Toastie Tuesday

Contest Workshop Scoop!

Attention all contestants - confirmed or potential

The reasons for coming to the Contest Workshop have just got even more compelling.

Gael Price, Division Director, has confirmed the winner of the NZ 2015 International Contest, Matt Colcombe from Wellington's Business Breakfast Club, will give a speech on what it's like to be a contestant.

This is pure gold for anybody considering entering the next round Toastmaster contests.

Matt is off to compete very soon in the global International Contest in Vegas but before he goes he's going to give you the lowdown on what he's learned through putting himself out there to be judged.

Matt Colcombe accepting his 1st place certificate from past District Governor Kingsley Moody.

 As Gael says this an amazing opportunity to learn from the best.

But wait there's more

In addition attendees will be involved in facilitated discussion, role plays, and practice the fine art of judgment-ship.

Attention contest organizers, chairs ...

If you're organizing or chairing this a superb opportunity to ensure that the contest you give your club is the very best; in accord with all that is good, fair and desired by everybody, whether they are contestants or officials.

What will attendees learn

By the time you leave you will have a greater understanding of:

• why Toastmasters hold contests - the benefits for ALL participants
• contest rules
• what can go wrong, why and how to prevent it
• the judging rules and the forms used
• the judging process through demonstration and practice

And of course you will have heard straight from the winner of the International Contest NZ's mouth about competing.

The details

Date: 30th July (Thursday)

Time: 5.30pm -  7.30pm

Place: Wellington Girl's College Library (Please download this pdf map showing car parking and so on. Finding the place can be tricky and we don't want you lost.)

Entry fee: koha - gold coin donation.

Thanks to Capital Toastmasters for sponsoring the event.

Register now 

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Toastie Tuesday

Vodafone Wellington staff teams up with Toastmasters

Vodafone - that quotation mark logo is all about communication, and now communication between staff at Vodafone's Wellington office is getting even better. That's right, they're starting a Toastmasters club!

The new club has been meeting for a couple of months and interest has been very strong. On Wednesday 15 July they invited Division Director Gael to visit a meeting.

"It was wonderful to visit the Vodafone Capital team and be a part of their meeting," Gael said. "Almost everyone was doing their role for the first time, from the chair to the table topics evaluator. They all did such a great job! There was even an Icebreaker speech to round out the firsts."

Members of the soon-to-be charted club Vodafone Capital Toastmasters 

The meeting theme of "extreme weather" was well suited to the recent temperatures around Wellington. A creative and inclusive Table Topics session saw almost everyone present challenged with weather-related questions, ranging from "When have you had to harden up and bear the cold?" to "What was the weather like on your last holiday?"

Sponsor Tony Henderson-Newport said the club will be ready to charter soon. The members are very enthusiastic, and the company is committed to supporting staff in their Toastmasters journey.

Gael says it's always a pleasure visiting clubs in formation.

"Meeting new people is my favourite thing about Toastmasters. New clubs mean that our Toastmasters family is growing, and that's the best thing of all!"

For more information about the club please visit: Vodafone Capital Toastmasters

Toastie Tuesday

Why cats attend club leadership training

It’s freezing outside and that means it must be July! Which means it must be the season for club leader training (CLT). Toastmasters everywhere have been receiving lots of messages encouraging them to go along to a CLT session. But what’s it all about?

"Why move from the heater to go to CLT?"

Club leader training is all about leadership. Who are the leaders in a Toastmasters club? Well, the President and Vice-Presidents, obviously. But it turns out that taking on a role like Secretary, Treasurer or Sergeant at Arms also makes you a leader for your club! Think: leaders make things happen. Who makes every club meeting happen? The Treasurer pays for the meeting room; the Sergeant at Arms turns up with the banner, lights and maybe even some biscuits; the Secretary makes sure the website and other records are up to date so guests can find the club. These roles are every bit as important as advertising the meeting (VP Publicity), getting in touch with prospective members (VP Membership), arranging the schedule or agenda (VP Education), and setting the vision for the club (President).

"Are you sure it's not CAT leadership training?"

So what will you get out of attending CLT?

Well, there’s tips on how to fill your role, and what your responsibilities are…

… information about what’s going on in the wider world of Toastmasters…

… opportunities to meet and learn from other club leaders…

… and even a chance to get started on your plan for the year!

And of course, attending CLT gets recognition for you and your club. You can get credit towards your Advanced Leader Bronze award, and your club can make progress towards being a Distinguished club.

So we’ll see you at CLT! The dates and places are here on our Div E Facebook page.

Wellington Toastmasters who's who

Here's the folk who lead Toastmasters in New Zealand (District 72) and in the Wellington region - Division E.

District 72 leadership team

District Director: 
Carol Mitchell DTM
Email: governor@toastmasters.org.nz

Programme Quality Director: 
David Templeman DTM
Email: education@toastmasters.org.nz

Club Growth Director: 
Sarah Bate DTM
Email: marketing@toastmasters.org.nz

Public Relations Manager: 
Marlene Krone DTM
Email:  pro@toastmasters.org.nz

Finance Manager: 
Tania Fraser CC, ALB
Email: treasurer@toastmasters.org.nz

Administration Manager: 
Judy Love DTM
Email: secretary@toastmasters.org.nz

Parliamentarian: 
Chrissy Meyer DTM
Email:  parliamentarian@toastmasters.org.nz

Immediate Past District Governor: 
Kingsley Moody DTM
Email: pastgovernor@toastmasters.org.nz

District Supplies
Vaughan and Kath Cherrie ACS, ALB
Email: districtsupplies@toastmasters.org.nz

District Webmaster
Dale Hartle DTM
Email: webmaster@toastmasters.org.nz

Division E

Division E Director
Gael Price
Email: division_e@toastmasters.org.nz

Area E1 Director
Simon Lin
Email: area_e1@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- Capital
- The Gourmet
- Wellington Assurity Testmasters
- Public Service
- Cupcake Communicators

Area E2 Director
Amanda Hillock

Email: area_e2@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- Habourside
- Capital Chatterers
- Capital Breakfast
- Business Breakfast
- Vodafone Capital Toastmasters

Area E3 Director
Sam Masters
Email: area_e3@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- High Noon Bankers
- Willis Quarter
- Taxing Toastmasters
- BNZ Harbour Quays
- Up Top

Area E6 Director
Owen Winter 

Email: area_e6@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- DIAlogue
- FearBusters
- Statistically Speaking
- Toast Health

Area E7 Director
Mike Mckee
Email: area_e7@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- Peninsula Presenters
- Mount Victoria
- Turbine Talkers
- Island Bay
- Cook Strait Progressive

Area E9 Director
Rob Barton-Howes 

Email: area_e9@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:

- Five Crowns
- Victoria University
- Terrace@12
- NZX Wordstock

Area E10 Director
Kai Chan
Email: area_e10@toastmasters.org.nz
Clubs:
- Te Aro
- Wellington Professional
- Mid City
- Wellington Speechcraft
- Advanced Wellington
- Pipitea

Speaking words of wisdom

It's the beginning of a new Toastmaster's year. The fact that it coincides with a full moon, the most round and luscious we've seen for sometime, is of course purely incidental. Likewise there is no direct causal relationship with the content of this post.*

We canvassed your new leaders for words of wisdom - a pithy phrase encapsulating their public speaking philosophy, their aspirations, their tips. We hoped to inspire you. Most of them responded to the challenge.  May their messages alight in your heart, put words in your mouth, and propel you on to bigger and better speeches!

Who better to begin with than the Division Director, lovely Gael Price?

"To avoid clasping your hands, hold a glass of water when you speak. If you also struggle with nerves, consider replacing the water with wine."

In this photo Gael (before her latest haircut) demonstrates how to gesture and hand-clasp at the same time. Go with the wine next time, Gael!

Next is the Area E6 Director Owen Winter

"For me joining Toastmasters came from a desire to connect to a wider community, never dreaming I would find the world of opportunity and support I have found on my journey so far..."

Owen is responsible for these clubs:  DIAlogue,  FearBusters, Statistically Speaking and Toast Health.

Now here's Simon Lin, Area E1 Director

As you can see he's a stickler for rules! Skirts are NOT optional when you visit Cupcake Communicators. They are part of the dress code.

The clubs in Simon's area are Capital, The Gourmet, Wellington Assurity, Testmasters, Public Service, and Cupcake Communicators.

We don't have a quote from him. Presumably because his sartorial splendour says it all: fearless ...

Next is Mike McKee, Area E7 Director

"Toastmasters is a great supportive environment to succeed.
Getting to your next step is easy as everyone else is doing it too."

Mike is caretaker of all of Wellington's South Coast clubs: Peninsula Presenters, Mount Victoria, Turbine Talkers, Island Bay and Cook Strait Progressive.

And now Eleanor Currier Area E2 Director

"Hold on tight, and pretend it's a plan" - Stephan Moffat.

The clubs under Eleanor's supervision are Habourside, Capital Chatterers, Capital Breakfast and Business Breakfast.

Larrie Talbot, Division E, Education Advisor

Workshops complete the picture.

Larrie is the person who oversees the ongoing education for all the officers in all of Division E's clubs. She's the one checking on the content requirements, looking for the most effective presentation methods, as well as devising and monitoring the programmes for all the workshops in the Toastmaster calendar. It's a vital role!

Susan Dugdale, Division E, Marketing Advisor

How many times do I have to tell you? The body always speaks louder than words and will ruthlessly expose a fibber. Saying you are calm while clutching yourself is contradictory and, futile.

Susan is the Marketing Advisor for Division E which mean she has fun putting blog and FaceBook posts together, writes emails spreading Toastmaster news and generally helps where she can.

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*We will not be held responsible for any aberrant outbreaks, temporary, contagious, mild or acute, of lunacy subsequent to reading this page. All advice is be taken only after consulting your own good commonsense.