Public Speaking as a Stress Reliever
October always seems to mark the start of “the busy season," with work deadlines, travel, holidays, and everything in between. When life gets this full, the idea of going to a Toastmasters meeting can easily slip to the bottom of the list.
Show up anyway.
This month has been challenging for me on all fronts — work, home, and volunteering. I was coming off a stretch of travel and wasn’t sure I’d even make it to my Constructive Communicators club meeting (and I definitely wasn’t prepared). But that little voice said, “show up anyway.”
I’m so glad I did! The meeting was filled with laughter, a great speech, and a wonderful theme about tavern pizza! By the end, the stress I’d been carrying all week had melted away.
Public speaking might not seem like a stress reliever, but in Toastmasters, it’s more than speeches — it’s connection, encouragement, and shared laughter.
As the next few months get even busier, take an hour to go to your meeting. It just might be the best stress reliever you’ll find.
Thank you again, Constructive Communicators Toastmasters Club, for lifting my spirits!
Anu Jokinen
District Director, District 2 Toastmasters
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Save the Date!
District 2 Member Development Day
District 2 Member Development Day is coming on November 15, 2025 — and it’s a hybrid experience!
Join us in person at one of several locations across the district or online from anywhere.
Just like tuning in to New Year’s celebrations around the world, we’ll be connected across all sites — learning, laughing, and growing together in real time.
Stay tuned for more details on sessions, speakers, and registration!
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District 2 Incentive Tracker - Training Sessions
Attention Club Officers!
As clubs, you can earn District 2 Dollars by completing various incentives and then use those dollars to support your club’s goals. Clubs often spend these dollars on things like open house refreshments, Zoom accounts, or meeting space rentals.
In the past, however, many clubs found it challenging to track how much they had earned or to see which incentives were available.
The Incentive Tracker solves these frustrations! This new software will allow you to:
- Easily submit and review available incentives
- Track the status of your submissions and awards
- View your club’s progress in real time
To learn how to use the Incentive tracker effectively, we will be
hosting short 30-minute training sessions on the following dates:
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October 29th at 6 pm AK / 7 pm PT (come for the training, stay for Distinguished Office Hours) - Register here
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November 2nd 2 pm AK / 3 pm PT (come for the training, stay for the District 2 Town Hall) - Register Here
For a preview of the Incentive Tracker, here’s a
5-minute video.
Anu Jokinen
District Director, District 2 Toastmasters
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District 2 Conference Logo Design Contest
Calling all creative Toastmasters!
We’re inviting you to design the official logo for the 2026 District 2 Conference.
This year’s theme is “Stronger Together, Powered by the Future.” Show us your take on what that means for our Toastmasters community!
🗓️ Submit your design by November 8, 2025 using this form.
🏆 The winning design will be announced later in November and featured as the official conference logo.
Let your creativity shine — we can’t wait to see your vision come to life!
Roberta Craig
Program Quality Director, District 2 Toastmasters
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Road to Distinguished
Creative Ways to Encourage Participation in Club Meetings
Does your club struggle to get members to sign up for meeting roles? Changing up your club’s meeting format may be the key to engaging both new and longtime members.
Table Topics: Zombie Apocalypse Edition One of my club’s favorite October meetings is the table topics Zombie Apocalypse. In this activity, members select three items from a free Jeopardylabs.com board—similar to the concept of story cubes—and use them to craft a 1 to 2-minute table topic response. The twist is that if a member uses more than five filler words or does not meet the time requirements, they “become a zombie.” This adds a fun, competitive edge to the traditional table topics session.
Backwards Meeting: Another favorite among many clubs is the backwards meeting. The format is simple: flip the meeting upside down for a fresh and entertaining experience. Evaluators begin by identifying how a speaker can “improve” their speech, such as by reducing distracting body movements. Then, speakers deliver their speeches, incorporating the feedback from the evaluators. The focus of a backwards meeting is to emphasize fun and creativity over perfection, making it enjoyable for everyone involved.
Theme Speech A-Thon: Consider organizing a theme speech a-thon, where members can vote on the funniest, tallest tale, or most “spooktacular” speech. Speech a-thons offer a lively, engaging open house opportunity and provide a platform to showcase the speaking skills of both new and seasoned members. For example, Palmer Toastmasters has hosted a Laugh Out Loud open house every autumn for several years, highlighting the club’s spirit and camaraderie.
Wheel of Toastmasters: If your club is experiencing difficulties getting members to volunteer for meeting roles, one creative solution is to introduce a “Wheel of Toastmasters.” This interactive approach involves using a spinning wheel to randomly assign meeting roles to members for the next session. By incorporating an element of chance and fun, the Wheel of Toastmasters encourages participation and ensures all roles are filled, helping meetings run smoothly and engaging members in a lighthearted manner.
For more creative meeting ideas, check out the Road to Distinguished office hours Wednesday at 6-7 PM Alaska, 7-8 PM Pacific.
Click here to register for the Wednesday evening sessions!.
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Your Voice Matters
Let’s Shape District 2 2Gether!
What’s on your mind? What fuels your growth? What do you want more of in your Toastmasters journey?
Every week, we share one short survey to help us get to know you better — your goals, your challenges, your ideas. It’s our way of listening so we can build stronger clubs, better opportunities, and an experience that truly fits what you need.
Your feedback isn’t just data — it’s a spark for positive change. Take a minute this week to share your thoughts and help us keep Toastmasters member-focused and future-ready.
One survey. One minute. One stronger community.
Take the Survey of the Week!
We’ll be featuring a different survey each week and sharing the link on the District website. Your voice helps us grow together, one response at a time.
Please reach out to Roberta Craig, PQD, if you have any questions.
| | | Division C | Area 31 | Amazon Toastmasters Day 1 Club | 7 Members | | Division D | Area 42 | Costco Techmasters | 16 Members | | Division D | Area 44 | Rhetoracles Toastmasters Club | 5 Members | | Division F | Area 62 | Bainbridge Island Club | 5 Members | | | |
Celebrating Club Achievement: The Smedley Award
Congratulations to Outstanding Clubs
We are proud to recognize the following clubs for their remarkable achievements in membership growth. Between August 1 and September 30, these clubs successfully added five or more new, dual, or reinstated members. Their dedication to expanding the Toastmasters community is truly commendable.
Understanding the Smedley Award
The Smedley Award is named after Ralph Smedley, the founder of Toastmasters. Toastmasters International established this award as a way to encourage club growth through a special membership-building contest period. It marks the first of three membership-building contests held throughout the Toastmasters program year. Earning the Smedley Award is a significant honor and represents a high distinction within the organization. To learn more, click here.
Well done! May your clubs continue to have success and growth.
Joanna L. Tavera, DTM
District 2 Club Growth Director 2025-2026
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Unlock Your Potential At A Pathways Office Hour!
Bring Your Questions!
Curious about Pathways or need guidance on your Toastmasters journey? We’re here to help! Wondering what the new Path Enhancements mean for you or your club? We will have the latest guidance from Toastmasters International. Come on by!
Pathways offers an innovative, interactive learning experience designed to boost your communication and leadership skills while fostering personal and professional growth within a fun, supportive community.
Join us for the next Pathways Office Hour:
•Date: Wednesday November 5th
•Time: 6:00 – 7:00 PM Pacific Time, 5:00 – 6:00 PM Alaska
Hosted by: Karen Lezon
This session is the perfect opportunity to ask questions, gain valuable insights, and enhance your Toastmasters experience, whether you’re new to Pathways or seeking targeted advice.
Visit the District 2 Event Calendar for Pathways Office Hour in December.
For any inquiries, feel free to reach out to Karen Lezon
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Would you like to help your Club grow, be more productive, and improve your Members engagement?
One of the tools that Toastmasters offers is the Moments of Truth (MoT) process.
The process is designed to help Clubs take an introspective look at how they work, how they believe they are perceived, and what they could do to improve.
To start a MoT process for your Club, please have a Club Officer send an email with your Club name, Club number, and contact name and email to the MoT Chair, Richard Ripley (Richard.Ripley@comcast.net).
Please use a subject line of “MoT process request, club name and number”
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VPPR TIPS to Produce Your Powerful Presence™ – No. 14
🎤 Being a GREAT Speaker Starts with Being a GREAT Audience Member
When speaking, no one likes to look out and see someone scrolling on their phone, checking email, or staring into space—especially during online meetings.
For new speakers, your reactions as an audience member can make or break their confidence. You might even be the reason a guest decides to
come back to your club—or not.
Being a good audience member is not just polite—it is POWERFUL!!!
Your smile, eye contact, and attentiveness create a space where speakers feel supported and confident to grow. Active listening transforms awkwardness into connection, turning every meeting into an engaging experience for everyone.
In Toastmasters, listening should be just as important as speaking. Because when the audience leans in, the speaker rises up, and the
whole club shines a little brighter. ✨
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This Week’s Challenge
Look at the snapshot of this Zoom meeting.
Which face would YOU want to see while speaking?
Ask yourself:
👉 Do I give my full attention when someone is speaking?
👉 Does my face and body language show the speaker that I am
truly listening?
Sparkle & Shine, Friends!
Kelly Fallucca
VPPR, Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
D2 Area Director, C35
Connect with me on LinkedIn
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by Ann Piraino
Yes, No, Maybe?
Tuesday night, a newer member of my in-person club explained how he had always been overprepared and was trying to 'break the habit' so he did his project using ChatGPT AI to write the speech. It was not a Pathways project.
He did a great introduction, but then he READ THE ENTIRE rest of his speech. He had no eye contact. He held onto the lectern. He had no body movement-no gestures whatsoever. I thought his mentor would faint. His evaluator pointed out all the 'no-no's for that project, and my evaluation gave him the suggestion to at least try to memorize the part that AI wrote for him so he didn't seem to be reading. This was one of the reasons I joined toastmasters back in the 80s. I needed to learn how to memorize a speech for my international organization. A speech that was going to be printed in the program and handed out.
This brings us to the issue of use of AI to write speeches for our Toastmaster projects. Under what circumstances? We obviously wanted him to be using a Pathways project. Using Artificial Intelligence has become commonplace in many applications on social media, but it is based on some appropriate use of the query function to personalize the output which needs to ‘sound’ like the speaker.
We were willing to let him redo his speech – perhaps he could have been using it in level 1 of a Pathways on the Evaluation and Feedback project where he gives a speech, gets feedback, incorporates that feedback, and does the speech over? Would your club be that open to such a compromise? It is a bit of a conundrum. I do not believe there is an existing policy with TI about the use of artificial intelligence, but maybe there should be. If you've done any research on this, I would appreciate your feedback.
Ann Piraino
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YOUTH LEADERSHIP PROGRAM OPPORTUNITY
Do you belong to a club with members who want to participate in a YLP program?
Serve as a coordinator or mentor, in a program to help youth in your community become better leaders and and more confident communicators.
Are you looking to get credit toward your DTM?
Please reach out to the YLP Chair, Anand Vijayachandran, to learn more.
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SPEAKERS BUREAU EXPANSION
Calling Speakers & Club Coaches
Are you a club coach eager for help in
building your club back to Distinguished? Or are you an experienced speaker seeking opportunities to spread your wings and speak your message outside your home club? Then the District 2 Speakers Bureau is for you.
Our mission this year is to bring struggling clubs and experienced speakers
together for the benefit of both.
If you are a club coach eager for guest speakers, or a VPE looking to fill speaker spots at an open house, please contact me, Bob King, DTM, Speakers Bureau Chair, with
details on the meeting time and date, and desired topics. Please let me know at
least 1-2 weeks in advance of the event, so speakers can be fully prepared.
If you are an experienced speaker in search of a speaking opportunity, please contact me with a brief bio, topics you would like to speak on, and a 2 minute video giving an example of your speaking style. Nothing fancy, just something to give us an idea of who you are.
Thanks - we look forward to helping District 2 grow and prosper:)
Bob King DTM
D2 Speakers
Bureau 2025-2026
425-830-2602
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JOIN IMPROMPTUS NW FOR
POTPOURRI
on Zoom
on Monday, October 27th, 2025
at 7:30 PM PDT Time/6:30 PM AKT.
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YOU ARE INVITED TO A HALLOWEEN PARTY!
Tuesday, October 28, 2025 Via Zoom
Public Speaking Northwest Toastmasters
Noon to 1:00 PM PDT
Doors Open at 11:45 AM PDT to Network
This Action-Packed Meeting will Include:
- Costume Contest
- Impromptu Speaking Opportunities
- Laughter, learning & leadership
- Prizes and more!
We Meet Every Tuesday! The first Tuesday of the month is in-person at the Brightwater Center, all other Tuesday's online via Zoom.
In Person at the Brightwater Center in Woodinville
22505 State Route 9 SE
Woodinville, WA 98702
Everyone is welcome at any skill level!
For meeting details contact: https://www.publicspeakingnorthwest.com
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Face Your Fears!
Join the SPEAKOUT Turbo Table Topics Event.
Life is short and you need a little excitement.
Come to the SPEAKOUT Advanced Seattle Toastmasters famous Turbo Table Topics meeting: You will be given a topic five minutes before you give a 3-5 minute speech on that topic. Your speech will be evaluated, and you will give an evaluation of the speech after you. Wow! What fun, right?!
Life is short and so are these speeches. Challenge yourself!
Tuesday, October 28th, 5:45 - 7:30pm. We meet downtown and on-line.
For location, link, and more information about our club, click here: SPEAKOUT
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TNL HALLOWEEN SHOWCASE
Thursday, October 30th, 2025
6:30 pm PDT to 8:20 pm PDT
Join Thursday Nite Live Toastmasters Club for or our Halloween Showcase.
Come in Costume and Hear the Applause at Trinity Lutheran Church's Fireside Room at 12115 Park Ave s, Parkland, WA, 98444-3629.
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Get in the Spirit This Halloween with Eastside Toastmasters!
Trick or speak!
Join Eastside Toastmasters for our Halloween Meeting on October 30, 6:30–8 PM PDT at Creekside Covenant Church.
Costumes encouraged but not required!
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Toastmasters Extraordinaires Invites You!
BACK TO BASICS
Saturday, November 1st, 2025
We are using the tried and true meeting format for our Back to Basics hybrid meeting.
Join us in person at the Edmonds Library at 650 Main St. Edmonds, WA, 98020-3056 or via Zoom,
Saturday, November 1st, at 10:30 AM PDT Time/9:30 AM AKT.
Zoom doors open at 10:00 AM PDT/9:00 AM AKT
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Become a Powerhouse Evaluator
Thursday, November 6, 2025
6:30 -8:00 PM Pacific or 5:30 - 7:00 PM AK Time
Hosted by Palmer Toastmasters & featuring Kyle Hall, DTM as Presenter, this fun and interactive workshop
will share truths and tricks of better evaluating.
During this workshop, we'll:
- Break the process of evaluation into its components,
- Review Do's and Don’ts of effective evaluating,
- Cover the difference between evaluating advanced speakers versus beginners,
- and more!
We'll leave this session with a greater understanding of powerful evaluations and more confidence in our ability to deliver them.
Questions? Call 907-539-7111.
Register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
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GUARDIAN SPIRITS
Let's Talk about These Beings
Have you had an experience with Guardian Spirits? Come ready to share at the Frankly Speaking Open House on November 14, 7:00 – 8:30 pm PDT.
Frankly Speaking is a place to freely speak frankly, because what's said in Frankly, stays in Frankly.
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Is your club holding a special event? Celebrating a milestone? Or want people to know of a significant upcoming meeting they should join? Want to include your post here for next week's newsletter?
Fill out this form to submit your post request
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2025/2026 Starburst Submission Guidelines
We're excited to share our guidelines for submitting articles to Starburst, our official District 2 newsletter. Your club's special activities deserve the spotlight, and we're here to help you shine!
Guidelines for Article Submissions:
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Topic: Focus on club special events.
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Word Limit: Try to limit posts to 200 words or less.
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Images: You may include one image with your article. Ensure it follows the Toastmasters Brand Manual (You may have to login to the Toastmasters main Site to access) and contains minimal text. We're happy to help create one if needed. If the image doesn't meet TM guidelines, we'll work with you or recreate it if we don't hear back.
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Contact Information: All articles must include your club website and/or a contact email for more information.
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Event Posts: Submit up to three consecutive posts for a single event.
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Deadline to Submit: 5:00 PM on the Friday before the upcoming Monday Starburst release.
Submission Process:
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Use the submission form to send us your article requests.
- We look forward to showcasing your amazing events in Starburst!
If you have any questions or need more clarity, feel free to reach out to Marty Varela
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Starburst Suggestion Box
Have a Starburst suggestion? Please check out our Starburst Suggestion Box (only 5 questions), to help us improve the Starburst Newsletter!
| | How did you like this week's Starburst? | | | | This newsletter was edited by - Marty Varela, Disclaimer: The information in this newsletter is for the sole use of Toastmasters members for Toastmasters business only. It is not to be used for solicitation and distribution of non-Toastmasters materials or information. | | | | |
