D53 Blog

From the DD – 1 June 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

1 June 2023

Greetings Toastmasters of District 53,

John J. Hogan, District Director

District 53 Toastmasters,

Here is an opportunity for you to meet with incoming District Director Patti Walter and outgoing District Director John Hogan.

This is the final “Coffee Hour With the District Director” for the program year.

In this informal and unstructured Zoom event, Patti and I are available to answer your questions. The only agenda is your interest and concerns.

Please join us for this Zoom call on Saturday, June 10, from 8:30-9:30 am.

Thank you!

Yours in Toastmasters service,
John J. Hogan, DTM
District Director 2022-2023

From the PQD – 22 May 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

D53 had its first successful hybrid conference.  SPRINGBOARD to Success. What a great weekend! If you were not able to join us, let me recap what we did.

After a continental breakfast at the Springfield Sheraton — Monarch Place hotel on Saturday 6 May 2023, we jumped right in with our Keynote Speaker Joe Grondin. Joe spoke about developing our signature: how do you develop your own unique voice and presentation style?

Our members then were able to choose one of our three great breakout sessions to attend. Thank your Mary Cheyne, Ann Canfield and Heather LaPierre for your great sessions. 

We continued after our breakout with our tall tale contest. Boy do we have members who can tell some tales.  Our D53 Tall Tales Winners were:

  1. Christine Austin
  2. Poonam Hassija
  3. Kevin Haven

Then at lunch we presented our Communication and Leadership Award to Patricia Nicolari, founder and executive director of PROUD Academy.  Patricia spoke about the work that she does with passion and conviction, demonstrating again why she deserved our recognition and honor.

After lunch we continued on with our second set of breakout session. Again we had great sessions from Heather Turner, Steve Lanning and Stephanie Roy.  Thank you all.

After a break, Joe Grondin returned to the stage as he talked to us about Mrs. Elliot’s  Lessons. Joe shared with us the four leadership lessons his favorite teacher taught him at a time he needed it most.   Joe also shared some great memories he had with his students and family.  Both his sessions were educational, relatable and entertaining.

We concluded the afternoon session with the hall of fame awards for both the 2022-2023 and 2021-2022 program years. Congratulations to the following recipients of the awards for 2021-2022

  • Division Director of the Year Beth Van Kempen
  • Area Director of the Year Elizabeth Keeling
  • Toastmaster of the Year Jackie Kessler

We also announce the 2022-2023 award winners. They are:

  • Division Director of the Year Chad Babcock
  • Area Director of the Year Stephanie Roy
  • Toastmaster of the Year  Elizabeth Keeling

At the conclusion of the Hall of Fame, our International Director for Region 9, who represents us to the Toastmasters Board, Jeff Sobel DTM, swore into office the following District 53 officers for the 2023-2024 Toastmasters International program year:

  • Patti Walter, DTM  — District Director
  • Bettyann Peck, DTM — Program Quality Director
  • Mohan Padamati, DTM — Club Growth Director
  • Stephanie Roy — Division A Director
  • Ebru Unal — Division B Director
  • Selina Torjee — Division C Director
  • Mark Wing — Division D Director
  • Elizabeth Keeling — Division E Director

Congratulations to all!

A happy hour followed, then a wonderful dinner.  Our after-dinner entertainment was brought to you by our Division International Speech Contest Winners, as they competed for the title of District 53’s International Speech Contest championship.   These five came to the contest ready to go! Congratulations to all our contestants at club, Area, Division, and District levels.

Our winners were:

  1. Michael Whitehouse
  2. Donna Plen
  3. Craig Moore

We concluded on Sunday with a warm breakfast, out of this park networking and a final keynote from Joe,  who left us all dancing in our chairs.

You might be saying, “Oh, I missed you all!” Don’t worry… we were having to much fun to notice you weren’t there. But you can join us in May 2024, when the next amazing conference rolls around! Buy your ticket in February, and I’ll see you there!

In the meantime please join us for some officer training coming up in June and July, or join us for Train the Trainer sessions if you’d like to be a facilitator this year.  Psst— you don’t need to be an officer to go to training!  It is open to all.  

Yours in Toastmasters service,
Patti Walter, DTM —
Program Quality Director, 2022-2023

Train the Trainers Events

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District Program Quality Director Patti Walter, DTM, is pleased to announce trainings for interested persons who would like to help facilitate the Club Officer Training sessions during the June to August 2023 training season — Train the Trainers!

The Train the Trainers sessions, for people willing to be facilitators for the Club Officer Trainings in June, July and August 2023, will take place on:

  • May 25, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom link below)
  • May 30, 2023 at 6:30 pm (Zoom link below)

Facilitators…

  • give keynote addressess
  • lead conversations on officer roles in the club
  • facilitate sharing between people new to roles and old hands
  • guide and direct new club officers in their duties
  • help draw wisdom and experience from those who’ve done this role before

The skills you learn as a facilitator include…

  • Giving a presentation from an outline and script you did not create;
  • learning to make a canned presentation your own
  • managing time in an hour-long presentation
  • managing an audience which isn’t just your club’s members

As a facilitator, or a facilitator-in-training, you also…

  • make contacts beyond your own club
  • learn to hear from a diversity of voices
  • learn to summarize and synthesize a range of opinions quickly
  • learn your own role in the club from other Toastmasters in different situations

Join an upcoming Train the Trainer session, and contribute to your club, Area, Division and District’s success!

Topic: Train the Trainer
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime

Join Zoom Meeting

Elected Officers for 2023-24

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District Administrative Manager Norm Thibodeau, DTM, and District Director John J. Hogan, DTM, announced the results of the April 27, 2023 business meeting, and International Director from Region 9 Jeff Sobel DTM, installed these officers in these roles for the 2023-2024 program year.

  • For District Director (DD), Patti Walter DTM
  • For District Program Quality Director (PQD), Bettyann Peck DTM
  • For District Club Growth Director (CGD), Mohan Padamati DTM
  • For Division A Director, Stephanie Roy
  • For Division B Director, Ebru Unal
  • For Division C Director, Selina Tourjee
  • For Division D Director, Mark Wing
  • For Division E Director, Elizabeth Keeling

John J. Hogan DTM, will be Immediate Past District Director, and has accepted appointment to the role of chair of the District Leadership Committee (DLC), which will interview and recommend candidates for elected office in the 2024-2025 program year.

Other results from the District 53 Business Meeting on April 27, 2023 can be found here.

Results of the District 53 Contests 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District Program Quality Director Patti Walter is pleased to publish the results of the District 53 Contests for the 2022-2023 program year, held on May 6, 2023.

International

The International Speech Contest was held at 7:45 pm on 6 May 2023 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place hotel during the District 53 Annual conference. Chad Babcock served as Contest Toastmaster and Mark Wing served as Chief Judge.

The placed winners were:

  • 1. Michael Whitehouse
  • 2. Donna Plen
  • 3. Craig Moore

Tall Tales Contest

The Tall Tales Contest was held at 10:45 am on 6 May 2023 at the Springfield Sheraton Monarch Place hotel during the District 53 Annual Conference. Rick May served as Contest Toastmaster and Mark Wing served as Chief Judge.

The placed winners were:

  • 1. Christine Austin
  • 2. Poonam Hassija
  • 3. Kevin Haven

Our thanks go out to all the contestants, timers, ballot counters, chief judges, voting judges, tie breaking judges, contest chairs, and contest Toastmasters, as well as to the audiences, at club, Area, Division and District levels, who made our hybrid program so successful this year.

Officer Roles: Help Your Club Grow & Succeed!

Posted on | by Stephanie Roy

You signed up for Toastmasters to work on your leadership skills. Now, it’s time to lead.

Your club needs YOU to succeed.

And it doesn’t take more than an hour or two a month.

The first week of May is officer election time. We are all contributing members to our clubs. It is ALL our responsibilities to help the club succeed.

If it’s your turn to step up for your club, here are some things to think about:

Which Officer Role should you volunteer for?

If you’re at almost every meeting. If you enjoy encouraging others and leading a team to success. If you DON’T like a lot of admin type work, you will enjoy the President role.

If you have attention to detail and like numbers and data, you will enjoy the Treasurer role.

If you like taking notes and tracking action steps to keep your team on track to success, you will enjoy the Secretary role.

If you like guiding people towards growth and encouraging them to challenge themselves. If you like ensuring that those acts are rewarded and recognized, you will enjoy the Vice President of Education role.

If you like sharing socially and spreading the word about Toastmasters and your club, you will enjoy the Vice President of Public Relations role.

If you like nurturing relationships and welcoming new members, you will enjoy the Vice President of Membership role.

If you like creating a positive, focused, welcoming environment, you will enjoy the Sergeant-At-Arms role.

Time Commitments for each Officer Roles

President: commit to showing up to as many meetings as possible to lead

VP of Education: connect briefly with members at meetings or outside of the meetings about their Pathways progress. Update Basecamp and TI as needed.

VP of Membership: Check-in with members when their attendance is lagging and communicate with inquiries and guests

VP of Public Relations: find opportunities to promote the club in your area and online

Treasurer: main duties happen twice a year in renewal periods

Secretary: attend as many meetings as possible to take appropriate notes. Update TI as needed.

Sergeant-At-Arms:  commit to showing up to as many meetings as possible to ensure the room (virtual or in-person) is set up

Key tasks for success:

President (Role Overview):

  • Provide positive leadership to all officers and members
  • Build a cohesive team and ensure all tasks are completed
  • Oversee and facilitate club meetings
  • Lead by example and treat all members fairly and equally

VP of Education (Role Overview):

  • Set club agenda and assign meeting roles
  • Manage member progress in Pathways and act as the primary Base Camp Manager
  • Encourage member engagement in the Pathways learning experience
  • Plan speech contests (with help from your officer team)

VP of Membership (Role Overview):

  • Initiate contact with guests and help them feel welcome
  • Provide hospitality and membership information for guests
  • Reply to all communications from prospective members in a timely manner
  • Manage the process of converting guests to members

VP of Public Relations (Role Overview):

  • Promote the club to eligible guests and notify the media regarding the club’s existence and benefits
  • Develop and maintain club social media pages and website
  • Create club publicity campaigns
  • Ensure the Club Contact and Meeting Information is up to date in Club Central

Treasurer (Role Overview):

  • Record and maintain accurate and up-to-date financial club records
  • Manage club bank account, make deposits, and write checks as approved
  • Collect and submit membership and renewal dues
  • Create a budget and lead an annual audit

Secretary (Role Overview):

  • Take minutes at club and executive committee meetings
  • Organize and maintain club records and files
  • Update and distribute membership rosters
  • Update the club and officer list at Toastmasters International

Sergeant-At-Arms (Role Overview):

  • Store club equipment and materials
  • Manage meeting facilities (virtual and/or in-person)
  • Provide hospitality and membership information for guests
  • Distribute club materials

Important final note: YOU ARE NOT ALONE! There is a team of District Leaders that have your back. Find out who your Area and Division Directors are. Attend Officer Training in the spring and fall and ASK QUESTIONS! We are here to help you and your club succeed AND have fun doing it 🙂

Essential Resources from Toastmasters International:

Region 9 Presents: 3 Secrets of Leadership Success

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District 53 Toastmasters is part of Region 9, a collection of Toastmasters Districts in the northeast US, Quebec, Ontario, and maritime Canada. Join Region 9’s Advisor Patricia O’Reilly for a great day of leadership training, inspirational messages and powerful exercises to help you become a better leader.

Saturday 13 May 2023

9:30am-12:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm GMT +1

Hear Great Ideas!

Past International President Ted Corcoran presents Skills of Servant Leadership — Learn how high levels of emotional intelligence and servant leadership go hand in hand. Learn how to get our team members on our bus, and going to the same destination.

Past International President Jim Kokocki presents Situational Leadership — Learn how to enable leaders to assess team member readiness and support them appropriately for their specific needs. Learn how to respond to a member’s “task maturity” to enable them to perform better.

Past International Director Monique Levesque-Pharoah presents Manage Conflict Before It Manages You — Learn how to facilitate honest and respectful discussion to resolve conflict and improve working relationships using the Interaction Model tool. Learn how to become more aware of the background biography and context of others on your team or overseeing your leadership.

Join Amazing Leaders!

Poster for the Region 9 Toastmasters "Final Three Secrets; for leadership success"

Region 9 Advisor Patricia O’Reilly invites you to join her for an amazing afternoon of leadership training with prominent Toastmasters from around the world.  Join her and

  •  Past International President Ted Corcoran
  • Past International President Jim Kocoki
  • Past International Director Monique Levesque-Pharaoh

with presentations on the Skills of Servant Leadership, the values of Situational Leadership, and the importance of Managing Conflict Before It Manages You!

Presentations will run from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm ET / 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm GMT + 1 on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Register to join these amazing online sessions! 

From the District Director

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

I begin by sharing something very personal to me. I am typing this letter from the DaVita Dialysis Center in Norwich, Connecticut. For the past four years, I have been managing a diagnosis of end stage renal disease. This requires me to spend approximately four hours, three days a week, connected to a machine, known as a dialyzer, to remove toxins from my blood, and excess fluid from my body. What is needed to manage the disease is a transplanted kidney.

I am scheduled to receive a donor kidney from my elder son, Greg. This surgery will be performed on May 2 in Hartford. There are many moving parts to this process, and Greg and I have created powerful teams of family, and others who love us, to manage the myriad details.

Of note is that I will not be with you, physically, in Springfield on May 6 for the spring conference. I do, however look forward to joining you via Zoom, from isolation at Hartford Hospital, as I am able.

I cannot join you, if you’re not there. I urge you to register for the in-person spring conference experience. We are providing masks, if you care to wear one. We are providing color coding for your nametags (G, Y, R) for your physical contact preference. Green? Handshakes and hugs (if you are comfortable with being hugged). Yellow? Let’s keep it to fist bumps or elbow bumps. Red? Social distancing please. We will have hand sanitizer. The Sheraton has upgraded the ventilation system with improved filtering and more rapid air exchange. David Freedman and his committee have prepared a stellar program. Presenters and many District 53 Toastmasters will be there. Please go to the District 53 website now, click on the conference link, register, and join them in Springfield.

Club Officers: There are several clubs who have not submitted dues for the renewal period of April 1 through September 30. There are other clubs who are not in good standing because they have not submitted dues for at least eight (8) members for the same renewal period. I urge you to attend to this immediately. Check your club’s status using the Toastmasters dashboard. Additionally, your Area Director stands ready to assist you. If you have difficulty in reaching your Area Director, your Division Director is also available. If you are still stuck, contact me. We’ll get your club moving in the direction of Active Status very shortly.

Annual Business Meeting: District 53’s Annual Business Meeting (ABM) is Thursday evening, April 27. The starting gavel is at 7:00 pm, and we shall complete by 9:00. The ABM is on-line, so there is no need for you to travel away from home to participate. Club Presidents and Vice presidents – Education are voting members of the District Council. Your participation is vital. Be on the lookout for a “Call to Meeting” from District Administrative Manager Norm Thibodeau. I look forward to seeing you.

District Speech Contests: This year, the International Speech Contest and Tall Tales Contest will be conducted at the spr ing conference in Springfield, MA, and they will be conducted in a hybrid manner. Be sure to join us in cheering on the best of the best in your divisions who have moved to this level of competition. PQD Patti Walter has much more to communicate on this topic, so I shall leave it to her to do so.

And finally…

District Director’s Coffee Hour: Every second Saturday, through June, I am on Zoom from 8:30-9:30 am. Join me for an informal visit. There is no agenda beyond your curiosity.

Yours in Toastmasters service,
John J. Hogan, DTM
District Director 2022-2023

C&L Award 2023: Patricia Nicolari

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

The 2023 District 53 Communication and Leadership (C&L) committee is pleased to announce that Patricia Nicolari has been chosen as the recipient for this year’s District 53 Communication and Leadership award which will be to be presented at the C&L Luncheon during our annual District Conference on May 6, 2023 in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Toastmasters District 53 Communications and Leadership Award recipient for 2023, Patricia Nicolari (she/her pronouns), founder and Executive Director of PROUD Academy, Inc., in a black & white checked blazer over a dark blue or black blouse, with a gold pendant on a chain at her throat.
Patricia Nicolari, 2023 Communications & Leadership Award recipient

Patricia Nicolari (she/her) is the Founder/Executive Director of PROUD Academy, Inc. PROUD Academy has been Patty’s vision for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies after working with youth in education and nonprofits throughout her 40-year career. Patty has four degrees from Southern Connecticut State University – a BS in Physical Education, an MS in Community Health, a Sixth Year in Educational Foundations, and another Sixth Year in Administration/Supervision, and presently holds an 092 certificate in Educational Leadership. 

Patty has always been actively/progressively involved in her community and that passion escalated after coming out publicly as a teacher in 1997, alongside the brave move of Ellen DeGeneres. She was featured in the New Haven Register article, “Ellen is Out and so is Ms. Nic.” Patty even received a call from Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, then a host of 20/20, for consideration to be featured on the TV show as an “out” teacher.  The freedom to be authentic became the catalyst for Patty to create change in the educational environment for LGBTQ+ students, teachers, and staff. The most powerful part of coming out as a teacher was the outpouring of students who now felt safe enough to disclose their own sexual orientation/gender identity (SOGI) or that of a relative. 

As a result of coming out, Patty started her high school’s first Genders and Sexualities Alliances and organized the first Day of Silence. She joined the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network Board of Directors, became a Stonewall Speaker, facilitated support groups for youth and closeted teachers at the New Haven Pride Center, presented workshops across the country in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Washington, and CT, on the topic of “How to Create a Safe School for all Students Regardless of SOGI”. Additionally, Patty presented a workshop for actor Hill Harper’s nonprofit, “Manifest Your Destiny”, for 8th graders in LA on the topic, “Academic Success Strategies”.

Patty was interviewed by Faith Middleton on NPR, was a recipient of a Dorothy Award for her LGBTQ+ community involvement, and had her story published with other LGBTQ educators in Kevin Jennings’ book, “One Teacher in 10.”

Patty’s experience as an educator ranges from working with marginalized youth as a teacher in an Alternative to Incarceration program in Bridgeport, an administrator of an alternative school for grades 7-12, to higher education as an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut State University. In 2004, Patty was named Teacher of the Year in Ansonia.

Patty’s nonprofit work includes being the director of a mentoring program for youth involved with juvenile probation and State of Connecticut Department of Children and Families foster care. Patty was also a foster parent. She has volunteered on the Governor’s Prevention Partnership LGBTQ+ Advisory Board and presently serves on the New Haven/Hamden Juvenile Review Board.

Patty’s lived experience, “in and out” of the LGBTQ+ family, coupled with her careers in education and nonprofits, have led her to this moment in time. 

Join us at the Toastmasters District 53 2023 Conference on May 6, 2023, at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place in Springfield, MA and hear Patty’s lunchtime remarks.

REGISTER HERE