Tag: 2022-2023

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

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

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

Results of Area Contests 2023

Posted on | by Andrew Watt, DTM

District 53 and the webmaster have received the following results from Area-level contests in the International Speech and Tall Tales Speech contests:

Area Level Results: International

Division ADivision BDivision CDivision DDivision E
Area 11
Greg Hirshorn		Area 21
Chad Betz		Area 31
Donna Plein		Area 41
Philip Pape		Area 51
Craig Moore
Area 12
Jeff Bradbury		Area 22
Heather Skaanning		Area 32
No Contestant		Area 42
Rose Day		Area 52
Nancy Baum Delain
Area 13
Oscar Romero		Area 23
Ann Canfield		Area 33
Chris Chessaro		Area 43
John Michaliszyn		Area 53
Linda Salzer
Area 14
No contestant		Area 24
Megan Scribner		Area 34
William Caro		Area 44
No contestant		Area 54
David Kolman
Area 15
Angel Mary		Area 25
Michael Whitehouse		Area 35
No Contestant		– N/AArea 55
Terry Goodemote

Area Level Results: Tall Tales

Division ADivision BDivision CDivision DDivision E
Area 11
Poona Hassija		Area 21
Tom Farrelly		Area 31
Zita Bodonyi		Area 41
Yvette Fredericks		Area 51
Roderick Rattlecat Kerrigan
Area 12
Cheryn Morgenstern		Area 22
No Contestant		Area 32
Saicharan Sirangi		Area 42
Chelsea Rule		Area 52
Linda Gingold Seaman
Area 13
Chris Connor		Area 23
Christine Austin		Area 33
Kevin Haven		Area 43
Michelle DeDominicis		Area 53
LeLe Luan
Area 14
Christina LaPerie		Area 24
Jack Cunningham		Area 34
Divanny Pena		Area 44
Denise F. Mock		Area 54
Jim Brooks
Area 15
No Contestant		Area 25
Larry Zaccaro		Area 36
Joseph Carfago		– N/A Area 55
No Contestant

Much Ado About Dues

Posted on | by Stephanie Roy
A name bag graphic that has the Toastmasters International logo and has the text "Membership Renewals Are Due"

It’s that time again, Toastmasters!

Spring dues are coming up fast and we all know how critical this renewal period is.

If your club has its eyes set on DCP awards, this spring cycle is your key success.

Here are some quick tips to help your club achieve its membership goals this Toastmasters year:

#1 Track Attendance

Don’t wait until April to start chasing your members! Anytime someone misses more than two meetings in a row without communication, check in. Use their preferred method of communication to follow up and give a friendly “how’s it going? we miss you!”

#2 Plan Ahead

Start NOW. Have your executive committee / officer team review your clubs roster. Who is likely to renew? Who is at risk of dropping out? Talk with club members before things get down to the wire and spend a little extra time with the at-risk members. Better yet, do a mini-Moments-of-Truth-type check in with each individual, build rapport, and start gathering information and ideas to improve the club and keep your members excited to continue.

Phone with a speech bubble over it that shows phone, email, and text symbols

#3 Use All Communication Channels

Don’t rely on email alone to remind the club about dues. Give a ring on the phone, send a friendly text, and make announcements at club meetings. You can start with group emails/texts, but plan to follow up with individuals sooner rather than later.

#4 Involve All Officers

The Treasurer takes the lead on dues, but they shouldn’t have to go it alone. All officers can split the task of contacting members individually. Your club VPM should be in charge of keeping attendance and following up with MIA members and your President should be talking up the club and making announcements about dues in meetings.

#5 Get Members Excited!

A Toastmaster receiving an award at a Toastmaster's meeting

This is the time of year to pull out all the stops to excite members and remind them of the value of their accomplishments. Strategically place beneficial, educational, and fun events right before renewals. Some examples could include:

  • Social events
  • Special guest speakers
  • Open Houses
  • Themed meetings
  • Awards presentations (take is serious and celebrate club achievements, or make it fun and create your own Dundie awards!)

Remember, the District is here to help you and your club succeed. Do not hesitate to reach out to your Area Director or other District leaders with any questions or concerns you may have!