Black Swan July 2017

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Editorial

Welcome to the first edition of the Black Swan newsletter for the 2017-18 Toastmaster year. This will shape up to be an exciting year, and I would like to thank Leonor for the last year, and welcome Sue Fallon to the role of District Director, Patricia D'Cruze to the role of Program Quality Director, and Peta Rakela to the role of Club Growth Director.  You will be seeing articles from these new 'top trio' across the year.  I'm sure that you will join me in wishing them well for the coming 12 months.

We are still open for expressions of interest for the newsletter editor.   If you are interested in becoming please send your details to me or Sue Fallon, and we will give you more information about what it involves and consider all applications.

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

Lisa Martin
Black Swan Editor

District Director's Update

by Sue Fallon

District Director 2017-2018 states - Learn, Develop and Enjoy!

Hi District 17 Members

Welcome all to the new year of District 17 Toastmaster’s friendship, fellowship and learning environments.

We all welcome the diverse nature of our members from all across the globe who all contribute to our sense of belonging, learning and development.

My phrase for the year is Learn, Develop and Enjoy!  And my question is:

Who will you bring?...(along to Toastmasters).

Many members do not think to share the benefits that they receive themselves from being a member of Toastmasters and they don’t think to bring along a fiend, an acquaintance or a work colleague. The reasons for this can vary – for example - too embarrassed to have along a friend to see you speaking, don’t really think anyone else would be interested or you just want to keep it to yourself! Whatever the reason this year I encourage you all in each and every club to ask Who Will you Bring? To Toastmasters this year? Let us share the opportunity that you have taken with your membership and encourage everyone you know of the benefits you have gained. By word of mouth we can allow others to learn, develop and enjoy the same benefits you do.

It is time to work on your development for the coming year. What goals do you wish to achieve? Which award are you aiming for? Is the DTM on your radar?

We all have time to work towards and complete many communication and leadership awards and by years end your will be one or two or three steps closer to the highest award achievable. If you’re VPE has not approached you to ask what your goals are – offer them up yourself or talk to your mentor for advice. No mentor – then request one from you club leadership group.

Will you ask your VPE to plan your next round of speeches to complete your CC or ACB?

Will you accomplish your Triple Crown Award? – and lodge 3 Awards throughout the year to achieve this award.

Will your finish off your DTM award this year? – what needs to be done? – get the wheels in motion or simply lodge the award because you have achieved all that you need to!

I encourage you all to have a wonderful year, whether you be a club member, a club officer or a district officer – Learn, Develop and Enjoy!

Sue Fallon DTM
District Director 2017-18
Learn, Develop and Enjoy!  

Educational Awards

by Sue Fallon

Award Date Name Club
ACB 6/11/2017 Bielski, Tom Western Founders Toastmasters Club
ACB 06/18/2017 Leeder, Shell Stirling Club
ACB 06/20/2017 Lloyd, Robyn West End Toastmasters Club
ACB 06/30/2017 O'Connor, Martin J. Competitive Speakers Perth
ACB 06/18/2017 Pawluk, Andrew Stirling Club
ACB 6/11/2017 Warner, Kerri M Sandgroper Toastmasters Club
ACG 06/28/2017 Drake, John L Fremantle Gateway Toastmasters Club
ACG 06/29/2017 Pickens, Ian A. City of Perth Toastmasters Club
ACG 06/30/2017 Teh, Jon Western Founders Toastmasters Club
ACG 06/25/2017 Van Aswegen, Deon F. Perth Justalk
ACS 06/30/2017 Amberville-Colby, Pascale C. Perth Justalk
ACS 06/22/2017 Bielski, Tom Curtin Toastmasters Club
ACS 06/22/2017 Cho, Mina Curtin Toastmasters Club
ACS 06/26/2017 Duda, Adam Guildford Stars Toastmasters Club
ACS 06/24/2017 Hatton, David James Currambine Toastmasters
ACS 06/28/2017 Sarandily, Ali AECOM WA Toastmasters Club
ACS 06/18/2017 Teh, Jon Western Founders Toastmasters Club
ALB 06/20/2017 Fisher, Elizabeth Noranda Toastmasters Club
ALB 06/29/2017 Haddrill, Nola Noranda Toastmasters Club
ALB 06/21/2017 Kunzel, Cathy A. Cannington Communicators
ALB 06/20/2017 Mott, Mitchell Curtin GSB Club
ALB 06/17/2017 Ragan, Leonor Leading Lights Toastmasters
ALB 06/27/2017 Yau, Henry Electric Toasters
CC 06/30/2017 Amberville-Colby, Pascale C. Leading Lights Toastmasters
CC 06/30/2017 Amberville-Colby, Pascale C. Gosnells Foothills Toastmasters Club
CC 06/19/2017 Barbour, Collette St George's Toastmasters Club
CC 06/27/2017 Barns, Helen Northern Lights, Western Australia
CC 06/18/2017 Breadsell, Jessica Stirling Club
CC 6/05/2017 Brockman, Rebecca Western Founders Toastmasters Club
CC 06/25/2017 Choudhury, Anirban City of Perth Toastmasters Club
CC 06/28/2017 Cooper, Melissa Mundaring
CC 06/29/2017 Cowlishaw, Deborah A AECOM WA Toastmasters Club
CC 6/11/2017 Cullen, Ann Lorraine Maylands Toastmasters Club
CC 06/26/2017 D'Cruze, Patricia Ann West End Toastmasters Club
CC 06/18/2017 Devenish, Emma J. Stirling Club
CC 06/27/2017 Dixon, Gary P. Northern Lights, Western Australia
CC 06/19/2017 Dolgoy, Susan St George's Toastmasters Club
CC 06/28/2017 Evans, Lisa Perth Justalk
CC 06/29/2017 Fallon, Sue Terrace Speakers Toastmasters
CC 06/28/2017 Field, Michelle S Perth Justalk
CC 06/28/2017 Flack, Wendy Currambine Toastmasters
CC 06/13/2017 Golding, Peter G Central Communicators Toastmasters Club
CC 06/27/2017 Hardie, Scott A. Perth Justalk
CC 6/11/2017 Harrison, Barbara Maylands Toastmasters Club
CC 06/28/2017 Harrison, Peter Currambine Toastmasters
CC 06/29/2017 Herrmann, Teresa Noranda Toastmasters Club
CC 06/29/2017 Huynh, Henry M AECOM WA Toastmasters Club
CC 06/29/2017 Lloyd, Robyn Leading Lights Toastmasters
CC 06/18/2017 Lock, Steve Stirling Club
CC 06/19/2017 Morton, Alexandra Kathleen Cannington Communicators
CC 06/30/2017 O'Connor, Martin J. Competitive Speakers Perth
CC 06/27/2017 Ragan, Leonor Curtin GSB Club
CC 06/18/2017 Sitparan, Thurka West End Toastmasters Club
CC 06/18/2017 Teh, Jon Western Founders Toastmasters Club
CC 6/09/2017 Wambua, Joseph Perth Justalk
CC 06/27/2017 Williams, Grant Northern Lights, Western Australia
CC 06/27/2017 Yong, Beatrice Water Corporation Toastmasters Club
CC 06/18/2017 Zaeper, Ralf Western Founders Toastmasters Club
CL 06/26/2017 Allen, Judith L. Guildford Stars Toastmasters Club
CL 06/30/2017 Amberville-Colby, Pascale C. Northern Gourmet Toastmasters
CL 06/22/2017 Bielski, Tom Curtin Toastmasters Club
CL 06/18/2017 Breadsell, Jessica Stirling Club
CL 06/28/2017 Charles, Anne-Elise Jacobs Perth Toastmasters Club
CL 06/22/2017 Cho, Mina Curtin Toastmasters Club
CL 6/11/2017 Cullen, Ann Lorraine Maylands Toastmasters Club
CL 06/30/2017 Dawn, Gillian Northern Gourmet Toastmasters
CL 06/28/2017 Dolgoy, Susan St George's Toastmasters Club
CL 06/29/2017 Ettinger, Melissa J ToastiES
CL 06/30/2017 Gaspar, Marinko Project Managers
CL 06/29/2017 Hiyare Gamage, Ayesha ToastiES
CL 06/27/2017 Kufakwandi, Joseph Simona Electric Toasters
CL 6/08/2017 Kunzel, Cathy A. Cannington Communicators
CL 6/04/2017 Lindsay, Martin Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club
CL 06/23/2017 Lloyd, Robyn Leading Lights Toastmasters
CL 06/18/2017 Lloyd, Robyn West End Toastmasters Club
CL 06/30/2017 Malaga, Monica CM bToasty Perth Toastmasters Club
CL 06/30/2017 Meyer, Almarie Competitive Speakers Perth
CL 6/03/2017 Mikhaltsevich, Elena Murdoch Southsiders Toastmasters Club
CL 06/19/2017 Mott, Mitchell Curtin GSB Club
CL 6/07/2017 Newboult, Greg Ellenbrook Toastmasters Club
CL 6/11/2017 Warner, Kerri M Sandgroper Toastmasters Club
CL 6/09/2017 Young, Andrew Perth Justalk
CL 06/13/2017 Zhang, Mark Zijian UWA College Row Toastmasters Club
LDREXC 06/22/2017 Blackburn, Tim D. CPA Toastmasters
LDREXC 06/30/2017 Lloyd, Robyn Durack Club

 

Sue Fallon DTM
District 17 Program Quality Director 2016-17 and District Director 2017-18

Pathways is on our doorstep 

I am excited to announce that the launch of Pathways to District 17 will be before the end of 2017. This will be the fourth region-wide rollout worldwide.

Pathways Guides will partner with Ambassadors and visit active clubs to introduce Pathways to members and deliver rollout kits. It essential all clubs in District 17 are active. An inactive club cannot participate in Pathways and will not be visited or supported by a Pathways Guide.

I will be contacting District 17 Toastmasters who had earlier expressed an interest in the role of a Pathway Guide shortly. There are still a few positions available as we now have 90 clubs in District 17.

Position Summary of a Pathways Guide

The Pathways Guide is an integral member of the Pathways launch team. You will work with the program quality director (PQD), Chief Ambassador (CA) and an Ambassador to prepare a group of clubs for the launch of Pathways.

As a Pathways Guide, you will serve as the first point of contact at club level and will bring members onboard seamlessly. You will partner with your Ambassador to schedule and conduct a visit to each of your assigned clubs. During these visits, you will raise awareness and build excitement around Pathways and educate members about the new program. You will support the vice presidents’ education (VPEs) of these clubs by conducting regular virtual support sessions. Your term of service will be six months.

You will receive a Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) credit for one year of district leader service on successfully completing your role as a Pathways Guide.

Link to Pathways Guide Role Description Statement.

If you are interested in taking on this exciting and challenging position or have any queries please email me.

Patricia D’Cruze
Program Quality Director 2017-18

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Grow Do It

by Peta Rakela

When people ask me what I like the most  about Toastmasters I have two  immediate responses:

  1. It works
  2. It makes us better people

Toastmasters  International devotes itself to making  effective  oral communication a worldwide reality. When we, as members, embrace this opportunity to learn the arts of  speaking, listening and thinking, and then  take these out into the real world, we each do our bit to help make that  vision doable.

It’s ironic, I think, that as a species we have been blessed with the ability to communicate through spoken language yet so few use it effectively for themselves, or for  the benefit of others. Like having a box of chocolates and not eating or sharing  any of them! Worse still we have a culture of fear. Most people rate public speaking as their number one phobia. How sad is that?

And that, my friends, is precisely why I love Toastmasters. We Toastmasters  feel the fear, face the fear , and we do it anyway! How good is that?

This is because at it’s core Toastmasters International provides the opportunity for us to develop skills that will help us self actualise. It helps unleash the potential  within each and everyone of us. And wait, there’s more… participation in Toastmasters can help us develop leadership potential, foster human understanding and, best of all, contribute to the betterment of mankind, and, I would hope, all species that share our common home- planet Earth. What better than to walk the path of altruism?

John Maxwell said it all: “Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others”. As elected Club Growth Director for District 17 2017/2108  I will strive to empower wherever, whenever,  however, and most importantly whomever I can, for I firmly believe that when people believe in themselves they can do amazing things for themselves, and for others.

By helping  build new clubs where there is need, and working with you to retain  membership, we Toastmasters can be the change we want and need  to see in others.

Peta Rakela DTM
Club Growth Director 2017-18

Competitive Speakers Perth

1st Birthday Celebration & Tall Tales Competition Success!

By Martin O'Connor

Our club made a huge effort in the past few weeks to become President's Distinguished and we made it.  Like many clubs, we were struggling with membership numbers as many people dropped back their club attendance.

The leadership committee decided to combine a 1st birthday celebration with a membership drive and we had a fun and fabulous themes evening.

Our second Tall Tales contest was held and we had over 25 in attendance.

5 new members decided to join on the night and our members contributed all the necessary awards to get the nine points on the Distinguished Club Program.

 

Well done to our outgoing committee Martin O'Connor (President), Almarie Meyer (VPE), Lisa Evans (VPM), Catherine O'Brien (Treasurer) and to all club members and guests.

On July 7th at the Toastmasters District 17 awards night we celebrated our success.

What is a Tall Tales Competition?

We followed the Toastmasters Tall Tales speech rules, with some minor changes, as this is a fun competition.  The timing is 3-5 minutes.  The judge’s guide and ballot can be found here:

https://www.toastmasters.org/~/media/d13f181d4b65432bb74fcad35e6e9e61.ashx

Official additional rules for this competition are:

The Tall Tales contest follows all rules outlined in the General Rules section of the Speech Contest rule book.  In addition, the following additions and exceptions apply:

  1. The subject for the Tall Tales speech must be of a highly exaggerated, improbable nature and have a theme or plot.
  2. Humour and props may be used to support or illustrate the speech.

Unofficial additional rules we added for this competition were:

  1. Everyone in the audience including competitors will be a judge and at the end of the contest you will only have to vote for the winner.
  2. Person with the most votes will win and you can only vote once.
  3. The highest-ranking toastmaster attending will be the tiebreaker if a tie is unacceptable.

The trophy we were competing for was a very fetching lei of flowers.  You can see our winner here, Almarie Meyer celebrating with District Director Leonor Ragan.

 

 

If you want to see some of our Tall Tales speakers in action, we filmed most of them and put them on our website.  Check them out here:

https://competitivespeakersperth.toastmastersclubs.org

 

If you want join in the fun at one of our meetings, visitors are always welcome!

 

Martin O’Connor

 

Competitive Speakers Perth toastmasters club

 

Martin O'Connor, Immediate Past President & Vice President Education
Competitive Speakers Perth Toastmasters Club

 

 

Australian Speak Easy Association Conference 2017

by Geoff Martin

I am a person who has stuttered all my life (72 years) from age 3 until the present . Following a successful program I have mostly defeated my speaking obstacles with the objective of defeating my fear of speaking in speeches and social situations. Toastmasters has been an integral part of my recovery ---I joined Foothills Toastmasters Club  in 1992 completing all the officer roles. I then joined UWA toastmasters in 2006 and have been instrumental  in the formation and progress of Dynamic speakers in Subiaco.  Toastmasters, with the help of many other Toastmasters have been invaluable in my recovery. I recommend that all my students join Toastmasters as part of their recovery from stuttering as I consider this to be a vital component.

The Speak Easy Association is a not for profit self-help organisation that provides support for people who stutter.  The Australian Speak Easy Association is holding this year's conference in Perth on the 19th - 22nd October at the Good Earth Hotel, Adelaide Terrace, Perth, with theme of

Finding the Balance: Quality of Life, Quality of Fluency.

Professor Scott Yaruss, from Michegan USA, will bring international knowledge, and Associate Professor Janet Beilby and Dr Charn Young will bring Australian experiences to talk about emerging research and quality of life outcomes for stutterers. There will be information on resilience, well-being, and self care. For more information call 0419 930 903 or check out the website link: http://www.speakeasy.org.au/convention/perth-2017/

Day registrations and early bird discounts are available.

Geoff Martin, ATM gold (in progress),
VPM, Dynamic Speaker, Subiaco

Exclusive offer from Tradewinds Hotel

by Jackie Perriman

The delightful staff at the Tradewinds Hotel are offering Toastmasters a special accommodation rate which is available until 30th September 2017.

Just book via the Client Login area on the Website.

Client Code: Toastmasters

Password: Leader

The special offer is $175.00 including breakfast for 1 in the Superior Room- additional breakfasts are available at $20.00 per person.

tradewindshotel.com.au  

Jackie Perriman
Passion to Communicate Convention Committee Member

 

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