Rotorua Convention - Filling the Kete

When the delegates at the May District 72 Convention registered at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua we were all given a kete containing our convention programme, water, a few snacks and much more importantly the ability to fill with all of the knowledge that we would gain over the two days of the convention.


The convention Master of Ceremonies Kingi Biddle – who was District 72 International Speech Contestant in 2013 and 2014 – asked us to remember that the kete was a resource basket, and that when we left the convention it would become filled with all of the things we have learnt from each other and the warmth and memories of sharing time with our Toastmasters whanau.


Day one of the convention opened with a traditional Powhiri, which was followed by the traditional banner parade, led by the Rotorua Cadets.  The cadets remained standing on the stage throughout the Mayoral welcome provided by Steve Chadwick, who shared her experiences of public speaking as both a Member of Parliament and Mayor.  District 72 Director, Carol Mitchell, DTM officially opened the convention and welcomed all of the District 72 whanau.

A number of keynote speakers and education sessions were offered including Bill Potter who motivated attendees to think differently and live by the mantra ‘I can until I can't’. John Twaddle shared the story of his personal Toastmasters journey, reminding those in the room that as Toastmasters we are always learning.

David Clarkson ran an educational session on time management and Brent Park reminded us of the importance of listening as well as speaking in Toastmasters. Grainne Moss entertained and moved us with her stories about striving for excellence and challenges of swimming the English channel and other channels including the Cook Strait. Jonathan Pedersen talked about what you need to know about websites, and Lorraine Taylor and Elise Lonsdale updated us on online tools available to Toastmasters for holding virtual and online meetings.

The Evaluation Contest occupied the latter part of Saturday morning, where the best evaluators in the District critiqued a test speech. The winners were: 1st place – Helen Cambell from Silver Service Toastmasters Club in Division A; 2nd place – Helen Fitt from Christchurch Toastmasters Club in Division G; and 3rd place – Michelle Gerwitz from Taieri Toastmasters Club in Division C. The contest was chaired by Division H Director Graham Gunn.

District 72 Evaluation contest. (L-R) 3rd place Michelle Gerwitz, 2nd place Helen Fitt, 1st place Helen Campbell, contest chair Graham Gunn.

The Prepared Speech Contest followed at lunchtime on Sunday.

"Better Late Than Never" was the message from Justin Thompson who won the Prepared Speech Contest. Not only did he win the contest, he also won the Most Entertaining Speech Award. Justin will now represent New Zealand at the Toastmasters International Speech Contest in Washington DC in August this year.  He will be competing against contestants from around the world for the title of 'World Champion of Public Speaking'. Justin is from Northrise Toastmasters Club in Division F (Auckland). Click here to help Justin cover the costs of competing in DC.

Other placegetters were: 2nd place – Marc Ramos from Naumai South Taranaki Toastmasters Club in Division B, and 3rd place – Ben Herring, also from Taieri Toastmasters Club in Division C. The contest was chaired by Division E Director Gael Price.

District 72 International speech contest. (L-R) 1st place Justin Thompson, 2nd place Marc Ramos, 3rd place Ben Herring

Incoming District Executive

The convention included the annual business meeting, and elections for the district executive were held.  The elected officers will take the reins from 1 July and they are: District Director – David Templeman DTM, Program Quality Director – Sarah Bate DTM, Club Growth Director – Toni Sharp QSM DTM, Administration Manager – Fiona Hodge, Finance Manager – Nicola Green, and Public Relations Manager – Rob Woolley.

One week till Rotorua convention!

The contestants are ready, the judges are ready... are you ready for Rotorua?

The District (national) convention kicks off next weekend at the Distinction Hotel in Rotorua. An awesome weekend is planned at this lovely venue.

Image source: Distinction Hotels

On Saturday, the regional evaluation champions will meet in the District Evaluation contest - a test of skill in listening, analysing and giving feedback. We'll also enjoy educational workshops and keynote presentations from a "business maverick" and a long-serving Toastmaster, and will see who's elected to office for next year in the District Annual Business meeting. Saturday will end with revelry at the dine & dance. Make sure to wear a hat representing a culture of your choice!

Image source: mgrush.com

Sunday morning brings the glamour event - the District International speech contest, which will see the winner jetting off to Washington DC to represent New Zealand on the world stage. Before the contest we'll warm up with workshops on the online world of Toastmasters, and another keynote from a well-travelled businesswoman.

If you're travelling to Rotorua for convention, remember:

• Register to vote by 18 May! Download voter registration forms from the District website. Have a look at the meeting papers on that website, too - it'll help you follow what's happening at the business meeting.
• 18 May is also the deadline for booking a shuttle from the airport to the hotel. See the latest convention newsletter for details.
• The registration desk at the Distinction Hotel opens at 3pm Friday and 7am Saturday. Get in early to beat the crowd.
• If you're looking for something to do on Friday night, come along to the mix and mingle from 5pm. There'll be a chance to see speeches from those standing for office in the Candidates' Showcase at 7.30pm.

And finally, the number one tip from a convention veteran... bring a few snacks to keep in your convention bag! You'll be pleased to have them when you get so busy talking to people that you forget to eat morning tea.

See you there!

Image source: TMC Rotorua

Division E is changing...

Over the past few years, Division E has welcomed a lot of new lunchtime clubs! That growth means lots of new Toastmasters, lots of new faces at Area contests - and new responsibilities for Area Directors.

To help spread the load, Division E will soon be changing the way our clubs are organised into Areas. The change will create one new lunchtime Area, and reshuffle the existing lunchtime Areas so that the clubs in one Area are reasonably close together.

The changes (or "realignment") have been through an extensive consultation process, and the resulting plan is supported by every affected club. Thank you to all those involved in consultation! The next step is for the whole country to vote on the plan at the May District council meeting. If that vote is successful, clubs will move into their new Areas on July 1st.

To see what Division E will look like after the change, check out this Google map - or see below for the full realignment report that's going to District.

All the news from Blenheim

Did you know that holding a pen in your mouth can improve your mood?

That was just one of the tidbits of information that were on offer at District conference in Blenheim. On the first weekend in November, just over 300 Toastmasters from all around the country gathered at Marlborough Convention Centre for a weekend of learning, networking, and fun.

The conference organisers had a fantastic schedule ready for us, with keynotes and educational workshops from all over the spectrum of communication and leadership. In the space of two short days, attendees learned about telling their stories in speeches, improving memory, mastering Table Topics, coming across as a leader, and even how to take control of their lives and be more productive. That tip about the pen? That was thanks to trainer Roydon Gibbs, who shared the insight that forcing your face to make a smiling shape can trick your brain into feeling happier - and a pen in the mouth is one way to do that!

Contests are the centrepiece of a District conference. The Table Topics contest on Saturday, and Humorous contest on Sunday, were both won by speakers from Division C (Otago/Southland). Table Topics champion Christine Livingstone spoke with passion and humour on the benefits of recognising diversity through public holidays. Humorous champion Bruce Caughey had the audience in stitches with his cautionary tale of what happens if you let a your tin of condensed milk boil dry.

Table Topics Winners - 3rd - Peter Scholtens, 1st Christine Livingstone, and 2nd Stephen Budai.
Photo credit: District 72 website

Division E contestants placed in both contests, with Peter Scholtens (Statistically Speaking) placing third in Table Topics, and Ella Kahu (Island Bay) coming third in Humorous. Congratulations, Peter and Ella!

At the business meeting on Saturday afternoon, club representatives had the opportunity to ask questions about the District's budget and financial performance, as well as the work going on to build new clubs and support members in achieving their educational goals. A change to the District Procedures for budgeting got everyone engaged in the debate, and the meeting finished almost exactly on time. (Minutes for the business meeting will be available on the District website in due course.)

The Saturday night dinner was great fun for all, with plenty of dancing and some new friendships being formed. The dinner theme of "Colour your world" gave everyone inspiration for their outfits, with some turning up in brightly coloured wigs or clown costumes, while others stuck with colourful dresses and suits - there were even a few fascinators left over from the Melbourne Cup.

As the conference wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, delegates spilled out of the Convention Centre into a blindingly hot Marlborough day. The Blenheim town square was full of stalls selling ice cream and other treats, and many people stopped off there on their way to the airport - where an impromptu Toastmasters meeting was held in the terminal, complete with a CC 6 speech, evaluation and Table Topics! Toastmasters never pass up a speaking opportunity!

L-R: Simon Lin, Rob Barton-Howes, Gael Price, Mike McKee, Kai Chan - admiring the scenery en route from the airport to the convention. 

Blenheim awaits!

The Division conference is over and our champions are making their preparations to travel to Blenheim, to compete at the next level. Will you be joining them?

What is District convention?

Convention is when all the Toastmasters from one District come together to learn and celebrate each other's achievements. All of New Zealand is one District - District 72. District 72 holds two conventions each year, one in November and one in May.

This November, convention is in Blenheim; in May we go to Rotorua, and the following November it's Invercargill. Convention is a great excuse to see the country!

What happens at November convention?

Each November we hold our national Humorous Speech and Table Topics contests. The nine Division-level winners in each contest will compete to determine the ultimate District champion.

But that's not all - convention is a full weekend of events, featuring educational workshops, social functions, and the semi-annual business meeting.

Who should attend?

All Toastmasters are welcome at convention! Everyone, from new members to club presidents and beyond, will find plenty to learn and lots of great networking opportunities. A convention as handy as Blenheim is a great opportunity to attend easily - it hasn't been this close to Wellington since 2013.

Check out the convention website for registration information (but book your accommodation first - accommodation in Blenheim is very tight already).

I'm already registered! What do I need to do before I go?

Talk to your club President about your club's votes for the business meeting. Every club has two votes, which can be carried by the President and Vice President Education, or assigned to another club member who is attending the business meeting. If you're the only person attending from your club, it's important that you get those votes assigned to you before you go - if there aren't enough club votes present, the meeting can't go ahead.

You can download voting documents from the meeting website. These need to be signed by your President and VPE and returned by email before 3 November.

If you're attending the business meeting, have a quick look at the meeting documents beforehand. You don't need to print out copies of everything, but try to familiarise yourself with the agenda and papers that will be discussed. There won't be any copies distributed at the meeting.

What should I expect when I get there?

Say hello to everyone you meet, ask them about their home club and how far they've travelled. Everyone is friendly and looking to meet new people. My favourite conversation starter is to ask people what they've learned at convention so far - chances are they've attended a session you missed, and by chatting to them you can learn all about it too.

Remember that convention is very full on! Make sure you have a few snacks in your bag for those long sessions between breakfast and morning tea, and don't expect to be able to escape from the convention centre, even for a short walk - you'll most likely be busy talking to people from start to finish each day.

I can't attend! What do I do?

Keep your eye on Facebook and Eat Your Crusts for updates! If no one is attending from your club, make sure you return a voter registration form with the club's apology before 3 November. Every club is invited to the business meeting, and it's polite to send an apology if your club can't make it.

See you there (whether in real life or here on the blog)!