District 65 Spring Conference Date Change!!! Mark your Calendars!!!
Due to an error in overbooking, the dates have been changed for the District 65 Spring Conference. The new dates are May 4-6.
Here are the specifics:
Date:
Friday, May 4 – Sunday, May 6
Venue:
- Ramada Hotel and Conference Center
- 2402 North Forest Road
- Getzville, NY 14068
- Hotel (716) 636-7500 x476
- Fax (716) 636-8296
- Room Cost (Includes Complimentary Deluxe Continental Breakfast Bar in Ember Grill):
- $69 a night for 2 Queen Beds (plus 8.75% NYS tax and 5% rooming tax)
- $70 a night for a King Bed (plus 8.75% NYS tax and 5% rooming tax)
Cut-off Date for Room Reservations: March 30, 2012
Stay tuned for more announcements regarding what the conference has to offer, price of the conference, nominations for elections held at the conference, and club proxies.
Onondaga County Proclaims May to Be Toastmasters Awareness Month!
This District 65 Officers are happy to announce that the County Executive, Joanne Mahoney, signed a proclamation on April 30th, declaring the month of May to be Toastmasters International Awareness Month. The reasons for this recognition by the county are:
- Toastmasters International is one of the world’s leading organizations devoted to communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.
- The vision of the organization, which began in 1924 is to empower people to achieve their full potential and realize their dreams.
- Over 260,000 members in over 13,000 clubs in 116 countries make up Toastmasters International.
- More than four million men and women have benefited from improved communication, meeting facilitation, and leadership skills, constructive evaluations, & increased self-confidence.
- Toastmasters International District 65 celebrates its Spring 2011 District Conference, by hosting members and guests from all over Central, Southern, and Western New York State.
- Toastmasters International District 65 is recognized for ‘Achieving Greatness Together’.
With the recognition comes great pride and honor for all of District 65 and Toastmasters International. We look forward to continued membership growth this year. And with it the ongoing mandate to meet our member’s needs.
The Value of Leadership Skills:
How Toastmasters Club Meeting Roles Can Help Your Career
In tough economic times, it’s important to make yourself as valuable as possible – whether you’re holding down a job or seeking employment. Here’s a hard truth: In most companies, leaders are generally considered more valuable than those who follow. They’re paid more, allowed to plan their own schedules and given a larger share of responsibility.
Given that, what would you do to redefine yourself as a leader?
You could walk into any bookstore and purchase dozens of books on leadership, but they won’t build your confidence. To master a new skill, you must practice it. That includes leadership skills, from conflict resolution to time management. It’s better to market yourself as someone who not only knows about these skills, but has also put them into practice.
You could hire a leadership coach, but how would you practice what you learn? And what about the expense?
The fact is you need all of the above and more – without wasting time or going broke. A great solution is the Toastmasters leadership education track, beginning with the Competent Leadership manual.
The Benefits of Club Meeting Roles
Toastmasters clubs are typically highly energized meetings where participants learn leadership in a safe and fun environment. They do this by assuming meeting roles and practicing their leadership skills in front of fellow members who constructively evaluate their performance every time they take a role. Once you join Toastmasters and try these roles, you, too, can develop your abilities without fear. Moreover, you can build specific skills with each role you perform.
Dr. Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters International, once said, “We learn best in times of enjoyment.” That still stands today, and when you build those valuable leadership skills in Toastmasters, you’ll reap even greater rewards in your career.
So, volunteer, have fun and discover the leader inside you!
Toastmasters: Our 85th Year!
As Toastmasters International concludes its 85th anniversary year, the organization stands at a historic high point. Program offerings have never been more expansive. Toastmasters leaders have developed innovative strategies to keep up with advances and shifting cultural dynamics of the global age. Indeed, while many organizations around the world are downsizing because of the economic climate, Toastmasters International is growing; thousands of people are taking advantage of the organization’s programs to enhance their communication skills. Membership is at an all-time high, with more than 250,000 members in 12,000 clubs in 106 countries. As of June 30, a record 1,073 new clubs were chartered, and 56 districts were recognized as Distinguished or better, a number surpassing all previous years.
The organization’s profile is about to grow even higher: A new film about Toastmasters is scheduled for release in late 2010. SpeakEasy, a feature-length documentary produced by Tumbleweed Entertainment, explores the World Championship of Public Speaking and the larger Toastmasters world.
The Toastmasters story is one of dramatic growth and success. And with accomplishments come opportunities. As we meet our members’ needs and greet thousands of club visitors, we offer the most valuable service imaginable: We help people improve their lives. That’s what the Toastmasters mission is all about.
