TRYST WITH THE TRIO
Published on : Tuesday, 29 September 2020
30-09-2020
Flying high to reach for the skies
Dear Toastmasters
As I pen this newsletter to all members of District 121, I realize how the global scenario has changed with the onset of Covid-19. Everything seems hazy and confusing. Schedules and plans have gone off track. People seek answers to questions unasked. But despite these pandemic blues, we, at Toastmasters, have coped up well. We have moved smoothly to transition and recreate our environs and have changed gears to adapt to a new world of virtual transactions.
Today, our portals have widened and meetings happen across a worldwide platform. Our activities have progressed at a greater pace, with online access to 145 countries. Our interactions with high profile personalities have benefitted us with immense exposure.
As District Director, I wish to reach out to you all with a message from my heart. Amid all the social distancing, Toastmasters must use this phase as an opportunity for introspection and learning.
We must identify our weak areas and seek to overcome them, upholding the core values of Toastmasters International. Every effort must be made to groom our personalities to become effective communicators. We must cultivate a team spirit and enhance our leadership skills. With an innate focus on skill development and confidence building, we must strive to emerge as leaders of tomorrow. And through it all, the fraternity at Toastmasters will continue to be the wind beneath your wings.
So come on Toastmasters. Soar high. As a new district, let us make history by creating icons in society. Remember that “Our future lies before us, like fallen snow.We must tread with care, as every step will show!”
#daretodream
Nirmala Lilly, DTM
District 121 Director
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Renewing faith in the Toastmasters Program
The Program Quality Director (PQD) term has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride so far! A lot of learning, a lot of collaboration and a whole lot of fun!
Picking the most service oriented members as a part of the PQD Extended Team is one of the best decisions I have made this year. Individual zoom accounts for all 10 divisions have enabled all of our 150 base clubs to conduct their online meetings and events with fantastic support from the Area Directors and Division Directors who are fully involved with the clubs for all kinds of support needed. A testimony to the smooth conduct of these meetings is the fact that we have already filed more than 550 educational awards including 9 DTMs and 21 Pathkeepers.
We had 100% of our District officers trained at the first ever DOTP (District Officers Training Program) during the June 27-28 weekend. We organized 3 sessions of Toastmasters Leadership Training Institute (TLI) to train Club Officers according to their Divisions, during the month of July 2020, where 95% of our Club Officers got trained. We also released a Club Officer checklist as a ready reckoner of the roles and responsibilities that a club officer needs to cover during his/her term. (https://d121toastmasters.org/ClubOfficersChecklist/)
During September 2020, we are organizing a Training and Webinar series in continuation of TLI, where we are bringing world class leaders during weekends to help us understand the various, important aspects of the PQD, CGD and PR functions. Topics include Adding New Members, Mentoring, Pathways, Going Beyond the Club, Servant Leadership and Creating Brand Compliant Posters.
Another important initiative that we have launched is the Speakers Citation where we now recognize the members who help clubs (outside their home club) with their training needs. Through this initiative we are seeing a lot of collaboration between all four regions. We have also launched a bi-weekly initiative – “Did you Know” Series – where we share important information with the members through educational posters.
The first quarter has been super busy and counting the initiatives that we are currently working on, the second quarter looks busier. A big thank you to all the members for renewing your faith in the Toastmasters program.
#BeYourBest.
Vanitha Rangarajan, DTM
Program Quality Director
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Expanding Footprints
A new toastmasters district is born and the movement takes off in new and energizing ways, despite the challenging times that we live in. The Club Growth Director’s team is all charged up to expand the footprints of the movement across the two states in which it is placed.
Club Extension Chair, DTM Arun Ramarathnam, focuses on chartering new clubs with the firm belief that growth can be achieved by expanding our domain – obtaining more clubs and more members across various regions.
The Club Retention Chair, DTM Subramanyam, focuses on the rescue of struggling clubs – those having less than 12 members fall under this category.
Club Assurance Chair, DTM Anita Cordeiro, focuses on supporting clubs with 13-19 members in order to increase membership in the given club and achieve Distinguished status.
Open House Chair, TM Vineeth R, focuses on conducting demo sessions for promoting the brand of Toastmasters among various communities to get new members to promote membership.
Active Sisters is a new initiative where a club has to select two clubs from other Regions as Sister Clubs. Conducting joint meetings and exchanging role-players such as General Evaluators and Speech Evaluators will enhance the vistas of the members and thereby best practices of various clubs will be shared in the District.
The Analysis Chair, DTM Amith Lionel Ananda focuses on Moments of Truth, Data, Assets, and surveys of the CGD team. The objective is to recognise the voice of the member as an indirect voice of the club.
Despite the pandemic and the strictures we experienced in holding in-person meetings, clubs continued to meet and thrive online, learning new skills that were demanded in a new online world.
That ultimately is what toastmasters is all about – Renewal, Restructuring and Rejuvenation.
Savitha Salian, DTM
Club Growth Director
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