The

WestWord
Winter 2014

District 33
News & Events

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Governors Message
1
PR Pointers
10
Lt Governors Messages
2
Member Spotlight
14
Remembrances
3
2015 International Convention 15
Speaker Spotlight
4
District Message
15
Save the Date
5
District Spotlight
16,17
Leader Spotlight
6
Technology/Education Corner 18
Website Consultant
9
Ask Dana
18
Division Governors Messages 7, 9, 11, 13, 15

District Governor Message to District 33 Members

Members of Enthusiastic District 33 Toastmasters,

The state of the District is: Membership is UP,

with most of our clubs renewed to ACTIVE
status. Were working with the last few graced
clubs to help them grow back up to the magic
eight members. New clubs? We now have four
new clubs: Sands Expo Toastmasters,
ZToasters, Action Toastmasters and Exeter
Toastmasters. Shout out to all the sponsors,
mentors and members who work together to
help a club go from Twinkle to Charter. Aside to
our new members - you have joined an
extended family. Make the most of this
wonderful opportunity!
Toastmasters International is continuing to
enhance our member experience, this time by
updating the look and feel of the
Toastmasters.org website. Take a few minutes
to check it out. You can touch on FAQ at the
bottom of any page, and select Website.
There are several short videos to acclimate us
to the new flow.
This is a good time to be sure you are getting
the most out of the resources available to you.
Where Leaders are Made begins with our
club meetings. Each of us contributes to our
meetings being valuable, memorable and fun!
To keep raising your personal bar, let your
President know if you are ready to take on
more responsibility in your club, or participate
in the Area and Division Contests, coming up
soon.
Im happy to have the chance to revisit our
District 33 Conference with you.
Our
Conference Chair Phil Bateman, ACS, ALB and
all the members of the Conference team
presented us with a terrific experience. Twice a
year, we celebrate our successes, enjoy
trainings and invited speakers, and break bread
together while we support the speech
contestants. At our Conference, we had a

physical representation of R.I.S.E. to the

Opportunity, as members had a chance to take
pictures of themselves in a hot air balloon. Thank
you to Steve Goldstein, DTM for bringing an idea
to life!
In November, our invited speakers all brought
something special.
International President
Mohammed Murad, DTM, was both our Keynote
Speaker as well as leading us in an educational on
Teamwork. He was so generous, coming to
District 33 several days before the Conference to
support our new club efforts. Past International
President Michael Notaro, DTM was the guest
speaker at our Hall of Fame on Friday, bringing
both laughs and memorable inspirational stories.
The most recently crowned Accredited Speaker
Barbara Khozam, ACS, ALB provided marketing
tips. Tim Mullins, DTM our District Club Website
Consultant joined by Michael Ford, CC, ALB, Area
B3 Governor, took us to the next level with our
Club Websites, and with the use of Social Media
to reach out to guests.
Congratulations to our Humorous Speech winner,
Himanshu Kathuria, ACG, ALB and our Evaluation
winner, Ellie Kay, ACB, CL. All the contestants lit
up the stage, and made us proud!
We expect the second half of our Toastmaster
year to be filled with exciting Open Houses,
Kickoff Meetings, Invited Speakers and members
completing CCs and CLs. Members keep moving
forward with advanced educationals at all levels.
Did you know that speech lessons can be
downloaded for free? Nice! Keep inviting friends
and co-workers to participate in the Toastmaster
experience. In the next few months club officers
are training, and all of us are preparing for the
next two speech contests (International Speech
Contest and Tall Tales Contest). What a fun time
to be a Toastmaster!
See you in Modesto on May 1st and 2nd if not
before.
In Service, Katy Porter, DTM, District 33 Governor

Katy Porter, DTM

District 33 Governor
2014-2015

Check out the District 33

website

D33.toastmastersdistri
cts.org
District 33 PRO
Guy Dawson, DTM
Westword Newsletter Editor

Dana Wall-Oakley, DTM

Contributing Writers
District Officers
Charlotte Bentley, CC,ALB
Tim Chedester, ACG, CL
Guy Dawson, DTM
Sheryl Greenblat ACB,ALB
Tim Mullins, DTM
Dana Wall-Oakley, DTM

District 33 Lieutenant Governor of Education & Training

Deborah Baker, DTM
Happy Holidays District 33!!
With our successful Fall District Conference behind us, it is hard to believe that we are halfway
through our Toastmaster year. As we approach the holidays, lets all be mindful of the personal
goals we have set for ourselves. Dr. Stephen Covey in his book, The Seven Habits of Successful People
says we are much more likely to achieve our goals when commit them to writing. Have you
committed to a Toastmasters educational goal this year? Lets all RISE to the Opportunity and
challenge ourselves to complete that manual project we started so long ago. Reach out to a fellow
member and make yourself accountable to that person. Aim high and strive to be the best you can
be. We have everything to gain by improving our skills. If you are a member of a club that selects
officers on a semi-annual basis, please do not forget to update the Toastmaster website with your
new officer list. This is an easy point to receive for your clubs Distinguished Plan. As of December
1st it is time for Winter club officer training. Toastmasters International has given us new training
modules to use for our Toastmaster Leadership Institute sessions. Our District Governor has
graciously agreed to reimburse each Division $100 if you present two of the training sessions along
with the seven sessions of Officer training for each of the club officer positions. Each module has a
nicely prepared power point presentation and handouts to support your sessions. Clubs are much
more likely to achieve Distinguished status if the club officers are attending Division sponsored
training. Keep in mind that if your club reaches Distinguished status by April 30th your club will
receive a gift certificate for the Toastmaster store, a beautiful RISE to the Opportunity ribbon for
your banner, and special recognition at the District Spring Conference .There is still time to aim high
and earn the 1-2-3 Superstar trophy. Serve as a new club sponsor or mentor, or club coach, earn
two educational awards, and sponsor three Toastmasters by June 30 th. You will receive a beautiful
Superstar trophy for your efforts which will be awarded at the District conference. Lets all work
together to make this the greatest Toastmaster year ever. Best Regards.

District 33 Lieutenant Governor of Marketing Jamuna Ramnath, DTM

Welcome to our three new additions to District 33; Sand Expo Toastmasters, Action Toastmasters and
ZToasters! We are excited about the three charters and are eagerly awaiting many more clubs on the
verge of chartering. We are almost at mid-year and we must accelerate our efforts to see our District
proudly marching on the Las Vegas stage as President Distinguished for the first time in 38 years! As
of today we are at 49% with membership growth and paid clubs. We have a lot of work to do to
achieve our goals. As of this writing, every Division has minimum of two viable new club leads, and
some divisions have more than two. We have a huge responsibility to wake those ten sleeping clubs
and to charter 17 new clubs.
We are running many membership drive programs with District incentives to promote member retention and new
membership growth. I want you to take advantage of every opportunity to help your Club, Area and Division to achieve
its goals.
1.
2.

3.

4.

We have a Mid-Year Open House Membership Drive from November to February. The best Open House in each Division
receives a $25 certificate.
We also have an Outstanding Club Performance Program. Every month starting in December, we will draw a winner from
the clubs with highest member retention and the highest number of new members added. The winner will receive a $25
gift certificate.
We want to help the small clubs with 12 or fewer members. Sign up on Meet Up and utilize social media to promote your
club and attract members. Take this chance to reach out to your community with Meet Up and receive three months
reimbursement from the district.
Does your Area or Division have an alarming number of clubs with 12 or fewer members? We have 89 clubs that are
eligible for coaches (42.4%), of which 65 have not been assigned coaches. Every experienced Toastmaster has an
opportunity to adopt a club or be a club coach and help a club become Distinguished. You can also earn a credit toward
the Advanced Leader Silver educational award.

Nothing should deter us from our mission to Build new clubs and assist all clubs in achieving excellence.!
Let the Magic of Santa bring you greater energy and enthusiasm through these holidays, and as we start the New Year,
lets continue to strive toward our goal of becoming Presidents Distinguished District by the end of June 2015!!!
Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!!

District 33 Winter 2014-2015

Training Season
Are you an incoming officer?
Attend your Division TLI Training Session
(Toastmasters Leadership Institute)
Ask your Area or Division Governor for details

Save the Date

Spring in Modesto!
May 1st & 2nd 2015
The Spring 2015 District Conference
will be hosted by Division F in
Modesto, California
Visit the District website for details
coming soon

District 33 wishes to extend their condolences to the friends

and family of Betty Mahalik of Nevada.
Elizabeth Elnora Mahalik passed away Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014, at home.
Betty fought a courageous 13-month battle with breast cancer. Always staying
positive through the fight, Betty journaled the events in the hope of helping
others to understand the battle.
Born Aug. 20, 1953 in Albuquerque, N.M. Betty was active in high school as a Clark High cheerleader and went on to earn
a degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Utah. She later worked in radio and as a TV news anchor. You
could find her for many years as a PBS host during Pledge month. She also worked in public relations and advertising, was
a beauty control consultant, public speaker, trainer and a business coach. Betty founded Dynamic Solutions, coaching and
training over 25 years and loved to help others transform their lives through coaching. Betty was really jazzed when she
earned the Women of Distinction Award (WODA) in 2007. Always wanting to be published, she was ecstatic when her
book, "Living a Five Star Life" was released in 2008.
Betty lived what she preached by doing daily journaling, reading scriptures, meditation, exercising, including yoga, body
flow, strength exercises and classic stretching. Still setting goals after 12 months of fighting cancer, Betty's goals were to
float in the pool on a raft and ride her beach cruiser bike. (Betty taught that your goals don't have to be big goals, just set
the goal.)
Betty was a shining star. She was very active in the community and over the years was a member of many organizations
including Toastmasters, NAWBO, Rotary International and others.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Anne Van Winkle. Betty is survived by her husband, of 31 years, Andy;
and son, Andrew.
She was a member of the Las Vegas club, High Noon Lectern #2462. Her Toastmaster family and other friends had many
good things to say about Betty. I went to her Facebook page and found beautiful posts on the notice of her passing.
By Irene Fenolio
A beautiful woman inside and out who has a special place in so many
peoples hearts. She will be remembered alsways for the beautiful
loving and dynamic person she was she will truly be missed.
Donna Ghostie had this to say
. . . She was truly an inspiration and her passing leaves a huge void in
the hearts of everyone she touched. My thoughts and prayers are
with her family and many friends.
From Judi Moreo
. . . Betty was an exceptional person. She made the world better by
being in it. The world will miss her and I will miss her. She was a
positive force in my life.

Speaker Spotlight:
by Sheryl Greenblat ACB, ALB Area C2 Governor

Himanshu Katuria, ACG, ALB was the first place winner of the
Humorous Contest at the 2014 District 33 Fall Conference in
Las Vegas. Himanshu and I spoke recently about his
Toastmaster experiences, how he prepares for contests and
what his goals are for the future.
S.G: How long have you been in Toastmasters?
H.K: I started in November 2010 after a friend of mine invited
me to visit Amgen Noontalkers, a corporate club for the
biotech company Amgen. I attended a few meetings and
really liked the format. When I attended the Tall Tales
contest... I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I now belong to
Simi Valley Toastmasters and have my ACG & ALB. I'm working
towards my DTM. I served as Area J1 Governor for the 20132014 year but have stepped back from leadership to focus on
the communication track and participating in contests.

Speaker
Spotlight

S.G: Congratulations on winning the District 33 - 2014 Humorous Contest. What was your speech about?
H.K: My speech was called "Missing Toastmaster Manual". A friend of mine called me struggling with
relationship problems. Having been single most of my life, I didn't really know how to help him. I decided to
use what I've learned in Toastmasters and apply it to his situation. I then realized that we are missing a very
important Toastmasters manual... The Competent Relationship Manual.
S.G: Who has helped you the most in Toastmasters?
H.K: While I write all of my own speeches, I always reach out for advice. I like to brainstorm with my mentors,
Vahid Mofidi, Jason Patterson, Emily Liu and Dan Murray, DTM. They've been my mentors since I first joined
Toastmasters and they've become great friends. They've helped me brainstorm and mentally prepare for the
contests, and helped me realize my dream of winning a District Humorous Contest.
S.G: What's been your favorite part of the Toastmaster experience?
H.K: There are actually two things: First, I love preparing for upcoming speeches. That's when the growth and
learning happen. It has helped me figure out who I really am. Second, I love helping others to get to where I
am, and mentoring others as people have mentored me. It brings me joy.
S.G: What do you do for work and for play?
H.K: I work as a management consultant for Ernst & Young. I travel a lot for business so I like to visit a new
Toastmasters club in each city I go to. I love trying out my speeches on different audiences. I've been doing
martial arts since 2006 with a brief time out to earn my MBA. I'm now back at it and pursuing my black belt in
karate. I'm just two steps away. I also love sports and meeting new people.
S.G: What's the next challenge you would like to take on?
H.K: There are always more contests to win! So many things to do and accomplish in Toastmasters. Down the
road, I would like to win the World Championship of Public Speaking. I want to learn, prepare, and then
accomplish.
S.G: Any advice to newer Toastmasters?
H.K: If anyone is afraid or intimidated by contests, please reach out to me. I would love to help prepare you
for your first contest. I want as many people as possible to realize how much they can grow just stepping on
stage. It's such an amazing experience. I have about 4 mentees right now and would love to help more. This is
my way of giving back to the Toastmasters community.
Himanshu can be reached at himan82@gmail.com

Charlottes Web
By Charlotte Bentley, CC/ALB
VP Ed Saturday Morning Live Toastmasters Club #2470

Leader Spotlight: Steve Goldstein

Leader in the Limelight
Taken from stage lighting once used in theatres, the term "in the limelight" now refers
to anyone we want to shine a spotlight on. In this issue, we are featuring Steve
Goldstein, DTM, as our leader in the limelight. Steve relocated from Boston to Southern
Nevada in 2003. He had attended a few clubs before moving, but was determined to
find a permanent Toastmaster home upon his arrival. That journey led him to become
personally involved in 6 clubs and instrumental in the growth and development of
dozens more. Steve originally wanted to improve his speaking and communication
skills, but found he was drawn to the leadership possibilities. Over the years, he has
found a real passion in mentoring people and clubs to take over future leadership roles.
I first met Steve about 3 years ago when I went with a friend to a club meeting because
she didn't want to go alone. Steve drew me in right away, got me involved, and started
his covert mentoring process. Steve would call and say he had a great opportunity for
me, and whether it was taking on an officer role, helping him at a district conference,
or judging a high school speech contest, he always made me feel like I could succeed.
And I thought they just wanted me to join since I had a location we could use. What I
didn't realize until much later was that Steve was doing this educational outreach at 3
or 4 other clubs. Much of Steve's passion for and dedication to Toastmasters is like
that - behind the scenes so to speak. Most Toastmasters in District 33 don't realize
that Steve has donated the graphic design and printing services for contests, collecting
only for hard paper costs, from the club level to the area level and beyond to the
division and district level for years, saving us all a lot of money.
Steve has served in every officer position at the club level, multiple times, and has
received the TM of the Year Award and Sparkplug of the Year Award in several of his
clubs. He has been Area Governor twice, Division Governor, a district officer for 7
years, directory editor for 5 years, printer for the district newsletter, the first District
33 photographer, Conference chair twice, reception chair at the TM International
Conference, and District 33 Toastmaster of the Year in 2010-2011.
Beyond the club level, Steve has brought his Toastmaster skills to the community. He
has judged speech contests for Rotary, Lions, DECA at UNLV, chaired Skills USA, the
Nevada state high school speech contests, and started a gavel club at Foothills HS. I
must admit that if we had a Steve Goldstein fan club, I would be the #1 fan. Somehow
I think I may have to stand in line.

Division A Governor
Eric Riddle, DTM
by Ann Hill, DTM
With commitment and dedication, the members of
Division A have accomplished much during the first
six months of this Toastmasters year.
Club members have completed 43 educational
awards (through December 16, 2014).
We have signed up 78 new members.
Clubs have held successful Open Houses. As an
example: The members of Ridgecrest
Possibilitarians displayed great team work in
holding an open house gathering on a recent
Tuesday evening in November. There were 11
guests, eight of whom were seeking personal
development through membership with a
Toastmasters club.
Our Division brought home another District
Speech Contest victory. Last year, it was the
humorous contestant, Dave Sauer of Area A-4s
High Desert Toastmasters. This year, we are
pleased to congratulate Division As Evaluation
Speech contest representative, Ellie Kay, ACB,
ALB. Ellie, also from Area A-4, is the Vice
President of Public Relations for Shop Talk
Toastmasters.
Under the helm of new Division A Governor, Eric
Riddle, DTM, Division A is currently gearing up for its
requisite 2nd training for its Club Officers. We
expect that the next six months of this
Toastmasters year will be Division As best New
Year yet.

Division B Governor
Martha Navarrette, ACG, ALB
Division B is strong, well and thriving!
During the past months, I had the opportunity to visit and
celebrate along with our Area Governors several
successful club meetings and events at Division B. During
my visits, I felt humbled by how members welcomed me
with open arms to their clubs. It is also inspiring to see
how dedicated and committed our Area Governors are to
the success of their Area clubs and their members.
My vision for Division B is to continue to strengthen our
clubs by focusing on the Toastmasters members
experience. By supporting our members leadership
growth, educational dreams and communication
objectives our clubs will continue to grow stronger.
My goals are that with strong clubs, trained Officers, and
with empowered Area Governors, Division B will be able
to cement their clubs and grow to support our Districts
mission.
Currently we are adding to our Toastmasters Learning
Institute a fun Posada theme to combine great food and
fun to the best training we can offer. By adding a Panel of
Experts to the new Officers Training, Division B hopes to
tap into what Division B has, some of the best and
experienced Toastmasters!
We are also looking forward to what 2015 will bring in the
way of new clubs, a great Spring Contest and the
opportunity to continue to serve our members.
It is only when we offer a positive learning environment,
great training and coaching resources that our members
find the added value that differentiates Toastmasters from
other programs.
During these holidays, it has also been great to witness
how our organization brings a sense of community to
members. Open houses, holiday parties and combined
club meetings are happening throughout our Division.
Receive from us, warm wishes and happy holidays
among your Toastmasters friends and family!
Martha A. Navarrete, ACG, ALB Division B Governor

From all of us in Division A: Happy Holidays and wishes

for happiness now and whatever will bring happiness to
you in the future. May you and yours also experience
your best New Year yet.

Is Your Toastmaster Club Plugged In?

by Tim Mullins, DTM
D33 Website Consultant
toastmaster.tim@gmail.com

Were NUMBER 3, Were NUMBER 3

How many times have you watched a basketball or football game and heard the cheerleaders chant,
Were NUMBER 3, Were NUMBER 3 its NEVER happened. EVER!
Everyone, everywhere, always wants to be NUMBER 1! The BEST! The Cream of the Crop!
Your first two questions to me might be, and probably are, What in the world are you talking about
and What does this have to do with me? Both excellent questions!
And the answers are Were NUMBER 3, Were NUMBER 3thats right, District 33 is Number 3
in the world of Toastmasters when it comes to the Club to Club Website percentage as found on the
Toastmaster International website. 177 out of 207 District 33 Clubs are linked to the TI website, and
that puts us at 85.51%. Were NUMBER 3, Were NUMBER 3!
But this is all just stats, numbers and percentages, unless you believe as I do, that having, using,
displaying and connecting a club website to the internet is one of the best tools to attract potential
members. In this cyber active, totally web connected world we live in today if your club doesnt have
a website or doesnt connect it in every way you can to the World Wide Web then your Club is
virtually invisible.
As I sit here and write this article District 33 is Number 3. But we could easily be Number 1. How?
Im glad you asked! There are 11 Clubs in District 33 right now, at this moment, that have active,
viable websites that are NOT linked to TIs website that, if connected, would raise us to NUMBER 1!
We would go from 85% to 91%. This is an easy fix. It would only take about 5 minutes for each club
to connect their website to TIs website. If your club needs them then the instructions on how to
connect your club to TI are listed at the following web link.
http://d33.toastmastersdistricts.org/Link_Your_Club_Website_to_TI.html
But this is not just about being Number 1, this not just about stats. This is about communication!
This is about leadership! This is about membership! The more connected our clubs become, directly
translates to more people hearing about Toastmasters. The more who hear the more who join! The
more who join the more communicators and leaders that are made.
So what will it be? Are we happy with Were NUMBER 3, Were NUMBER 3 or do we want to
strife for NUMBER 1? Remember!!! More connection equals more members. Lets go for Were
NUMBER 1!!!

Division C Governor
Gene Dunford, DTM
Clubs are hosting Open House meetings all
around Division C. Corporate Power Talkers Open
House was a great success, hosting 60 visitors and the
club added ten new members. The Area C-5 Governor
Greg Bruce reported the club is Rising to the
Opportunity.
Our Toastmasters Learning Institute is scheduled for
January 17th. The classrooms at Cashman Center are a
perfect educational setting. We are using the training
modules for our club leaders. Flyers are on the way to
club leaders urging them to attend the TLI.
Wyndham Resorts is hosting a club for their team
members. The Kickoff meeting is December 8th.
Marketing At Boston Dental Group has a kickoff meeting
scheduled for January 7. We are searching for
sponsoring clubs.
Club members can help by
volunteering to be New Club Mentors helping our
newest clubs learn the Toastmasters way.
Our International President Distinguished Toastmaster
Mohammad Murad met with the City of Hendersons
Assistant City Manager promoting Toastmasters to
enhance their employee training programs. In March,
we may have kickoff meetings for the City of Henderson,
Williams Sonoma, The United States Post Office; and a
growing list of potential new clubs in the Las Vegas
vicinity continue to provide potential growth.
Visiting Las Vegas? Come to one of our club meetings we love having guests. Check our Division C club
websites for schedule changes.
Have a prosperous and Happy New Year in District 33!
Gene Dunford DTM
Division C Governor

Division D Governor
Linda Bown, DTM
Greetings from Division D! We have a new D2 Area
Governor and Chief Judge: Thank you to Valerie Harper,
DTM, for stepping up and serving as D2 Governor for the
remainder of the year, and special thanks to the ubiquitous
Marjie North for helping complete Area Governor reports
for clubs outside her Area. Mark Kemp, Marjie North, Karen
De Shazer, Valerie Harper and Roland Thibodeau, Division
D Area Governors, thank you for your dedication and hard
work.
Bill Parker, Division D Chief Judge, has done an outstanding
job, and will be stepping down. Mark Zachman, DTM,
seasoned Toastmaster, will be our Chief Judge for the
remainder of the year, as well as serve as an Ambassador
for Division D, as a Club Booster.
Division D continues as Spiritual Speakers in D2 became
Curtain Call, and boasts thespians ready to take the stage.
Coyote Toastmasters in D3 participated in the College of
Southern Nevada Speech Competition, with Marjie North
representing Toastmasters as a judge and coach. She said it
was amazing! Sands Expo, our newest club, continues to
grow. MGMs cluster of Toastmaster clubs for MGM
Corporate Sales is planning their kickoff in January, and has
already started to meet once a week at the Mandalay Bay
Executive Offices in preparation for the cluster effect.
Lions Roar hosted their 19th anniversary with an open
house at the MGM Grand. This iconic club remains
steadfast, devoted to quality meetings and nurturing new
members.
Area D5 Governor, Marjie North, is hosting a Vegas
Toastmasters wide event at Ethel M in Henderson on
December 12th for Toastmasters and their families. Las
Vegas Toastmasters is hosting a Christmas Party on
December 17th at the top of the Stratosphere at 5:30 p.m.,
a brilliant vantage point to celebrate the holidays. Two
Clubs in Division D, Ill Drink to That Toastmasters, and
UNLV, have already reached Distinguished status.
Congratulations to these outstanding clubs for bringing
value and excellence to all their members and to our
Toastmaster community.
As we gather during this holiday season, please stay safe,
keep those less fortunate or those experiencing challenging
times in your hearts; laugh, live and love out loud! All of us
in Division D wish you a Merry Holiday & Peace on Earth!

PR POINTERS
By Guy Dawson, DTM
District 33 Public Relations Officer
Act Like a VP of Public Relations
You have elected a VPPR and that person is responsible for getting the
word out about how fantastic your club is. Should they have to go it
alone or will you spread the word along with them? You can Act Like
a VP of Public Relations all the time by sharing your inspiring
Toastmaster experiences with your friends, family and the
community. Here are some simple ways for you to help bring greater
recognition to your club and our amazing organization.
Wear a Toastmaster name badge often: Name badges are
outstanding conversation pieces and they will peak the
curiosity of prospective members.
Announce your Toastmaster membership on social media
sites: Talk about being a Toastmaster and your educational
accomplishments on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, etc and
invite your connections to attend a meeting.
Carry Toastmaster Magazines in your car and share them with
people you meet: Ask for permission to leave magazines in
your doctor or dentists office or at the local library. People
rarely throw away magazines and they are outstanding tools
for publicity.
Now you are ready to Act Like a VP of Public Relations whether you
have the title or not. Take advantage of any opportunity to sing the
praises of your club. We are all, in essence, Public Relations Officers
for Toastmasters.

10

Division E Governor
Julie Boyce, ACS, CL

Division F Governor
Monty Shindler, ACS, ALB
Strong Members Strong Leadership

What an Experience
You have heard the saying If you build it
they will come? Thats just what
happened November 14th & 15th at the
Tuscany Hotel in Las Vegas, District 33
Conference and they (District 33
Toastmasters members and guests) arrived in
Droves to attend this coveted event. I
thoroughly enjoyed the program.
One of the highlights of the Conference was
having my photograph taken with our
International President Mohammed Murad
DTM. I felt like a real Teeny Bopper
Fan! For those of you who have not attended
one of the conferences I suggest you
Reconsider. I will be attending the 2015 Fall
Conference in Las Vegas at Caesars
Palace.
I would like to mention the creativity of the
wonderful army of volunteers who
participate in this past November conference.
It added more enjoyment for all of us. What
a Great team.
Division E is focused on building its
membership and working toward our goals.
My six (6) Area Governors are Rising to the
Opportunity to achieve these goals.
Julie Boyce ACS, CL.
Division E Governor

Twenty seven attendees from Division F enjoyed the District

33 Humorous and Evaluation Conference in Las Vegas with
Toastmasters International President Mohammed Murad.
Many thanks to Phil and his team for making this the best
conference I have personally attended. We are hosting the
next District 33 International and Tall Tales Conference in May
of 2015 in Modesto and we will be glad to see you all here!
November is finally behind us after submitting 100% of our
Club Visits on time. We are preparing to conduct our TLI in a
few days on December 13th at the graciously offered home of
John Rogers, DTM. The updated training modules from TI will
be utilized for maximum benefit.
Our first Speechcraft ever with Stanislaus County Community
Services Agency (CSA) kicked off on December 3rd with twelve
Stanislaus County employees and will run eight weeks total. It
was a fun-filled and extremely successful meeting that
exceeded all expectations. Everyone experienced Table Topics
for their first time and next week, the Icebreakers begin! A
new club is in the works to be chartered at the course
conclusion and another Speechcraft will be started shortly
thereafter to accommodate the long waiting list. The county
has agreed to support ongoing Speechcrafts because they
know that Toastmasters is the go-to place for leadership and
speaking skills!
Round two focuses on new membership for all clubs and
increasing retention while providing better education enabling
personal, club, and area goals to be met in relation to the
Distinguished Club Program (DCP).
All of our area contests and division contest have been
scheduled, with many clubs also setting their contest dates
well in advance. A few of these clubs plan to turn their contests
into Open Houses to draw those with curious and competitive
natures.
The Smedley Award has been earned by Foster Farms Roasters
and REO Speech Train while
Yosemite Toastmasters clinched the Division F Fall Contest
Open House Award. These clubs in addition to Sunrise
Toastmasters all earned the District 33 Rise to the Opportunity
Award. Finally, the Area F2 Share the Hospitality Award was
earned by Yosemite Toastmasters and REO Speech Train.
Round One has been a foundational success for Division F,
providing a structure for us in Round Two, to continue building
Strong Members and Strong Leadership.

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12

Division G Governor
Jose Salazar, ACS, CL
Half-Way-There
Well, this year is flying by, and were Half-Way-There. This
meaning has a two-purpose connotation. Were Half-WayThere in achieving our goals as a Division, and halfway
through the year. However, this is a time for me to reflect on
what weve accomplished so far, as a Division. Weve grown
as a Division by introducing new Toastmaster Clubs, which
has been a challenge. The assistance of my Division Council
members, and District 33, Lt. Governor of Marketing, Jamuna
Ramnath, have all pitched-in in making strides to get these
new Clubs Chartered. These new Clubs will be: Exeter
Toastmasters, an IRS Breakfast Club Toastmasters,
BREAKAWAY Toastmasters, and a Closed Club with the
Department of Fish and Game. There are rumors of two other
Clubs, but we will see how those rumors turnout.
Our Division has been busy this year. The concepts of all the
changes weve made as a Division has definitely made some
progress. There are senior Toastmasters that have said to me,
Your changes were long overdue.
These senior
Toastmasters have awaken to a breath of fresh air and want to
be involved. We have a great Division TEAM that understands
the concepts of Toastmasters. Through their skill and
understanding and using the new technology aspects, they get
the job done. From these efforts, the Clubs have appreciated
the following:
(1) Advance notifications we send out to the Area
Governors and Club Presidents to schedule any
training or Division events.
(2) Using technology such as Google Accounts and
teleconferences to share information or conduct
Division Quarterly meetings saves time, expense and
encourages personal safety by staying home.
Im grateful I selected the option of creating the Division
Council, and I have considered this concept to be an
acceptable High Performance Leadership Project. I have lead
and guided our Division Council through training, and technical
projects that were reviewed and approved by District 33, Lt.
Governor of Education & Training, Debby Baker, and District
33, Governor, Katy Porter, which were successful. It is through
their efforts as members of our Division Council and our Area
Governors for our current success in 2014-2015.
Life has many challenges and Toastmasters is a part of it. It is
through these challenges that we grow and learn from them.
What an exciting year, and were only Half-Way-There...

Division H Governor
Ken Richardson, ACG, ALB
Two steps forward and one step back. That seems to
be the theme for the current fiscal year in Division H. The
Division took two giant steps forward with the creation of two
powerhouse clubs: Safety First and ZToasters. The twinkle for
a new club at Caesars Entertainment remains bright. I expect
a kickoff meeting early next year. In addition, the revival of ToYour-Health (TYH) is underway and shows great promise. TYH
lost all but four of its long-term members and they have been
struggling to keep the club going. Five new potential members
stepped up to bring them back from the brink. Theres
nowhere to go now but up. Downtown Talkers, another club
facing extinction has also begun a modest revival. On the
other hand, there are at least two clubs struggling to remain
viable. One will probably need to re-invent itself as a totally
new club. The other is in need of a dedicated club coach.
Thats a goal I hope to realize in the next few weeks.
Working with the outstanding Governors from
Divisions C and D, we are ready to implement the new TI
officer training curriculum. Our TLI training date is set for
January 17 with a makeup meeting scheduled for January 29.
We have recruited an amazing group of experienced
Toastmasters to serve as facilitators. In an effort to reduce the
traditional chaos at the registration desk, we are asking all
clubs to pay and register their officers in advance. For more
information contact me or Division C Governor, Gene Dunford,
DTM.
The Division H Area Governors continue to shine. All
club visit reports were completed on time and the Area spring
contest dates have been selected. Areas H1 and H2 will hold
their contests on April 11, 2015 at the Southwest Gas
corporate office on Spring Mountain Road in Las Vegas. Area
H3 is scheduled for April 4th and Area H4 is scheduled for
March 14. Venues have not yet been finalized. The Division H
contest will be held in conjunction with Division C on April 25
at the Wildhorse Golf Club in Henderson.
Going forward the goals for Division H are: 1.
Continue to nurture and support existing clubs; 2. Seek out
opportunities for the development of 18 new, sustainable
clubs, and 3. Take two steps forward every day without looking
back. In other words, to boldly go where no Division has gone
before.

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Be a Club Coach? You Betcha!!

by Tim Chedester, ACG / CL

I can recall telling anyone that asked that becoming a Club Coach was maybe one of the most
challenging leadership endeavors I took on, and absolutely the most rewarding! Recollecting
my time as a 1st time Area Governor, I began experiencing some clubs that were having
trouble keeping members. Many of you know what Im talking about. Members
taking on two or three roles per meeting. Some officers with multiple roles.
Without question, the dedication and loyalty of each member was what
was keeping the club afloat. At some point; the weight became too
much and the club was unable to make it.

Member
Spotlight

Having someone from the outside looking in

may have been just the infusion a struggling club needs with some fresh
perspective. Ever heard the phrase a fish doesnt know what water is until its not
in it anymore? Being immersed in the culture or situation doesnt really allow a clear
perspective because there is no objectivity or clear perspective of the real issues that face
clubs who are working there rear ends off but never seeming to quite get things back on track.
They are essentially never able to see the club from an out of water experience. The Club Coach is
the leader that can step in and support the club in looking objectively at the real issues it is facing. Together,
they can make some adjustments and implement some solutions to create a new vision and culture that will
support the club in not only reviving, but thriving.

The benefits for the club are clear, a fresh start and new direction for growth; however the benefits for the Club
Coach may not be as obvious. Many Toastmasters who have coached will tell you they gained great knowledge and learned
much about communication and leadership from their experience. I personally wanted to become a life coach at the time;
so a big benefit for me was learning how to use my listening skills, and intuition to identify issues with process, structure,
and club culture. All of these are useful tools that can be used in organizational development, training and development,
and even instruction development.
Leadership and Communication are front and center as the Club Coach forges a relationship with club members
by leading them to a new way of thinking about how a club operates. The Club Coach must Persuade with Power and
practice vital leadership skills that will help the Club Coach long after the club succeeds by becoming Distinguished . Will
you make some mistakes? Of course you will. I made many of them. However, I also learned about humility and asking for
help from other leaders; both traits that great leaders possess. I learned much along my journey, and I am still not the
leader that I wish to be. Love to teach, or want to train or become a trainer? Want to be supportive in changing lives of
other Toastmasters? Club Coach may be for you!! Your new leadership adventure awaits you!
This was truly one of the most beneficial experiences for me I could have ever imagined; I have become a Life
Coach, created training material and presented workshops, spoken at local events, expanded my confidence level to be
able to walk into most any situation, and embrace my
place in the front of the room, and for a time I was
honored to be the District 33 Club Coach Trainer,
something I am still proud of to this day.
If you are ready for a leadership and
communication experience at light speed, reach out to
your Area Governor and let them know youre interested
in helping a club to succeed. Or you can reach out to the
District 33 Club Coach Coordinator Maria Azevedo at 209613-9706 or email her at margaze@sbcglobal.net.

14

Division J Governor
Daniel Waldman, ACS, ALB
Division J was blessed to be able to claim as one of its members the Fall Humor Speech contest winner. With his
first place Humorist Speech Contest win at the District Fall Conference we congratulate Himanshu Kathuria.
Having said that my term as Division J Governor started last July 1st. Its amazing how much time has gone by so
quickly. The term is almost half over and I for one am just getting started. With the Division J TLI on January 17, I
will be past the half way mark but do not fear; my successor is even of a higher caliber and equal or stronger work
ethic. Of course nothing is ever set in stone so I do have a backup successor.
TLI is not simply officer training but rather Toastmasters Leadership Institute. It is open to all members, not just
the officers.
Some people have asked if they need to attend if they are continuing in the same officer position. The short answer
is yes. Not only does every officer needs to be trained every six months, but there is also a wealth of information
for the non-officer member. So come, chat and participate. Plus, we have an exciting program designed for optimal
club experience throughout the year.
My goal is to get most of the club level officers trained at TLI verses makeup trainings or the labor intensive one
club at a time training. So please attend the TLI. Visit us at http://www.divisionjd33.org

2015 International Convention

by International Convention District Host Chairs Jesse Oakley III, DTM,PDG & Dana Wall-Oakley, DTM

District 33 to host next International Convention in Fabulous Las Vegas

On behalf of Toastmasters international President, Mohammed Murad, DTM, we cordially invite you to the
2015 Toastmasters International Convention. It will take place August 12-15, 2015 at Caesars Palace in the
heart of the Las Vegas strip. As the Host District, it is up to all the members of District 33 to make this
convention one of the best International Conventions ever! We are currently recruiting volunteers. If you
are interested in becoming a volunteer for one or more of the events, please contact us at
oakleyj3@juno.com or penguinady1@cox.net. Feel free to visit the District 33 Convention website at
http://d33.toastmastersdistricts.org/2015_Toastmasters_International_Convention.html
If you have never been to a Toastmasters International Convention, this is your golden opportunity to be a
part of something big. We are looking forward to working with you and seeing you at Caesars Palace in
August 2015. Not only will you hobnob with Toastmasters from around the world, you will have a fantastic
and rewarding experience. Please volunteer, its worth it!

Members of District 33 Would you like to grow leaps and bounds as a leader in ways you never dreamed possible?
Serve in District leadership as an Area or Division Governor, right on up to District Governor. It will open
doors of personal growth in ways you never knew existed.
Now is the time to declare your candidacy. Please contact me for the forms to fill in and return: District
Leaders Qualifications and Responsibilities; District Leader Nominating Form; and the Officer Agreement and
Release Form.
For more information and details on this wonderful growth opportunity, contact:
Kathy Choate, DTM, IPDG, Nominating Committee Chair. Nolimit_one@msn.com 805-907-5636.
Thanks all.
Kathy Choate, DTM, IPDG
Mobile : 805/907-5636
email: nolimit_one@msn.com
http://d33.toastmastersdistricts.org

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Fall Conference 2014 Showcased

Speakers & Elite Dignitaries
by Guy Dawson, DTM

Past International President Michael Nataro, LGET Debbie Baker & District
Governor, Katy Porter with Current International President Muhamad Murad

District 33 Toastmasters
District
gathered at the Tuscany
Spotlight
Suites in fabulous Las
Vegas, Nevada November 14th
and 15th for our Fall Conference.
This years conference also featured a
special attendee. Toastmasters International
President Mohammed Murad, DTM traveled from
Dubai to be a part of the festivities and delivered a
keynote speech. The event also featured
outstanding educational workshops, a night of
star-studded leadership recognition, a gala banner
parade and splendid Humorous and Evaluation
Speech Contests.

On Friday evening, Immediate Past District Governor Kathy Choate, DTM and her team were recognized for being Select
Distinguished in 2013/2014 and a host of other Toastmasters received awards for their accomplishments. Later on, Past
International President Michael Notaro, DTM inspired us with a speech about the peaks and valleys of his Toastmaster journey.
Before the evening ended, the new Distinguished Toastmasters were introduced and welcomed into the family.
Saturday started off with an early District Executive Committee meeting and a special breakfast for First Timers. The rest of the
day was filled with exciting activities that brought us all together in fellowship. After the banner parade, International President
Murad asked us to take advantage of opportunities in his electrifying speech and Toastmasters newest Accredited Speaker
Barbara Khozam, DTM hosted an informative workshop about how to become better at marketing a little later. District 33 Website
Consultant Tim Mullins, DTM also gave us a serious education on the value of being web savvy in promoting our clubs.
The Humorous and Evaluation contests displayed some of our Districts finest speakers. They all gave it their best and showed class
and good sportsmanship regardless of the results. When it was all over, Division As Ellie Kay, ACB, ALB was the Evaluation Contest
winner and Himanshui Kathuria, ACG, ALB took home first place in the Humorous Contest.
Division E Governor Julie Boyce, ACS, CL raved about the great time she had at Fall Conference 2014. I thoroughly enjoyed the
program, she said. For those of you who havent attended a District Conference, I would suggest you reconsider.
Division C Governor Gene Dunford, DTM said that working with International President Murad on prospective clubs was a
galvanizing experience. The motivational speeches that were given by our International President and Michael Notaro, PIP
were the capstone of the Fall Conference, he said.
First timer Amanda Marie Ayers said the Conference " Was an entertaining and enlightening experience filled with learning and
great opportunities to meet other Toastmasters."
We appreciate the efforts of Conference Chair Phil Bateman, ACS,ALB, and his committee
in putting on a fabulous event.
See you all in Modesto, CA for the District 33 Spring Conference May 1&2, 2015!

Left to Right: Humorous

Contestants and Toastmaster;
Evaluation Contestants and
Toastmaster; Phil & Kim
Bateman, Conference Chair
Next Page: A random
selection of photos from the
Conference

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District 33 Corporate Sponsors: District 33 is grateful and appreciative

for the monetary contributions we have received from our Corporate
Sponsors recently. Bank of America gifted us $500 and NV Energy sent
us an endowment to $250. Their generous donations will help us to fulfill
the District mission and carry the Message of Toastmasters to our
communities. Both of these companies will also be acknowledged as
Corporate Sponsors at the Spring 2015 Conference.

17

Technology Corner

Education Corner
Resources from Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International Website has

a new look
by Dana Wall-Oakley, DTM
Change can be difficult. We resist, fight, kick, scratch and
finally, we realize the inevitable. The change is not going
away, so we have to adjust. T.I. is making many changes in
the coming months and it looks like they have begun with the
website.
The new face of Toastmasters is video.
Toastmasters is staying current and relevant by entering the
21st Century feet first. They have updated the website to
utilize the new colors more effectively. Videos are more
prominent for those who like to learn by watching a video.
The login and profile information for members is more user
friendly and the links are easier to follow. I found what I was
looking for much more quickly than before.
As Toastmasters International strives to attract new
members from the younger generation while retaining the
members that have been around for a while, they have to
appeal to both in completely different ways. The younger
generation are more technologically inclined and appreciate
the videos and downloadable content. At the same time,
those who have been in Toastmasters for a long while are
used to paper and phone calls. T.I. is walking the fine line
between both and I believe the changes made to the website
have meshed the two different styles together perfectly. Say
Hooray for Change and embrace the future of Toastmasters.

Ask Dana

There are a plethora of free resources available at

Toastmasters.org. Visit this website and click on Menu
in the top left corner, then on Resources. The links
listed will help you find anything you might be looking
for from Toastmasters International. Many of these
resources are downloadable. Toastmasters
International also has a podcast.
If you are interested in starting a new club, this link will
help. Its the New Club E-toolkit:
http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/OfficerResour
ces/ClubOfficerResources/NewClubEtoolkit.aspx
This link will help your club with Membership Building:
http://www.toastmasters.org/Members/MembershipB
uilding.aspx
If you prefer to watch videos, this link will give you
video resources
http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/Fr
eeResources/ToastmastersTimeTestedCommunicationT
ipsonVideo.aspx
Many of the educational materials available in the shop
are downloadable, search for manuals, flyers, and other
pamphlets at this link
http://www.toastmasters.org/MainMenuCategories/Sh
op/ManualsBooksVideosCDs_1.aspx
Visit Toastmasters.org for resources - Educational
Materials, District & Division reports, Membership
Materials, etc. to help build membership and educate
your club members.

By Dana Wall-Oakley, DTM / CGW (Computer Guru/Webmaster)

FreeToast Host updates Club Website format again

The coordinators of our FreeToastHost websites made some changes. Pursuant to my usual feelings about
changes, I was hesitant to be optimistic about them. However, I have recently reviewed these new changes
and have to say, they are AWESOME! The changes are mostly for the admins of the websites. They include
a new way of entering information for new members, a more user friendly option for editing web pages, a
brand new access settings feature, and the ability to choose your own colors for backgrounds, etc. The new
access feature is excellent. A club admin/webmaster can choose to give officers of the club access to make
changes to particular modules. For example, the member that is listed as the VP of Membership for the club
can be given access to update the Membership Management module. The Treasurer can be given access to
the Dues Tool. Im personally excited that it will be much easier to create custom web pages for our club
website and to update current pages. These new features enable each club to plug in to their creativity and
stand out from the others. 9 times out of 10, a visitor to our club says they found us by our website. If your
club website stands out, a visitor is more likely to visit you. If they like your vibe, they will stay. There is a
saying You have 2 chances to make a first impression and the 2nd one doesnt count. Your website is
many peoples first impression of your club. Make it count!! Have fun with the ease of the new features.
District #33 in Region 2
Central California
Southern Nevada

18