
DTM | 07/24/2017 | Rakela, Peta | Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club | |
ALS | 07/25/2017 | Blackburn, Tim D. | CPA Toastmasters | |
DTM | 07/25/2017 | Blackburn, Tim D. | CPA Toastmasters | |
CC | 07/26/2017 | Wilkinson, Ross Phillip | Leading Lights Toastmasters | |
CL | 07/26/2017 | Wilkinson, Ross Phillip | Leading Lights Toastmasters | |
CC | 07/28/2017 | Goh, Gary | Plain Speakers | |
CC | 07/31/2017 | Nguyen, Duy Phuong | Murdoch Southsiders Toastmasters Club | |
CC | 07/31/2017 | Dunstall, Kaitlyn | Armadale Toastmasters |
Patricia D'Cruze DTM
District 17 Program Quality Director 2017-18
Wanted – Club Coaches
by Peta Rakela
Sometimes chartering a new club is peezy- things fall into place and it just happens. But sometimes chartering a new club is hard work, and nothing seems to happen until… finally it does!
Either way, keeping that club vibrant, and retaining, and attracting new members can, and often does become the next big hurdle, as many of you would know, only too well.
When our clubs struggle a bit of ‘outside’ help can often go a long way towards helping to revitalise the club, and attract, and retain, membership.
One of the methods Toastmasters promote, and reward, is through the appointment of club coaches.
District 17 has within its membership those who have already attended coach training aka SMAC, and with our 2017 training, scheduled for Sunday, October 15th, from 10am to 1pm (Bentley) we hope to increase this pool and get coaches into our struggling clubs.
So……What do you think? Are YOU ready to take on a new challenge?
Then contact me, now!
As a club coach I have to say it has been a long, interesting, and very much worthwhile ride, for me, and one of benefit for members… and YES, we can finally see light at the end of that tunnel. Oh what a feeling, indeed! Feeling tempted, even slightly? Then here are some of your responsibilities:-
- Assist the club in increasing its membership and fulfilling the requirements necessary to become Distinguished or better.
- Build rapport with club leaders and members.
- Assess the club environment, observe, analyse and recommend solutions.
- Develop a plan with goals for improvement.
- Implement the plan and help club officers and members achieve their goals.
- Instil enthusiasm, loyalty and a sense of responsibility for the club's future.
Contact me: Peta for more info.
Peta Rakela DTM
Club Growth Director 2017-18
The Positive Promotion Premiership 2017/18.
By Catherine O'Brien
The Positive Promotion Premiership is run to encourage clubs to actively promote themselves as well as motivate members to get involved with district events. This will run from the 31st July 2017 until the 30th April 2018. Any promotional activity conducted between the 1st and 30th July will be accepted if evidence is sent to me before the end of August. For activities within the Participating Outside of the Club, please let me know which club you would like to have receive the points except for any training. For training, I will use the club that was listed on the registration.
Promoting Your Club.
Activity | Points | Conditions. |
Produce a Club Newsletter | 5 | Maximum of 4. |
Facebook Event | 5 | Maximum of 10. |
Meetup Event | 5 | Maximum of 10. |
Blog on Website | 5 | Maximum of 15. |
Meeting Summary on Website or Social Media | 5 | Maximum of 15. |
Article in Local Paper | 25 | Evidence Required. |
Article in Black Swan | 20 | |
Article in West Australian | 40 | Evidence Required. |
Radio Interview | 25 | Evidence Required. |
Magazines | 10 | Photo evidence. |
Bookmarks | 10 | Photo evidence. |
Stall at Shopping Centre or Community Fair | 20 | Photo evidence. |
Participating Outside Your Club.
Activity | Points | Conditions. |
Visit Another Club | 15 | Copy of Agenda or Confirmation Email. |
Judge at an Area or Division Contest | 15 | Chief Judge to Send List. |
Help at a Division Contest | 10 | List of Helpers Required. |
Attend Any Training Run by the District | 15 | Must Register Beforehand. |
Attend Club Officer Training. | 10 | |
Present at a Training Session | 25 | Must Attend Any Training. |
Other incentives as announced during the year (Possible points for the quiz night and convention promotion).
Eligibility Requirements.
- Website and social media need to be updated regularly.
- Must pass both website audits.
- 4 officers trained in one of the training periods.
- Renewals lodged on time.
- Goal 7 by the 30th
Other Competitions.
Video Competition.
Monthly winners to be published on Facebook page, in the Black Swan Newsletter and the website.
They also receive $5 to $10 worth of Facebook advertising on the District 17 Facebook page.
Can be interviewing a guest or member, a slide show of photos or snippets of a speech/evaluation.
Only need to be between 30 seconds and a minute.
Maximum of one entry a month.
Website Competition.
Two awards- one for clubs with FTH and one for clubs with own hosting.
Must pass both website audits and be updated regularly.
No action required as I will choose the winners whilst conducting my website audits.
Winners of all competitions, including the Positive Promotion Premiership will be announced at the District Convention, which will be held on the weekend of the 25th to 27th May 2018.
Please send all proof to Catherine O’Brien before the 30th April 2018.
Catherine O'Brien, DTM
Public Relations Manager 2017-18.
President- Competitive Speakers Perth.
VP Public Relations- TLI Training Group.
Don’t rest on your laurels
by Stephanie Chan
Never look back, except for an occasional glance. Look ahead and plan for the future. Success is not built on past laurels but rather on a continuous activity. Keep busy searching out new ideas and experimentally keep ahead of the times, or at least up with them.
Dorothy Draper
Southern River Toastmasters lived the rags to riches story with a fairy tale ending last year. You would think that with a tried and tested strategy in hand we could kick off our shoes and sit back to relax. Impossible! Life tends to throw you a curve ball when you least expect it. If you get complacent and take your eyes off the ball, it is so very easy to fall back to square one.
We started the year with an animated and positive meeting albeit attended by a smaller group, following unaccommodating wintery conditions and school holidays. Nonetheless, our initiatives are on track. Fresh out the gate the Executive Committee has:
- planned its meetings programme for the 6 month term
- encouraged Officers to attend training to stay on the learning curve rather than for the sake of getting ½ a DCP point
- given top priority to Members’ education and progress. A Mentoring Co-ordinator was appointed to ensure members do not fall through the cracks through disengagement and non-guidance. Educational workshops were scheduled once a month, to address learning gaps and not to tick a box
- continued to maintain a strong social media presence to attract visitors. The adage that “converting visitors to members is everyone’s responsibility” is rubbing off as more members are actively approaching visitors for a chat.
Wait for it … here comes the curved ball. Due to other commitments, our VPE and Mentoring Co-ordinator have reluctantly ceded their portfolios. This was a big shock to the rest of the committee and the club's members when it was announced. On a positive note a number of members have volunteered to undertake the to-be-combined roles and August By-Elections will decide on the new Officer. However, the downside is that Nominees are / were Club Officers and fresh blood is still not forthcoming. This once again highlights the need for Club Officer Succession Planning and Portfolio Shadows.
While visitor attendance and conversion is promising in these early days, there is nonetheless a noticeable number of in-name-only Members. This is a worrying trend faced not only at Club but also at District. It is all well and good that we attempt to get more numbers, it is the inability to retain existing memberships that could prove the dearth of any Club (Area/ Division / District).
For Southern River Toastmasters Club, our challenges now also include re-invigorating inactive members and forging an even stronger educational / mentoring program under the new VPE. Therefore it’s all hands on deck once more. Whatever action we take, one thing is sure – we cannot afford to rest on our laurels and carry on status quo.
Stephanie Chan DTM
VP Membership Southern River Toastmasters Club
The District 17 Quiz Night- Save the Date.
The district quiz night is happening again. Details are below:
- Date: Saturday 28th October 2017
- Time: 6.30 for a 7pm start.
- Location: The Maylands Sport and Recreation Club, 50 Clarkson Rd, Maylands.
Join us for a great night of challenging trivia questions and some fun games.
No BYO alcohol. Bar facilities available. BYO nibbles and snacks. Ticket sales to open shortly.
I still need helpers for the event, both on the night as well as to help organise the event. If interested, please email me at catherine.toastmaster87@gmail.com.
Catherine O'Brien DTM
Public Relations Manager 2017-18.
President- Competitive Speakers Perth.
VP Public Relations- TLI Training Group.
Membership renewal dues
by Patricia D'Cruze
Renewal payments for the next dues period (1 October 2017-31 March 2018) are now being accepted.
Club Treasurers must send membership renewal dues reminders to their members to ensure they receive members’ fees in time to submit before 30 September. Sample invoices and receipts are available on the District 17 website.
With Humorous Speech and Table Topics Contests in progress, it is extremely important that contestants, clubs and even judges are in ‘good standing’ to be eligible to compete or assist in any contests held post 1 October 2017.
What does ‘good standing mean’?
A club is considered paid and in ‘good standing’ when its dues have been received by World Headquarters for the current dues period (1 October 2017-31 March 2018).
If the money is sitting in your club bank account, and the Treasurer has not paid your dues to Toastmasters International you are considered a be ‘graced member’ or put simply an unpaid member. This could have a negative impact on all contestants who wish to compete in the upcoming Table Topics and Humorous Speech Contests held post 1 October 2017.
How to Submit Renewals?
To pay the renewals online, log in with your username and password at the Toastmaster International Website, then go Club Central. Then follow these steps:
- From the Club Central home page, select the club name and number you want to pay renewals for.
- Select the Submit Payment option
- Select the members you wish to pay for by adding them to your cart
- Enter your credit card or debit card information
- Follow the prompts to process your payment
To keep your club in good standing, please submit payment before 30 September 2017.
TIP – Treasurers, if you have not received all your member renewal dues, pay at least the minimum of 8 members – at least three of whom were members of the club during the previous renewal period first. Pay the rest of the dues before 30 September 2016.
Remember there are over 15,900 clubs in 142 countries around the world all submitting their renewals online, so get in early to avoid the rush!
Patricia D’Cruze DTM
Program Quality Director 2017-18
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