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District 106
Newsletter
December 2025
| | Serving Parts of Minnesota and Ontario | |
Early Bird Discount Tickets for the D106 Annual Conference. Hurry! Ends January 15.
Looking to connect with Toastmasters beyond your club? Don’t miss the District 106 Annual Conference, a full day of inspiration, learning, and celebration.
📅 Saturday, May 2, 2026
📍 Plymouth Community Center, Plymouth, MN
Enjoy an inspiring keynote, interactive breakout sessions, and thrilling speech contests as we celebrate the legacy of District 106.
Tickets are on sale now — follow the links below to our ticket sales site.
If you have questions, reach out to Spring Conference co-chairs Chrisa Walter and Stacey Neske.
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Want a FREE ticket to the District Conference?
It’s easier than you think!
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Complete ONE educational level in Pathways by December 31, 2025, and you’ll earn ONE entry into the prize drawing.
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Complete MORE levels, and you’ll earn MORE entries—each level equals another chance to win!
Winners will be drawn at the January 2026 TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute)!
The more you learn, the more chances you have to WIN!
Take your skills to the next level, inspire your club, and maybe YOU will be one of the lucky three joining us at the conference for FREE!
Start today—log your goals in Pathways and get those levels completed!
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From the Desk of the District Director
New partnership, holiday celebration and the priceless gift of Toastmasters
The holiday season is here. Over the holiday season, I hope you are able to connect with your Toastmasters friends and make memories.
A new partnership. We are now official members of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce. What does that mean? We have an opportunity to network with many business professionals in St. Paul, as well as market ourselves in a way that is fresh and exciting and meet new people along the way. We plan to utilize this partnership to help us spread the word about Toastmasters. If you have questions about this great partnership, please reach out. https://www.stpaulchamber.com/
The gift of Toastmasters. What’s the best gift of the season? The gift of Toastmasters. Purchase a membership for someone, such as a friend, family member or colleague, who could benefit from Toastmasters. When you have given someone the opportunity to grow and change, that gift is priceless. If you would like to give a membership to a District 106 club, reach out to me or Leo Smith, and we will be happy to create you a holiday gift card for a club.
Holiday party. Thank you to everybody who helped organize our Holiday party and to everybody who showed up. We shared in some great fellowship and had a wonderful time. We also saw some amazing Christmas sweaters!
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Focusing on the New Year. Let’s set up our clubs for success. Please book open houses, bring in guest speakers and encourage members to submit educational goals.
Have a wonderful holiday season and let me be the first to say, “Happy greetings for a 2026!”
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From the Desk of the Program Quality Director
Season greetings and preparing for the new year
As we wrap up 2025 and step into a season of celebration, reflection, and renewal, I want to extend my heartfelt thank you to every member, officer, mentor, and volunteer who helped strengthen our District this year. Your dedication is the reason our clubs continue to grow, inspire, and empower communicators and leaders across Minnesota and Canada.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season
May this time of year bring you peace, joy, and time spent with loved ones. The holidays also give us space to pause, appreciate our progress, and prepare for the exciting opportunities ahead.
Prepare for a powerful new year – Set your 2026 goals
A new year brings a fresh start. I encourage each of you to take a moment to set your personal goals for 2026—whether it’s earning a communication or leadership award, completing a Pathways level, or stepping into a new leadership role.
Similarly, club leaders are encouraged to define clear, inspiring goals for your clubs:
- Strengthen meeting quality
- Boost member engagement
- Achieve Distinguished Club milestones
- Create mentorship and coaching opportunities
- Encourage members to complete educational goals
Strong goals today lead to stronger clubs tomorrow.
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Upcoming Club Officer Training – Register today!
We are excited to announce the Winter Club Officer Training (COT) sessions, beginning this January. These online sessions are designed to help every officer sharpen skills, gain confidence, and bring new energy into 2026.
Whether you are serving for the first time or returning with experience, your participation matters. Attending training not only equips you for success but also helps your club achieve the Distinguished Club Program (DCP) training goal.
Please register early and encourage your fellow officers to join. Let’s ensure every club in District 106 is prepared for an impactful second half of the program year.
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Winter TLI – Elevate your leadership skills
In addition to officer training, District 106 will host the Winter Toastmasters Leadership Institute (TLI)—a powerful learning event open to all members. Expect engaging workshops, advanced leadership development, and practical skills you can bring back to your clubs and workplaces.
This is a perfect opportunity to learn, connect, and grow with leaders across the district during the winter season.
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As we close out 2025, let’s carry forward the spirit of gratitude, learning, and growth. Together, we will make 2026 a year of excellence—for ourselves, our clubs, and our District.
Warm wishes for a joyful holiday season and a successful New Year!
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Ashok Sunkavalli
Program Quality Director, District 106
Email: tm.ashoksunkavalli@gmail.com
Phone: 319-431-2415 (call or text me!)
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From the Desk of the Club Growth Director
A season of sharing, supporting and starting something new
As we enter December—a season of sharing, celebration, and reflection—it’s also a wonderful time to look at how we can share Toastmasters with more people and strengthen the clubs we already have.
Sharing Toastmasters: Plan open houses and demo meetings for the New Year
The end of the calendar year is one of the best times to plan open houses for current clubs and demo meetings for prospective clubs. Many companies and community groups are mapping out their goals for 2026, and communication training is high on their lists. Potential new members are wrapping up the year, planning ahead, and thinking about new beginnings.
This month, let’s share the gift of Toastmasters by helping new groups and individuals explore what a club could offer:
- For prospective new clubs or new members: Identify a group that could benefit—workplaces, teams, associations, or community groups.
- Offer an open house as a “preview gift”—a no-pressure way to learn and experience Toastmasters.
- Partner with the Club Growth team—we’ll help you present a polished, meaningful open house or demo meeting.
December is a wonderful time to plant seeds that will grow into new clubs and new members in the new year.
Sharing support: Connecting coaches with clubs
This season reminds us that support is one of the best gifts we can give—and our district has talented Toastmasters ready to help.
We continue to match club coaches with clubs that can benefit from extra guidance. Coaches help by:
- Rebuilding momentum and engagement
- Strengthening membership and marketing
- Enhancing the meeting experience
If your club has 3-12 members, please reach out. Or if you’re ready to share your experience as a coach, we’d love to connect you with a club that needs you. It’s meaningful service—and it counts toward your DTM.
Respond quickly to prospective members
In January 2026, we are partnering with Toastmasters World Headquarters on a LinkedIn advertising campaign.
Club officers, please remember to check for prospective member leads in Club Central and follow up within 48 hours as a best practice.
How you can share the spirit of the season
- Share one lead—think of a place where strong communicators and leaders could make an impact.
- Share your experience by volunteering as a coach, mentor, sponsor, or demo team member.
- Share Toastmasters with guests—invite someone new to your club this month.
Thank you for bringing the spirit of the sharing into everything you do. Together, we’re spreading growth, connection, and opportunity—one club and one member at a time.
Wishing you a bright and meaningful December!
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From the Desk of the Public Relations Manager
A new year, new horizons: Explore our specialty & advanced cubs
As the year winds down and we look toward a fresh start, it’s the perfect time to think about how we’ll grow next. One simple step can make a big difference: visiting one of District 106’s specialty or advanced clubs.
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These clubs offer focused experiences that help you stretch your abilities—whether it’s sharpening evaluations, practicing leadership, diving into storytelling, or exploring shared interests like food, books, or contest mastery. You’ll meet new people, gather fresh ideas, and unlock skills you didn’t know you had.
A few clubs to explore:
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Foodies Club – fun, flavorful speeches
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Evaluation Specialists – feedback elevated
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Leadership Clubs – practical skill-building for influence
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Book & Discussion Clubs – thoughtful conversations
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Contest & Mastery Clubs – for contestants and coaches alike
And coming soon:
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True Crime Toastmasters – “Where every speech is a closing argument.”
As you prepare your own goals for 2026, consider adding one resolution that will pay off all year: visit or join a specialty club. Even one meeting can inspire a breakthrough.
Here’s to closing out the year strong—and stepping into the next one with curiosity, courage, and community.
See you at a meeting soon!
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Best,
Leo Smith, DTM
District 106 Public Relations Manager
Email: leo.w.smith@gmail.com
Phone: 651-600-0531
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Newsletter Archive
Did you know that that there is an archive of past D106 newsletters?
Visit this repository if you need to refer to a past newsletter. https://d106tm.org/newsletter/
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Follow us on the D106 Website, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok for exciting updates, inspiration, and more.
District 106 Social channel presence by the Numbers:
Facebook: 490 | X (Formerly Twitter): 214 | LinkedIn: 230 | Instagram: 311 | YouTube: 169 TikTok: 51
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